2935 ITM New Maliana school
austraLasia #2935
Maliana, Timor Leste: “Finally, we have Salesians in
our midst!”
DILI: 24 October 2011 -- Salesians have been working
in Timor for more than 60 years. The name Salesian or Don
Bosco perhaps is too big for an island as small as Timor.
Indeed, Don Bosco is known throughout this tiny country,
particularly for its technical institutes and superb
contributions of many missionaries in different areas.
However, the Salesian presences had been focused only in the
eastern part of Timor Leste. But, on October 21, 2011, the
Salesians officially ended this ‘constraint’ by establishing
their new presence in Maliana, which is 149 Km southwest of
Dili, the capital of Timor Leste. It is also just few
kilometers away from the border with Indonesia.
In this new presence, the Salesians are
going to establish a technical school that in the long run
will provide human resources to different oil fields in East
Timor. So, this is practically a new venture for the people
of Timor Leste in general and the Salesians in particular.
Timor Leste is known for its gas and oil but the lack of
qualified human resources has made this poor country to be
always at the mercy of the cunning experts of different big
transnational corporations. Hence, it is not a surprise to
see different groups of people attended the inauguration of
this school.
The main infrastructures are being built
still and there is a lot more work to be done, yet the
inauguration is aptly dedicated to express our deep
gratitude to different benefactors like AECID (Agencia
Española de Cooperación Internacional para el
Desarrollo) which is the main sponsor of this project, the
Government of Timor Leste, particularly the minister of
Education (HE Mr. Joao Cancio) which entrusts this project
to the full care of the Salesians and last but not the
least, Most Rev. Bishop Norberto Amaral wo has joyfully
welcomed the Salesians to be partners in the efforts of
heralding the Good News in his diocese. Mons. Rodrigo
Bilbao, the representative of the Apostolic Nuncio to East
Timor graced this opportunity with his presence as well.
