Salem and Namakkal districts, the target area of this project. HIV/AIDS creates various problems for children: Truncation of their education, stigmatization, children becoming child workers and poor physical & psychological health condition. Don Bosco runs a care-home for the HIV infected children at Mooladau in Salem district and another “Anbu Illam” (House of Love) for the HIV affected children at Pudupatti in Namakkal district. These homes provide Shelter, nutritious food, medication, academic education, counselling and sports and recreation. Nearly 125 children are taken care in these homes. Another 200 HIV-infected children, especially girls, who are living either with their parents orguardians, are reached out to and extended educational support and free distribution of nutritious food supplements..

Don Bosco is committed to the cause of restoring childhood to the young at risk. children who are abandoned, neglected and exploited on the streets are given refuge, protection, counseling and an opportunity to get back to their own homes. When repatriation is not possible, they are provided with residential care with education. They are given opportunities to develop their skills through formal and non-formal education, with free food, accommodation, and are brought back to the main stream of life. Don Bosco collaborates with Child Helpline 1098 in Coimbatore and Salem district. The project reaches out with holistic rehabilitation programme to runaway & street children, migrant children, trafficked children, missing and unaccompanied children and begging children. Nearly 200 children at risk are housed in Don Bosco Anbu Illams and about 2000 children are reached out in the slums of four cities..

Tiruppur and its surrounding areas are known for the knitwear industry and today it attracts laborers, not only from Tamil Nadu but from other parts of the country as well. A vast number of young people flock to Tiruppur and neighbouring towns for livelihood. Don Bosco offers vocational training for these youngsters. Since most of these young migrants are school drop outs, the vocation training curriculum is developed to suit their learning imitations. There are more practical sessions than theory for the trainees. They choose the trade according to their interest. The young migrants are also provided with motivation and awareness camps,sessions on self-esteem, and counseling as part of our rehabilitation programs. Nearly 120 boys and girls access these trainings every six months.

Substance abuse and alcoholism is becoming a widespread problem in Tamil Nadu State. The adolescent and young people are very vulnerable and they easily get into the habit and get addicted. Don Bosco’s approach involves both ‘prevention’ and ‘rehabilitation’ interventions. Prevention includes preventing children from becoming associated with drugs and alcohol through awareness promotion and educating them about the physical and psychological harms of drugs and alcohol. Rehabilitation includes counseling, referral and assistance towards advance treatment and skill training. The target groups are school children and youth, particularly at high-risk of association with drugs and alcohol.

School dropout is a perennial problem, particularly in rural and tribal areas. Children who drop out from school mostly end up as child workers, either at home or at the worksite. Don Bosco has school dropout and child labour prevention centres at Alangulam, Vilathikulam, Sayalkudi, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, Namakkal, and Salem. Every attempt is made to re-enroll these school drop outs in regular academic institutions after giving bridge course with free food, accommodation and educational assistance at our centres. More than 600 school drop outs are given bridge course and re-enrolled in regular academic schools. One of the major reasons for children dropping out of school, apart from household poverty, is poor learning skill, poor academic performance, and the resultant disinterest in studies. With a view to prevent such children from dropping out from school, Don Bosco runs supplementary coaching centres at the selected villages, slums and tribal hamlets, after the school hours. Apart from education, children are given opportunity to participate in cultural events, sports and picnics. Through this project we reach out 70 villages and slums covering nearly 4000 poor children..

Poverty has been one of the most significant factors for pursuing higher education for youth from rural and poor household. With a view to assist these children and young people to continue their academic education and pursue higher education, educational sponsorships are offered. Nearly 600 students are covered through various sponsorship programmes. .

Don Bosco initiates sustained ecological, environmental protection interventions through formation of Student Eco-Clubs at educational institutions, villages and urban communities, organizing tree plantation and clean up drives, conducting awareness / sensitization / education programmes on the need for environmental protection and healthy and hygienic practices. Currently we have 161 Eco Clubs in various settings. It also has two exclusive organic farming training centre for youth and women at Keeranur and Sengipatti. Int these training centres, model farms are being developed and a residence-cum-training facility is provided. .

Don Bosco has many Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), Media College and Polytechnic colleges, mostly in rural locations with the aim of reaching out rural poor youth. A variety of technical courses are offered in these institutions, such as mechanical engineering, welding, carpentry, electrician, diesel mechanism, electronics, plumbing, solar panel installation and civil engineering, and variety of media and communication skill development courses. Both formal and non-formal streams are offered. Nearly 2000 youth benefit from such technical education..

Women remain outside the mainstream market of employment and lack opportunityfor economic and social upward mobility. Don Bosco focuses on developingthe skills and abilities of women towards a sustainable revenue through income-generatingactivities. They are provided with regular training programmes on humanrights, women rights, and other gender related enhancement programmes. Women development programmesare designed to bring about qualitative improvements in the lives of poorrural women. Nearly 3000 women are part this women entrepreneurship and empowerment.

Adolescence is a crucial phase of life and a period of major physiological, psychological, andbehavioural changes with changing patterns of social interactions and relationships. Young people who are stressedand show conduct disorder are likely to have serious mental problems if they and their families do not receiveearly and comprehensive care and counseling.Don Bosco CARES (DB-Counseling and Accompaniment for Resilience and Empowerment of Self) providescounseling and trainings for adolescents, teachers, caretakers and parents to cope with mental problems and enhance psychological wellbeing. In a year about 1000 children and young people from rural and urban poor setting access person counseling..