#1  MUMBAI: The Shelter Don Bosco Centre in Mumbai has gathered Street Kids for a Diwali celebration with a difference.  The Shelter attempts a celebration that tries to celebrate and interact with society the life and light of Diwali. It is also an attempt to network and bring together diverse groups working for social causes.  This 3 day Mela began in the Don Bosco School, Quadrangle with institutionalized and Street girls. Almost 2500 girls from about 44 NGOs all over Mumbai participated in this event. The 'masti - bhara' mela comprised of song, dance, games,entertainment, creativity workshops, vocational guidance, food, medicine, counseling.

The 'Rangeela Adda' brought colour to the stalls in the form of paintings, drawings and art and craft. A vocational guidance stall displayed and provided appropriate information about various vocational and technical skills that are offered in Mumbai. The courses focused on were generally short
term ones. The potter who guided the children into molding clay diyas on the wheel created a stir of excitement. So also was that of the screen-printing. The other forms of activities included  flower making, food and nutrition; make up, thermocol cutting & fabric painting.

Melas are generally meant for fun. But this Mela also dwelt on serious topics. Awareness was offered in its diverse forms. In all, there were 4 programmes. The personal hygiene & nutrition awareness programme provided the children with adequate information about different foods that are healthy. The programme was performed with stick puppets.  A question & answer session with the children cleared doubts.

Another awareness programme on superstitions was conducted with the help of a magic show. The program was performed and demonstrated by
Andha Shraddha Nirmulan Samiti. Their main aim was to try and show the kids different forms of magic tricks that in reality are make believe.The other awareness programmes conducted were Drug addiction  by Kripa Foundation and HIV/AIDS by Sridhar Keer and team.  A medical camp catered to the medical needs of the kids.  Nearly 110 children were provided medical aid. The evening programme provided stage entertainment in the form of puppet shows, magic shows mimicry, and dances put up by Shelter kids, the host  of the mela and plays passing on inspiring messages.  The Shelter documentation center did a research on 'Aspirations of girls from institution and from the bastis' The main aim of the research is to scientifically analyse the problems of marginalized youth and seek with solutions to address these issues.

#2  SUVA:  Yet to happen, actually, since Diwali is celebrated with a public holiday on Monday 4th November.  Catholics have Friday as a 'holiday' of obligation, and then join in with the Hindus on Monday!  But the Salesians in Suva, too, are gathering street kids for the occasion.  No girls, in contrast to the Mumbai celebrations above, since 'street girls' would be most socially unacceptable in Fiji.  What a pity the same could not apply to the boys!  The Diwali gathering is simple in format - the kids themselves have chosen the park, one that is adequately distant from the ubiquitous police posts around the city.  The day will consist of games - rugby, volleyball in particular - and plenty of barbecued chicken and chops.  There will be some music and some brief moments of prayer together.  Small, simple - but it's a start.