How Salesians in Africa are Fostering International Day of Sport for Development, Peace

Fr. Timothy Ploch adds, “Learning and playing team sports encourage leadership skills as well as teach youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

In the Southern African nation of Namibia, SDB members say, “Don Bosco Youth Center in Rundu has a renovated a children’s playground thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions.”

Prior to the renovations, Salesians in the country say that “the playground was in a dilapidated state and dangerous, leaving children without a place to play and connect with their peers.”

Through partnerships, Salesians were able to buy renovation materials and paint, they say about the initiative that benefits children and youth, especially those from “very poor families”. 

“The children who attend the youth center come from very poor families and some of them have been abandoned,” SDB officials say in the April 6 report published by MissionNewswire, the official news service of Salesian Missions, which is the U.S.-based development arm of SDB.

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Since the launch of the primary school, they say, “close to 120 children use the playground each morning before school.”

On weekends, SDB officials in Namibia say, “180 youth attending programs at the youth center utilize the playground. To safeguard the playground, Salesians have asked the school to contribute a small amount of money toward the maintenance.”

“Don Bosco Youth Center was opened in 2002, and provides shelter and services for homeless youth.,” SDB officials say.

The April 6 report also indicates that “the center offers computer classes for 65 students, preschool for 70 children and school for 104 students who have dropped out of formal education. In addition, more than 80 youth attend daily oratory activities including sports programming.”

In the West African nation of Senegal, SDB members highlight other socio-sports initiatives that have been realized through partnerships.

“More than 300 youth, aged 5-17, play sports and learn values ​​thanks to the two social-sports schools the Real Madrid Foundation set up in Senegal with the collaboration of the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid,” SDB officials say.

They note that “the programs are hosted at Salesian schools in Thies and Tambacounda. Most of the project’s participants come from local Salesian centers.”

The Salesian April 6 report indicates that “the partnership between the Real Madrid Foundation and the Salesians began in 2010 in Senegal and continued to schools in Central and South America.”

“The first social-sports school was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2012, social-sports schools opened in Portugal,” they say, and add, “Today, the collaboration has 21 projects in 14 countries and serves nearly 4,000 children each season, using educational sport and its values as a catalyst for the social betterment of youth and communities.”

Members of both the Real Madrid Foundation and the Salesians, the report indicates, “are aware that sports are important for social integration and the promotion of values like teamwork, communication, respect and team spirit.”

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The social-sports schools are housed in Salesian schools. As part of the Real Madrid Foundation’s “They play, we educate” program, participants receive nutrition, family and psychological support, regular health checkups, the opportunity to participate in social and educational workshops, gymnastics, crafts and reading, and citizenship activities,” SDB officials say. 

They add, “Training sessions on topics such as health, hygiene, values, and the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse are also provided.”

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.