(MissionNewswire) More than 300 people gathered together to celebrate the feast day of St. John Bosco and the official opening and blessing of the new Don Bosco Youth and Education Center in Suva, Fiji. The ceremony was presided over by Father William Matthews, superior of the Salesian Province of Australia.

During his homily, Fr. Matthews highlighted how the new center will be used to provide support for at-risk and poor youth in the region. While the local parish is still under construction, the center will also be used for Sunday Mass and parish activities. Fr. Matthews also extended his gratitude for Father Mikaele Leilua, the first Salesian parish priest of the St. John Bosco Parish, who oversaw the construction of the youth center until his sudden death in September 2021.

The Don Bosco Youth and Education Center will include a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning, a kitchen and dining area, a sporting and recreational facility, and a community garden. The idea is to make the center as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. The project was funded by Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund in collaboration with the local Salesian community in Suva.

“This project will help ensure that local youth have access to the kind of social development programs that will get them on the right path in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The new community center will be a place for youth to gather with their peers, and access life skills training and educational support.”

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

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

ANS – Fiji – Official opening of new “Don Bosco” Youth and Education Center

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: New community and learning space opens first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have launched a new Youth and Education Center in Suva, Fiji. The center includes a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning and a community garden. The space creates a central hub where youth can meet in a safe environment to connect with their peers and engage with Salesian mentors while learning new life skills. Construction was underway in 2020 and delayed because of weather, but the facility is now completed.

Stage two of construction has been planned to clear the surrounding land to build a netball, basketball, volleyball court and a rugby field where youth can enjoy time with their friends. This is an important part of the youth and community programs to encourage holistic development.

Brother Peter Minh Duc Nguyen explained, “In general, in many places in Fiji, the young don’t have a safe place to play. Young people play rugby, volleyball and other sports on the road, and this is very dangerous. The need for a protected and healthy playground is an urgent need. The youth program fulfills that demand and helps them to develop the whole person by exploring different activities.”

The center’s community garden has played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has provided space for the local population to plant and grow food to feed their families. This has been particularly important as many families are experiencing cutbacks to their work hours or have been unemployed. Salesian missionaries have also been providing outreach into the community and helping vulnerable families.

Just more than 44 percent of the population in Fiji is under the age of 25 and there are limited opportunities for employment. The community center will serve a vital role in helping these youth find the right path for their future.

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Annual Report 2020

Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund

Photo courtesy of the Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Aid Fund

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: Youth engage with mentors at new center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Suva, Fiji, recently went to the villages of Muanikoso and Makoi to check on youth and provide them educational materials. Since the start of the pandemic and the lockdowns that followed, Salesians have been working to maintain relationships with youth in their programs and school. They have connected through calls, emails and social media.

Meetings have been organized on Zoom, but most youth in the villages do not have access to digital devices. In order to ensure these youth aren’t falling behind academically, the Salesian community decided to photocopy lessons and catechism activities, cook sweet doughnuts, and visit youth and their families while maintaining a safe distance.

Families appreciated the conversations and efforts that Salesians made to ensure youth had copies of the materials. The visits also included moments of prayer and the distribution of rosaries and copies of the Salesian Bulletin.

In Suva, thanks to the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund and support from the local community, Salesians constructed a new multipurpose community center. Once pandemic restrictions ease, the new center will provide youth a place where they can learn, engage in safe activities, and connect with peers and supportive adults.

The center includes a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning, a kitchen and dining area, a sporting and recreational facility, and a community garden. The idea is to make the center as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

Just more than 44 percent of the population in Fiji is under the age of 25 and there are limited opportunities for employment. The community center will serve a vital role in helping these youth find the right path for their future.

“This project is helping ensure that local youth have access to the kind of social development programs that will get them on the right path in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The new community center will be a place for youth to gather with their peers, and access life skills training and educational supports. In the meantime, Salesian missionaries are working to ensure that youth have access to continued education.”

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

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

ANS – Fiji Islands – Salesians on mission in villages of Muanikoso and Makoi

Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: Youth receive educational materials at home through home visits first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Every Thursday and Saturday most youth from the St. John Bosco Parish attend activities at the Salesian oratory in Suva, Fiji. They participate in sports, games, socializing with their peers and meetings—all providing opportunities to make new friends. Given the number of youth coming from the villages of Muanikoso and the Makoi, Salesian missionaries have decided to open a new oratory.

Rugby is a popular sport at the oratories, and Salesians make sure that everyone can play, from the smallest children to older youth. Atonio Lealea, Salesian coadjutor, helps the younger children learn how to play the game and engage in other activities.

“Sports programs teach youth both on and off the field,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning and playing team sports encourages leadership skills as well as teaches youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Salesians in Suva were in the middle of construction of a new multipurpose community center. The new center will provide youth a place where they can learn, engage in safe activities, and connect with peers and supportive adults. With more than 44 percent of the population in Fiji under the age of 25, there are limited opportunities for employment. The community center will serve a vital role in helping these youth find the right path for their future.

The center will include a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning, a kitchen and dining area, a sporting and recreational facility, and a community garden. The idea is to make the center as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

“This project will help ensure that local youth have access to the kind of social development programs that will get them on the right path in life,” added Fr. Baek. “The new community center will be a place for youth to gather with their peers, and access life skills training and educational supports.”

Father Mikaere Leilua, a local Salesian parish priest, is overseeing the project. With restrictions on the workforce, the number of workers at the site had been reduced to 20, plus the foreman. Work on the project has continued to progress and will continue until completion.

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

ANS – Fiji Islands – With young people at Salesian oratory in Suva

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: New community center to expand youth services first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesians were already in lockdown during this time. Fiji, however, has dealt better than some nations with the pandemic. To date, there have been only 18 people stricken with coronavirus and no deaths. When the first coronavirus case was confirmed on March 19 by the government, the Pacific Regional Seminary immediately went into lockdown, including all the affiliated colleges.

Salesian schools have held online classes, and lecturers were given special workshops on how to teach online. One of the biggest challenges is often slow, and at times, no internet connection and frequent power outages. Overall though, Fiji might be back to normal more quickly than other nations.

“If Fiji keeps the course, it will be able to confidently rank itself among the nations that are leading the world in stomping out coronavirus,” said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in a recent address. He added that Fijians must keep vigilant in the war against the virus.

Given the progress, the government has decided to ease some of the restrictive measures. On April 26, Fiji resumed all passenger inter-island travel, by air and sea and allowed social gatherings of 20 people or less. Schools will remain closed until June 12.

Salesians in Suva were in the middle of construction to build a new multipurpose community center. The new center will provide youth a place where they can learn, engage in safe activities, and connect with peers and supportive adults. With more than 44 percent of the population in Fiji under the age of 25, there are limited opportunities for employment. The community center will serve a vital role in helping these youth find the right path for their future.

The center will include a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning, a kitchen and dining area, a sporting and recreational facility, and a community garden. The idea is to make the center as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

“This project will help ensure that local youth have access to the kind of social development programs that will get them on the right path in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The new community center will be a place for youth to gather with their peers, and access life skills training and educational supports.”

Father Mikaere Leilua, a local Salesian parish priest, is overseeing the project. With restrictions on the workforce, the number of workers at the site has been reduced to 20, plus the foreman. Work on the project was progressing slowly, but now, the progress is even slower. Salesians continue to hope and work for progress.

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

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

ANS – Fiji – Salesians overtook lockdown and typhoon times

FIJI: Salesian missionaries build a new community center in Suva thanks to donor funding

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: Salesian missionaries continue to have hope for the future in wake of coronavirus pandemic and cyclone first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Just more than 44 percent of the population in Fiji is under the age of 25 and there are limited opportunities for employment. The community center will serve a vital role in helping these youth find the right path for their future.

The center will include a multipurpose community space, open areas for learning, a kitchen and dining area, a sporting and recreational facility, and a community garden. The idea is to make the center as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

“This project will help ensure that local youth have access to the kind of social development programs that will get them on the right path in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The new community center will be a place for youth to gather with their peers, and access life skills training and educational supports.”

ASMOAF, in conjunction with the Australian Social Communications team, has released a new video that celebrates the progress that has been made. The video updates donors on the impact of their contributions while highlighting the potential of the center and the need for further support.

Father Mikaere Leilua, a local Salesian parish priest, is overseeing the project. In the video, he expresses his deep gratitude to the donors. The project is well underway, having initially suffered setbacks related to wet weather and delays in the delivery of steel beams. It is hoped that the construction of this center will be a turning point for the Salesians in Fiji, providing them with even greater means of empowering local communities.

Salesian missionaries have been a part of the Fijian community since 1999, primarily facilitating education for young Salesians from the Pacific region, as well as operating a local parish. During a visit in 2015, the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime expressed a strong desire to see the Salesian community expand to include a strong youth-focused outreach, which was a motivating factor for this community center project.

###

Sources:

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

ANS – Fiji – A multi-purpose community center construction is well underway – and will be completed in 2020

Salesian Missions

The post FIJI: Salesian missionaries build a new community center in Suva thanks to donor funding first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The majority of children living in the Solomon Islands live in remote areas where access to education is almost unheard of. Combined with few employment prospects, youth face an uphill climb out of poverty.

A new program at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Honiara is helping youth overcome these challenges, bringing hope and fresh opportunities. Recently, the Australia-Pacific Technical College—an Australian government program—chose the Salesian-run Don Bosco Technical Institute as the location for its new campus. Set up as a technical and professional training college for youth in the Pacific, the Australia-Pacific Technical College is sustained by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Supporting investments in training and skills development is a key focus of the Solomon Islands-Australia Partnership for Development and, more widely in the Pacific, for AusAID. The Australia-Pacific Technical College was established in 2007 to increase the number of skilled workers in the Pacific, and improve employment opportunities for Pacific Islanders. More than 4,950 Pacific Islanders have graduated with new skills from the college’s four campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

The new partnership with Don Bosco Technical Institute allows for many more students to receive critical job training, education and skills than previously had access. The partnership will fund tuition for students and support upgrades to Don Bosco’s facilities.

“Up to 300 students will now have the chance to gain internationally recognized qualifications in automotive repair and construction over the next three years,” says Peter Baxter, director general of the Australian Agency for International Development. “They will join more than 490 Solomon Islanders who have already graduated from Australia-Pacific Technical College and now have the skills, training and confidence to take advantage of job opportunities, either in Solomon Islands or in the region.”

Students from all over the Solomon Islands will have an opportunity to study and achieve internationally recognized certification in automotive repair or construction, engineering, hospitality and community services. The demand for these specialized skills means economic opportunities and brighter prospects for youth who come from generations of poverty.

“I am pleased that we are partnering with Don Bosco—an important institution of teaching, learning and training in Solomon Islands,” adds Baxter. “This partnership will give more Solomon Islanders the chance to learn new skills and secure a job.”

###

Sources:

ANS – Solomon Islands – The Salesian Institute in Honiara will host an APTC campus

UNICEF – Solomon Islands

Don Bosco Technical Center

The post SOLOMON ISLANDS: New Salesian Partnership Paves Way for Poor Youth to Access Critical Technical Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.