I was touched by the work in Shelter Don Bonco

Last Thursday 1/7/2010 evening was a rare one whereby I do not have any tuition. One of my students had postponed the lesson to celebrate her mum’s birthday. With not much to do, I turned into a crouch-potato. I came upon this interesting Channel 8 program “Star for a Cause” whereby a local celebrities couple Darren and Evelyn did a video-journal on their volunteering experience in a youth shelter named Shelter Don Bonsco in Mumbai, India.


All of the kids there are boys from 8 to 17 years old. They were either formerly sold to factories as workers or members of the beggar syndicates. They used to roam on the streets to steal, beg or involve in drug dealings.

A lovely lady Gracie regularly combs through the street to bring some of these lost street kids to the shelter, to house them and help them re-adjust back into the society. Besides providing basic education, they also give them skill training such as computer, candle-making etc.

However, some of these kids are so used to the carefree life on the street that they could not adjust well to the regimen in the home and ran away. Hence, only a handful of them find purpose in the home stay and benefit from there.

There are many areas in the program that touch me deeply. Firstly, the persistence spirit of Gracie who does not give up those boys who ran away and keeps looking out for them on the street. She could have easily gotten a better paying job but she has been staying with the shelter for 20 years. I really admire the compassion that she has for the youth in Mumbai. If only many of us bother so much like her, then our world will be such a better place.

Secondly, the magnanimous spirit of the volunteers there. One of them has amply said that we could give these kids money and other material things. But nothing beats it by spending time with them and empowering these kids with education.

A national hockey coach was one of the volunteers too. He regularly trains the boys in the game and also generously provides them free hockey uniforms and gears. He is very rich but he is one of the rare gems who bother to “roll up his sleeves” to help these street kids instead of merely issuing checks.

Lastly, another volunteer wisely wrapped up the reason behind all these … an idling mind is a devil playground, so by constantly keeping these kids occupy with meaningful things, they will not have the time to do much foolish things.

To find out more about Shelter Don Bosco, go to http://www.shelterdonbonsco.org/

Other charity projects embark by Star for a Cause, go to www.xinmsn.com/starsforacause

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