The project started through the direct initiative of Mr Ata El Saied, acting Governor of North Kordofan state. He had a series of meetings with Bishop Anthony Menegazo concerning the establishment of a VTC in El Obeid. In 1999, Very Rev. Fr. George Chalissery, the Salesian Superior of East Africa, and his Council approved the project. On 20th October land was purchased from the Government. The land consists of 63,000 Sq. meters. It is located in El Obeid industrial area.
The agreement was officially signed on 12 September 2000 by Ago Gazim Saied (representing the Ministry of Finance, Economy and Manpower) and the Salesians. Construction work started in April 2000 and in June 2002 the Centre started the Orientation course for those who wanted to begin training. Later on, it was recognized as a VTC with a three years’ Apprenticeship programme.
The objectives:
- The Centre is a Catholic Educational Institute run by the Salesians of Don Bosco. The aim of the project is to impart a sound education by forming the students in virtue, self-reliance, discipline and character formation.
- The Centre aims at developing human resources and helping students in professional skills through modern educational standards, machinery and tools.
- The Centre also encourages the students to participate in various activities like games and sports, and helps them to develop their intellectual, cultural and social formation.
Currently the school has over 220 students. It issues recognized certificates in several three-year courses: general mechanics, auto-mechanics, welding, plumbing, carpentry, construction and electrical engineering.
The teachers and the workers of the VTC are very cooperative and understanding. They do all their work with dedication and sacrifice, and follow the “Preventive System” of Don Bosco. Workshops at Don Bosco are well equipped and if a student wants to excel in a particular trade he can do so.
The Salesians in El Obied also had a project for Darfur boys here in DBVTC: the neediest youth from Darfur were recruited and brought to Don Bosco, El Obeid for informal training in various Technical Trades. The first group of students came from Darfur in 2004 and the project continued till December 2015. It was an informal course of 10 months but intensive. There were 11 groups of youth who graduated from Don Bosco, and the total number graduated is approximately 5,000.
The selection of youth was done through the assistance of the local and the state authorities and the Catholic parishes of Darfur. The project aimed first of all to bring the youth of different tribes together. They were of Afro-Arab origin. In Darfur they are fighting among themselves, but at Don Bosco they lived together, ate together and this helped them to be united, so that when they went back to their respective places they could be messengers of peace and unity. And secondly, they could be good and loyal citizens of the country, Sudan.
Another project that the Salesian have at Don Bosco El Obeid is the literacy programme for the neediest children of El Obeid. It all started in 2005 by trying to help the children around Don Bosco VTC, in a village called ARAFAT. In Don Bosco primary school there are now 242 children. There are three classes, one to three. UNICEF in El Obeid supplies all the school materials for the literacy programme, and WFP supplies a meal a day.
“Don Bosco El Obeid is well known in the North Kordofan State. All the people know that students who graduate from Don Bosco are of quality and they are employed easily in workshops, factories, etc. It was the same with regard to the students from Darfur who attended the informal training for one year. All appreciate the services Don Bosco renders to the youth of El Obeid and Darfur state and South Kordofan State. May the name of Don Bosco spread far and wide and continue serving the neediest youth” says Fr. Dominic P.D., Director of Don Bosco El Obeid.
