GUJARAT, OCTOBER 11, 2010: On October 7, 2010 at 11’o clock, approximately twenty-four railway personnel assembled to attend a meeting at Anand (Gujarat) railway station in the waiting room on platform number five. This meeting was organized by Don Bosco Snehalaya. To begin, all were invited to join in the prayer bhajan -Tumi Ho Mata, Pita Tumi Ho. The aim of this meeting was to sensitize railway personnel about the grim conditions and sad realities of street life and to get in touch with one of our caring communities – the railway personnel (TCs, railway staff and railway workers) to make them aware of these children’s difficulties, to treat the children with respect and dignity, to understand them better and also to enter into a good working relationship with the railway personnel, who are an important contact group for our marginalized boys.
The Director heartily welcomed the participants for the meeting and he introduced the institution and staff to those who were present. Mr. Francis Dodia our outreach coordinator requested the participants to introduce themselves to each other and afterwards he asked them to share their experiences with street children whenever they came across them on the railway stations or in the trains. Mr. Waghela (Station Supritendent) and Mr.Mathur (CMI) shared their experience. They told us that as soon as a vagrant child is found on the railway platforms the immediate action taken by them is to hand over the case to the RPF who will later contact some NGO. After the sharing was over the Director took over with a power point presentation on Snehalya and Child care and protection. In the PowerPoint Presentation the work of the institution was well explained. The staff also shared their experiences with platform boys. At the end our Outreach Coordinator thanked the entire group of participants for dedicating special time for this meeting.
The participants were happy to have this meeting and to give whatever help was required to Don Bosco Snehalaya in its work with railway platform and street children. By the help of this meeting they came to know many things about child care and protection and became aware of the work carried out by Snehalaya in Vadodara. At the start, the participants seemed a little apprehensive about the programme but they soon got interested and we dare say, it turned out to be a very fruitful interface meeting. Snacks and tea were arranged to conclude the meeting.
