Don Bosco Seri - Collaborators

Collaborators

DBSERI has been in collaborations with the following government and private amortizations in the field of Training & Funding:

▪  Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Govt. of West Bengal.
▪  State Urban Development Agency (SUDA).
▪  Bally Municipality.
▪  Bridge & Roof Co. (I) Ltd.
▪  Mennonite Central Committee.
▪  Skill for Progress (SKIP).
▪  Don Bosco Development Society, Calcutta.
▪  Purushottam Industries.
▪  Marathon Electricals.
▪  Ambuja Cements.
▪  NTTF, Bangalore.
▪  Individual Contributions.

Benefactors

One of the factor of the success and achievements of Don Bosco SERI, was the way in which 90% of the people and organization came forward to help very generously. This was a great encouragement. One such organization was the Catholic Bishop Conference of Germany (MISEREOR). They are the very first and the biggest was the ANTONIO FONDASIONE (I FRATELLI DIMENTICATI) of Italy the Salesian Co-operators. Year after year they would come to assess the progress, and the future requirements. They would always find means to help us.

Doctor Helgo Mayer is another person, who has been helping in very tangible manner. His help was for infrastructure building up as well as for new projects, and also on going medical programmes, especially for the T.B Patients. His concepts are more developmental slant rather than Relief oriented. Anything of an innovative training, Dr. Helgo has shown much interest. His concern is for prevention of child labour. He takes away any child who is working and sends them to us for training. He also supplements the income of the family, from the working child. Many that were rescued from this pathetic state, have made a good future for them selves and support his family by dint of hard work.

Mr. Jean Paul Parisod from Switzerland; a Civil Engineer was a real, caring Father of D.B SERI. His help has been a long standing one. He trusts us that we spent for the most needy Youth. The number of poor and needy children that D.B SERI has rehabilitated through his help is a large one. But Jean Paul does not want publicity or statistics.

Dr. Raphael Gay from Switerzerland has been a very caring father for us. Inspite of many problems he finds satisfaction in helping D.B SERI. His help without any tag gave us freedom, to set up this institution.

Mr. Pierre Joseph an Engineer and a very senior person in the mikrom factory in Biell, Switzerland has been a very special friend of us. He having come to India for his companies work met Mr. Domnic Lappier. Pierre lived few days in Pilkana, Howrah. He came to see D.B SERI and fell in love with us and our work for the school dropouts. He is a Mechnical Engineer. We found a common ground where he could be of help to our work. Then onwards, he made it a point come to Calcutta every year. He would always bring new friends with him. He convinced them to come to Howrah and spend a week with us, living our lives; helping us in training our children. When returning, they would leave behind a lot of money; as their contribution for D.B SERI. Often Pierre used to bring tools, and instruments, and cutters for our use. He even gave us general machines. Pierre, over the years brought more than 100 individuals, and families, he made them so motivated that they felt their annual holidays spent with us, was more enriching for mind and body, than going to rich holiday resorts. They had great satisfaction to share some of their money, which otherwise would have been spent only in enjoyments.

Mr. B.K Agarwala started a small enterprise for making bottle caps. At the initial stages we lacked many things, such as machines; expertise; skilled men etc. Since he was a very simple hearted Marwari, he used to open his heart to us and tell us his ambition to set up an efficient plant. We promised to help him in all the possible ways. So he used to bring many of his jobs to prepare tooling etc. we used to give him priority and even go to his little workshop to set up the tooling. Fortune favoured him. One of those days ?Metal Box Company?, the pioneer in Bottle Caps; and containers, a British concern was closed down in Calcutta . This made Mr. B.K Agarwal, The sole supplier of this component. Within few years he was king of Caps, with many factories in India and also over seas. Mr. Agarwal donated us a large sum of money. This was when we needed money most.

(Late) Mr. S.S Nadkarni the team Chairman of IDBI, He was so interested in our story, that he donated the quantum of money that we needed. They questioned us from all angles and made a project proposal to IDBI and made us sign on it and returned to the Chairman's office and they briefed him. There and then he ordered two of the managers to fly down to Calcutta the next day and make, an inspection report and within one week to send the desired amount to D.B SERI. That set in motion, the IDBI fund flow. Within two years Mr. Nadkarni died in his office. But the flow continued with Mr. Khan the next Chairman.

Mr. A.T.P Selvam spoke to Mr. K.V. Kamath the Chairman of ICICI. He told Mr. Kamath, about the mission of DBSERI. which was in need of some monetary help. Kamath asked for a letter to be faxed to him. Finally it was approved and the needful was done.

The same hour Mr. Selvam spoke to Mr. Dirubhai Ambani to help Brother Mathew. The next day there came a draft from Reliance Industries with a signed letter from Dhirubhai Ambari saying that he is happy to help D.B SERI.

Other help came from SKILLS for Progress SKIP, Don Bosco Development Society; for various projects. Good part of it was for expansion and up gradation from COMIDE, of Belgium and J.D.W from Germany Don Bosco Procur. These funds were used ? COMIDE for Tool and Die (Moulds and Die) to procure all the machines from the market for the ITI affiliated course. By now two batches have completed and gone out to join the industries.

Both State Government of West Bengal and Government of India has been sponsoring various training programmes. And meeting all the expenses. We are also affiliated to the Governments, and our trainees do the examination of the different boards. The certificates are also awarded by the respective governments.