Creating Homes of Hope, Learning and Belonging
For the Salesians of Don Bosco, a hostel is more than a place to stay. It is a home where a young person can feel safe, experience belonging, receive guidance, pursue education and discover the confidence to build a better future.
Inspired by the educational vision of St. John Bosco, the Salesian residential ministry reaches out especially to young people who come from rural and economically disadvantaged communities, children who are at risk, and students who live far from educational opportunities.
Across the centres of the Salesian Province of New Delhi, residential facilities provide an environment where education, care, discipline, recreation, values and personal accompaniment come together. The objective is not simply to provide accommodation, but to help young people grow as confident, responsible and compassionate individuals.
A Home Away from Home
Many young people served by these hostels come from remote villages and communities where access to quality education is limited. For them, the hostel becomes a bridge between their home communities and opportunities for education and personal development.
The Salesian approach seeks to make every residential centre a welcoming and nurturing community. Students are supported in their studies while also being encouraged to participate in sports, cultural activities, music, games, leadership programmes, social activities and value-based formation.
The emphasis is on the whole person — mind, heart, body and spirit.
Don Bosco Ashalayam, Delhi
Don Bosco Ashalayam in Palam, New Delhi, is a Home of Hope for Young at Risk. It reaches out to children between 6 and 18 years who may be living in situations of homelessness, abandonment, neglect, child labour, trafficking, street life or other forms of vulnerability. The centre provides shelter, care, education, counselling and rehabilitation, helping children regain a sense of security, dignity and self-confidence.
Ashalayam’s approach goes beyond residential care. Children are supported in joining formal schools, while vocational training and skill development help older young people prepare for employment and independent living. The centre’s mission is rooted in the conviction that every young person deserves a safe environment in which to recover, learn and hope again.
The name Ashalayam — “Home of Hope” — expresses this mission beautifully: to provide a place where young people who have experienced uncertainty can rediscover security, friendship and a future.
Don Bosco Ashalayam, Lucknow
Don Bosco Ashalayam, Lucknow, serves children and young people who are vulnerable and at risk, including children from street situations, slum communities and difficult family circumstances. The centre functions as a rehabilitation and child-care initiative, combining residential care with education, recreation, personal accompaniment and opportunities for growth.
Its activities include educational support, games, competitions, creative activities and programmes designed to help children develop confidence, learn new skills and express their abilities. The centre’s work reflects the Salesian conviction that a child flourishes when surrounded by care, encouragement, education and positive relationships.
Residential Education in the Rural and Tribal Communities
The Salesian hostels in Jokbahla, Jumaikela, Kereng, Bichna, Hatia, Kokar and Kuarmunda form part of a wider educational and youth ministry that brings opportunities closer to young people in rural, tribal and economically disadvantaged communities.
For many students, residential education makes it possible to attend school or vocational training despite living in distant villages. The hostels provide a structured environment where students can study, participate in community life and develop habits of responsibility and self-discipline.
Don Bosco School, Jokbahla
The Salesian presence at Jokbahla in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, has a strong educational and residential character. The wider centre includes educational institutions and boarding facilities for young people. The Don Bosco South Asia network records hostel facilities connected with the educational mission at Jokbahla, while Salesian Sisters also operate educational and hostel facilities for girls.
The residential environment enables students from surrounding areas to access education while living in a community that promotes study, discipline, friendship and personal formation.
Don Bosco School, Jumaikela
At Jumaikela, Jashpur, the Salesian mission combines parish ministry, education, hostel facilities, vocational training and social outreach. The Don Bosco centre includes residential facilities serving young people who come for education and training.
The community spirit of the hostel is reflected in the many educational, cultural and sporting activities organised for young people. Recent Salesian reporting records students and hostel residents from Jumaikela and Jokbahla coming together for quizzes, cultural programmes, football, kabaddi and community celebrations.
Don Bosco School, Kereng
At Kereng in Gumla, Jharkhand, residential education has developed in response to the needs of children living in surrounding villages. The Salesians opened a hostel for boys in 2000 because many children found it difficult to attend school from their villages. A hostel for girls is also run by the Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo.
The hostel therefore serves an important educational purpose: bringing schooling within reach of young people whose geographical and economic circumstances might otherwise prevent them from continuing their education.
Don Bosco School, Bichna
Bichna, in Khunti district of Jharkhand, serves a predominantly rural and tribal population. The Don Bosco centre is part of the Salesian youth and educational mission in the area, with hostel facilities supporting children who come from surrounding villages.
The centre’s outreach extends beyond the hostel itself. During times of hardship, the community has also reached out to families of hostel children and neighbouring rural communities, reflecting the Salesian understanding of education as part of a broader commitment to human development and social solidarity.
Don Bosco Youth Centre, Hatia, Ranchi
Don Bosco Youth Centre, Hatia, Ranchi, has a long-standing Salesian presence dating back to the 1970s. The centre has developed educational, pastoral and residential activities, including school education and hostel facilities.
The Hatia mission demonstrates the Salesian tradition of creating institutions where education, youth accompaniment, faith formation and community life support one another.
Don Bosco School, Kokar, Ranchi
At Don Bosco, Kokar, Ranchi, the Salesian mission includes technical education and residential support for young people pursuing vocational studies. The centre developed as a technical school and Salesian residence with a hostel for ITI students.
Here, residential care is closely connected with skill development and employability, helping young people acquire practical competencies and prepare themselves for the world of work.
Don Bosco Bhawan, Kuarmunda, Odisha
Don Bosco Kuarmunda has developed into a multifaceted educational and vocational centre. Its residential facilities support students who come from distant villages as well as young people undertaking vocational training. The centre records separate hostel arrangements for school students and students of the vocational training institute.
The hostel programme combines education with recreation and personal formation. Students receive academic support and opportunities to participate in games, singing, general knowledge activities, competitions and other programmes that encourage confidence, teamwork and responsible living.
More Than Accommodation
Across these residential centres, the Salesian vision is consistent:
A bed provides shelter.
A school provides education.
A community provides belonging.
And a caring educator helps a young person discover hope.
The hostel ministry therefore seeks to create environments where young people can develop academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others, to discover their talents, to respect diversity and to become active contributors to their families and communities.
Education, Care and Character
Residential education also creates opportunities for learning that cannot be confined to the classroom.
Through study hours, tutoring, sports, cultural programmes, music, games, celebrations, leadership activities, community service and value formation, young people learn important lessons about cooperation, discipline, perseverance and respect.
This holistic approach reflects the educational heritage of Don Bosco, whose Preventive System places Reason, Religion and Loving-Kindness at the centre of education.
Walking with the Young
The Salesian residential ministry is ultimately about accompaniment.
It is about being present when a young person needs encouragement, offering guidance when a difficult decision has to be made, celebrating achievements, correcting with patience and creating an environment where every child can say:
“I am welcomed. I am valued. I belong. I have a future.”
From the Home of Hope in Delhi and Lucknow to the educational hostels of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, these centres seek to continue the dream of Don Bosco — to educate young people, protect their dignity, nurture their talents and walk with them towards a hopeful future.