Your 2024 Dream for Ecology!
As a Salesian how can we instill care for our planet? Don Bosco used to take his boys regularly on treks and nature trails. He loved nature and in his early childhood years worked on the farm. Jesus and our blessed Mother spoke to him in his dreams using different animals of nature. We see a deep connection with nature and creation in all his works from care for his poor boys, to taking them on nature treks and spending time outdoors. Don Bosco understood that we are not just part of creation but are one with the Creator and creation.
How can we then go forward with benevolence and without doubt that all created things come from God and must go back to Him for His praise, reverence and service. We must value all the gifts and carry gratitude in our hearts for all God’s creation and the created things we have received from his bounty. This is the attitude we must carry in every Salesian home. We must ask our beloved Blessed Mother to guide our efforts so that we can offer all our labour back to our creator who has bestowed all his blessings upon us.
We are an international collective of young people from Salesian Institutions & Organizations who are passionate about the welfare of our only planet.
The Letter
A message for our Earth
“We see what is happening, and the worst thing is that we are becoming used to it. This ‘becoming used to’ is a terrible illness.” – Pope Francis.
This documentary focuses on the encyclical letter ‘Laudato Si’ addressed to everyone that the Pope wrote in 2015. Today his message is even more urgent!
This film is presented by YouTube Originals, produced by an Oscar-winning Off The Fence Productions, in partnership with the Laudato Si’ Movement.
Featuring:
Pope Francis;
Cardinal Cantalamessa, the Preacher to the Papal Household;
Cacique Dadá, Leader of the Novo Lugar community of the Borarí people (Voice of the Indigenous)
Arouna Kandé, a climate refugee hailing from the Kolda region of Senegal (Voice of the Poor)
Ridhima Pandey, a young climate activist from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India (Voice of the Youth)
Greg Asner and Robin Martin, marine biologists from Hawaii, United States of America (Voice of Wildlife)
Lorna Gold, president of Laudato Si’ Movement.
About Us
Don Bosco Green Alliance is an international Green Salesian Movement of people from the Salesian Family institutions, who contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. Launched in 2018, the alliance is today an active platform where Salesian Family institutions, organisations and individuals exchange ideas and work together on global environmental campaigns all for the ‘Love of Creation.’ Read More...
Priority Areas
Member Activities & Contributions
Waste Management at Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute
Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute in Nairobi, Kenya with the support of Don Bosco Tech Africa and coordination by AFE province through the Don Bosco Development Outreach Network, completed the fabrication of waste bins. This project marked a significant achievement in promoting waste management and environmental sustainability in the community while working towards achieving a Green Campus, Green Community and Green Culture. The collaboration between these organizations highlights the importance of working together towards a cleaner and greener future.
The fabrication of waste bins by Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute showcases the dedication and skills of the students and staff involved in the project. Through hands-on experience and practical training, the institute has not only contributed to waste management efforts but has also provided valuable learning opportunities for the participants. The successful completion of this activity demonstrates the positive impact that vocational education can have on both individuals and the community. By actively engaging in such projects, Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute is setting an example for other institutions to follow in promoting environmental consciousness and responsibility.
During the commissioning of the fabricated waste bins, in attendance were DBTA (Matthews Wafula), DBDON (Vivian Muthoni and Nicole Choka), the Don Bosco Boys Town School Management (Br. Francis Mulu and Madam Jacqueline Watila), the Green Facilitator (Pius Mutemi) and the Green Club Members.
“No Plastics Day” Program at Don Bosco College, Yelagiri Hills
Objective
The objective of the “No Plastics Day” program was to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic pollution and promote sustainable practices among the students and staff of Don Bosco College.
Program Schedule
Department Assembly: Oath Taking Ceremony
● Time: 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM
● Activity: Students from each department participated in an oath-taking ceremony, pledging to reduce plastic use and promote eco-friendly alternatives.
Break Time: Student Speech on No Plastic Day
● Time: 11:20 AM - 11:45 AM
● Activity: Master Sanjay the president of Green Hills club delivered a speech on the significance of No Plastic Day, highlighting the origins and importance of eradicating plastic pollution.
● Speaker: Fr. Charles Grace
● Activity: Fr. Charles Grace provided practical ways to reduce plastic pollution and encouraged sustainable practices among the students. During the break time, awareness posters were displayed in front of the Jubilee Hall to visually reinforce the message of the campaign.
Vegetable Harvesting at Thiruvalluvar Thottam at Don Bosco College, Yelagiri Hills
We are delighted to share the news of a significant milestone in our campus sustainability efforts at Don Bosco College, Yelagiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, India. The Thiruvalluvar Thottam vegetable garden has successfully cultivated and harvested fresh vegetables, including radishes, beans, and turnips. This achievement marks a major step forward in our commitment to sustainable agriculture and healthy living.
Cultivation and Harvest
The dedicated efforts of our gardening team have resulted in a bountiful crop. The radishes, beans, and turnips, carefully nurtured over the past season, have now been harvested. These vegetables are not only nutritious and delicious but also a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team.
Radishes
Radishes, known for their crisp texture and peppery flavor, were among the first to be harvested. They have thrived in our garden, providing a fresh and healthy option for our campus community.
Beans
Beans, another successful crop, offer a great source of protein and fiber. The harvesting of beans has added a versatile and nutritious component to our garden’s produce.
Successful conclusion of the first agricultural course at the Don Bosco school in Muhazi for young mothers
The Gender issues applied to agriculture project has borne fruit at the Don Bosco School of Technical and Vocational Education in Muhazi, Rwanda, with the graduation of the first class of 21 young mothers in vulnerable situations. For six months the girls participated in a short agriculture course, finally receiving a tool kit and learning to produce soap and tofu to sell.
The graduation ceremony for the young single mothers who participated in the project was attended by Fr Raymond Bavumiragiye, Director of the Salesian technical-vocational institute, Sister Leocadie Nyanzira, Head of Gender Affairs, Aurore Niyitanga, and the Head of Labour Services, Jules Sugira.
The beneficiaries of the project, now graduates, participated in the course for six months. They are all young single mothers, mainly from the rural area of the districts of Gasabo and Gicumbi, and live in situations of great vulnerability. Thanks to the project, they were also able to carry out an internship at the end of the studies to verify the results of what they learned in theory.
Thanks to the sponsorship formula, which allowed many of them to participate in the project, they had the opportunity to meet mentors and trainers in the creation of companies and cooperatives. One of the objectives of the course was to ensure that young mothers learned not to depend on a single activity, so as to diversify and expand their skills and possibilities for employment or self-maintenance. They also practised producing soap alone, making bags and cooking tofu to sell. At the end of the course they received a tool kit to continue their work, both on farms and in the fields with agricultural tools.
"I want to thank all our benefactors, because it is thanks to their help that I have been able to acquire skills; now I am ready to put into practice what I have learned, wherever it is in Rwanda, and thanks to the pay I will receive I will be able to support my child and my brothers and sisters who depend on me," Rachel, one of the young participants of the course, testified on the sidelines of the ceremony, still excited.
Another collegeau, Florence, is grateful for the project because it was an effective response to her problems. “Because I'm poor, I used to ask people to rent me their fields, but I always ended up giving up because of the lack of proper skills. Now I am very happy with this experience, because for the first time I feel sure of what I can do, thanks to what I have learned".
In his speech to the graduates, Fr Bavumiragiye asked them to use "the skills acquired with the aim of producing results to protect themselves from those who take advantage of them and eventually abandon them". And he also advised younger mothers "to go back to school to learn other professions and thus improve their well-being."
After this first class of new graduates, a second class with other girls and women in vulnerable situations is already underway, as envisaged by the project, with the aim of increasingly promoting gender equality and eradicating poverty among young women.
Source: ANS
Ecological Activities at Salesian School in Argentina
Escuela Salesiana Ceferino namuncurá, Argentina shared an interesting video which includes all the green activities done by their school.
The activities include solar panel construction to supply a hot water tank, waste sorting, eco brick manufacturing, collecting and reusing bottle caps, tending the school garden and reaping its harvest and composting.
In doing so, they abide with their commitments made to the Don Bosco Green Alliance.
Kudos to them for all their hard work in promoting environmental action!
World Environment Day 2024 at St. Joseph’s, Australia
At the foot of the picturesque Mt Dandenong Ranges is St Joseph’s College, Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia. World Environment Day is an extremely important day on our calendar each year.
June 5 2024 was no different. It was a very productive day for our staff and students with many activities planned across our college to engage boys from different Year Levels. Our Year 7 and 8 Environmental Student Team participated in a sustainability workshop at Knox Environmental Society. The boys learnt about their local environment along Ferny Creek and the indigenous plant species and native animals that inhabit this area. We then got a chance to get our hands dirty and propagate cuttings to help regenerate these areas. These junior students were accompanied by staff and some older students who came along as part of our Big Brother Program where senior students volunteer to support the junior Boys.
At the same time our Year 9 Campus celebrated the day by harvesting pumpkins and herbs from our vegetable gardens and lemons, oranges and grapefruit from our orchard. The students made a delicious pumpkin soup and lemonade which was served to our staff and students throughout the day raising money for the Samoa Missions.
Over the coming weeks we look forward to promoting to all our students and staff our Waste Free Lunch Challenge in an effort to reduce soft plastics and rubbish in our community.
Blog Articles
Bonding with the Feathered Brother
Bird watching is fascinating. It’s been happening in my sister’s house in Chennai. Every day a crow visits her kitchen window. Not for his day’s share of cooked food or bird's feed, but for his delicacy mixture (a common spicy snack). When others try to offer the best bird’s feed, it doesn’t interest him. He demands only mixture.
Heatwaves: Testing our human endurance
India was sweating through heatwaves in the past few months. Temperatures in 37 cities crossed 45ºC and night-time temperatures remained as high as 36 degrees in many locations.
My missionary experience took me to Banswara, Rajasthan. Along with my friend, Dr. Gloria, I went for 10 days. Our visit was during peak summer, and the scorching 48-degree heat was harrowing, but it was also an opportunity to see a new place, culture, and way of life. Salesian Missionary Volunteering is invaluable for youth seeking exposure and a chance to make an impact.
The United Nations Environment Program’s Faith for Earth coalition approached the Don Bosco Green Alliance to nominate a member for the Faith for Earth Youth council. I, Leann D’souza, was nominated by the DBGA and subsequently selected as a member for the council.
Partners
