Posted On : 27-10-2014

AN EARNEST APPEAL FROM DON BOSCO NAVAJEEVAN VISAKHAPATNAM…..

Don Bosco Navajeevan Visakhapatnam is at the service of street children, child labourers, school drop outs, orphans and young victims of violence from the year of 1999. Over these fifteen years Navajeevan has rescued, given bridge education, mainstreamed and home-placed hundreds of children and adolescents. Majority of such children are doing well in life to their satisfaction and to the satisfaction of all concerned. At present Navajeevan is taking care of 150 children in its homes as residents, Giving Skill training to 160 youth for their livelihood, Giving bridge education to sixty school dropouts and supporting over 120 children by providing them study material, uniforms, books, etc.

THE IMPACT OF CYCLONE HUDHUD ON VISAKHAPATNAM AND NAVAJEEVAN….

Cyclones are nothing new to the Coastal State of Andhra Pradesh. These cyclones every time destroy a few towns of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, etc. But over the years they were mild to the City of Destiny, Visakhapatnam. This gave a false sense of security to the inhabitants of Visakhapatnam that “Our City is unassailable”. Such a feeling received a mortal blow with the city being reduced to a heap of ruins by HUDHUD the merciless cyclone which blew at a speed of 190 kilometers and danced its dance of death for nearly 24 hours. 90% of the trees were broken or uprooted, houses with Tin or Asbesto roofs destroyed, water and power supply completely disrupted, Cell towers broken with communication coming to a standstill, Vehicles off the road and people left with nothing to eat and to drink and epidemics waiting at the doorsteps to set foot in. There is no place in the District which is not affected. The devastation is very difficult to describe except to stay that it was total.

HOW NAVAJEEVAN IS AFFECTED…

The fury of Hudhud did not spare Don Bosco Navajeevan either. Its inmates protected themselves by running to safer buildings as they thought the old and feeble building would collapse at any moment. When the strength of Hudhud weakened we shifted all the children to some of the neighbouring houses. They cannot return to resume their schooling and training till  the buildings are repaired and water supply, electricity, etc. are restored.

LOSSES INCURRED BY NAVAJEVAN….

1. The shelter at Sivalayam Street in Vizag  is rendered useless for living as it is seriously damaged. It needs to be demolished and rebuilt.
2. The roof of Children’s Home at Allipuram was blown off leaving it vulnerable to rain and wind. It needs to be repaired as water enters the living areas. Many doors and windows are lost. Water supply and electricity connections need to be restored.
3. The rehabilitation Home at Sabbavaram bore the brunt of the cyclone with: destruction of Dormitory and kitchen.
4. Complete ruining of water and power supply systems including a newly installed Heavy duty Generator and a Transformer Unit, uprooting of 850 coconut trees, 360 Cashew trees and 320 Teak wood plants apart from other fruit trees.

Unless resources are immediately mobilized and the necessary restoration works carried out on an emergency basis the future of Navajeevan children will be in great jeopardy.

In this condition of unparalleled tragedy, I request all those who are kind and compassionate to the cause of the young at Risk, to contribute your valuable donations to meet these emergency needs to help the most needy children to find their way in life.

Counting on your valuable support and assuring you of our prayers,

Yours sincerely,

 

Fr. Thomas Thottiyil sdb

DIRECTOR

 

N.B.       Our Account Particulars:

           

Name : The Vizag Navajeevan Bala Bhavan Society

Bank  :   The South Indian Bank Ltd.

              Maharanipeta, Visakhapatnam – 530 002

              Andhra Pradesh, India

L. A/c:   0163053000016782

FC A/c:  0163053000013312

SWIFT : SOININ55

IFSC:      SIBL0000163

 

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