Begun on 26th May 1974 as a collaborative rehabilitation project of the Salesians and the Corporation of Kochi for the street and working children and youth of Kochi City, Don Bosco Sneha Bhavan grew over the years into a complex institution with four presences under one organisation. The first house Sneha Bhavan, (the land and building) was given to the Salesians by the Corporation. In 1977 Bosco Bhavan was built on the land acquired by the Salesian Society, and set up as the official residence of the confreres and the hub of its multifarious activities. In 1986 Bosco Nilayam was opened for working boys. In 1990 the Corporation entrusted a house to the Salesians to run as night shelter for boys on the streets. Thus Sneha Bhavan Annexe was initiated. Later, in 1997, to make the work more effective a piece of land near the KSRTC Bus Stand was procured and a house was constructed for the purpose. In 1992, as a result of an exercise of evaluation and re-organisation of the whole work, the different phases of the child’s development were clearly demarcated, and different settings were assigned to each of these phases and age groups. Thus, Sneha Bhavan became the home for boys between the ages of 6 to 12, Bosco Bhavan for boys from 13 to 16, and Bosco Nilayam for those above 16 (college students or working young men). In 1995 the Open School was started in Bosco Bhavan, which received accreditation in 1997. In the same year, Valsalya Bhavan was opened as a drop-in centre and shelter for girls on the street, looked after initially by the Medical Mission Sisters. A Health programme was also undertaken in the same year with special emphasis on the prevention and treatment of STD, and HIV/AIDS. In March 2000, the Homoeostasis Reality Therapy (HRT) Clinic was inaugurated at the Sneha Bhavan Annexe. A 24-hour Childline service is also functioning at Sneha Bhavan Annexe.