On August 31st, we hosted a heartwarming online meeting with over 50 children from Don Bosco Anbu Illam, Salem, joined by representatives from all 15 provinces, as part of the YaR (Young at Risk) forum. This session continued our focus from last year’s theme, “Healthy Mind and Healthy Life,” celebrating the achievements and impactful work done by our Child-Friendly Salem team.

This year, we’re thrilled to spotlight the essence of Family with our new theme: “FAMILY IS WHERE I BELONG.” The theme was introduced with a special poster, and Rev Fr Joseph Prabhu delivered an insightful talk on three critical aspects:

Creating a Home-like Environment: Emphasizing the importance of a nurturing space where children feel safe and loved.

Strengthening Family Ties: Highlighting the need to foster strong family bonds, and provide children with a stable support system.

Fostering Societal Expectations: Encouraging broader societal support and understanding for children in alternative care settings.

To amplify our message, we introduced key hashtags:

A special highlight was the inspiring speech by Ms. Vandhana, Child Protection Specialist from UNICEF. She emphasized every child’s fundamental right to a loving family environment and underscored our crucial role in supporting their dreams.

Together, we are dedicated to making a meaningful impact by promoting the importance of family. Stay tuned for more updates as we bring this year’s theme to life!