Initiatives include addressing hunger, medical needs

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Alumni Association, located in Kolkata, India, provides a model of alumni-driven social service and community outreach. The association has expanded its impact in recent years, with several projects offered under its umbrella to serve people in need.

Bosco on Wheels is one of the flagship initiatives aimed at addressing hunger among people who are poor and vulnerable. Every first and third Sunday of the month, a mobile food van travels to hospitals, orphanages and settlement camps to distribute freshly prepared meals. Members serve 400 beneficiaries 2,000 prepared breads, along with vegetables and dessert.

Bosco Cares addresses medical needs. A long-running free dispensary was revitalized into a monthly full-scale clinic organized on the first Sunday of every month at the school premises. Managed by alumni doctors, the clinic provides free consultations, medicines and discounted diagnostic tests to more than 100 patients each month. Annual blood donation camps encourage alumni and parents to contribute toward saving lives, and specialized eye camps provide free check-ups, eyewear, and cataract surgeries for those in need.

In addition, the association continues to run its adult literacy project, which has been providing education and training for young women for the past 27 years. The education empowers young women with basic education and vocational skills.

A Salesian noted, “The association does more than just provide direct service, it’s also involved in initiatives that connect past pupils worldwide. DB Global is a powerful network that unites past pupils of Don Bosco Kolkata across the world. With 16 active chapters in countries and cities such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, the initiative enables former students to support one another through professional, social, and humanitarian collaboration.”

The association is also involved with Bosco Connects. With hundreds of members from various Don Bosco institutions, the network helps individuals with employment opportunities, business guidance, academic support, medical assistance, crisis needs, blood donation, and legal or administrative help. It has also proven to be an effective space for mobilizing funds and addressing urgent personal or community problems.

The Salesian added, “The Don Bosco Alumni Association Kolkata continues to demonstrate how collective goodwill and organized effort can create sustained, meaningful social impact.”

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – India – Don Bosco Alumni Association Kolkata: A Growing Force for Social Action

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India