Chapel serves community of 300 people in Bobo-Dioulasso

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the St. Francis of Assisi community of Burkina Faso have a new chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The chapel is located in Bobo-Dioulasso, which is roughly 20% Catholic.

The community has nearly 300 people who lacked an adequate place for liturgical celebrations on Sundays or for on-site activities such as catechesis and spiritual meetings. The community only had a makeshift hangar that could not withstand bad weather, making it difficult to use at all times of the year.

A Salesian noted, “The construction of the chapel is stabilizing the Christian community and promoting a welcoming environment for families who have come to settle in the area. Catechesis and faith education activities will help the community grow and endure over time.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in Burkina Faso since March 1993. Missionaries first began their work in Bobo-Dioulasso, the second largest city in the country. Salesian missionaries provide education and social development services designed to create a sense of family among the most vulnerable children and those most at risk of social exclusion.

According to the World Bank, more than 46% of the country’s population lives in poverty on less than $1.25 per day. Burkina Faso has suffered from several serious droughts that have driven up food prices, affecting the country’s food supply and causing malnutrition among the poorest residents and children. Up until the 1980s, the country also dealt with devastating military coups.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Burkina Faso

World Bank – Burkina Faso