austraLasia #2584 Developing countries, communications, earthquakes..... a
Salesian contribution
PORT-AU-PRINCE: 28th January 2010 -- Let's start out in Haiti,
where there is yet another twist to the disaster which unfolded on 12th
January. Under the rubble of the Archbishop's quarters (he died
amidst that rubble) lie the Archdiocesan communications structures, all
now destroyed. Radio and Télé Soleil. The station manager
for Radio Soleil is Hubert Mesidor, a young Salesian Brother (wrongly
reported in some media as a Salesian priest). As mentioned in the
EAO Blog, I was with Hubert some months ago in Quito and jokingly
called him a 'delinquent' when after my mentioning that through use of
Free Software I had saved the Congregation thousands, he shot back
immediately that so had he - with another kind of 'free' software!! Now
he is welcome to any kind of software he can lay his hands on, as far
as I am concerned. I am just grateful that he is alive. Radio
Soleil has played a crucial role in Haiti, as witnessed by the fact
that the dictator Duvalier closed it down several times. He went, in
due course, while Radio Soleil survived. Will it now rise from
the rubble? Certainly. It is estimated that some dozen
crucial local radio stations were destroyed in the earthquake, but they
have played and will need to be reconstructed to continue to play, a
supportive role for Haiti's suffering people. And quite possibly
Salesian communications enterprises around the world are amongst those
who will help come to their rescue? That's a question not a
statement. Audiovisuales Don Bosco, Quito, had already played a
role in conjunction with Radio and Télé Soleil prior to
the earthquake in raising awareness in Haiti; possibly they are looking
at what they can do now.
A prominent Salesian friend and 'fellow traveller'
also died in the earthquake - Mrs Zilda Arns, founder of 'Pastoral da
criança' in Brazil and champion of children's rights was on a
brief mission in Haiti at the time of the earthquake and did not
survive. She was the opening speaker at the Chiang Mai SIGNIS
Conference last year. Her loss will be sorely felt worldwide.
But let's shift our gaze now to our own Region and
congratulate another developing communications exercise which is
gaining plaudits. I quote from a letter received in SIHANOUKVILLE:
"I must congratulate the hierarchy of Don Bosco
[the reference is to the DB Tech in Sihanoukville] for being so aware
of the critical importance in 3rd world countries of quality teaching
of Computer & Web based skills today! This is the future of the
whole global world and for Cambodians to be left behind, indeed would
set them back as much as the Khmer Rouge did. Congratulations are
certainly due to you!
It is good to see mechanical & welding skills
etc being taught, but they will only offer work at a lower socio
economic standard. Exposing as many students as possible to
Computer and Web based education and technology, truly offers students
a giant leap out of poverty and into the 21st Century and will enable
the whole of Cambodia to make huge advances in a far shorter timeframe.
Don Bosco schools are known the world over for their amazing work in
bringing current education to many underprivileged students but
Sihanouk Ville appears to be leading the front in this critical
educational advance".
The comment is from a happy customer of DB's web
services. She is from the ODA (Orphans and Disbaled Arts Association(
Siem Reap, Cambodia). DB designed their web page for them. She
concludes by saying "My congratulations to your wonderful
forward-thinking school. It is indeed an educational facility of the
future for the lucky Cambodian students to attend your Social
Communication Dept. facilities". _________________ AustraLasia is an
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