Salesians Dream Big to Heal War Wounds

Salesians Dream Big to Heal War Wounds

(ANS – Lviv, Ukraine – July 22, 2024) – Ukraine is going through a very difficult period in its history. Unfortunately, war always brings great pain, and many young people lose their lives, while many others will forever bear the signs of violence on their bodies. The Salesians are always close to the neediest, as can be seen in all the work they do with refugees and displaced persons, with the poor, the sick, and the disabled. It has already been almost a year since the Salesians in the Vice Province of Greek-Catholic Ukraine (UKR) launched the first soccer team in the whole country to be made up of young people who have limb amputations due to war. A month ago the Salesians also started the first team for children and youths with amputations.

Thanks to the support of the Don Bosco Salesian Mission Office in Bonn, these sports activities for children and youths are developing very well and the number of their participants is increasing.

During this year, a professional team has been created that is able to give its contribution and advice to those looking to start working in this field. “Every day several of our rehabilitation specialists, coaches, and psychologists work together to help young people overcome this difficult time and find a new balance in life, find an activity that they like, that gives them hope,” Fr. Myhkhaylo Chaban, superior of UKR, says.

In this way the Salesians have become the point of reference for the whole of Ukraine. The central soccer association for amputees at European level, through its president, Mateusz Widlak, is expressing its closeness and supports the various Salesian initiatives. To promote this type of sport, to make it better known, the Pokrova Salesian team (which takes its name from the title of the most venerated Madonna in the country, “Our Lady of All Protection”), is participating in the Polish national championship. (Latin-rite Salesians belong to the Krakow Province.) The desire of the UKR Salesians, however, would be to start a soccer league for amputees in Ukraine. Meanwhile, following the example of the Salesians, a few months ago two other teams were created in Ukraine: Shakhtar Stalevi of Donetsk and Dnipro Cherkasy.

“In the weekend that has just passed, we organized a great and first event for the whole of Ukraine,” Fr. Chaban said. We’ve hosted these teams in our Salesian center: for formation, play, training, and a recreational moment. The purpose was to get to know each other, to dream of a future together. In these three days we have also organized formation for people who would like to create soccer teams for amputees in their cities.”

From the different cities of Ukraine, in fact, several managers participated who will start these activities in the near future. The Salesians have become a center where it is possible to prepare well for work with youths and children who have lived through the horrors of war.

“And with the new Salesian Sports and Rehabilitation Center that we are planning near Lviv and that we hope we will be able to achieve soon, we want to offer a place of hope for many young people, young people and families” concludes the Superior of UKR.