Volume 4 / Issue 3 / April 2015
Don Bosco Ashalayam New Delhi / House of Hope / dbasha.org
1 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends,
Affectionate greetings from all the children at Ashalayam! I do hope and pray that you are all keeping fine and enjoying good health. Here at Ashalayam children have finished their final examinations and the results are out except for the Board Examinations. Unfortunately some of the students have compartmental examinations in class IX and XI.
The Hindu daily newspaper on 30th March 2015 published an article “Street children suggest ways for better living conditions”. This was a report compiled by two non-profit organizations working for street children- Chetna and Plan India.
According to the report around 200 children live at the major railway stations like New Delhi and Nizamuddin. Out of them, around 180 children take intoxicants. Thirty-five out of the total sleep on the platforms, while others either sleep by the roadside or in some nearby night shelters. Most of the children, left with no other option to earn their daily bread, are forced into ragpicking.
I am sure each of them will have a story of their own. Unfortunately they are the forgotten and despised ones, who need a proactive role from the civil society for their rehabilitation and social reintegration. What is being done at Don Bosco is not even the tip of an iceberg compared to the magnitude of children found in the streets of Delhi. It is sad to see the miserable condition of these children, who have been deprived of their right to a family and its joys.
Thank you for being with us to make our children self-reliant
May God bless you. With warm regards, Father George (Director)
2 FRIENDS AND WELL-WISHERS
On Tuesday 3rd March, it was surprise for all of us to see three of our friends Angelo, Gloria and Grazia from Alba Foundation visited Ashalayam. Since its inception they have been constantly
sponsoring children for their education and welfare. We are grateful to the foundation for their continuous financial assistance and encouragement. Since it was a school day they interacted with the children who were present here.
3 FESTIVAL OF COLOURS HOLI
Holi is one of the major festivals of India and is celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun which is the month of March as per the Gregorian calendar.
Everybody gets delighted at the arrival of Holi as the season itself is so gay. Holi is also called the Spring Festival – as it marks the arrival of spring, the season of hope and joy. The gloom of the winter goes as Holi promises bright summer days. Nature too, it seems rejoices at the arrival of Holi and wears its best clothes. Fields get filled with crops promising a good harvest to the farmers and flowers bloom colouring the surroundings and filling fragrance in the air.
Great excitement can be seen in people on the day when it is actually the time for the play of colours. Bright colours of gulal and abeer fill the air and people take turns in pouring colour water over each other.
Children take special delight in spraying colours on one another with their pichkaris and throwing water balloons on passersby. Women and senior citizen form groups called tolis and move in colonies – applying colours and exchanging greetings.
On 6th March after the assembly colours were distributed to the children and they had an enjoyable time playing with colours, dancing to the latest music with all their friends. The photos will show you how enthusiastic and excited they were in throwing colours on others.
4 HEALTH CHECKUP
Dr. Kumar from Max India together with his team conducted the regular medical checkup for the children on 15th March 2015. They also organized an educative puppet show describing the importance of health and hygiene and showing how they can attain personal discipline and cleanliness.
5 VISIT OF FR. FABIO ATTARD
We were happy to have had the visit of Fr. Fabio Attard General Councilor for Youth Ministry at Ashalayam on 16th March 2015. He had a friendly interaction with children especially answering their questions.
6 STUDENTS FROM SPRINGDALES
On 23rd & 24th-03-2015 -students from Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan came to DBA to have interaction with our children. The programme was organized by the management of the school in order to give an opportunity to the students to become conscious of the ways and means used to educate the marginalized children to be worthy and honest citizens of our nation.
7 RAG PICKER BECOMES THE MONITOR OF HIS CLASS
Sahrukh a 14 years old boy has been nominated to be monitor of class seven in Giridhari Lal Bal Vidyalaya, Fatepuri, Delhi. Four years before he came into contact with staffs of NFE centre at Sadar Bazaar. He was a rag picker and used to collect bottles and sell in order to earn his living.
One day he was noticed by our NFE teacher at Sadar Bazar Railway Station, when he came to collect bottles. The teacher motivated the child and brought him to the NFE Centre. The boy in turn asked teacher, “what are you doing here?” The teacher simply answered that she taught the small kids like him to read and write. He again asked whether it was possible for him to join the classes.
Though he was eager, his mother did not allow him to come to the NFE centre. The teacher along with one more staff tried their best to make her understand the need of the child to be educated. But her main concern was that she would be deprived of the money he was earning by rack picking.
After persistent counseling and interaction, his mother agreed to send her boy to the centre. He was attending NFE classes for a year and then enrolled to the formal education in 4th class at Giridhari lal Bal Vidyalaya. His best performance and leadership qualities prompted the teacher to nominate him as the monitor of the class.
8 PARENT’S MEETING AT DAYA BASTI
There was a meeting organized for the parents at Daya Basti on 6th March 2015 to know the problems and difficulties faced by them. It was also intended to see how Don Bosco can become proactive in such situations to alleviate their sufferings and difficulties. We encouraged them to send the girl children for the NFE classes and will also facilitate the presence of a counselor whenever possible to sort our minor issues that arise among the children and adolescents.
9 HEALTH CAMPS AT MEER DARD ROAD AND DAYA BASTI
On 26th March health camp were organized at Meer Dard Road in the morning and Daya Basti in the afternoon. In both places there was a good response form the beneficiaries. Besides the medical checkup there were hygienic classes conducted healthy living.
10 MONTHLY STATISTICS
At Ashalayam
Number of children on the first day of the month 71
New arrivals 14
Restoration to parents 05
Transferred to other institutions 02
No. of children set free 04
Run away 01
Total No. of the month 85
No. of children on last day of the month 63
Shelter Home at Okhla
Number of children on the first day of the month 18
New arrivals 30
Restoration to parents 19
Transferred to other institutions 03
Total No. of the month 48
No. of children on last day of the month 26
At Don Bosco Hostel
College going boys 15
Studies & Vocational Training 15
Total 30
Intervention at New Delhi Rly. Station
Sent to Shelter 20
Restored 05
Counseling 29
Total 54
At NFE Centres
Meer Dard Road 77
Peswa Road 75
Jakhiarapull 53
Daya Basti 35
Total 240
11 CALL STATISTICS
Shelter 23
Restoration 6
Rescue from abuse 19
Parents Asking Help 2
Total 50