HISTORY
On 29th November, 1999 Rev. Dr. P.C. Balaswamy, D.D., the Bishop of Nellore, handed over to the Salesian Province of St. Joseph, Hyderabad, four acres of land in the town of Ongole in Prakasam Distict. Soon the work for the young at risk began in a rented building under the superviosn of BIRDY, Hyderabad. On 24th August 2000, Fr. Mathew Kannadipara, reached here. He stayed at Ongloe, St. Theresa’s Parish presbytery.
After the registration of the land under the guidance of the Provincial Economer Fr. T.V. Antony, the construction of a temporary residence building for the Salesians and a multi-purpose hall began on 12th November 2000. This was completed and on 5th May 200. It was blessed by the Bishop of Nellore and inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Balaswamy SDB, the then, Salesian Provincial.
On 24th May 2001 Fr. John Thekketh and Fr. Mathew Kannadipara, began to stay in the new building. Different programmes for boys and girls of the locality, intensive coaching for the 10th failed students, Spoken English and typing classes for the educated unemployed youth of the neighbourhood area etc. were started.
On the recommendation of the Provincial Council, a feasibility study was done with the help of Mr. J.C. Antony as the facilitator. The report was submitted to the Provincial Council on September 19th 2001. The main scope of the institution was felt to be job oriented vocational education for the unemployed youth mainly of the two districts of Nellore and Prakasam besides the work for the young at risk.
On 28th February 2002 the responsibility for the running of the centre for the young at risk was taken over from BIRDY. The contact centre for street children close to the Salesian residence was converted into a rehabilitation centre. A new shelter was opened on 1st August 2002 near Ongole railway station in a rented building.
Though the main scope of the institution was felt to be a technical training centre, since some of our existing technical training centers were not functioning satisfactorily it was decided to construct a small work-shed and give training in one or two trades before building a full fledged technical school. So on 6th May 2002, Rev. Fr. M. Noel SDB, the then Vice Provincial laid the foundation stone for 80’ X 40’ size multi-purpose Hall. On 6th December 2003 the multi-purpose hall was blessed by Dr. P.C Balaswamy D.D. the Bishop of Nellore and inaugurated by Rev. Fr.Medabalimi Balaswamy SDB the salsian provincial. In this multi-purpose hall was the workshop for two trades, boys’ hostel, the stores and the offices.
On 24th October 2003 a batch of about twenty poor Catholic boys were admitted for the technical training. About half of them were for Electrician and Plumbing course and the others for Workshop Technicians course (Fitter welder and turner ).
On 26th December 2006 there was a killer ‘Tsunami’ in which a number of fisherman of the coastal areas lost their lives and there was a huge loss of property like fishing boats and nets. The salesians of this presence were actively involved in the rehabilitation work in a number of Tsunami affected coastal villages.
The foundation stone for the construction of a full pledged residence building for the salesians and a hostel for the boys was laid by Fr. M. Noel SDB the provincial on 28th February 2006. The construction of this building was funded by the Rector Major.
About twenty cents of land was brought near Ongole railway station for the work here for the Navajeevan children. On 13th may 2008 Fr. M. Noel laid the foundation stone for the construction of a shelter home for the young at risk. Now that the new technical training centre building is ready the possibility of starting a polytechnic training centre is being studied.
SCOPE
- Shelter at Ongole and Nellore, rehabilitation centre for young at risk, street children, Child labourers slum children and migrant children.
- Non-Formal and formal technical training centre for the young mainly from the districts of Prakasam and Nellore giving special priority to Catholics.
- Hostel facility for the trainees especially the Catholics.
DON BOSCO
P. BOX NO: 61
NEAR SRINIVASA THEATRE
ONGOLE – 523001
PRAKASAM DT
ANDHRA PRADESH
(08592) 280258 – House
(08592) 2800345 – Tech. School
(08592) 281165 – Administrator
ong_donbosco@sancharnet.in