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Edition 36
December 2013
DON BOSCO FAMBUL — SIERRA LEONE
JOURNEYING WITH THE YOUNG
Inside freetown
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S t a rk
S t i ft un g
This week a child has
asked me whether
God really became
man. The quizzical face
showed a certain as-
tonishment and at the
same time asked for
explanation. This child
shook me up again
and made me wonder
how little God’s incar-
nation amazes me to-
day. Much becomes
routine and habit.
Greetings fr0m freet0wn
The prison conditions
are horrible not comply-
ing in any way with in-
ternational standards.
On the occasion of a
panel discussion at the
British Council of Free-
town Brother Lothar de-
manded to release all
the children and adoles-
cents from prison. “Even
your own laws prohibit
This is why the Christ-
mas preparations are so
important, leading us
back to the centre of
our faith. For this time I
wish you to be able to
look at Christmas
through the eyes of a
child feeling their
amazement.
Pademba Prison 1
5years Pilot Project 2
Graduation Celebration 3
UN-Visit at New York 3
Monthly Closing Prayer 3
Year in review 2013 Year in review 2013 Year in review 2013 Year in review 2013 4ff
Donation Account 11
In this edition
the imprisonment of chil-
dren together with
adults,” the religious
said. According to inter-
nal calculations 300 chil-
dren are currently
among the 1,756 prison-
ers. The prison was built
for 350 people. Fambul
offers both pastoral and
social projects at the
prison.
Picture: Matthias Graben Matthias Graben Matthias Graben Matthias Graben
F i d e l G ö t z S t i f t u n g
L i e c h t e n s t e i n
Page 4 to 10
Picture made inside Pademba Prison by Fernando Moleres Fernando Moleres Fernando Moleres Fernando Moleres
Fambul: release 0f all children p0stulatedP A G E 2 I N S I D E F R E E T O W N
Against the recruitment 0f child s0ldiers
The project comprises several compo-
nents. The focus is on the education and
(advanced) training of policemen, sol-
diers and all the others employed in the
field of state security. Part of this group
are also the officials at the prisons. This
year it was possible to attract top person-
nel to two extensive seminars. Don Bosco
Fambul contributes to the training units
with their experience and knowledge in
the area of the protection of children and
adolescents. Another focus is on the
awareness raising of children. For this purpose
teaching materials on the topic child soldiers
were prepared. Don Bosco Fambul took on re-
sponsibility for this field and was able to fall
back on its own well-working infrastructure.
Furthermore various radio and TV- discussions
are going to be broadcasted. Questions and
comments can be handed in via the crisis line.
In addition, the Don Bosco Bus will be on the
road in the interior of the country with several
information stands. To start with, the project is
to be implemented until 2017; should it turn
out to be clearly successful, it will be transferred
to other countries.
Don Bosco Fambul is known for its countrywide singular and innovative projects, be they on
the streets, at prisons or the Girls Shelter. The Salesians of Freetown reach out for those most in
need. Via mobile social work, family- and telephone counselling as well as rehabilitation Don
Bosco Fambul is always where the problems are, inside young people’s needs. Now another
ambitious and – this time even – worldwide singular project follows: Together with the “Romeo “Romeo “Romeo “Romeo
Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative” Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative” Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative” Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative”
from Canada another preventive
programme to impede the recruit-
ment of child soldiers has started.
The five-year project is a pilot
scheme in Sierra Leone and, if it
turns out to be successful, supposed
to be transferred to other countries.
In his position as general
of the Canadian troups Romeo Dallaire
served as commander of the United Na-
tions peacekeeping force UNAMIR in Ru-
anda. In 1994 the worst genocide after the
Second World War took place in Ruanda,
the genocide against the Tutsi. Within 100
days between 800,000 and 1,000,000 peo-
ple were killed. In a subsequent report, Dal-
laire stated that he might have stopped the
genocide of the Hutu against the Tutsi with
a force of 5,000 men. As far as possible Dal-
laire tried to make the presence of his
troups felt during the genocide and strived
to create security zones to a limited extent
despite the restraint imposed upon him.
Suffering from post-traumatic stress disor-
der after his experiences in Ruanda, Dallaire
was discharged from the Canadian Army in
2000. Convinced that he was partly to
blame for the genocide in Ruanda, Dallaire
attempted to commit suicide twice. Pub-
lished in 2005 by Romeo Dallaire:
Shake
Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Hu-
manity in Rwanda.
Supporters of the Pilot Project Supporters of the Pilot Project Supporters of the Pilot Project Supporters of the Pilot Project of the Romeo Dal-
laire Child Soldiers Initiative are the respective di-
rectors and heads of the following institutions:
Police Sierra Leone, Military Sierra Leone, Security
Officer State House, University Toronto, and Don
Bosco Fambul.
Roméo Alain Dallaire Roméo Alain Dallaire Roméo Alain Dallaire Roméo Alain Dallaire P A G E 3 E D I T I O N 3 6
Please register your newsletter:
info@donboscofambul.org
Training successfully finished. Training successfully finished. Training successfully finished. Training successfully finished. 60 young women
finished their trainings in the first labour market
pedagogically assisted and guided by Don
Bosco Fambul. The project “Hope” has been part
of the overall programme since the institution
was founded in 1998. 28 young women are
now going to become self-employed. They re-
ceive micro-credits and business consultancy by
small-scale entrepreneurs. Currently another 151
women are being trained who will finish their
trainings by next year. The State Secretary of the
Ministry for Social Affairs, Lahai Kargbo (picture),
thanks the staff and the small-scale entrepre-
neurs for this extraordinary project: HOPE.
Don Bosco Fambul calls attention to particularly grave human rights vio-
lations. They do so via the local or international media or, as it happened
in October, at the African Union in Addis Abeba (Ethiopia) or the UNUNUNUN----
headquarters in New York headquarters in New York headquarters in New York headquarters in New York by the Vice-director Samuel Thomas Bojohn
(picture above).
Brima Kamara, Brima Kamara, Brima Kamara, Brima Kamara, former student of Don Bosco Fambul today organizes the
music and culture lessons at REHA. Moreover, he has become self-
employed. Meanwhile he and his “Culture Group” have become an at-
traction, particularly at the beach promenades of Freetown. He also en-
joys performing with his group at Fambul refreshing pleasant memories
with his former educators.
Very popular is the final prayer of the month which includes a light pro-
cession at Fambul. Every last Friday of the month young people gather in
order to thank God; nearly 300 last time. 5 o’clock a.m. 5 o’clock a.m. 5 o’clock a.m. 5 o’clock a.m.
Mustapha gets up.
This night he slept
under a market stall.
5.30 a.m. 5.30 a.m. 5.30 a.m. 5.30 a.m. In front of
a shop he sweeps
the rubbish of the
previous day. From
the shop owner he
gets some money
for a piece of bread.
8 a.m. 8 a.m. 8 a.m. 8 a.m. Mustapha
meets his friends.
After playing soccer
they jointly smoke
marihuana. 11 a.m. 11 a.m. 11 a.m. 11 a.m.
Mustapha takes some daisy tab-
lets. They are popular among
street children. Cheap and
make you forget reality. 12.30 12.30 12.30 12.30
Mustapha on a round of theft
together with others. 13.45 13.45 13.45 13.45 He
is caught. The mob beats him
up. In his drunken stupor he
included fresh fruit
is served at the bus.
After that singular
and group counsel-
ling. 9 p.m. 9 p.m. 9 p.m. 9 p.m. Musta-
pha plays kicker.
Mustapha is 7 years
old and the 821 st
newly registered
street child in 2013.
This year the bus
was on the road in
the centre of Freetown on 187
days *** 15 qualified members
of staff cared for 1,321 street
children *** 1,251 family visits
took place *** It was possible
to reintegrate 402 street chil-
dren into their (extended) fami-
lies ***
their everyday
lives. “We consider
ourselves a family
assistance centre,”
Brother Lothar
says. In doing so
he focuses on re-
source-oriented
social work.
“Family members
have their poten-
tial. This is what
we try to pro-
mote,” the head of the depart-
ment, Raymond Tommy says.
Every month he invites (foster)
parents for interviews and train-
ings to the Fambul-Centre (pic).
Every day 10 social workers
gather for the daily briefing
(picture above). Former street chil-
dren have returned to their fami-
lies and need further assistance in
In 2013 13 seminars took place
for parents and family members
*** 2,081 home visits were car-
ried out *** 401 school visits
*** 312 former street children
and their families were assisted
and supported by the family
counselling *** 217 youths
were successfully (re)integrated
into school *** Twice a year all
the youths meet for the Don
Bosco Festival and the Day of
the African Child (16 th of June)
***
P A G E 4
does not feel the pain. 15.30 15.30 15.30 15.30
Registered street children take
Mustapha to the Don Bosco
Bus. 15.45 15.45 15.45 15.45 Mustapha receives
medical assistance. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. A
social worker takes him up.
19.45 19.45 19.45 19.45 Hand washing before
dinner. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m. A warm meal
I N S I D E F R E E T O W N
“We are empowering families”
Brother Lothar Wagner SDB
Family tracing department: P0wer f0r family
Help is 0n the way with the d0n B0sc0 busaccept the most vulnerable children. For ten
months the focus is on group experience. To
learn to trust each other in acrobatics (picture),
when jointly studying at the non-formal school,
through common experiences on trips.
Music and sports also serve the pur-
pose to enhance the children’s self-
confidence. Into all these development
processes the families are involved.
Primary target is not only the street
child’s successful reintegration into the
family of origin and extended or foster
family. It also involves the child’s suc-
cessful reintegration into the existing
school system, the family’s neighbour-
hood (district) and society as a whole.
48 children successfully finished the
REHA. It was possible to reintegrate 10
children ahead of time into their fami-
lies.
…in Sierra Leone also is the last hope for a lot
of street children in Freetown of gaining a
foothold in normal life. This is why the selec-
tion procedures particularly attempt to
6 press conferences
took place in 2013
*** 1,745 radio
jingles were trans-
mitted *** 34
newspaper articles
about Fambul were
published.
It is the country’s best opposition,
according to Samuel Bojohn, the
vice-director. He refers to the me-
dia. “Journalists from in- and out-
side the country visit us and learn
what it means to be a street child
or a prisoner at Pademba,” Bo-
john says. He regards information
transfer his task. Another issue is
the girls’ situation in the country.
P A G E 5
The 0nly rehabilitati0n measure...
Media: Talk ab0ut human rights vi0lati0ns
12 youths aged 16 –
21 years live to-
gether in three dif-
ferent types of apart-
ments *** 3 are be-
ing trained while 7
attend to school ***
2 young men are
just deciding which
vocational path to
pursue
Joseph (changed name)
had to watch his mother
dying in the street. This
happened when he was
just eight. There is no con-
tact with his family, he
does not know his rela-
tives. After the rehabilita-
tion period he continued
living at Don Bosco Fam-
bul until in 2011 the new
forms of housing were
opened. Today he is being
trained as a welder.
E D I T I O N 3 6
Gr0up h0me: h0using
and educati0n in 0ne P A G E 6
A 13-year-old girl
had been raped
for hours by five
male youths. After five days of
intensive medical assistance the
victim died of her injuries. The
police has never investigated
the case despite repeated pos-
tulations by Don Bosco Fambul.
Some girls now living at the
Girls Shelter were held as slaves
by their tormentors, oftentimes
for years.
bul she called the crisis
line. A social worker told
her about the Girls Shel-
ter. As soon as she had
arrived she was cared for
and her family was
found. Eventually, she was able to
opt out of street prostitution.
Thanks to “HOPE+” it was possible
to reintegrate her into school. She
is still being cared for by social
workers.
301 girls
and young
women who experienced violence
received holistic care in 2013 via
the HOPE+ project. The opportu-
nity to enter into the exit from vio-
lence and exploitation into a self-
determined life.
Mariama was twelve years old
when she was forced into prostitu-
tion for the first time. She was not
able to protect herself from ill-
nesses. When she heard in a radio
discussion about Don Bosco Fam-
I N S I D E F R E E T O W N
Entry int0 exit: 0ut 0f
pr0stituti0n int0 educati0n
H0pe+ pr0ject
Crisis interventi0n: shelter f0r girls
95% of the girls in Sierra Leone undergo – mostly forced
– genital circumcision which has still not been banned
by law. United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone reports
that the number of rapes against girls is currently higher
than during the rebel war. In the predominantly Muslim
country girls are forced into marriage with strangers or
elderly people. Access to education is hampered. Vio-
lence at educational institutions like family and school,
particularly against girls, happens every day. The girls do
not know their rights. Adults, particularly the male ones,
are not aware of the criminality of their acts.
Since the Girls Shelter was
opened 521 crisis interven-
tions included follow-up care
for girls and young women
who were violently abused
were implemented. The house
is open around the clock and
staffed with professional social
workers and medical nursing
personnel.
Alarming is not only the rising
brutality of the perpetrators of
violence against girls, but also
the increasing number of rapes
against girls and young women
under the age of 14. The Sale-
sians have repeatedly sharply
criticised the investigating au-
thorities. They talked of a
“culture of impunity”. 11,670 calls last year. Due to the
high demand the social-pedagogic
counselling service became an in-
dependent department. Since 2010
the crisis line was attached to the
Youth Centre and financed by the
Stark Stiftung. During these years it
was possible to provide the staff
with advanced training. The effect
was that the service has ever since
been lively used and appreciated
by a lot of young people. Benjamin
Koroma leads the department
(right in the picture) and at the
same time trains honorary teachers
and educators. Telephone counsel-
ling is unique is Sierra Leone –
since the 1 st of September 2013 the
“Kindermissionswerk” has been
financing the project.
P A G E 7
“Hell0, d0n b0sc0 childline 116 speaking”
E D I T I O N 3 6
New premium partners in 2013: New premium partners in 2013: New premium partners in 2013: New premium partners in 2013: With the
“Kindermissionswerk Die
Sternsinger”
Fambul was able to win a worldwide operating relief
organisation. It is with their means that the Child Line 116
(telephone counselling) is financed. The
Fidel Götz Stiftung – Liech-
tenstein
has been in contact with Fambul since 2011 and is strongly
committed to the cause of girls who have experienced violence. The
foundation expects its means to be invested effectively and exem-
plary. In return, they are deeply involved in the projects and deal
closely and target-oriented with the persons in charge. Thank you
very much for the good and benevolent cooperation! Street children are exposed to
great dangers. Again and again
they experience violence. Two
nurses and a doctor care for
the injured and ill children no-
body else looks after.
12 in-patient
and 298 out-
patient treatments were carried
out in 2013. Average costs: 12
€.
Help with a monthly do- Help with a monthly do- Help with a monthly do- Help with a monthly do-
nation of 12 nation of 12 nation of 12 nation of 12€ and sup- and sup- and sup- and sup-
port a child’s life. port a child’s life. port a child’s life. port a child’s life.
P A G E 8
Brother Linus’ weekly plan who
coordinates both Youth Cen-
tres. The Youth Centres are
open Monday through Satur-
day from afternoon until eve-
ning. They serve as a drop-in
centre for disadvantaged chil-
dren, too. For one year now
gifted children have been sup-
ported by a scholarship pro-
gramme. These children and
youths in return have been in-
volved actively and honorary at
the Youth Centres.
Currently
601 regular
adolescent visitors are regis-
tered at the Don Bosco Club
and provided with an ID-card.
These adolescents are regular
visitors at the Youth Centres.
Additionally, another 591 regis-
tered youths visited special
events, like seminars, work-
shops, extra tuition or the music
and dancing lessons so that in
the reporting period 1,192
youths visited the various
events.
The lorry of Don Bosco Fambul
is used in various ways. Satur-
day, however, is reserved for
trips of both Youth Centres.
These trips mark the end of a
week full of events. Young peo-
ple visit the Youth Centres in
Fortstreet and Dzwarzak in or-
der to meet friends and to
study. Not only cognitively, but
also socially, emotionally and
spiritually. This, at least, says
I N S I D E F R E E T O W N
Helping c0ntinually: 12x12€ helps a child m0nthly
Peaceful 0asis: y0uth centreBehind the Don Bosco Fambul programme 121 employees, volunteers and animators are active who are available
day and night, around the clock. Whether at the Girls Shelter or the family counselling, whether at the Clearing
Centre or on the phone: they are all led by compassion and empathy. They are guided by the vision to change the
children’s lives for the better. And this is the reason for Don Bosco Fambul’s success.
P A G E 9
A str0ng team: 121 staff members at fambul
E D I T I O N 3 6
Meetings and exchange among the staff is fostered Meetings and exchange among the staff is fostered Meetings and exchange among the staff is fostered Meetings and exchange among the staff is fostered: every month a common breakfast included a service at one of
the departments; quarterly staff meetings, half-yearly retreats, the yearly staff trip and the Christmas Celebration as
well as continual offers for advanced trainings.
I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has
been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from
being confined and from clinging to its own security.
Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium, Chapter 49. DON BOSCO FAMBUL
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