A Blog About the Chance for a Better Life
Read volunteer Nicolas’s new blog post about his time in a country where the biggest dream is to have a job. Last September, he went to Angola together with volunteer Paulína, whose latest article can be found here. You can find out more about their volunteer service and how young people can get involved in volunteering with the Salesians around the world at www.saleziani.sk/smd/.
Nicolas is launching his blog at the end of their service, as the day of their departure from Africa draws inexorably near. In Angola, he worked, among other things, as an instructor and teacher of welding, allowing him to pass on his skills and craft to others. As he himself says: “My grandfather taught me how to weld. It probably never occurred to him that one day I would be passing on his experience to young people in a slum on the other side of the world.”
Centro de Formação Profissional Dom Bosco
In the capital city of Luanda, the Salesians of Don Bosco operate a vocational training center that offers courses lasting several months. In the heart of a slum, the Salesians provide education and offer many young people a chance at a better life, even though conditions in the country are difficult and job is never guaranteed.
Nicolas writes about the center: “At first glance, it doesn’t look like a traditional school. As soon as you enter the grounds, you can hear the sound of metal being ground, sewing machines, and work in the workshops. What makes the center unique is that school doesn’t end at the classroom door. The campus includes a production hall where energy-efficient EcoBosco stoves are manufactured. The finished stoves are distributed free of charge to families throughout the country.” You can read more about the Clean Cooking project, which saves fuel and money for Angolan families, on the blog.
The Celebration and the Most Memorable Moment
The volunteer also shared his most memorable moment: “It wasn’t until then that I fully realized why I had come to Angola nearly a year ago. All the hours spent in the workshop, the daily commute to the center, the language barriers, and the moments when I wasn’t sure if I could teach the students anything—suddenly it all made sense. It wasn’t just about welding. It was about the people, their trust, and the hope that, thanks to the skills they’d acquired, they could one day change their own lives and those of their families.”
