Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) - For almost six years the Don Bosco Charitable Foundation DBF registered in Hong has assisted youth in mainland China with programmes of education, professional training and assistance for poor and sick minors.
The Salesian new bulletin ANS reports that DBF is deeply appreciated in mainland China where it promotes the system of education started by the great Italian educator Saint John Bosco. It acts within the parameters of Chinese law on ‘social forces running schools’.
DBF first started working in mainland China in the 1980s with a group of Chinese and European volunteers anxious to help poor people or people in difficulty the southern province of Guangdong.
Established in 1998, in 2000 DBF became a Company Limited by Guarantee, and tax exemption. DBF is run by an executive committee of six members elected in 2003 and chaired by Mr John Wong. It is funded by donations from Hong Kong and abroad thanks to a network of former pupils, friends and benefactors in Hong Kong e a Macao.
In 2002 DBF opened a Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre for middle school leavers in Shitan Guangdong province. Today the Centre has 320 students training for various jobs: subjects include IT, courses for secretaries, electricians, offset printers, mechanics, industrial design. Moreover, in the last ten years DBF has supported at least 60 programmes to repair rural school repair, build student dormitories and provide study grants for poor children in various parts of Guangdong especially Shaoguan, Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou.
In Zengcheng (Guangdong) DBF opened Shitan Chiyu Children’s Centre for children aged 5 to 15 whose families are in serious difficulty, today it has 80 young inmates. Besides programmes of education and training DBF, sponsors and support development programmes including medical centres, rehabilitation clinics, providing clean water for villages in Yunnan and Guangdong.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/10/2004 righe 44 parole 456)
