The Don Bosco Educational Projects was founded in 1997 by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters). The Salesians have worked in South Africa since1896 and have recently combined their expertise to promote an integrated educational centre in Ennerdale, Finetown, Lawley and surrounding areas to provide basic education and skills to young people not able to register at formal educational institutes.

The centre integrates the following three projects and is collectively known as the Don Bosco Educational Projects:
- Laura Vicuña Educational Centre
- Declan Collins Skills Centre
- Sancta Maria Creche

These three programmes are currently being run at three sites: Ennerdale Parish Church Centre, a computer literacy training Centre in Mid-Ennerdale, the Parish church in Finetown and Lawley where permaculture training gardens and a crafts project have been established.

Primaty Objective:
Don Bosco Educational Projects operates within an integrated human development framework to address the challenges of urban community development within a complex social context. Its primary objective is to integrate education and health with economic and ecological interventions to create sustainable livelihoods in the poor and disadvantaged communities of Ennerdale, Lawley, and Finetown.

Main activities:

The Don Bosco Educational Projects offers:

i) Life skills which will incorporate numeric, literacy, physical, mental and spiritual health care, prevention of HIV / AIDS, parenting skills; First Aid, home based nursing, recognising and reporting child abuse, trauma counselling.

ii) Self sustainable Permaculture (organic) gardening

iii) Manual skills such as brick-laying, welding, carpentry, plumbing, house wiring (electrical), cookery / catering and craftwork.

iv) Commercial (computer literacy and advanced computer training) and office management skills to compliment these practical skills.

v) Fitness programmes and sports as a tool for socialisation and identification of special talent

It is our undertaking and aim to ensure that participants are successfully employed or assisted in setting up viable small business ventures if candidates prove to have exceptional ability and vision for this. Such candidates may be sent to partnership network projects for this purpose.

Accreditation of the programmes with the relevant Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) is being initiated.

Operates in: Ennerdale, Gauteng
Established in: May 2005

Non-Profit Organisation Number: 039-918
Public Benefit Organisation Number: 930003621
Section 21 Company Number:
Trust Number:

Contact person: Val Drift
Phone: 011 211 4373
Fax: 011 211 4373
Email:

Website: www.salesians.org.za

Physical address: Cnr Ormson & 1st Avenue, Mid Ennerdale
Postal address: P O Box 541, Ennerdale, 1826