The Salesians in Madagascar and Mauritius represent an extraordinary missionary presence the length and breadth of the large island of Madagascar, with a much appreicated presence in a parish and technical schools in nearby Mauritius as well.

There is a total of 89 Salesian confreres in the Vice Province, 35 missionaries and 54 native Malagasy. The average age of the confreres is 41. Already the Salesian presence has been blessed with the choice of a bishop from amongst their numbers, Bishop Rosario Vella SDB of Antsirabe Diocese.

MDG Vice Province began as an extension of a number of Italian Salesian Provinces: there are Salesians from IME (Naples), ICC (Rome), ISI (Catania), INE (Venezia).There are also missionaries from Poland and South America.  The Salesian Family, apart from the SDBs comprises FMA, Salesian Cooperators, Don Bosco Volunteers, and the Community of the Mission of Don Bosco (CMB). The Italian-baed VIS Volunteers also have a centre based in the capital Antananarivo.

Salesian Ministry in both Madagascar and Mauritius covers Parishes, mission districts, oratories, primary and secondary schooling, technical(professional schools and schools in the'brousse' or rural areas, geared towards young people who do not have access to formal schooling. There are medical clinics, rural radios and the most successful radio anywhere in the Salesian world - Radio Don Bosco which has won national prestige at every level of society. There are several works for young people at risk and in difficulties. And of course an aspirantate, novitiate and postnovitiate. Theology is largely studied outside the country in central Salesian theologates in Europe.

At Fianarantsoa, there is a Centre for Study and Research currently engaged in a major research program called 'Horizons of Life of Young Catholics in Madagascar', a joint project involving Salesians from Madagascar, Messina (Italy - St Thomas Aquinas Institute). The program is midway through its three-year schedule and involves every diocese in the country. It is based on the fundamental hypothesis that the quality of formation of young people is the basic resource for ensuring the cultural progress of Madagascar.