by Father Sunil Pinto for BISMumbai

The lockdown implemented due to the COVID-19 Pandemic led to the mass exodus of migrants and shed light on these ‘forgotten people of India’. In the wake of this event, Don Bosco Youth-at-Risk Forum (DBYaR) organized a Google Meet of representatives from various provinces across Salesian India who have established ‘Migrant Desks’ and are actively involved in reaching out to the disadvantaged migrant populace across India.

Various presentations were made from the provinces of Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai on the plight of the migrants, and the interventions undertaken to protect, enrich and empower them. A curtain raiser event, the purpose was to prepare the ground for the Consultation meeting on Young Migrant Workers, scheduled on 15 July 2020 from 02-04pm.

The participant Mumbai Salesians were: Father Shaun D’Lima (Snehalaya-Vishwamitri), Father Sunil Pinto (BBH Borivali) and Francis (Snehalaya-Vishwamitri). FatherD’Lima made a presentation on the recent interventions and undertakings by the Salesian Province of Bombay [INB] vis-à-vis reaching out financially and providing food provisions.

Father Tony Pellissery-Executive Secretary National DBYaR in his concluding address thanked the participants for their availability and resourcefulness, hoping that the material procured from the presentations could be used as a springboard to launch a pan-India initiative for migrants.