07. KAZHIAPPANALLUR

St. John Bosco; (2005) 2008: Thanjavur

VISION

Don Bosco Tharangam envisages transformation of the society by the marginalized youth providing technical education and livelihood initiatives and creating social consciousness. Don Bosco Tharangam is a catalyst organization dedicated to serve the marginalized children towards total literacy, self-awareness, social consciousness and thereby to live a dignified human life

MISSION

Don Bosco Tharangam through its Polytechnic College offers higher technical education to the coastal and rural poor youth, teaching them skills for a sustainable livelihood and empowering them with life coping skills so that, as they develop themselves they will also work for the development of the society.

HISTORY

                  The center came into existence after the natural disaster Tsunami which affected the east coast of India on 26^th December 2004. The district of Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu was most affected by it, causing 6,065 deaths. The Salesians with the lay staff from Don Bosco Anbu lllam, Salem and Don Bosco ITI, Madurai came to the aid of the people in Nagapattinam area. Finding that no NGOS reached out in Tharangambadi region they started with the relief work of disposing dead bodies, distribution of medicines, food and clothing. Then they helped out by providing Boat Engines and Fibre Boats for the Tsunami victims who were helpless after the calamity. After the tsunami, the lives of many people living along the coast of Nagapattinam have drastically changed. Many of the villages, which were mostly inhabited by fishermen, were severely damaged. Houses, boats, nets and other fishing materials were taken away by the sea. Majority of the youth have dropped out at primary level and middle School level. They get involved with fishing at very early age. Immediately after tsunami it was a shocking factor that none of them knew any other skill other than fishing. In fact they never felt the need to learn any other skill till tsunami struck them and they were left on the streets.

                  The Salesians of the Trichy Province systematically began helping the young people to come out of the traumatic experience through counseling and training in technical skills. Welding, Tailoring, Motor Mechanics, Engine Repair and Electrician were the courses conducted as Non formal courses in four different villages. In order to give better stand and a bright scope to the young people life orientation and need based technical skills were provided to them.

                  The rehabilitation efforts that followed failed to kill discrimination, and relief disbursement has been taking place according to caste, India’s ancient social hierarchy. Affected population in Tamil Nadu, the part of India’s hardest hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, have been waiting for effective assistance to rebuild their lives, but Dalits, at the bottom of the hierarchy, have been excluded.  They are mostly poor and illiterate and cannot document their economic and property claims and so have been unable to access relief and also compensation and relocation schemes. They are without effective local or political clout, are mostly dependant on higher-caste people for their work and remain subservient about their demands, needs and rights.

                  In this context, salesians started to intervene in the process rehabilitation with the Dalit population of Tharangambadi Taluk, Nagapattinam district. The Dalit population of this area is landless agricultural laborers, workers on trawlers, daily wagers in saltpans, farm lands who also lost their job and income due to Tsunami. Since they belong to the deprived class, which has been exploited for a long time they need to be organize and educated to build their community. Their social rights and identity should be acknowledged. This needs to be realized starting with the education of their children.

                  Hence, to give better facilities and quality in trainning, the salesians started in 2006 a Home for school going children and in 2008 a Non Formal Vocational Training Centre offering courses in Welding, Tailoring, Electrician and Computer trades in the Don Bosco premises. In the same year feeling the need to give formal technical education to the under privileged population of this area, Don Bosco Polytechnic College was also started offering Diploma courses in Mechanical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering and Computer Engineering. Hostel accommodation was provided for the needy students.

                  Community organization was carried out in 44 villages in and around the area and daily evening study centers were conducted in all the 44 villages reaching out to 800 children. In 2012 due to social development, the evening study centers reduced from 44 to 13 and catering to 450 children. In April, 2013 Boys Home was closed as its number came down to very few. Due to the number of college students seeking hostel facilities increased, the space of the Boys Home was utilized to accommodate them. In the year 2014 new department of Electricals and Electronic Engineering and an extension of department of Mechanical were obtained to meet the demands and cater to more youth of the area. In the year 2015 department of computer science was closed down due to lack of admission.

MAJOR ACTIVITIES

POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE: Don Bosco Polytechnic College has three courses (DME, DEEE, DECE) with 616 students. There are 37 girls and 579 boys studying in the college. The college has got altogether 30 teaching staff members and 4 non-teaching staff. The Academic calendar with the annual programme is prepared. College has got various groups and movements like sports, cultural, social service, national service, eco clubs and youth red-cross. These groups have their periodic meetings. 

HOSTEL: There are 42 students staying in the hostel this year. Students from poor families are accommodated. Salesians are present with the boys. There is a warden helping out in assisting the boys.

NEIGHBOURHOOD MINISTRY: The community reaches out to the neighbouring villages through evening study centres, Eco clubs and TCS project. There are 9 Evening study centres with 420 children. There are 9 staff members to animate them and monitor their studies. The community reaches out to 32 villages through TCS Projects. The community organises the youth of the local villages. There are 23 members in the unit. They have their regular meetings and animations.

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