Silver Jubilee DON BOSCO BOYS’ TOWN
1984 - 2009
“Don Bosco Boys’ Town” was born as an idea in 1981 when the Late Cardinal Maurice Otunga, the Archbishop of Nairobi invited the Salesians to place their “youth charism” at the service of the Archdiocese of Nairobi. The Late Fr. Sean Mc Ferran, an Irish Salesian missionary in India for 36 years was invited by Fr. Tony D’ Souza SDB , the then provincial delegate and coordinator of Salesian work in East Africa to put this idea into a reality. The Salesians scouted around Nairobi and His Eminence Maurice Cardinal Otunga, offered a plot at Karen belonging to the archdiocese to the Salesians to begin this project for youth in need in 1984. This plot was donated to the Archdiocese by the Late Dorothy Muriel Hillman-Hale. The Salesians were not happy to put up this project at Karen as it was perhaps the most posh area of the city. But His Eminence wanted this project to be at Karen as a means for the rich of the area to get involved in the lives of the poor and also as a show piece for the religious of Karen – Langata area as their communities are mostly formation communities. Having accepted the plot the Fr. Mc Ferran began in earnest to look for the fund needed to construct the workshops and residence of the Salesians and of the students. The first funding agency to assist was Comide-Belgium. In December 1985 the staff house was built and Fr. Tony D’Souza assigned Bro. Cherian Palathumkal SDB who has an experience of over 35 years in technical schools in India to join Fr. Mc Ferran. They set up the first training centre with ten students in a “mabati shed” which is now our cow shed. The trades taught were carpentry and masonry.
The initial benefactors were the friends of Fr. Mc Ferran in Ireland . However, slowly the Salesians received funding from Misereor ( Germany), Cebemo ( Holland ), the European Union, the Lions Club of Gil and the embassy of Switzerland in Kenya .
On 31st January 1985, on the feast of Don Bosco, His Eminence Maurice Cardinal Otunga blessed the foundation stone. The construction work was more or less completed in 1987 and on 31st January 1989 His Eminence blessed and opened Don Bosco Boys’ Town. When Fr. Tony D’Souza SDB became the director of Don Bosco Boys’ Town in September 1987 the first group of 40 needy boys began to stay as boarders. In 1988 the trades of Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Tailoring and Welding too were added to the existing trades of Carpentry and Masonry. The trades of Fitter, Turner and Electrical were introduced in 1989.
Though the construction work was going on from 1985 to 1988, the training was in progress at Don Bosco Boys’ Town and at the different sub centers (Don Bosco satellites) in different slums of Nairobi . At one time we had satellites at Dagoretti Corner, Kibera, Mukuru, Kiserian and Tinganga. All these satellites were run in collaboration with the Catholic parishes of the respective place and we gave them back to the respective parishes by 2005. These satellites were funded by Misereor and USAID.
The students of 1986 to 1989 underwent training for two years and acquired Grade II at the end of their two years of training in the same course. But from 1990 the students were allowed to have Grade III in two trades as grade II was not allowed by the Government of Kenya without a year of work experience. This is the training we are offering even today.
With the help of Comide Belgium we managed to build the administration block and class rooms in 1992. The Computer Department for anyone in 1994 and Secretarial College for the girls in 1995 too soon followed.
With the help of Adenauer Foundation (Germany) the students were able to receive free accommodation and food for several years. When this assistance stopped we had to introduce cost sharing measure by charging a meager fee.
The first technical course open to the girls was Tailoring in 2006. However, from 2007 with the assistance of the Sterling Trust founded by the late Mzee Jasani we are able to accommodate and train girls in all other departments. Most of the girls stay in a rented building on Dagoretti road at Karinde in Jasani hostel.
Today at Don Bosco Boys’ Town we impart training in 14 trades (carpentry, cabinet making, motor vehicle mechanics, motor vehicle electrical, general fitting, welding, turning, tailoring, dress making, electrical fitter, electrical wireman, masonry, fine arts and plumbing) besides secretarial and computer. Close to 250 boys and girls learn a trade at Don Bosco Boys’ Town. We have 68 teaching and support staff besides five Salesians.
An average of 100 trained employees is added to the workforce of Kenya by Don Bosco Boys’ Town every year. About 250 people take different computer packages every year. Today we follow the policy of learn as you earn (the students join the workers in producing something for a living like furniture, repairing the vehicles of customers, making garments etc.).
“Saint John Bosco was, in the history of the Church, one of those who best understood the parable of Christ on the Kingdom of God as expressed in the example of the little child. He, more than any one else, understood the young and was one of the greatest educators.” Pope John Paul II. Today Don Bosco Boys Town is a living example of the creativity of Don Bosco adapting itself to the changed conditions of the twenty-first century. From state of the art machinery to digital forums of interaction, the institution is on a class of its own.
“The center has become a household name in Kenya because of its two prime objectives that it tries to achieve: offering shelter to the destitute youth of our society and providing the same with vocational skill training in a variety of trades.” Hon. Prof. S.K Ongeri in a message on 26 Jan. 1989.
In a message on the occasion of the inauguration of the buildings of Don Bosco Boys’ Town in 1989, the late Cardinal Otunga wrote, ‘I am persuaded to think that the Divine Providence is inviting all of us: State/Church, Parents/Educators, to recognize ever more clearly the inflexible need for formation of the Young on whom depends the future of the Church and Society and, united to take up with fresh enthusiasm the tasks needed to carry it out with enlightened and generous dedication that belonged to St. John Bosco.’ Today the management of DBBT is still reaching out to people of good will in the society to join hands to bring a quality difference in the lives of the disadvantaged youth.
Director
