(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco International Media Academy in Paris has awarded its first master’s degrees to students. Inaugurated five years ago, the academy offers training in cinematographic and audiovisual arts. Students take courses as well as participate in apprenticeships. The school welcomes all students with the aim of making studies accessible to as many people as possible. The goal is to train talented filmmakers and managers who want to dedicate their talent to the common good.

At the sold-out graduation ceremony at the Les 7 Parnassiens Cinema in Paris, students showcased their films for everyone in attendance. The students’ films each offered their own vision and covered a wide variety of stories and settings. The film “The Holy Family,” for example, followed a family of bank robbers. “Say No!” told the story of a teenage victim of war, and “Le Visage Sous Le Visage” told the story of a beggar who takes care of his sick wife.

“I entered this cinema to see films and came out enriched as a human being,” said Father Daniel Federspiel, superior of the France-Belgium South Province. “There are undoubtedly many film schools in the world, but Don Bosco International Media Academy gives its students a chance to change the world.”

Father John-Paul Swaminathan, director of the school, spoke about the determination of the students. He said, “Five years ago, the academy had five students. Today, there are 50, and they come from 14 different countries.”

Louis Millet, representing the director of Les 7 Parnassiens, congratulated the new graduates and offered words of encouragement. “Never lose sight of the importance of your path,” he told the students at graduation. “Whether you are behind a camera, an assembly table or in front of a blank page, what you bring to the table is your greatest strength. The academy gives you a huge advantage with this high-level training. But this opportunity is also a responsibility: to tell stories with respect, ethics and aesthetic sense. You are the artists of tomorrow and we can’t wait to see what you have to offer.”

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ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – France – Five years after the opening of the Don Bosco International Media Academy in Paris, the first students of the film school have graduated

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) Ewoud Vromant, a Belgian cyclist who won two silver medals in the Paris 2024 Paralympics, is a graduate and past pupil of Don Bosco School in Ghent, Belgium. Vromant had one leg amputated 10 years ago as a result of a tumor. Vromant believes there is a “solution to each problem” and has faced this unexpected obstacle in his life head-on.

While the Don Bosco School was much farther from home than other schools, he chose to attend. Today, Vromant has good memories of his time at the Don Bosco School, especially the mandatory sports hour during the lunch break. He spent considerable time on the soccer fields and athletic track. He loved extracurricular activities including cycling trips.

As a child, he tried all sports including judo, tennis, swimming and soccer. Vromant said, “It’s hard to think of a sport I’ve never tried.”

At the age of 22, Vromant dedicated himself to the triathlon. His dream was to become an Iron Man. During his preparation in 2012, he was diagnosed with leg cancer at the age of 28. His treatment included amputation, chemotherapy and rehabilitation. But even then his passion for sports did not stop.

During rehabilitation, he came into contact with someone who accompanied runners with prostheses and Vromant started running for pleasure. It soon became clear that he wasn’t very good at running with a prosthesis, which led him to resume cycling.

Since then, he has been a Belgian, European and World Paracycling champion. While participating in the Tokyo Paralympics, he was disqualified because the judges didn’t believe he was sufficiently on the bike saddle. Yet, he had shattered his own record. This year, he made a comeback and is happy with his achievements.

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ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)  

ANS – France – Past pupil Ewoud Vromant shines at the Paris 2024 Paralympics and delivers his message of hope: “There is a solution to each problem”

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) The Salesian summer volunteering initiative was held in Calais and Guines, France, in July with a focus on learning about the challenges faced by refugees and migrants. Volunteers with the International Volunteer Women in Education and Development (VIDES) brought together youth and members of the Salesian Family with the Secours Catholique organization to spend time with local refugees and migrants.

Marie, one of the volunteers, said, “This experience gave us the opportunity to meet people exiled from their countries, to know the reality of their lives, listen to them, help them, and feel empathy and compassion toward them.”

The inter-generational team consisted of members of the VIDES steering committee, three Salesian cooperators and a member of the educational team from Saint-Jean-Bosco School complex in Guines. Volunteers included Sister Nathalie, a Congolese missionary who came with a young Syrian woman from the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians community in Bruges, Belgium.

Following Catholic Mass on the first Sunday, volunteers participated in a role-playing game called “The Migrant’s Journey”, led by Pierre-Jean Allard, who introduced participants to the reality of migration.

Days were spent in prayer followed by an educational session and an eco-spiritual walks. Volunteers then worked directly with refugees. To support the volunteers, Father Daniel Federspiel, superior of the Salesians of Don Bosco in France and Southern Belgium, joined them to show his magic tricks and puppet shows, which they then shared with the refugees.

Cendre, a volunteer, explained, “Meeting those at Secours Catholique and being immersed in their work, feeling the sometimes terrible situations they face and at the same time seeing the joy on people’s faces when we staged a puppet show, or admiring the children who danced and played with us holding our hands, was touching, beautiful, and gave us a renewed confidence in humanity. We hope for the best for them, despite the tragedies they risk and we hope that by spending time with them, offering them some joy, we could help them overcome difficult moments for a while.”

Salesians know that a volunteer experience like this can be life-changing for youth. Hélène, another volunteer, noted, “The young people involved can get to know migrants closely and develop greater compassion, solidarity and fraternal spirit. In this way, they can change the mindset and help open, or reopen, hearts. In direct contact with the possibilities and difficulties on the ground, they can grow in their vision and propose initiatives that can help. The number of migrants is very high and will continue to be given the current context. It is urgent to join forces, so that everyone feels involved and can contribute to improving the lives of others.”

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ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – France – Salesian Volunteering in Calais: to “cross borders” and “awaken humanity within”

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) Migrant students from the Salesian Garelli 95 Association, located in Pontoise in the French department of Val-d’Oise, have put their harrowing journey to music in a video called, “This is My Story.” The music video was created for “Festclip”, the Salesian festival of short films hosted by the Salesian Province of France and Southern Belgium.

Students Souleymane, Adama, Baraka and Mabinty, assisted by two educators from the association, put their words to music, with the lyrics showcasing their journey from their homeland. On their way, they saw people killed and other acts of violence. They also lost friends.

The young men had very little. A song lyric says, “I don’t want to remember the word desert. Walking for miles with just a bottle of water, two packs of cookies and a bottle of soda, it’s hard to talk about. If you have not had this experience, you will not believe my story, yet it is a true story.”

They go on to sing, “Be strong, don’t give up, it’s a lifelong struggle, this is my story. The Mediterranean, Mauritania, Spain, since the age of 15 we have crossed difficult roads to survive and reach our destination. The cold, the hunger, the fatigue, the fear, the anguish, the bad surprises, the waves. Since I can remember, my mother tells me get up, my son, life is a struggle, no one will come to save you, get up and be your own hero.”

In their song, the young men tell of arriving in France only to face new obstacles of where to live and how fo find food and jobs to survive. Their message is ultimately one of hope though and encouragement for youth that they too can survive even the most difficult circumstances.

Sonia Maria, member of Garelli 95 Association’s board of directors, said, “I admire these young men who have confided their traumas and their unwavering determination in front of the camera. I make their words my own: pain is temporary, pride eternal. I am proud to be the administrator of an association that allows young people to express themselves and gives them the necessary tools to achieve their goals. Congratulations to the team.”

The Garelli 95 Association protects, supports and integrates unaccompanied minors who have been entrusted to it by the Social Services of the Department of Val-d’Oise. The association is part of the Don Bosco Social Action Network in France and Belgium. It is named after Bartholomew Garelli, the young orphan who John Bosco met on Dec. 8, 1841, and who was the first young man to be welcomed into what would become the Salesian Family of Don Bosco.

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ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – France – “This is my story”: the young people from Garelli 95 tell what they have experienced

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the St. Francis de Sales Province of France – South Belgium will open a new nursing training institute (IFSI in French) in Lyon in September 2024. This one-of-a-kind Salesian institute in France will start with 15 students.

“Our goal is not to create yet another training institute, but to offer training suitable for young people that meets their needs,” explained Dr. Jean-Michel Mari, general director of the Don Bosco campus in Lyon. “We will propose agile models that respond to the aspirations of learners, professionals and local communities.”

Aware of the dropout rate of students and the shortage of nursing staff, the Don Bosco network of Salesian educational institutions aimed to offer a comprehensive training program. Mari added, “The creation of IFSI is part of a broader process of creating a health and social campus, whose model is unique in France.”

The model is based on de-compartmentalization training, using a system that combines theory and practice combined with a didactic approach based on learning skills, professional position and commitment. Another pillar of the training will be personalized and tailored support for students. All of this will complement the training for health care assistants and paramedics.

The institute will issue eight types of professional qualifications recognized by the state, with agreements with two universities. A Salesian noted, “Working closely with local authorities, professionals, and trainees from the social care and health sectors, this new program aims to address the shortage of doctors and health personnel and to prepare a new generation of health professionals able to respond to the challenges of the professional world.”

Thanks to the collaboration with the Ramsay Pôle – Lyon group, the nursing training institute will have its headquarters and training in six facilities in the regions of Lyon and Beaujolais including Lyon, Écully, Saint-Priest, Villeurbanne, Marcy-l’Étoile and Arnas.

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ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – France – A training institute for nurses is established on the Don Bosco campus in Lyon

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Institute for Youth and Education, based in Gradignan, provides and oversees homes and services scattered throughout the New Aquitaine region in southwest France. A total of 47 facilities and centers help several thousand children, older youth and adults in need each year. Recently, the institute opened three houses for minors, known as MECS in French.

The mission of a MECS is to provide a safe and caring environment for youth in the care of Children’s Social Aid services. The Don Bosco Institute opened three centers in response to a call for such initiatives from the Gironde Department Council.

These three facilities, located in Langon, Saint-André de Cubzac, and Castelnau-de-Médoc, provide shelter and support for youth from ages 3-18 and up to 21 for the most vulnerable youth. Across the three homes, Salesians can provide for more than 100 youth. Of that, there are eight placements available for youth from complex situations, including those with disabilities or behavior disorders.

MECS in Langon houses 40 older youth and offers internships, modulated internships, foster care and various types of housing. The center in Saint André de Cubzac houses 32 youth as does the one in Castelnau-de-Médoc.

“Salesian centers and institutes in France and across the globe provide education and social development services for poor and at-risk youth,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The goal of Salesians is to provide support for youth through meeting their basic needs and helping them gain an education so they can be self-sufficient in the future.”

The Don Bosco Institute has been operating in New Aquitaine for more than 160 years and continues to help children and older youth to lead healthy and productive lives in which they are prepared for the future. In addition to the services mentioned, the institute also runs reception centers for migrant minors and medical-educational institutes.

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Photo ©: MECS Langon

ANS – France – Three new homes for minors in Gironde opened by Gradignan’s Don Bosco Institute

Salesian Missions

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“The project would not have made sense if the young people had not been able to give joy,” says Professor Isabelle Marcant, dean of the Salesian Institute of the Immaculate Conception. “This year for the competition of the Citizen Challenge, a pastoral operation involving the Salesian centers of the entire France-Belgium South Province, we did not want to start a new project. We preferred to provide support to an existing effort in our communities and chose Clowns of Hope.”

Representatives from Clowns of Hope visited the Salesian Institute, and the students immediately started to organize a charity event. They realized, however, that they wanted to do more than just raise money. They wanted to also be able to share their joy and smiles, so new activities were launched.

Students mobilized to plan and coordinate activities. The school started the sale of the classic red clown noses during recess. Students then shared photos and set up meetings with parents for their engagement. During the Christmas holiday, the Salesian Institute decorated the Christmas tree with garlands of red noses.

At the start of 2018, the Salesian Institute held an open house and set a circus theme. Tents were put up in the courtyard and fun activities for parents and youth were held. For the feast of Don Bosco, a billboard with photos of the children and teachers wearing the red noses was brought to the altar during the mass.

In April, students and adults competed in a race and were sponsored, raising funding for Clowns of Hope. The Salesian Institute is continuing to raise money and will present Clowns of Hope with a check in June 2018.

Through this project and other projects, Salesian students are learning the importance of giving back to their communities. Students have taken all that they have learned during their Salesian education and are working to pay it forward to other members of their community who are in need.

Salesian programs around the globe are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Programs also help to support poor youth and their families meet basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care in order for students to engage in their education and have hope for the future.

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ANS – France – Solidarity and joy, from young people to other young people

Les Clowns de L’espoir

Photo source: ANS

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Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in Africa, ranking 183 out of 186 countries on the Human Development Index 2013. According to the World Bank, more than 46 percent of the country’s population lives in poverty on less than USD 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.

One of the first projects initiated by the Costa De Beauregard students was a fundraising initiative to raise awareness of the food shortages in Burkina Faso and address the nutritional needs of its people. The students collaborated with Salesian Sisters at the Little Sisters of Holy Childhood based in Bobo Dioulasso, the second largest city in Burkina Faso.

“Projects like these between Salesian students in France and the community in Burkina Faso, provide opportunities for our students to pay it forward and apply the skills they are learning,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our students have so much to offer the world. Creating these initiatives is a win-win for both the students and the recipients.”

In 2007 and 2008, the French students took two trips to Burkina Faso and met with Sister Therese of the Little Sisters of Holy Childhood to learn more about the country, its people and the needs of its poor. At that time, the Salesian Sisters were buying seven acres of land and, with the help of Costa de Beauregard students who had participated in a horticultural program, agricultural operations began on the new acreage, providing a sustainable source of nutrition for the local community.

The Salesian students’ collaboration with the Little Sisters of Holy Childhood in Burkina Faso has since been formalized to create the Bocage Foundation. In 2010, three of the students representing the foundation decided to start a training college in the city of Bobo Dioulasso to help increase the skills and employ-ability of local Burkina Faso youth. Despite a difficult geopolitical situation in the country, the foundation is also working to create a water distribution network in collaboration with Plumbers without Borders to aid the development of a reception center for young people at risk in Bobo Dioulassoa. For this project, the Bocage Foundation has recently committed to drill a 140 foot well and construct a water well enclosure.

Access to water is essential in Burkina Faso as women and children bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

“The activities of this foundation, along with the work of Salesian missionaries around the globe, is helping to ensure communities have access to clean water for drinking and agriculture. Salesian missionaries are always looking to expand their services to meet the needs of the poor youth and families they serve,” adds Fr. Hyde.

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ANS – France – A partnership of 10 years, to the benefit of all

World Bank – Burkina Faso Poverty

The post BURKINA FASO/FRANCE: Salesian Students Facilitate Projects Helping Poor Youth in Burkina Faso first appeared on MissionNewswire.