Young at Risk

Howrah Childline marks 6th anniversary Don Bosco Ashalayam felicitates class X & XII students

Howrah: Railway Childline reaches another milestone as it has completed six years of qualitative service in rescue and rehabilitation of Child in need of care and protection (CNCP) from the Station premises. Mr Mohit Kanti Biswas, Station Superintendent of Howrah Railway Station, was the Chief Guest for the occasion. He takes special care in the daily running of the Childline.

To mark the event cake was cut, dry ration was distributed to the families living close to the Railway station and CHG (Child Help Group) meeting was held to address the issues and concerns of Childline in Howrah Station in the presence of Station Superintendent, GRP, North Post RPF, CIF, SSC Works, Platform in charge, office, South Post RPF, Central Post RPF, Deputy Station Master.

In the Meeting various issues related to hygiene facilities for the children were resolved.

Don Bosco Ashalayam has been in charge of the Howrah District’s Child Line since 1999. A small kiosk at platform no. 3 was started. During the course of time, a Child Help Desk / kiosk/ booth was set up in Howrah Railway Station at Platform no. 9 as per SOP (Standard Operating System) on 1st July 2015. Howrah: 41 class X & XII students of Don Bosco Ashalayam, were felicitated on 17 August 2021. The occasion was graced by the Provincial, Fr. Joseph Pauria, Vice Provincial, Fr. Sunil Kerketta and Economer, Fr. Jijo John. Of the 41 students 22 passed Class X and 19 Class XII.

Fr. Provincial congratulated all the students for their wonderful performance in the board exams and wished them all the best for their future endeavour before handing them a token of appreciation.

Among the students present few spoke on the occasion thanking Don Bosco for changing their lives. Robi Sheikh who has been with DBA for 15 years, will move to Delhi for taking up a new job. Rajani Kumar, who is planning to do nursing would leave for Assam soon. Papai Ghosh, will also pursue her graduation along with a part time job, while Robi Tigga is enrolling himself for BSc in Computer Science.

Md. Azad one of the outgoing students in his speech encouraged other students present to work hard and achieve their own goals.

Ashalayam’s new hostel for working youth blessed

CWC Chairperson inaugurates Fit Facility Centre at DB Ashalayam

Howrah: A new youth hostel for working youth was blessed by Fr. CJ George, the Director and Rector of Don Bosco Ashalayam here at Deulti in Howrah District.

“With the rise in migrant youths coming from villages and other states this new hostel will try to shelter the youth in temporary basis till they are able to build their own houses,” said, Fr. Cheriate Jose, Incharge of Childline and Migrant Ministry.

The first group of beneficiaries are two orphan boys who were trained in Hotel Management. The hostel provides a lodging space for at least four working men.

Don Bosco Ashalayam has helped orphaned, marginalized, less privileged street children to get settled in life be it family or professional. The beneficiary list of Don Bosco Ashalayam has crossed a landmark of 1.5 lakh youths.

Howrah: On 15th September 2021, Fit Facility Center was inaugurated by Mrs. Amrita Mukherjee Ghosh, CWC Chairperson here at Don Bosco Ashalayam, Howrah. This Fit Facility Center is expected to provide care and protection to the children who are rescued by Childline upto 24 hours before the child is produced to CWC.

“We had applied for Open shelter, which would have provided care and protection for local children but due to technical reasons, Government of West Bengal asked us to apply for fit facility centre,” said Fr. Cheriatt Jose, In-charge of Childline and Migrant Ministry. Fit facility center, compared to open shelter, will allow Don Bosco Ashalayam, to shelter any child rescued by Childline before they are presented before CWC.

DBA with District and Railway ChildLine services rescues over 180 children on a monthly basis. The boys rescued are given care and protection in the Fit Facility Centre before presenting them to CWC of the district.

Saraswatipur Girls win silver in Asian U18 Girls’ Rugby Sevens Championship

Nikita and Sonali Oraon from Indian U-18 Girls’ Rugby team, made their small village of Sarawatipur in Dooars proud, by winning silver at the Asia Rugby U-18 Girls’ Rugby Sevens Championship 2021 held at Tashkent, Uzbekistan on September 18 and 19, 2021.

A total of five countries from across Asia including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and the host- Uzbekistan vied for top honours at the championship.

The two-day tournament had five teams: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, UAE, India, and host Uzbekistan. Allplay-all round-robin format was played. India started with a 12-10 defeat to Kazakhstan on Saturday. The girls came back strongly to blank Kyrgyzstan 63-0 and defeated hosts Uzbekistan 20-5. On Sunday, they lost to UAE girls 20-12, thus finishing third in the five-team league and qualifying for the semifinals.

“It was a very close match. We could not win gold but do not regret winning silver for India,” said Sonali and Nikita.

Munna Singh receives COVID Warrior’s Award

Howrah: Munna singh, a 21-year-old Don Bosco Ashalayam student, received the COVID Warrior’s Award, for his innovative breathing mask for Covid-19 warriors.

Munna singh, who is pursuing his education in B. Tech said that his intention was to help people during the Covid-19 emergency. “The purpose of the charlotte valve was to create a connection between the mask and the oxygen supply to allow easy breathing for the patients, ensuring the right amount of oxygen in right pressure,” says Munna singh.

Financially supported by Decathlon Sports Company, Munna Singh developed and designed the mask with the help of 3D Fusion Software and with the help of 3D Printer printed the valve and fixed it on the mask.

The breathing Masks were distributed to doctors and nurses in many of the renowned hospitals who were treating Covid infected patients.

National Innovation Contest 2020 selects Probir Kundu’s low cost COVID isolation room

Howrah: Probir Kundu, a 21 years old Don Bosco Ashalayam student, pursing his B. tech in Civil Engineering, makes it to the final in the National Innovation Contest 2020, organised by MoE (Ministry of Education, Govt.of indian innovation cell), IIC (Institution’s Innovation Council) and AICT (All India Council for Technical Education).

Out of 9000 plus prototypes from more than 900 Higher Educational Institutes across India, Probir and his team makes it to the final of National innovation contest 2020.

The innovation named as low cost self-built sterilised Self Insulation Room for indoor use, “was an immediate requirement for a highly populated country like India during the pandemic,” says Probir Kundu.

The COVID isolation room is a portable room made of widely available cardboard. The floor of this room consists of a HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) duct system to let out the exhaled air safely out of the room after sterilisation. The sterilisation is done by disinfecting the air through a UVC ray which is an antimicrobial blue light. The unique thing about this is that the air pump will stop the infected air from spreading beyond the isolation room and filter the infected part of the air and then pump it out. The window panel is a cotton filter screen which is washable and can be used many times.

“90% of the construction material is of natural origin, recyclable and biodegradable. The PVC Water pipes and electronic items are long lasting and easy to repair, which can be used even when the need of the module is gone. local product material will result in very low carbon print,” adds Probir Kundu.