By Lauren Hichaaaba
AUL PDMA and Director of the Cagliero Project

Don Bosco Technical Centre, Alafua, Samoa, 5 August 2020 -- Don Bosco Technical Centre was established and opened in 1989 to offer a “second chance” technical and vocational education to boys and young men who had not succeeded in mainstream schooling and were at risk of remaining untrained and unskilled and thus at risk of suffering a life-time of unemployment and poverty. It has become well known throughout Samoa and the Pacific for providing excellent technical education. As a Salesian school, they also focus on the holistic development of the students. This includes celebrating and cultivating pride in the rich Samoan culture.

Just over 30 years later, the newly enrolled female students at Don Bosco Technical Centre in Alafua have successfully completed their first semester at the school. The school is offering their new female students an opportunity undertake all the traditional trades. The Principal of the school, Mane Su’a is excited that the girls now have access to the same opportunities as the boys and hopes that the young women will consider trades that are traditionally undertaken by men for their future employment.

In addition to all the traditional trades being offered, all students can also now participate in the new hospitality course that offers sewing and cooking. It is wonderful to walk through the school and see the expansion beyond traditional gender roles – boys sewing shirts and girls fixing cars! It is such a wonderful message to both the young men and women that you really can do anything you want with your life! The young women have a number of different motivations and hopes for attending Don Bosco. One of the new students, Sulata Urima says “A good future is all we're aiming for and what we hope to achieve during our time here in Don Bosco”.

The Cagliero Project has a long standing relationship with Don Bosco Technical Centre. Many volunteers have been sent to live and teach in the school for the year. The Cagliero Project has put together a short video to celebrate this wonderful school and these wonderful women. We would encourage you to take a look and share our good news story: Don Bosco Technical Centre, Alafua, Samoa

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