The YaR (Young at Risk) National Forum of the Salesians in South Asia, headed by Fr. Thomas Koshy sdb, has started on a beautiful journey of research with the young at risk as participants in a research programme. It will have the scope of studying how YaR centres can be run with the active involvement of the children themselves. The directors of 10 YaR centres from five South Indian Salesian provinces met together from 11-13 December at Chiguru, Vijayawada, to chalk out this programme of Participatory Action Research (PAR) in their centres to begin with. . Read More »

The memorial Mass of Fr John Lens, who passed away on 28 November at Manoharabad in the Salesian Province of Hyderabad, was celebrated on 11 December at Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram. In his introductory speech, the Vice-Provincial Fr Thathireddy Vijayabhaskar recalled Fr Lens' words uttered during an interview with him, a couple of years ago: ''I worked hard and I worked for the poor!'' With the strong conviction that we were praying to him, rather than for him, the 150 members of the Salesian family gathered for the occasion, spent the morning in Eucharistic thanksgiving and prayer. . Read More »

The funeral service of Rev. Fr John Lens was held on 1 December at Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram. Bidding him farewell were nearly 400 people: Salesians from every community of the Province, confreres from outside the Province, a large number of Priests and Sisters who knew him, and a large contingent of former Salesians and past pupils, all of whom felt dearly loved and greatly inspired by Fr Lens. He was the last foreign missionary in the Salesian Province of Hyderabad.. Read More »

Employees of Accenture and Deloitte took a day off from their white-collar job to soil their hands with and for the children of Don Bosco rehabilitation home at Ramanthapur on 15 November 15. Some of them were so enchanted by the vitality of these children that they pledged to be regular weekend volunteers.. Read More »

On 28-29 November 142 children - 57 girls and 83 boys, all members of human rights clubs - had a two day interaction with Juvenile Justice Functionaries of Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of Andhra Pradesh. Participating with interest and commitment in the celebration of Children's Right to be heard Programme were 15 members of Juvenile Justice Boards, Child Welfare Committees, Special Juvenile Police Units and the District Child Protection Units. Children representing 63 human rights clubs from 55 schools had many heart-warming stories to narrate of their attempts to be ''Citizens Today'' and not of tomorrow as they are traditionally told to be.. Read More »

'Be good and don't forget to breathe!' was the cheerful message spread around by Fr John Lens SDB of Hyderabad Province, to everyone he met all along the 93 years that he spent on this earth. Fr Lens, as fondly called by all who knew him, left for his eternal 'good' yesterday, 28 November 2014 at 11 pm. The Salesian Province of Hyderabad, along with all those dearly loved by him, will collectively pay homage to the mortal remains of this man who gave nothing but his best to God and the Salesian world, on Monday, 1 December at Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram, at 2.30 pm. . Read More »

Don Bosco Nava Jeevan (DBNJ) MELA 2014 was celebrated on 23 November at Don Bosco Navajeevan Home, Bhoiguda, Hyderabad. Mr Elvis Stevenson, Honourable MLA representing Ango-Indian Community of Telangana State was the Chief Guest and Mrs Savitri Mahesh, Corporator of New Bhoiguda, was the guest of honour. Many donors and benefactors of Don Bosco Navajeevan family too joined in commemorating three major events of this year, namely the bicentenary of the Birth of Don Bosco, Crystal Anniversary of the Don Bosco Navajeevan Homes in Hyderabad and the awareness on the YaR theme for 2014: 'I have a Right to be heard'. . Read More »

''Surakshita'' a campaign to prevent Sexual Abuse and Trafficking of Adolescent Girls was flaggd off on 13 November, the Day of Disadvantaged Children, by the Chairperson of the Women's Commission Andhra Pradesh and Telengana States Dr Tripurana Venkatratnam. The occasion marked the commencement of Child Rights Week being celebrated by People's Action For Rural Awakening (PARA) as part of the many events to mark the 25th year of Declaration of Child Rights Convention (CRC). PARA has planned 500 two-hour workshops in selected schools and colleges across the two States of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana as part of the awareness programme. . Read More »

''Child Rights are Human Rights, and dear Children, we care for you!'' This was the focus of a series of training programmes and publicity campaigns conducted during the first week of November at Don Bosco Navajeevan, Hyderabad. These included the Hub level training for the web application HLK-ChildMISS, Human Rights Education for government school teachers, and the release of posters and T-shirts for the Child Safety Net Campaign.These programmes took place in the context of the 25th year of the approval of the UN Convention on Child Rights (1989-2014).. Read More »

Don Bosco Rehabilitation Centre (DBRC), Ramanthapur was blessed on 3 November with the visit of Fr Fabio Attard, Salesian General Councilor for Youth Ministry and his team, and the provincial Delegates of Don Bosco Youth Animation - South Asia. Fr Attard was accompanied by Hyderabad Salesian Provincial Fr Balaraju, and Fr Miguel Angel a youth pastoral team member from Rome, and 35 delegates from the 11 provinces of India and Srilanka. DBRC is to Hyderabad Province what Valdocco was for the Salesians at the inception of their Society in Turin.. Read More »