COMMUNAUTÉ DON RUA IN FIANARANTSOA - "FOR EDUCATION IS A MATTER OF THE HEART". - SAINT JAN BOSCO

WHO ARE WE?

We are Salesians - heirs to the work of St John Bosco, who always said that "love educates". The Don Rua Community, named after Blessed Michael Rua, was founded on 5 July 2022. It began its mission on 9 September 2022, continuing the work started in 1993 by the Saint John Bosco Community. We operate in the developing district of Ankofafa, located on the northern outskirts of the city of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar. It is a dynamic place full of life, challenges and hope for a better tomorrow.

Our community is staffed by four priests and two Salesian assistants who dedicate their time with heart and commitment to helping children and young people. We provide a space for young people to learn, play and grow spiritually. We also employ 58 people who support the day-to-day running of the work.

ROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS RUN BY THE COMMUNAUTÉ DON RUA

Our activities are varied, but all our projects have a common goal: to support children and young people who are growing up in difficult circumstances, helping them to find stability, education and preparation for adult life. Here are some of the key initiatives we carry out on a daily basis (you can read a little more about them at the end of the dropdown):

1.the Salesian Oratory - More than 1,500 children and young people gather at the oratory every week. We provide educational, sporting, artistic and catechetical activities for more than 1,000 young people. Our oratory has 14 movements and groups in which children and young people can develop. Every year, we also organise "FY DON BOSCO" half-term camps for 1,000 children. In addition, 320 pupils take part in complementary activities and 90 children attend the FCB literacy school.

2.project TAIZA (Tetik'Asa Iarovana Zon'ny Ankizy) - Child Rights Protection Work - The project provides daily meals for 235 children and young people and learning support for 350 young people. The project also includes a child rights protection programme, including EDR, which provides shelter and support for 30 street boys. These boys undergo a reintegration programme, after which they can live at Magone House.

3Magone House - Magone House provides shelter and education for 44 street boys. In a safe environment, they receive not only food, but also psychological support and the opportunity to participate in activities that develop their talents. The aim is to create a family atmosphere that helps the boys regain a sense of security and prepare for adult life.

4th Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre (CFT)- The CFT trains 210 young people in trades such as carpentry, mechanics, construction, agriculture and metallurgy. The programme lasts 3 years and after graduation we provide assistance in finding jobs and apprenticeships.

5.St John Bosco Parish - The parish carries out daily pastoral activities, supporting the poorest families and the elderly. Porridge is given every Wednesday and Friday for malnourished children and food for the week for the poorest.

WHY DO WE DO IT?

Because we believe that every young person deserves support, a chance at education and a safe place where they can develop their talents. We want the children of Fianarantsoa to be able to smile, feel important and know that their future has meaning.

OUR GOALS AND CHALLENGES

Our main goal is to support children and young people who are growing up in difficult circumstances, helping them to find stability, education and preparation for adult life. To achieve this, we need to maintain and develop infrastructure and provide basic needs such as meals, clothing and educational materials.

A key challenge is to ensure the long-term maintenance and development of our programmes. In order for the education, care and ministry programmes to grow and serve as many young people, families and the elderly and lonely as possible, we need to raise funds for their implementation. Collaboration with donors, organisations and institutions that support our mission is essential to maintain the quality of our activities.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Each of us can contribute something good! If you feel that our activities are close to your heart, you can support our mission first and foremost through the financial support we need to implement our projects and to cover the costs of maintaining the facility and the parish, the TAIZA project, the Magone House and the CFT and FCB. Your help makes it possible for more children to go to school, eat a hot meal, grow and dream, and finally feel that they really matter.

The Don Rua Community faces many challenges, but with the help of the big-hearted people who support us, we are able to face difficulties and continue to give hope to those who need it most.

MORE ABOUT THE PROJECTS WE RUN:

1. the Salesian Oratory

Our oratory is the heart of the community - a place where more than 1,500 young people and children gather every Sunday. It is a space full of joy where they can have fun, participate in artistic, musical and sporting activities, learn languages and develop their talents.

But the oratory is not just about fun. It is where we teach values such as respect, cooperation and responsibility, offering educational and spiritual programmes. We can call our oratory one big family - a place where every young person can feel important, loved and valued. We want to rejoice with them in their successes, but also support them in the problems and difficulties they face every day.

The Don Rua Community organises activities for all young people, regardless of their background, religion or culture. It is worth noting that the activities are completely free of charge, so that all children from the area can participate. Every year, during the summer holidays, we also organise "FY DON BOSCO" half-term camps for more than 1,000 children and young people.

At the oratory, we run supplementary classes for around 320 children and young people so that they can be reintegrated into local primary, middle and secondary schools in the city. On a day-to-day basis, we also run an alphabetisation school - FCB- which is currently attended by 90 pupils who have never studied or who had to, for various reasons, drop out of school for an extended period of time shortly after starting school. The Don Rua Community provides: educational monitoring, school materials, medical care and a school canteen.

Every Saturday, we organise catechesis for around 1,000 children and young people; in addition, the oratory has 14 groups and movements in which young people gather after catechesis, such as. SCOUT (Scouts), TADB (Youth and Children of Don Bosco), GAOF (Artistic Group), Choir, ORSAF (Sports Organisation), FET (Youth Eucharistic Society), TAMPIKRI (Young Christian Students), CHARISMATIC group, ENVIRONMENT group, etc.

2 The TAIZA Project (Tetik'Asa Iarovana Zon'ny Ankizy) - Work for the Protection of the Rights of the Child

The TAIZA Project is one of the Community's key endeavours to protect children's rights and provide educational support to the most vulnerable children and young people. Every day, 235 young people use our school canteen and 90 of them attend literacy courses, gaining basic skills that open the door to further education and a better future. Project staff monitor the children's progress on an ongoing basis and support parents in their upbringing.

Among other things, the project operates EDR, a project where street children can find shelter and care. We currently receive 30 street boys daily, providing them with, among other things, cleaning supplies, a hot meal and reintegration activities. After a year of preparation, the boys can live at the MAGONE House and return to school.

3 Magone House - Safe Haven for Street Children

The Magone House is a place that gives refuge to 44 boys who were previously forced to live on the streets. Located just one kilometre from our community, it is a place where boys can feel at home - in a safe, supportive and caring atmosphere. We provide them with education, psychological support, warm meals and the opportunity to participate in activities to develop their skills. The aim is to create a family atmosphere that helps the boys regain a sense of security and prepare for adult life.

4 Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre (CFT)

Our vocational centre was created for young people who want to gain a profession and a better future. The CFT welcomes young people aged 16-19. Each year we train 210 students in areas such as carpentry, mechanics, construction, agriculture and metallurgy. The programme involves a three-year learning cycle, during which young people acquire practical skills as well as theoretical knowledge. After graduation, we help them find apprenticeships and jobs, enabling them to make a smooth transition into adult life.

St John Bosco Parish Church

St John Bosco Parish in Fianarantsoa is a place where people of different generations meet every day to grow in faith, prayer and working together for the benefit of others. As part of the Salesian family, our parish is a place that reflects Don Bosco's spiritual and educational message of education through love, understanding and respect.

As a St John Bosco parish, we strive not only to care for the spiritual life of our parishioners, but also to help with their daily material and social needs. Every Wednesday and Friday, a special wholesome porridge - koba - is prepared and given to malnourished children until they reach the right weight. In addition, every week the poorest families and the elderly receive a meal portion for the week.

There are many works and initiatives for the needy in the parish. One of the most recent projects is support for young single women. Young mothers have been able to participate in a series of classes, training and support to re-enter society and ensure a better and more informed future for themselves and their children.

LOCATION AND SOCIAL CONTEXT

Ankofafa is a northern district of Fianarantsoa, about 4 km from the city centre. It is an area that has been developing rapidly since the 1970s. Today, according to the latest statistics, the district has a population of 19,835 people, of whom 9,070 are Catholics. The parish has around 2,800 practitioners and catechesis is attended by around 1,000 children and young people, including several dozen adults. The parish priest visits each family in turn three times a week, in collaboration with neighbourhood committees, in an effort to reach out to those most in need, regardless of religion. The Don Rua community works in this environment to strengthen local structures and support the development of the inhabitants, especially the poorest, with a particular focus on children and young people.

OUR OBJECTIVES:

- Education and Social Inclusion

The main objective of the Don Rua Community is to provide children and young people with access to education and vocational skills. Our schools and training centres aim not only to teach young people a trade, but also to enable them to integrate fully into society. We want every young person to be able to find their place in working life, living with dignity and independence. Education and training programmes are tailored to the different needs of young people and their stage of development.

- Protecting children's rights

Our priority is to ensure the safety and care of vulnerable children. Through the TAIZA (Tetik'Asa Iarovana Zon'ny Ankizy) project, we strive to protect children from violence, exploitation and neglect, while providing them with education, food and health care. In addition, our home for street children, 'Maison Magone', gives young boys a safe haven and thus the chance for a new start in life.

- Education in the spirit of Don Bosco

The Don Rua Community works according to the Don Bosco method of education, which emphasises education through love rather than fear. Our aim is to raise young people to be "good Christians and upright citizens". This means not only religious education, but also personal, spiritual and social development. Through catechesis, prayer groups and formation meetings, we aim to support young people in developing their spirituality, values and responsibility.

- Development of abilities and talents

We offer young people the opportunity to develop their talents and passions, both artistic and sporting. Through music, art, sports and technical activities, we want to help young people discover their potential and give them the tools to develop further. We want each person to have the opportunity to realise their dreams and aspirations.

- Supporting Families and the Community

The Don Rua Community is committed not only to the lives of young people, but also to supporting their families and the local community. Through pastoral care, organisation of lay groups and community outreach, we aim to strengthen interpersonal and spiritual connections among the people of Ankofafa and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Our aim is to create a strong, supportive community that lives in a spirit of solidarity and mutual respect.

CHALLENGES IN DAY-TO-DAY WORK:

- Access to Education and Resources

The challenge is to provide adequate educational and infrastructural resources for all children and young people, especially those from poor or neglected families. Many of our wards face a lack of educational materials, difficult living conditions and lack of family support. We need to ensure that they not only receive a formal education, but also have access to extracurricular activities that help their personal development.

- Tackling Violence and Exploitation

Many of the children who come to our oratory are street children who have experienced violence, abuse or neglect. Countering this and providing a safe environment for children to live and develop is one of our key challenges. Not only do we need to provide them with shelter, but we also need to offer them psychological and emotional support so that they can recover from their trauma and rebuild their self-esteem.

- Sustainable Community Development

As a community that operates in a rapidly growing neighbourhood, we have to face the challenges of developing infrastructure, meeting ever-growing needs and providing adequate support for young people. This means seeking funding, developing partnerships with international organisations, local institutions and donors to meet growing needs.

- Increasing the number of participants

Each year our activities attract more and more young people. While this is a positive development, it presents us with the challenge of overloading existing resources - both in terms of staff and infrastructure. The Don Rua Community tries its best to manage the resources available, but sometimes we lack the resources to meet all needs.

- Reintegration of Young People into Society and the Local Community

Another challenge is the effective reintegration of young people who have grown up on the streets or in difficult circumstances. Many of those who come to us have not had the chance for education, a normal family life or a sense of stability. The process of their reintegration into society is a long one and requires a lot of resources - both in terms of psychological care and support in terms of vocational education and job assistance.

- Maintaining and developing programmes

A key challenge is also to ensure the long-term maintenance and development of our programmes. In order to ensure that our education, care and pastoral care programmes can grow and serve as many young people, families and the elderly and lonely as possible, we need to raise funds for their implementation. Collaboration with donors, organisations and institutions that support our mission is essential to maintain the quality of our work

FOR EVERY DONATION WE THANK YOU FROM THE HEART!

DON RUA SALESIAN COMMUNITY, FIANARANTSOA, MADAGASCAR 🇲🇬