By Fr Rudolf D’Souza for BIS Mumbai

Mumbai, October 15, 2025 – Suraksha Migrant Desk, Matunga, Mumbai under the aegis of Don Bosco Balprafulta, organized a staff capacitation program titled “Scaffolding” for staff working with migrant communities across Mumbai. The workshop was held at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Matunga, at 2:30 p.m. drawing around 62 participants from NGOs, agencies, and religious congregations engaged in migrant welfare.

 Fr Sunil Pinto SDB, Executive Director of Don Bosco Balprafulta and Province Delegate for Migrant Ministry, warmly welcomed the gathering. He explained the symbolic significance behind the name “Scaffolding”, likening the joint efforts of stakeholders in migrant ministry to scaffolding structures that support and safeguard migrant labourers. Stressing the shared mission of solidarity, he remarked that those working for migrants are “many hands and one heart” united for their cause. Quoting Pope Francis, he reminded that “Migrants and refugees are not mere numbers but faces and stories.”

 Fr Francis Bosco SDB, Executive Director of Don Bosco for Migrants (DB4M), introduced the organization’s mission and highlighted critical challenges faced by migrant workers, including the absence of legal frameworks, formal employment relations, and social security. He called for stronger networking and collaboration, emphasizing the need to identify emerging groups such as young migrants, informal workers, and seasonal laborers.

 Ms Bhakti Vardham, Project Coordinator at Don Bosco Balprafulta, introduced the first session led by Prof. Dr Suman Kalani, Vice Principal and Associate Professor at Pravin Gandhi College of Law. Dr Kalani presented on “Labour Rights: Collaborative Road Map for a Dignified Life,” emphasizing that wages, safety, and good working conditions are central to workers’ well-being. She underscored the importance of labour laws in shaping productive employer-employee relationships and explained the distinctions between arbitration, litigation, and mediation through engaging role plays and advocating mediation as a key tool for conflict resolution where both parties stand benefited.

 This was followed by an intervention from Adv. Sudha Bharadwaj, noted trade unionist and human rights lawyer, who recalled the harrowing experiences of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on ground realities from Mumbai, she illustrated systemic exploitation of returning migrants and underscored the ongoing need for legal and social safeguards.

 After a brief exchange of questions and reflections, Adv. Uday Amonkar, representing the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), shared insights from his work in organizing gig economy workers, a group often deemed “impossible to unionize.” 

In the final session, Mr Chetan Wagh, Co-founder of ‘Navnirman Savitri Phule Foundation’ elaborated on existing social welfare schemes accessible to all labourers, emphasizing the role of Civil Society Organizations in educating migrants about these benefits and bridging the gap between policy and practice. 

The program concluded at 6 p.m. with participants exchanging contacts and pledging renewed collaboration to strengthen support systems for migrant workers and their communities.