Bangalore Oniyavara Seva Coota, also known as BOSCO Bangalore, is an organisation established by the Salesians of Don Bosco to protect and take care of children/youth who leave their homes and land up on the streets of Bengaluru due to various reasons. During the 36 years of its existence, BOSCO rescued and rehabilitated more than a lakh and twenty thousand unaccompanied children/youth from the dangerous streets in order to protect and keep them safely. BOSCO is present 24×7 in the streets, railway platforms, bus stands, markets and slums waiting to reach the lost children/youth. BOSCO also plays an important role in the formulation of various laws, policies and schemes for the welfare of children. Formulation of National and Karnataka Foster Care Guidelines, the Child Protection Policy of Karnataka State and Railway CHILDLINE scheme are three of the most recent policies/programs to which BOSCO contributed. BOSCO mode of Foster Care also had fetched national attention.
It is St. John Bosco, popularly known as Don Bosco, the friend of youth, who has been an inspiration for BOSCO to serve the children/youth on the streets of Bangalore. As a priest, Don Bosco reached out and served the poor and abandoned youth/children on the streets of Turin, Italy, in the 18th century. The followers of Don Bosco today carry out various services for the youth in about 135 countries worldwide. In the state of Karnataka the followers of Don Bosco extend their services for Young at Risk from 39 locations. Don Bosco Agency operate skill training centres, schools, colleges, community development centres, outreaches to street children and child labourers etc from those locations.
The feast of Don Bosco falls on 31st of January and for all at BOSCO it is a special day to honour their inspiration and founder. BOSCO Bangalore chose to celebrate Don Bosco feast on the 29th January, 2017 from 10.30 am to 5 pm in BOSCO Mane, No 242, 4th Main Road, Chamrajpet, Bangalore. Around 600 children from its children’s homes and slums, friends, guests and well wishers of BOSCO gathered together at BOSCO Mane for the occasion. The honorable Chairman of BMTC Shri M. Nagaraju Yadav was the Chief Guest and inaugurated the function.
Addressing the gathering M Nagaraju Yadav said that God cannot be everywhere so he sent persons like Don Bosco to serve the abandoned, orphaned, distressed, mentally challenged children and run away children on the streets. He vowed to reach out and provide support and safety to all those run away children reaching the bus stands of Bengaluru along with his officials, staff, drivers and conductors. For this BMTC’s already existing collaboration with BOSCO will be strengthened. Last year BOSCO Bangalore in collaboration with BMTC had rescued 1906 children from the bus stands of Bangalore.
The special Guests of Honor at the function were Fr. Ebenezer Stanly George, Principal of Don Bosco School, Tumkur, Shri Harshavardhan, Film Artist, Shri Dattatreya, Film Artist, Shri H.T. Prasanna, Editor of Police Bete and BOSCO Past Pupil and Mr. Vincent, Social Activist. Fr. Mathew Thomas, Executive Director of BOSCO said that the Don Bosco festival celebration is an opportunity for all of us at BOSCO to re-commit ourselves to serving the marginalized youth/children on the streets of Bangalore with more commitment and in the way our founder Don Bosco taught us.
The Feast of Don Bosco was observed in BOSCO at the end of the month long programmes organized during the month of January. The winners of the competitions were awarded at the finale function on 29th January 2017. The day’s programme included colorful cultural programs performed by the children of BOSCO centers and a music Orchestra performance by Shri Ajay Warrior and his team. The day’s celebrations came to an end with a magic show by Shri S.M. Bhakta Kumbar which the children enjoyed to their heart’s content.
Note: This press note was shared by BMTC PRO and published with minimal edits under the press note section meant for nonprofits and public interest messages.
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