by Michelle Pereira for BIS Mumbai

One of the commitments made by the Salesian Mumbai Province to celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, is to bring hope to young people by enabling them to access job opportunities.  This is in response to the appeal of Pope Francis, who points out in his letter “Hope Does Not Disappoint”, that “it is sad to see young people who are without hope, who face an uncertain and unpromising future, who lack employment or job security, or realistic prospects after finishing school”.  

In keeping with this commitment, on January 31, 2025, the feast of St John Bosco, the Salesian Community at Don Bosco, Nerul, Navi Mumbai, launched a job placement and career services office, named Don Bosco Avsar.  This new facility was blessed and inaugurated by Fr Barnabe D’Souza, the Rector of Don Bosco, Nerul.  The word ‘Avsar’ means ‘opportunity’, and signifies the commitment of the Salesians to enable young people, particularly poor and disadvantaged youngsters, to access job opportunities that will ensure them a stable and happy future. Aimed primarily at youth struggling to find suitable employment, the placement office aims to support the uneducated and marginalized individuals in society. Speaking during the inauguration, Fr Allwyn Misquitta, the driving force behind Don Bosco Avsar at Nerul, highlighted the challenges faced by job seekers, especially those from marginalized communities, and emphasized that ‘Avsar’ would be a vital platform where individuals could find job opportunities that align with their skills and aspirations. 

The launching of this career services office was immediately followed up with a ‘Mega Job Fair 2025’, organized on February 1, at the Don Bosco, Nerul, campus.  This event was an excellent opportunity for job seekers to connect with potential employers, and find employment opportunities in various sectors. The event witnessed the attendance of 915 youngsters who were seeking jobs.  It also saw the participation of 72 job-providers, which included Corporates, Non-Governmental Organizations, and other employers. These recruiters provided information on wide ranging job vacancies, which was hugely beneficial to the job seekers.  It also helped the young people understand the variety of career choices available today, and to build contacts with industry.  

The ‘Mega Job Fair 2025’ was inaugurated by the Rector, Fr Barnabe D'Souza. This event was organized in collaboration with the Bombay Catholic Sabha and the Association of Muslim Professionals. Present for the occasion were Mr Dolphy D'Souza, former President of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, and Mr Aamir Edressy, President of the Association of Muslim Professionals. Fr Allwyn Misquitta was the chief coordinator of the job fair, and his enthusiastic efforts ensured that the event was a great success.  Thanks to this relevant initiative, the almost thousand young people who participated in this job fair, experienced a strong sense of renewed hope in their lives.