Mali – Foyer Don Bosco: Guaranteeing Access to Education

11 August 2016
Mali – Foyer Don Bosco: Guaranteeing Access to Education

(ANS – Touba) – The Republic of Mali is a country without access to the sea of West Africa. Mali is the seventh largest African country, in terms of surface, but it is one of the countries where children suffer more from hunger and malnutrition. 75% of the population in Mali depend on agriculture, but rains are not regular, and normally there is a drought every 10 to 15 years. Poverty and destitution are not limited to lack of food, but they also concern the lack of instruction and of expectations for the future. Yet, despite all this indigence, the Salesians believe in a promising future, starting from education.

Last May there was the conclusion of the first part of project “Guaranteeing access to a quality education for the displaced youth of the rural areas of Touba, Mali”, a project funded by the Extremadura International Cooperation Agency for Development (AEXCID) and the Municipality of Utrera, which permitted the construction and opening of “Foyer Don Bosco” in Touba.

Foyer Don Bosco is part of the educative centre “Complexe Scolaire-Saint Jean Bosco” and now hosts 60 boarding students, coming from rural areas and poor families; for the very fact of being received in the foyer, they now have more opportunities of continuing their studies. Besides, thanks to the project, it has also been possible to improve the equipment of the centre with the purchase of didactic and sports material.

The second part of the project aims at improving the quality of the services provided and, among other targets, envisages to invest on the formation of teachers, on the purchase of books for the library, on the creation of a study hall that remains open all day and on the strengthening of the management and planning capability of the centre.

In Mali, 4 children out of 5 and more than half of the women of the country suffer from anaemia. “A people plays out its future by its ability to respond to the hunger and thirst of its brothers and sisters. What is true for a people is also true for humanity as a whole. Humanity plays out its future by its ability to respond to the hunger and thirst of its brothers and sisters,” was the assertion of Pope Francis, last June 13th. 

InfoANS

ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information".

Further Information