Vocational Training:

In Kenya, we provide technical training through our four institutions, Don Bosco Embu, Makuyu, Boys’ Town – Nairobi and Don Bosco Kakuma Refugee camp, Turkana County. Through these institutions we have been offering training in different trades that include - welding and metal fabrication, fitter turner, engine rebuilding, carpentry and joinery, masonry/brick laying, plumbing, electrical, motor vehicle mechanics, driving school, typing and secretarial, art and design, tailoring and dress making, cabinet making, computer training and literacy and numeracy.

Don Bosco has an established presence in Kakuma refugee camp and has worked with the refugees since 1993 as a UNHCR implementing partner in vocational training in Kakuma.  According to ongoing consultation with, and a needs assessment carried out by UNHCR for the year 2014, refugees indicated their need for Don Bosco Kakuma to expand its scope for technical skills training, to enable them accommodate more students from the refugee and host community of the Turkana people,  and to give them a higher level of training.

With over 30 years of experience in vocational training education in Kenya, we the Salesians believe that we have the much needed skills and technical capacity to fully implement the vocational training for refugee and host community youth and contribute towards the economic growth of Kenya, introduce an alternative source of income from the effects of climate change to their mainstream economy, consequently transforming the lives of many.

We have the main center which has all the technical trades that we offer together with literacy ad numeracy programs, the second center is an agricultural center where we wish to train 320 youth every year in agriculture, the third has community technology access – computer training and some other technical trades and literacy and numeracy programs and finally in the new place that we are constructing now where we will begin to offer courses from January 2016. 

Over the past years Don Bosco Kakuma has trained thousands of young people. Indications are that the needs met by Don Bosco is only increasing, from the number of people enrolling in the program and graduating. This year, 2015 we enrolled 3774 persons and of these 2843 graduated at the end of the year in all the different centers that we operate in the camp. At the end of their studies here, our students in the technical trades do a Kenya government examination (NITA) and the students are given their official Grade III certificates.  Next year we are hoping to start at least in a small scale, training students for Grade II. 

On various occasions, the refugee population in discussions with Salesians and in interviews with visiting donor agencies have expressed their desire to have the courses that they are taking here to be upgraded.  At present we are able to give only Grade 3 which is the basic grade in technical training, but would love to have it upgraded to give them Grade 2 and Grade 1 which would empower them with sufficient skills in the trade of their choice.  UNHCR and other agencies have fully supported this idea and would like to see this materialized soon.

With this in mind the Salesians have embarked on building a Technical Institute just outside the camp, but connected to the camp, to be able to offer training for the refugee and host community youth.  After getting the necessary permissions in the congregation, through discussions with the diocese, we have now very good plot of land right in the town, but adjacent to the camp.  We are making plans to do the fencing of the plot.  Hydrological survey has been conducted and spot is identified for a borehole.  Drawings and bill of quantities have been obtained, but now we are waiting for some donor agencies to come to our help to be able to get funds to build the Institute.  Initially there were promises of help, but when we have done our part of the work, we see nothing concrete is coming forth.  (Please see the attachment for student statistics at Don Bosco for the year 2015)

Holy Cross Catholic Parish:

As missionaries and as persons committed to evangelization and spiritual care of the people of God, the Salesians offer their services to the only Catholic parish in the entire camp. The Holy Cross Catholic Parish, Kakuma Refugee Camp belonging to the Diocese of Lodwar is entrusted to the Salesians.  With just two Salesian priests, who are already engaged in running the vocational training centers, assisted by 2 sisters, 2 full time catechists, 8 substation assisting catechists and other SCC assisting catechists, the lay leaders of the parish and with cooperation from various groups active in the parish, we take care of the spiritual needs of the people in the parish.  The parish has 8 centers, all of which receive Sunday masses, and many of them also a weekday mass.  The small Christian communities are active and they are 45 in number with their leadership actively involved in the running of it, especially with the follow up of the 2 MDF sisters. The presence of a very large percentage of the camp population which is youth offers the Salesians an ideal place for ministry in the camp.

Savio Club:

Though all who live here are refugees, still there can be tribal misgivings and sometimes even tensions.  The educational standards some times are not up to the mark for children in primary schools, considering the number of children in each school and lack of resources to attend to each.  We have seen this situation and have developed a supplementary training for the children between the age of 6 and 11, teaching them English, Mathematics, Kiswahili, Hygiene, good manners, catechism and prayers.  Every day they have 3 hours of class.  At present we have about 600 children in this program in the substations of our parish. It is wonderful to see how they speak different languages, they interact with people of different tribes, performed well in their primary school results and have on the whole become very smart children.  With help from Dr. Alfons and team from Germany, we are able to shape these children to be good Christians and honest citizens.

Don Bosco Youth Centre:

If you are living right in the refugee camp you will never miss having plenty of children and youth frequenting the facilities of that institution.  We have many children and youth who come to our center for games, prayer and recreation.  This goes well with the idea of St. John Bosco to keep the young away from the streets where they are exposed to all kinds of vices, but give them an environment which is safe and attractive.  They have been using the limited space available in the compound. In the meantime we were looking around for space to make good grounds both for the school and oratory.

God has his plans and he makes them come true at his own time.  As we were looking around for some space like this, just across our gate, due to heavy rains last year many people had to be moved to better and safer areas. A good plot of land has thus become available.  Upon request, the government and UNHCR together have given us the plot which we have fenced around already and are making plans to have football ground, netball, volleyball courts and a raised up stage and possibly if funds are available a hall where we and other agencies can have programs for youth and meetings for the general public.  This will be known as Don Bosco Youth Centre Kakuma Refugee Camp and would eventually be a meeting place for a lot of people.

These are some of the activities carried out at Don Bosco Kakuma.  As we are appreciated as the only agency residing in the camp we have our challenges, but we are also appreciated much for it.  We are sure, Don Bosco our Father would be proud that his children are dedicating themselves to care for these marginalized persons of concern.  Our life with them reminds us constantly that we have no permanent home here on earth, but must work hard to make this home here on earth like heaven.  Where consequences of evil are glaring, this task of making heaven here on earth is challenging, but possible.

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