On behalf of Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Child-friendly Salem (CFS) has organized Core team meeting on 25th March 2023 at DBAI. Fr. Casimir Raj the Director of DBAI, Fr. Paulraj the Assistant Director of DBAI and the following core team members included the representatives of Civil Society such as the Members of Rotary, the Department of Health Services, Local Leaders, members of the Tamilnadu Science forum, NGO’s, Social activists, Business persons, Advocates and Salesian cooperators were present. Core team members are the think tank of DBAI, who meet every month and freely discuss various issues related to children and youth of Salem district. They also support our mission for the welfare of young at risk, for advocacy & lobbying and also mobilise funds for various works of DBAI. The aim of the meeting is to create a child-friendly society with the support of Civil Society members. In this meeting nearly 18 members were present. Ms. Nirmala Devi the Project Coordinator of CFS has welcomes the gathering and presented 2 months’ activity reports of CFS. The group discussed the following issues related to the young at risk:
1. The education support for orphan and semi-orphan children who were identified from our working area. The team decided to give education support to orphan children on priority.
2. Summer camp for all children in our working area should be organized by DBAI in the month of May 2023. In camps, we invite members from Tamilnadu Science form as resource persons. And we plan to create Vasagar Vattam among children.
3. Mega Health Camp should be held in the month of April 2023.
4. Research should be done on children’s issues with help of Colleges.
5. On behalf of the DBAI we should launch more videos on child protection.
6. In Court Road Colony around 70 students were studying at Schools but there is Illam Thedi Kalvi schemes were not implemented by the department of school education. Our children were motivated by our FCO to do an intervention on their needs should be addressed by the Government of Tamilnadu. Our children named as Nehru children group and Kamarajar Children group decided to give a petition on the grievance day, at Salem Collectorate. Based on that group of children went to Salem collectorate on the 13th of March 2023. They write a petition and meet Mr Karmegam the District Collector of Salem speak about their needs of them. This petition was directed to the Block Resource centre by the Department of Education. Our FCO has part of Membership in ITK, hence the Team visited the concerned School and make a spot visit and make an analysis of the need. The officials were given positive words to start a new ITK Center at Court Road Colony. For this initiative, Mr Karthick the Field Coordinator of CFS was congratulated by the Team.
7. The Core Team Members congratulated Mr.Mohanraj the Social Activist for giving seeds to the Eco club community free of cost.
