Over the years, the Salesians have made an immense contribution to their welfare. In fact, it should be noted that of all the organisations, religious and lay, working in the settlement, the Salesians are the only ones residing in the camp: the Salesians' ability and willingness to stay in close contact with the refugees has earned them admiration and respect.
The Salesians animate a wide variety of activities in the camp, most notably spiritual service to the refugees. In the refugee camp, the Salesians run the only Catholic parish, dedicated to the Holy Cross, which has ten missionary stations scattered throughout the camp. Moreover, since the vast majority of the refugees are children and young people, the Savio Club was founded in 2014 to facilitate the faith education and personal development of the camp's children.
Another key aspect of the Salesian mission in the camp is to offer technical skills to the refugees. In collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the Salesians have launched the Don Bosco Technical Institute, which offers refugees courses in construction, electrical engineering and solar energy, motor vehicle mechanics, plumbing, tailoring, welding, secretarial, computer and literacy programmes. And to facilitate access to formation, the Salesians run four other centres throughout the camp offering the same services. In total, the school trains more than 3,000 students each year: young people who have been given the opportunity to earn a living, both in the refugee camp (which is now structured like a large village, with no shortage of shops, workshops and laboratories) and in their country of origin, should they return.
To carry out all these services, in a context of great fragility and difficulty, the Salesians need everyone's support. This is why they have also turned to the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Missioni Don Bosco, which has launched a new project for them to support the educational expenses of several youngsters attending vocational courses: ‘they are distance adoptions, “work grants”, which for them represent a tool for the future, because work means dignity, hope, security’ say the Salesians in Turin.
For more information, please visit: www.missionidonbosco.org
