On the 22nd of December, 2021 Bosconet held a program to celebrate the Christmas season with the children and families living under the Palam bridge, Delhi. The celebration was held at Ashalaya, to commemorate the season of love and giving to those less fortunate. The Palam bridge is home to over fifty families and live under conditions that are inhumane. Open to the cold Delhi winters, they sleep under houses made with metal sheets for protection. They have no access to electricity and struggle to meet basic needs. The season of Christmas for the staff at Bosconet was made a bit more meaningful by the celebration with the children of this slum.

The program was attended by the Fr. Jose Mathew, Secretary, SPCSA (Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia.); Fr. Santhanam , Asst. Director, Bosconet and the staff of Bosconet office in New Delhi

Thirty three children took part in the celebration. The program opened with a song from the children. Fr. Santhanam expressed his gratitude to the children for their performance and to the families of the children for being present at the celebration. He went on to talk briefly about the joy and the reason for the Christmas season. Fr. Jose Mathew also addressed the children.

After the celebration the children went home with a bounty of Christmas gifts – blankets, mufflers/ stoles, muffins, sweets, balloons and packed food for them and their families. They were also given Solar lamps.

With more than fifty families living under the same bridge, there is a constant struggle for light especially at night time. These families have no access to electricity and use the light from street lamps. Our gratitude goes out to the Austrian Embassy who supported the celebration by sponsoring twenty five families with solar panels to light up their nights.

The celebration was filled with love and truly brought out the joy of the Christmas season.