It was rated in the official gazette of the government of India as having the highest murder rate in all of Asia. It was home to the Bhil and Bhilala tribes who were very poor subsistence farmers. The land was arid and only one crop per year could be grown so to survive, the tribals raided the town and nearby villages. The Salesians first came to Alirajpur in 1992 at the invitation of the Bishop o
f Indore. The local people requested an English medium school and so Don Bosco Academy (DBA) was started. In 1997, village work began in earnest in the village of Gadath with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) being formed. These works include watershed structures, new farming methods and crops, tree plantations, gobar gas plants, income generations schemes i.e., goat rearing and poultry, village schools for the shepherd children (some of whom are now attending DBA) and health and hygiene as well as civil and legal rights instruction. These programmes have now spread to other villages as the tribals see the success achieved in Gadath and come seeking help for their villages. A non-formal technical vocational school was also begun with a boarding for the students who are drop-out youths from the ages of 15 to 25. The Don Bosco Academy has now grown to Standard XII with over 1000 students including the School of Excellence boarding students. PRESENT ACTIVITIES
Don Bosco Academy (DBA)
The Don Bosco Academy has a student population of over 1000 from kindergarten through twelfth standard. It is an English medium school and enjoys the distinction of giving the highest quality of education in the area. School of Excellence (SOE)
Every year children of schools from the Jhabua District who have passed their fifth standard board exams are selected to attend a special six week English training camp. Some village children of the local area are also selected. The children are given a written exam and IQ testing and are then screened through an interview process. The most promising students are selected and undergo rigorous training in English, Sports, and other skills. At the end of the Camp about one-half of these students are selected to attend the Bishop’s sponsored School of Excellence. It is a boarding school and is held in conjunction with the DBA. Non-Formal Technical Education Programme
Boys from the age of 15 to 25 who are drop-outs from the education system are selected to attend this 11 month multi-skill course. Most are boarders but a few day scholars are sometimes accepted. This is often the last chance that these boys will have to learn a trade to support themselves and their families. Village Education Programme (VEP)
The VEP ensures quality education to over 350 students in standards I – V from 9 villages. This programme was begun to ensure that the shepherd children who could not attend classes during the scheduled government school timings could still obtain education through classes held in the morning and evening. Another benefit is that the schools offer an alternative for the children who suffer due to the poor attendance of teachers in the village schools and the dismal condition of the public education system. Some of these children are then absorbed into the DBA. Free Tuition Classes
These classes are held for the primary students who come in from the villages to attend the English medium school. It provides the support system and extra educational help these students need. Self Help Groups (SHGs)
Self Help Groups (SHGs) are the foundation stones of the holistic treatment of village social works. There are currently 45 SHGs administered by the centre. Through these SHGs the villagers are taught how to form organizations to help govern themselves and address their own problems. From these SHGs, the watershed committees are formed and the people learn that by working together they can accomplish great things. Watershed Programmes
The first watershed programme was undertaken in the village of Gadath. It met the needs of the village through the construction of watershed structures such as contour trenches, gully plugs, small river plugs and earthen dams, farm bunds to halt soil erosion and water runoff and cement check dams in the larger river beds. The result has been that the whole landscape has changed from dry and arid to lush and productive. Instead of growing only one meager crop per year that was entirely dependent on the monsoon, through water conservation methods and the introduction of new crops the villagers are now able to grow two to three multi-crops a year. The same programme is now being replicated in two other villages – Thodsindhi and Indi. Income Generation Schemes
The introduction animal husbandry has resulted in additional income for those who have little or no land to farm. Cross-breeding goats has resulted in hardier goats with more meat. Poultry farming and dairy farming have also helped in this area.
