Just over four years ago, at the call of the local bishop, Salesians belonging to the Saint Francis de Sales Province of France-Belgium South (FRB) arrived in Guadeloupe. They took charge of the parish of Bambridge – around the Capital, Les Abymes, a city of 50,000 inhabitants – and at the same time, faithful to their charism and the characteristic trait of service to young people at risk, they created the "Lakou Bosco" association, whose objective is precisely to reach the most disadvantaged young people and families, offer them a fraternal and educational experience and support them in the search for new opportunities: an authentically Salesian project.
Four years later, the "Lakou Bosco" initiative, which is part of the FRB Province's "Don Bosco Social Action" (DBAs) network, is doing a great job. Directed from the beginning by Arthur Massiet du Biest and chaired by Rose Berthe Sapotille, the association has a team of 9 employees and 40 volunteers. With its daily commitment, it supports more than 40 families and 70 children, enjoying for most of its activities the support of the French Fund for Family Benefits (CAF, in French), but since September 2023 it has also benefited from the support of the European Social Fund.
"We intervene in the three main living environments of our young people: the neighbourhood, the school and the family, to provide continuous support. But our approach is not limited to young people: we also work with their parents, to offer them adequate support and strengthen their educational role ," the President, Rose Berthe Sapotille, stresses. Recognised by the public authorities, Lakou Bosco has been accredited as a social centre by CAF, as a reception centre for minors by the Departmental Directorate for Youth and Sport and as an "academic" centre by the educational authority.
The current premises of "Lakou Bosco", located in the heart of the popular district of Les Abymes, are used for a wide range of activities aimed at young people and families, but are no longer sufficient.
Thus the project to build the "Villagio Lakou Bosco", a 280-square-metre meeting place with different living spaces, including a large house with a living room, kitchen and a workshop for manual work, a "Lakou" space (house, in local Creole), a sports field and two multi-activity rooms: multimedia space, work space, playroom, sports space.
The building will be built to high quality standards and the environmental impact will be minimised (through thermal insulation, solar panels, water supply, etc.), while ensuring perfect comfort and a high quality of life for its future visitors.
The laying of the foundation stone is scheduled for 1 February 2025 and a large part of the budget has already been collected, thanks to the mobilisation of numerous public partners. At the same time, a fundraiser was also launched on behalf of the project and the young people and their families who will benefit from it.
For more information, visit the "Fondation Don Bosco" website or write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Source : Don Bosco Aujourd'hui
