Don Bosco Project

Sir,

This has reference to the article published in your daily on May 1 about the Don Bosco project. Ten years ago, an unsuccessful candidate of Madhyamik, I used to sit and gossip in a tea shop near the Don Bosco School with a few other like me. My father lost his job due to the closure of the India Rubber Factory. So the only bread-earner was crippled and myself, the eldest son of my family, was also handicapped, educationally. So gossiping was the only way left to me. One day we heard that free facilities were being offered to unsuccessful candidates like us for non-formal training in some income-generating lines of trade. As my qualification was just that, I reached the Don Bosco School on the very next day. In the Technical School, the Superintendent, Brother T.V. Mathew, enquired whether I was really poor, and disqualified in examinations.

Next day, I was put into a batch of drop-outs and made to file a rusty iron. In a year I learnt a lot and secured the confidence to start working. One day I along with others was called to the school office and was given a long lecture about self-employment. "Too good to believe!" we all said. Next week, a number of us opted for self-employment. In another week we got indoctrination and found ourselves in the office of the Manager of Indian Overseas Bank, Soon there appeared forms and non-judicial stamps etc. which frightened us. Then came a number of official staff of the bank. One of them explained in Bengali the whole matter. But having understood the contents of the forms we became more perplexed. But Bro. Mathew made this thing easy by putting his signature on the documents and we followed suit.

Next week a lathe machine arrived against my name. Bro. Mathew told me that he and myself were partners in the business and the day I will pay my last installment to the bank, he will renounce his ownership and then the machine will be my own. In April 1983, I paid my last instalment to the bank. The same day, Bro. Mathew renounced his ownership. In January, 1984, I opened a small workshop my residence and now it is at called "Dutta Enterprise" a registrated SSI unit with a trade licence. I have two lathes, one drilling machine and a small grinding machine.

I have also employed three more and my own B.Com passed younger brother who could not get a job any my family members to help me in the work. Fr. M. M. Joy was the main inspiration and advisor in this venture. Thanks to Don Bosco for solving an acute social problem.

- SAMIRAN DUTTA, Calcutta.