The Salesian work in Brazil began in Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, with the "Santa Rosa" Institute, which opened its doors with only 10 students enrolled. In a short time, however, Salesian activity gained strength and importance: the school grew, the oratory was started, and "arts and crafts courses" were opened, without neglecting general, cultural, and religious formation. This was, even at that time, what we now call the "integral education" of the student.
Attention to the education of young children of the working classes, especially former slaves and immigrants, was a preponderant factor in the founding of the Salesians' second work in Brazil, the Lyceum "Coração de Jesus," in São Paulo, in 1885.
A few years later, in 1892, the first Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) also arrived in the country, settling in Guaratinguetá, in the state of São Paulo, to bring the Salesian educational proposal to girls and young people. While in June 1894 another milestone in the Salesian Family's commitment in Brazil, that of missionary work among indigenous peoples, was laid in Cuiabá, in the state of Mato Grosso.
Don Bosco's pedagogy and charism, based on the triad "reason, religion and affection," found fertile ground and spread throughout Brazil. Schools were established, from infancy to higher education; vocational training centers; oratories and youth centers; welfare and social works; missionary activity among indigenous peoples and dozens of parishes under Salesian responsibility.
Currently, the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) are organized into six Provinces in Brazil, which form the Conference of Provinces of Salesians of Don Bosco in Brazil (CISBRASIL). The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), on the other hand, after reconfiguration in early 2021, count on four Provinces, united in the Conference of Provinces of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Brazil (CIB).
Since 2012, in an innovative proposal at the global Salesian level, these two national institutions of the Salesian Family have been collaborating in several fields and sectors through the Salesian Network Brazil (RSB). Coordinating these areas of joint work are, for example, structures such as the Salesian Network of Schools (RSB-Escolas), which brings together the more than 100 schools (of Salesians and FMA) that share the Salesian pastoral pedagogical project; the Salesian Social Action Network (RSB-Social), which oversees the activities of social works that provide school accompaniment, sports, recreational and cultural activities, and vocational training courses to children and youth in situations of social risk; and the Salesian Social Communication Network (RSB-Communication), which joins the forces of Salesians and FMA to respond more and more effectively to the current challenges of Social Communication.
