Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan

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Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan is a leading Non-Governmental – Non-Profit organization working for the underprivileged and at risk boys and girls in the city of Cochin, Kerala, India. This organization is run by Don Bosco, registered under The Travancore- Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955.

Vision
Inspired by Don Bosco and challenged by marginalization, we will strive by our attitudes, way of life and actions, to empower children and young at-risk in order to create a child friendly society by networking with likeminded individuals and groups.

Mission
To reach out to the children on the street and young at-risk, to rescue them, to heal the brokenness in their lives, to inspire and support them towards a new life, to accompany them back to the mainstream society and catalyzing for the best interest of children is the mission of Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan

The objectives of the project are:
• To reintegrate the children/youth found on the streets with their own family.
• To provide shelter to those who have no home and provide them with opportunities for holistic growth of body, mind and spirit.
• To bring about an overall psycho-social development of the children/youth in the project.
• To improve the overall educational status of street and working children, slum children, neglected children, children of sex workers, girls on the street, socially disadvantaged groups and school dropouts in order to integrate them into society with skills, self-employment, rehabilitation and the confidence to begin empowered lives.
• To protect street children against all forms of abuse and exploitation.
• To spread awareness and elicit understanding among the general public about the problems of children at risk.

What we do:
• Sneha Bhavan is a family simulated home away from home for boys below 13 years who are weaned away from the streets and other dangerous situations. Sneha Bhavan is the pioneer orphanage in Cochin and in the whole of India for the rescue and rehabilitation of street children. It was established in 1974 in collabration with Cochin Corporation, the first NGO-GO collaborative rehabilitation program for street children ever. Besides formal education the children are provided holistic life skill education to prepare them for life.
• Don Bosco Boys Home orphanage was started in the year 1977 at Palluruthy, Kochi to educate those children weaned away from the streets and groomed for education at Sneha Bhavan. Currently the children’s home cater to children who undergo high school and higher secondary education or of that age group. Besides regular education, the children are provided skill training, life skills education besides training in different sports and games, music and art in order to provide aptitude based multiple options for developing a career.
• Valsalya Bhavan Ammathottil orphanage was established by Don Bosco society in 1997 to cater to the needs of girls in distress caused by neglect, abuse or rejection, those on the streets and other dangerous circumstances in the city of Ernakulam. This home is run in collaboration with the Corporation of Cochin. Currently this charity caters to girl children until they complete their 7th grade in school. Apart from formal education, the girls are provided with training in music, dance, drawing lessons and computer literacy.
• Valsalya Bhavan Annexe is a children’s home exclusively for the teenage girl children at risk of Cochin, Kerala. This orphanage was inaugurated in 2013 in order to mainstream girl children in need of care and protection through formal education and life skill training. This home provides shelter to girls who are pursuing high school education and higher studies. These girls are provided with in-house training in tailoring, music, embroidery, arts and crafts and career orientation.
• Don Bosco Psycho-Social-Support-Center-DBPSS center was established in 2016 to create a better world through the creation of a better self. It is a place where young people, their parents and mentors are offered with necessary psycho- social support to enhance their lives. This center provides counseling services and life skill trainings for children from our orphanages, and to the children, parents and teachers of the schools and the community around.
• Bosco Nilayam is a temporary shelter home for boys registered under Juvenile Justice Act, opened in the year 2020. This shelter provides immediate care and protection to unaccompanied or children in distress who arrive in the city of Cochin, Kerala.
• Sneha Bhavan Annexe was established in 1990 in collaboration with the Corporation of Cochin. It provides night shelter to young migrant workers and orphaned street youth who either perform higher education, or are working in and around Kochi. There is homely atmosphere, and camaraderie is promoted among them. Besides offering night shelter, the center offers guidance, counseling and saving opportunities for the residents. It is continuing to be a sanctuary for many street youth of india.
• CHILDLINE is a 24/7 helpline for children in distress with a toll free number 1098. It serves the whole district of Ernakulam. Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan is the collaborative organization of CHIDLINE which began in 2000.
• KISMAT’, which stands for Kerala Interstate Migrants Alliance for Transformation is a flagship project of BREADS Bangalore and it implements 12 migrant help desks in 11 districts of Kerala in order to protect and uphold the rights of interstate migrant labourers and thereby ensuring their welfare. Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan is the collaborative organization in operating the migrant Help Desk in the district of Ernakulam.
• Drug Rehabilitation Education And Mentoring was started in the year 2018 in collaboration with BREADS Bangalore. DREAM focuses on improved strategies to prevent drug and alcohol use among children and youth through awareness generation, school outreach, life guidance, counseling, mental health services and de-addiction services. It also aims to strengthen family relationships and communication through effective convergence of efforts by various private stakeholders and Government.

Fr. Thomas Pandinjarayil is the Chief Functionary of Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.