austraLasia #2285
Jardins Dom Versiglia - a shining beacon for boys at risk
MACAU: 7th November 2008 -- There is an entire Don Bosco Youth
Village tucked away in Macau, and one part of this village, completed
only in 1999, is known as 'Jardins Dom Versiglia', a boarding place for
boys already very much at risk for lack of family support.
The wider entity of Don Bosco Village was begun in
1996 with help from the Macau Government. It is located in Coloane,
Macau where Fr Caetano Nicosia SDB had already founded the Escola D.
Luigi Versiglia to meet the social needs of the 1980's. The school had
a boarding house for the children of Hanson's Disease sufferers. Fr
Nicosia also opened the school to children of farmers in Coloane and
the Salesians continue to manage the school. The boarding house had
closed in 1999 and its function was replaced for a new need, thus
Jardins Dom Versiglia came into existence. Fr Peter Pong is now the
Rector of both the Escola D. Luigi Versiglia and Jardins Dom Versiglia,
while Fr Savio Yeung is Director of Don Bosco Youth Village.
Everyone is aware of the not-so-gradual
transformation of Macau into a slick, super-modern city and tourist
haven boasting high class accomodation, casinos and the like. The
social downside of this development is the pressure on resident
families, and the lure of riches for young people. Some young people in
Macau encounter difficulties in their pursuit of education and there
other other problems arising from difficult family situations.
The family background of current boarders features
single parent families, insufficient parental care since both parents
are working full-time, personal conduct problems on the part of some of
the youngsters themselves. The Government Social Welfare Department
sends some to 'Jardins' because they are orphaned or abandoned by their
families.
Jardins Dom Versiglia features the full range of
Salesian educative activity, including a warm personal environment,
many wholesome activities including an outward-bound programme and
self-challenge workshops designed to enhance personal development.
Linking the boys back to family where possible is also seen as crucial
to their development and this is partly achieved through Volunteer
programmes and Parents' Days.
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Title: australasia 2285
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces, CIN Macau
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2285
