By Mr Krushna Shende for BISMumbai

Bosco Samajik Vikas Sanstha (BSVS) organized a festive celebration for the children part of the Supportive Education and Empowerment Programme (SEEP) on 5 March 2023.

SEEP is an important intervention of BSVS to improve the quality of education among the tribal children in Jawhar and Mokhada blocks of Palghar district. This programme is implemented in collaboration with BoscoNet, New Delhi. A total of 934 primary school children attend two hours of classes in the 32 SEEP centres set up by BSVS. 

Jeeps were arranged to bring the children from the various centres to the Salesian Campus at Walvanda. Around 600 children, 50 staff and animators of BSVS and around 50 parents attended the programme. 

Fr Anaclete D’Mello - the Rector, the Salesians of the community and the coordinators of the various projects were present throughout the programme.  Fr  D’Mello inaugurated the programme, and welcomed the gathering to the campus. In his speech, he told the children that he could see the progress in them after nearly a year of attending the SEEP classes regularly. He wished the children well as the programme commenced. 

The children performed 32 dances during the cultural programme - each centre putting up a dance. After lunch, the Holi festival was celebrated. Along with children, BSVS Management and Staff played with colour and water and enjoyed the celebration. Prizes were then distributed to winners of cultural programmes. They all departed to their respective villages soon after. 

This festival celebration helped the village children to come close to the Don Bosco centre at Walvanda. They received a ‘Don Bosco Experience’ – holistic learning through sports, cultural activities and games. This programme helped children to get motivated in attending SEEP classes and they requested their teachers and animators to continue conducting these classes in the coming years. Most of them are interested in attending summer camps in Don Bosco, Walvanda, during their summer holidays. 

All together the programme was a unique and a pleasant experience for the Management, staff and especially to the children.