As part of their outreach programme, the Salesian Cooperators of Mumbai Province decided to visit the Shelter Don Bosco at Karjat. So, on !st March, 2009, some Salesian Cooperators of Borivli, Wadala, Matunga, Kurla, Andheri units left from their respective unts at 7.45 – 8.00 am and arrived at Shelter Don Bosco, Karjat at around 10.00 a.m. After leaving the main road, the bus went on a rutted path at a slight incline. Fr Elias, SDB of Don Bosco, Matunga had already arrived before us.
Shelter Don Bosco is located away from the humdrum of the city, in a remote area dotted with hills and trees. Fr Xavier Devadas, SDB and Fr Damien Sladen, SDB run this project for streetkids. Fr Xavier, standing at the gate, warmly welcomed us in. Inside, Fr Damien and the boys greeted us with smiles and cheerful faces. After refreshing ourselves, the boys served a nourishing breakfast of poha and tea, prepared by them. We mingled around, speaking with the boys and getting to know them. One of the boys, Zaheer, who had fractured his foot during a game of football, was lying on a mat with his foot encased in plaster. We learnt that currently there are 20 boys staying there. We got acquainted with some of them – Chintu, Nagendra Kumar, Joseph, Tapos, Mohan Kumar Gupta, Nilesh, Radhesingh, Zaheer, Raju, Lakhan, , Vishnu, and learnt that many of them had run away from their homes during childhood.
After breakfast, Fr Xavier seated in a leafy enclosure at a little height, addressed us as we gathered by the poolside. He explained at length that the project for the streetchildren is to ‘Earn and Live’ using the methodology of the 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Nothing is wasted, not even the bath water, which is drained and piped to the plants and trees. The boys make charcoal briquettes using devices designed by them, cook food in solar cookers designed by them, design greeting cards from waste paper, carve statues using stone moulds, etc. The boys have designed a dehydrator which is used for drying various food products. The dried food products are stored and preserved for future use. The boys have also designed ‘smokeless chulas’, which do not pollute the environment. The boys also prepare their own fuel – gobar gas. The boys are trained to be electrician, plumber, welder, gardener, driver, etc so that armed with these multi-skills, they will be able earn a living instead of living on the streets.
Fr Xavier then took us on a guided tour. He explained that the boys are divided into groups called ‘families’ and each group is allotted a ‘family area’. The boys have to ensure that by the time they report for work at 9 a.m., they ought to have eaten their breakfast and prepared their lunch. Only those boys who have dropped out from school before completing Std X are taken in for this project. Chintu demonstrated how to make environment friendly ‘white smoke’. Dinesh, the agricultural inspector, proudly displayed his vegetable patch of tomatoes, capsicum, brinjals, cauliflower, methi, chillies, etc.
After the tour, we had a Eucharistic celebration at 12.45 p.m. concelebrated by Fr Elias, Fr Damien, and Fr Xavier. Following this, we had sumptuous lunch prepared by the boys – vegetable pulao enriched with dry fruits, aloo-capsicum bhaji, raita and papad, followed by a banana. Then followed a game of housie with the boys. The boys were thrilled to get prizes.
After the game, the boys brought out the stone statues carved by them – Jesus on the cross, Blessed Mother Mary with the Infant Jesus, Mother Mary with the body of Jesus in her arms (Pieta) and many others. These handicraft in various hues and shades – sandalwood, ash, charcoal grey, ivory, beige, black, etc - were truly artistic and beautiful. Many of us purchased these articles and also greeting cards prepared by the boys from waste paper. The boys carefully wrapped the purchases and handed them over to us. We then had a cup of tea and refreshed ourselves. The boys posed for a photo session, happily grinning to glory. Before taking their leave at 4.30 p.m., we thanked Fr Xavier and Fr Damien and the boys for their warm hospitality and wished them success in their endeavours. May God always bless them and may Don Bosco smile on them always!!
For pictures of this visit, please click on the following link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/deepylan/SalesianOutreachAtKarjat#
-Geeta Menezes,
Salesian Cooperator
Borivli Unit