1248 Nestlé: a sour note for Salesian boys in Lahore
austraLasia 1248
Nestlé: a sour note for Salesian boys in Lahore
LAHORE: 16 September 2005 -- The Salesian in charge
of the Don Bosco Technical and Youth Centre in Lahore was sure he'd
made a good bargain at the end of the school year last year. The
Chief Engineer in the Nestlé factory in Shakhupura asked for six
boys for the AC-refrigeration department. The Nestlé
factory employs around 1,000 workers. It seemed an excellent
opening for our technical centre for graduating students; an expansion
of contacts for local industry. But the offer of six places never
eventuated.
Some days ago, the chief engineer confessed that he
knew why he could not proceed with his offer, and it disappointed him,
but company policy was company policy - management informed him that
administration had pointed out that Christian boys could only be
employed to sweep floors and clean bathrooms. Never in the
technical area. Poor Fr Miguel was shocked. Here was a
multinational company discriminating on the basis of religion.
Fortunately, the view of educational authorities
towards the technical centre has been considerably better, as also the
acknowledgement by many local industries of the skills provided.
The centre is increasing in numbers; this year 130 boys are under
training. Fr Miguel is enrolling them in Government examinations
for the first time and is confident they will perform with
excellence. The centre has increased practical work in the
workshops to 8 hours daily.
Disappointing though the attitude of a multinational
company may be, acceptance of this technical centre by locals has been
ensured by the evident fruits of Salesian education.
___________________
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