When a school bag is a symbol of hope

Here at home, getting up for school in the morning is often accompanied by grumbling, and carrying a school bag every day feels like an unwelcome chore and burden.
In Ethiopia’s Gambela, however, it is different. There a school bag is a symbol of victory — that a child can go to school, has their own place in a school bench and a chance to learn and grow. Through the Child Adoption programme, SAVIO o. z. wants to stand alongside children at risk of poverty from their earliest years.

The Gambela region is among the poorest parts of Ethiopia. It is home to many families who fled the violence and unrest in neighbouring South Sudan, as well as local residents who battle daily with poverty and a lack of basic security. For many families, school fees or supplies are an unattainable luxury.

Salesians of Don Bosco in Gambela: a school that gives everyone a chance

The Salesians of Don Bosco have been working in Gambela since 2002. Their school Don Bosco Gambela has gradually become an important educational and social centre in the region, and today brings hope to hundreds of children and young people.

The Salesian mission draws on the legacy of Saint Don Bosco — to be “fathers, teachers and friends” to young people, especially those who are poor, excluded or at risk. In an environment where education is often inaccessible, Don Bosco Gambela creates a safe and stimulating space where children can not only study, but also regain a sense of security and dignity.

The Don Bosco Gambela school

Don Bosco Gambella today provides:

Academic education

– schooling up to grade 11

– around 845 pupils and students

– children from very poor families and from refugee communities

– studies following the national curriculum, enriched by Salesian values and an education in responsibility

Vocational and technical training

For young people, the school offers short vocational courses, for example:

– IT and working with computers

– automotive and mechanical training

– agriculture and poultry farming

– welding, plumbing

– mobile device maintenance

– tailoring and hairdressing

The goal is to give young people practical skills so they can stand on their own feet, find a job or start a small business.

Children whose lives the school is changing

Many students at Don Bosco Gambela grow up in extreme poverty; some have lost their parents, others are refugees marked by the trauma of war. And yet the Salesians see in them every day a determination to learn and a longing for a better life.

One of them is Rahmat:

“My name is Rahmat and I am in the fourth grade. I come from the city of Dessie, which is very far from Gambela. My father died many years ago. I live only with my mother, who works as a day labourer doing odd jobs. She cannot afford to pay for my school.”

It is for children like Rahmat that the Salesians try to open the school doors without distinction — but they cannot do it without the help of donors.

More than just education

For children enrolled in the programme, Don Bosco Gambela provides:

– school supplies

– payment of school fees

– support, counselling and guidance

– a safe environment in which children can grow as individuals

The school’s director and a Salesian, Fr Lijo Vadakkan SDB, stresses that their goal is to give a chance to every child. For this mission they also need our solidarity.

Help us give children hope

The Don Bosco Gambela school gives children hope for the future. Let’s help them keep it. Just 25 euros a month can change a child’s life in Ethiopia. Join the Child Adoption in Ethiopia. programme.

Help Rahmat and other children gain access to an education that can change their lives. Together we can make sure a school bag remains a symbol of hope and not a privilege.