New House Built for Volunteers thru Salesian Missions

New House Built for Volunteers thru Salesian Missions

(ANS – Kazembe, Zambia – May 22, 2024) – Salesian missionaries had the funding to build a house for volunteers in Kazembe, Zambia, thanks to donor support from Salesian Missions of New Rochelle. The building can accommodate 10 volunteers or guests who stay at the Salesian community. In the summer months, the community will also house 5 seminarians. The community supports more than 100 children and more than 50 youths in its youth center.

(Various Salesian organizations in Europe, Australia, and the U.S. send young volunteers for year-long service projects in missionary settings.)

Prior to the construction of the house, volunteers and guests needed to find space either at the main Salesian house or in an orphanage belonging to another organization. Neither of these situations was ideal as most of the volunteers are young women who need separate accommodations.

The new building has three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen connected with the living room and space for an office. In addition to the construction of the building, the funding provided the necessary financial support for drilling a borehole for water, installing a water stand, and building an underground septic tank. The building was then equipped with water, sewage, and electricity. Funding was used also for furniture and necessary items including an oven, refrigerator, pots, plates, and kitchen utensils.

A Salesian noted, “One of the people impacted by this donation was Kelvin. He joined us in May 2023 as a helper on the building site. After three months, we realized that he was skilled and hard working. In November, he started to work as a bricklayer. He improved his skills so much that now he is working for us on a daily basis as a top bricklayer in our whole mission. We are planning to provide him with a skills course in bricklaying and a certificate of completion. That will help him in his future life.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youths so they can have a healthy, productive life. Early education helps youths gain a foundation to allow them later to advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way, ensuring that youths focus on their education.