On 10th October, 2020, the Salesian Province of New Delhi inaugurated the new Don Bosco Centre at Maharajpur Nagar in Kanpur, the commercial capital of Uttar Pradesh. The centre will facilitate training of poor boys and girls and organize activities such as Personality Building, Social & Self Awareness programmes, Critical & Creative Thinking, Skill Development, Group Building, Basic Health Care and Psycho Social support.
Being an industrial city, many run away children land up for their survival, and gradually get into substance abuse, physical and moral abuse in Kanpur, the industrial city in Uttar Pradesh. Don Bosco Centre, Kanpur with facilities for education, vocational training, health care and other capacity building programmes will take initiatives on behalf of these poor children for mainstreaming them. The centre will promote the rights of children for survival and protection, and make every effort to rescue poor children from the unhealthy, abusive and hazardous environment associated with street life. The centre will reach out to young people with counselling services, accompany them and create facilities for medical care, education, vocational and employment training, placement, recreation and counselling service which are essential for an overall development and growth of children & young people. The centre will carry out research and documentation activities on different aspects of childcare, protection of children and youth mobilization.
At the blessing and inauguration event of the new Don Bosco Centre, Most Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad Diocese affectionately welcomed Salesians to the diocese and exhorted the local people to support the initiatives of Salesians. Rev. Fr. Jose Mathew, Provincial of Salesian Province of New Delhi warmly welcomed Fr. K, K, Anthony, Chancellor of the Diocese, Fr. Rolfie the Dean of the Seminary, Fr. Francis Xavier the Parish Priest and other distinquished guests. He stated that Fr. Henry Kumrawat and Fr. Sameer Tirkey will study the needs of the poor children and young people of the area to respond adequately. They will facilitate activities to promote Personality Building, Social & Self Awareness, Critical & Creative Thinking, Skill Development, Group Building, Basic Health Care and Psycho Social support.
The new centre illustrates the kind of achievements that are possible when Salesian Province of New Delhi partners and works together with Fondazione opera Don Bosco Onlus, Missioni Don Bosco Valdocco Onlus and Asha France. The new centre honours the spirit and intent of Fr. John Kuzhikottayil and Fr. Biju Abraham Akkilettu, the Provincial Economer.
Fr. Babu Varghese SDB