ANNUAL BENEFACTORS MEETING.

MINUTES

OPENING PRAYERS:

Don Bosco Missions Benefactors meeting was opened with a word of prayer by Fr. Felice Molino and Benefactors were welcomed to have refreshments as the meeting proceeded.

PRESENT:

Meeting started at 10:30 am with 26 Benefactors at Missions Offices in upper Hill. We got 10 apologies.

DISCUSSION:

Fr. Felice Molino, our Missions Director started by explaining that the meeting was a way of saying `Thank you’ to our benefactors for their support to the Missions Office work. He then took us through several clips on how Don Bosco started and how various centres begun over the years. Don Bosco Missions try as much as possible to reform former street boys by giving them befitting life.

Fr. Felice asked benefactors to help us have more donors by inviting them to be part of what we do. “Take the fliers and give them out to your friends to partner with what we do.”

He then took us through several clips showing various activities in our different centres and introduced Eng. Mungeria to take us through the next session.

MERU:

Eng. Mungeria introduced himself as a parishioner and also a cooperator. He told us how he decided to donate his land in Meru to the Salesians of Don Bosco. He said it was land given to him and decided to gift it to the Salesians and also  a way to  help the community around with the presence of Don Bosco. He showed us the plan and the future projects at hand.

DISCUSSIONS:

Eng.  Mungeria talked about the  street rescue mission.  Every Sunday together with other cooperators and brothers from Utume, go to the streets to talk to about 40-50 young boys, feed them and rescue those who are willing to get out of the streets. Some of the challenges he talked about are, what to do with the boys who are above 18yrs and beyond, who cannot be taken to Bosco boys.  The good news is that, he and his team had a talk with the Provincial, Fr. George and after appealing to him, he agreed to assist. A proposal to DBDON to sponsor these boys was approved and a place was found in Ruiru for them. The boys undergo rehabilitation for 6 months before they are absorbed into Don Bosco institutions for vocational training. They do this to avoid them from lapsing. The cost to rehabilitate them for six months per person is expensive, including the services of a psychiatrist who visits them to manage their crisis.

Eng. Mungeria talked about families in Kibera (Kibera Mission) that need help.., they have to help them register for SHA which  is part of what cooperators do.

There will be a conference that will be held by Engineers in Mombasa and Eng. Mungeria suggested that Don Bosco Missions can do an exhibition to showcase their work, through this, we could get more partners.

QUESTIONS BY BENEFACTORS:

1.       Hon Grace Kiptui, a Benefactor asked about security within our centres especially in the Camp area. Fr. Felice explained that there is the presence of the Kenya Police and U.N within the camp.

2.       Another benefactor asked if we rescue the street children only in specific areas and Ms. Anna Clara explained, that the street boys are all over Kenya, but we just start with where we are.

3.       What happens to Refugees now, that U.S. is not helping much? Fr. Felice explained that some escape to seek better life elsewhere

4.       Eng. Mungeria asked whether we can also get fliers through WhatsApp to forward to as many people as possible? He was assured that it will be shared.

5.       Another benefactor asked if there is a support system for the beneficiaries after rehabilitation. Fr. Felice explained that they go for training. The Don Bosco Development Office in upper hill, has a department that helps past pupils to get jobs in some centers e.g., graphics, though most still remain in the slums as their families are still poor and society still judge them on how they look when they go for an interview.

6. Do Salesians voice the problems they face to the politicians? From our office we cannot only our superiors can     voice our problems out.

CONCLUSION:

Fr. Felice Our Missions Director appreciated benefactors for their support and introduced the Missions Office staff who also thanked them, for their support to the most vulnerable in our society.

The meeting ended with gratitude and a thank you from Fr. Felice and all benefactors were welcomed for lunch at the Provincial house.

(For Fr:  Felice Molino MISSIONS DIRECTOR.)