The “Don Bosco Ngangi” Youth Center, as a center of spiritual education, has been declared a suitable space for the transformation of young people at high risk and victims of communal violence. The choice is not by chance. In addition to its technical competence and the quality of its infrastructures and its formators, the “Don Bosco Ngangi” Center also provides a suitable environment for forming good Christians and honest, upright citizens.
In his address to the young ex-combatants who were attending the vocational training courses at “Don Bosco Ngangi”, Mr. Fondong Julius said: "Peace through reconciliation is first and foremost a spiritual matter. This faith-promoting center must help you to return to your inner-self to reconcile with yourself, with your family and with your community. Because when you return to your respective villages, you will be ambassadors of peace and apostles of reconciliation.”
Since the beginning of August, 74 young ex-combatants and some girls and women who were collateral victims of community violence have been trained to become plumbers, bricklayers, hairdressers, and beauticians. This is part of the project to reduce violence in the community and is considered an inclusive project, since it involves ex-combatants and/or young people who could otherwise join armed groups on the one hand, and the victims of armed groups, mainly girls and women, on the other.
At the end of the three months of formation, these students who have agreed to dissociate themselves from armed groups will try to earn a living in other ways and no longer with violence. They will be citizens, craftsmen of reconciliation, peace and development. "You are all still young, you cannot lead a life of arms, armed conflict or violence," the head of MONUSCO encouraged them.
To the girls and women victims of violence perpetrated by gunmen, the head of the office recommended forgiveness and reconciliation.
Fr Jean-Pierre Muhima, Director of the "Don Bosco Ngangi" Center, thanked the Head of the MONUSCO Office not only for acknowledging the merits of the Salesians of Don Bosco in supervising young people, but also for their contribution to the restoration of social peace in the war-torn Kivu region.
Journal Jambo Vijana/Don Bosco
