WORKSHOP ON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Mahesh Kumar

MATUNGA-MUMBAI, DECEMBER 10, 2012 :  Don Bosco Development Society organized a half day workshop on Business Development for the staff and SHG leaders from the slum Communities. The workshop was attended by thirty women. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Pradip Walavalkar, a freelance business consultant. The workshop focused on small scale business, investment, market and characteristics of entrepreneurs.

The trainer started with the definition of small scale business, explained the scope with an example of Agarbatti business of the small scale. He informed that there are eight hundred and seventy two small scale industries that are supported by the MSSIDC (Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation) and women in the communities can approach them and take advantage of their schemes. He also informed about the registration process to get registered with MSSIDC.

Speaking on the Market for the small scale industries the trainer cautioned on the crucial pitfalls in the production, promotion and marketing of the products. He stressed on the seven steps in setting up the business: Human resource, Capital, Raw Material, Market, Process, Machinery and Management. Each of these components plays a vital role in the overall business process and running a sustainable business.

The trainer then explained the benefits for the SCs and STs in the MSSIDC schemes and how to avail them. The trainer then gave valuable tips on the promotion, placement and marketing of the product and services. He stressed on the making participant understand the gap between the demand and supply in the market and understand the behaviour of the consumer. In the end Ms. Surekha Pednekar, summarized the session and planned for the way forward from the session.

FOCUSING ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

Johnson Kshirsagar, Sdb and Jason Pinto, Sdb

PUNE-MAHARASHTRA, NOVEMBER 20, 2012 :   As part of Children’s Day celebration and  with the aim of making the children aware of their rights, Don Bosco Youth Centre, Pune in collaboration with Cinemax Pvt. Ltd., India screened ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ at Cinemax, Pune for a group of more than two hundred children followed by a two day box cricket tournament on 17 and 19 November 2012.

 
Welcoming the kids Fr. Barnabe D’Souza, Sdb the director of Balprafulta, Mumbai said, “Just like any other human group we too, as children have our own rights, which we need to be aware of.” The Salesian community of Don Bosco Youth Centre, Pune under the able guidance of Br. Leon Rodrigues, Br. Ajay Shelke and Br. Shekar Maria Das coordinated this venture. After the movie the manager of Cinemax – Pune, Mr. Amar Rizwi personally addressed the children. He appreciated the Salesians for such a venture and promised his wholehearted cooperation for such initiatives in the future.

The Don Bosco Young at Risk National Forum along with Cinemax Pvt. Ltd. has planned a similar venture across ten cities all over India on November 26, 2012 on the occasion of International Children’s Day. “This is an excellent and innovative way of making the children aware of their rights”, said Br. Austin the brother in-charge of Solapur Bazaar Parish.  The children too, enjoyed the story line and the songs in the movie. “It evoked a feeling of patriotism and self-sacrifice” was the comment made by Salim, one of the beneficiaries of this event.

The next highlight was the Box Cricket Tournament on the Don Bosco Youth Centre grounds for boys under the age of fifteen. About nine teams from Kalyani Nagar, Koregaon Park and Yerwada participated. The team ‘Chanchal Eleven’ from Koregaon Park won the Tounament.  Rev. Fr. Nelson Carvalho, the Rector of DBYC, Pune was the Chief Guest.

The other nine cities where the movie is planned are Mumbai, Nashik, Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Cochin.