(ANS - Chennai) - He left by train for Andhra Pradesh. But he understood nothing. He wanted to go back to where he came from but no one was waiting for him in Tamil Nadu. It does not seem true, but this is the story of a 9 year old boy.

Little Arvind was beaten regularly by his aunt. He was born in Trichy but his parents are no longer alive. He remembers nothing else. He prefers to stay on the streets, trying to survive, like many other boys who, from the time they were children have been selling things found in the garbage for something to eat.

Street children who own nothing chew poison and do not ask for anything. But one day he met a Salesian. The beginnings of the great things are always so simple. A child walking the streets of Chennai will often come across the Salesian centres. Everyone in the city know them and appreciates their work.

Today the Salesians have three centres for street children in this city alone, two for boys and one for girls. The first one was opened in 1985. Fr Johnson Bashyam has been running everything for the past six years. From Don Bosco Anbu Illam (DBAI), the headquarters of the Salesian social services, together with his staff he coordinates the three homes for young people, as well as several other related projects.

Over time the services have been increasing and they currently serve over a thousand street children, not only homeless children but also children at risk. They operate in 13 slums and they give the kids maximum flexibility. They can come and go when they wish. They can sleep on the premises of the Salesians or in the slums. They can do they want when they want.  They are aged from about 5, maybe even up to 20. The Salesians do not force them to leave when they reach the age of majority. Many of them live there while they are working, for example in Pizza Hut, and some go to college. It is a project that is far from being coercive.

"Let the boys be at the heart of everything we do." This is the motto of the service, inspired by Don Bosco.  And then there is the name Anbu Illam. "Illam" means "home" in Tamil; "Anbu" means "love". It is a home of love. And it is true!

The visitor who comes for the first time feels annoyed. He does not know whether to laugh, as they do, or cry. Eating with your hands, for example, for us is a small sacrifice - "We are not used to eating with our hands!"- For them it is a great privilege just to be able to eat!

(Excerpt from an article by Lucía López Alonso, special correspondent in Tamil Nadu for "Periodista Digital")

Published 23/11/2015