Don Bosco Anbu Illam Coimbatore
Don Bosco Anbu Illam Coimbatore
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Don Bosco Anbu Illam – Coimbatore is a not-for-profit organization founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco to protect and empower vulnerable children.
We reach children living or working on the streets, orphans, school dropouts, children in conflict with the law, and those affected by abuse, trafficking, child labor, or broken families.
Through child care homes, street outreach, and community programs, we rescue, rehabilitate, and reintegrate children into safe, nurturing environments.
For every child in need, Don Bosco Anbu Illam stands as a home of hope.
Don Bosco Anbu Illam means Don Bosco’s Home of Love (Don Bosco is the name of the founder of the Salesian congregation, and Anbu Illam are words from the Tamil language). Henceforth, we use DBAI to mean Don Bosco Anbu Illam in this proposal.
Ours is a registered social service society, established in 1986 ( Registration No. 34), under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 27 of 1975. We form part of the international Salesian Society of St. Don Bosco, headquartered in Rome.
The charism and mission of the Salesian Society is to work for young people, especially those who are poor and abandoned. Within this mission, DBAI has a specific focus on street children and children engaged in child labour.
Our strength lies in unity of purpose — sharing a common founder, vocational centre, and a commitment to place every child in a safe and nurturing home.
Coimbatore Don Bosco Anbu Illam, with the dawn of 1991, launched a pioneering programme for the rehabilitation of street children in Coimbatore city through the Don Bosco Anbu Illam Social Service Society. It has a shelter home that provides refuge for 85 boys who are runaways. Apart from shelter, the home provides nutritious food, clothing, medical care, recreational facilities, vocational training, and counselling for the street children of the city.
DBAI began its first-ever programme for the rehabilitation of street children, offering night shelter and safety for rag pickers — a pioneering initiative in Coimbatore.
DBAI transformed into a secured shelter, offering non-formal education and employment opportunities for older youth through civic partnerships.
DBAI also reached out to prominent slums of the city through its four slum based centers where both formal and non-formal education is given. A number of other street children are contacted in order to provide them also non-formal education. DBAI also has a training centre leased out by the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation, where street children are trained in various skills and personality development.
DBAI started extending its work for the abandoned children on the streets. A survey on street children in Coimbatore City was made along with the help of college students and found out that more than 25,000 children are left alone on the streets abandoned by their parents. This survey led the organization to start its street contact in prominent spots of the city. Through street contact, many Children were contacted and given shelter at DBAI.
The Child Line 1098 project is entrusted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to DBAI.
The first contact center at Ukkadam bus stand was established to strengthen street presence. Many self-help groups were started, offering training in tailoring, jute & rexine bag making, hand-loom weaving, and more.
Caring Communities Groups (CCG) were formed in the city. These groups consist of people with compassion for protecting vulnerable children — auto drivers, parents, youth, and children — working together for the deserving and at-risk.
Coimbatore Corporation allotted space for setting up a Contact Centre at Gandhipuram, allowing DBAI to be even more present on the streets.
A Child Line booth was installed at Coimbatore Railway Station’s First Platform to trace children at risk. It was inaugurated by Coimbatore Collector Dr. Umanath IAS.
Another Child Line booth was installed at Singanallur. With these contact points, DBAI’s street presence was strengthened, ensuring constant vigilance for children in any form of risk or abuse.
DBAI established a Computer Education Centre for school dropouts sponsored by Bosch India Foundation, offering job-oriented technical training such as Photoshop, Microsoft Office, and Corel Draw. Two batches of students were certified in 2013. An “After Care System” was also introduced to support adolescents with accommodation and food, enabling them to pursue higher education while working part-time.
Eco Clubs were formed in the shelter home and four community-based organizations to create environmental awareness among children. A participatory action research (PAR) project was also launched to transform DBAI’s centres in Coimbatore and Tirupur into Child Friendly Centres where children actively engage in problem-solving and decision-making.
Responding to a surge in Child Line calls about child sexual abuse, child marriage, and begging children, a Contact Center was established in Pollachi with the support of Pollachi Municipality. The center was inaugurated by Mr. V. Krishnakumar, Chairman of Pollachi Municipality, strengthening DBAI’s rescue operations in the region.
A prevention programme was launched to protect children from substance abuse, with the aim of increasing safeguards and engaging caring communities in preventing the street presence of any substance-abusing child, including those attending school.
“Walk Along” was designed and facilitated by a multidisciplinary team to skill students in practical specializations for job placement, empowering them to become confident social workers and enriching the quality of professional social work practice.
This project provides a safe living environment, infrastructure, clean water, sanitation, hygiene, education, and economic opportunities for migrants in Coimbatore District through direct intervention, advocacy, and government collaboration.
Vazhikaatti offers career guidance, job placement services, job information networks, and sensitization programmes to help young people find suitable employment opportunities.
A dedicated new building was constructed for Childline and the Reception Unit project, enhancing DBAI’s infrastructure for responding to children in need.
Approved by the Azim Premji Foundation for three years, this project provides structured after-school learning support for children in need.
Supported by the Social Defense Department, this one-year initiative focuses on career counseling and skill-building for young job seekers.
Approved by Bosch, this project focuses on shelter, education, healthcare, and recreational activities for vulnerable children, fostering their holistic development.
Rehabilitation of Street & Working Children
Rehabilitation of Street & Working Girl Children
Skill training to school dropouts
Rehabilitation of Street & Working Children
Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Coimbatore envisages a child-friendly and sustained society, where children are free from all forms of abuse & exploitation, enjoying childhood and their rights, with respect & social justice and without any discriminations.
To create Coimbatore as a model district ensuring child rights for children in difficult conditions by sensitizing and empowering children, youth, parents, caring community groups and making civil society, government & allied systems and corporates accountable towards the development of children through promoting alternate care, networking, advocacy and lobbying and rights-based approach.
Empowering children, families, and communities through protection, rehabilitation, education, advocacy, and care.
The overall goal of the project is to provide Career guidance/Counseling and skill training for the children in CCIs of Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts, which will help them in identifying the factors that influence career progression and determining the best career options.
This will be achieved through career guidance, career counseling, sensitization programme, life skill trainings and workshop on entrepreneurship skills etc. The focus areas include leadership quality, personality development, time management, goal setting, resume preparation, and interview skills.
Since 2008, Don Bosco Anbu Illam’s Reception Unit has been a safe home for children in need of care and protection. Children rescued through Childline, street contact, police, and the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit are brought here with Child Welfare Committee orders.
Providing temporary shelter from 1 week to 90 days, we offer food, clothing, recreation, non-formal education, and psychological support. Between 2008 and 2020, we have rehabilitated 3,383 children.
Since 2010, DBAI has implemented the ICPS Open Shelter Scheme under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. We provide temporary care for children who have left their homes until family reunification.
Since 1995, DBAI has maintained a street presence in major locations of Coimbatore, protecting runaway and street children and rescuing them in real-time through Street Contact Centers.
Vazhikati caters to career guidance and job placement services for youngsters. We aim to help youth identify career paths, gain skills, and find meaningful employment.
This project provides a safe living environment, proper infrastructure, safe water, sanitation, hygiene, proper education, and economic opportunities for migrants living in Coimbatore district.
We achieve this through direct implementation and advocacy with government departments, involving beneficiaries with support from stakeholders.
www.childmiss.org is a web tool to ensure standardized documentation in each organization and to develop an information management system and network.
It contributes to speed, process, systems, and knowledge, ensuring care, protection, and opportunities for the growth and development of vulnerable children.
