(ANS – San Salvador) – On 4 October during her time in El Salvador, Queen Sophia of Spain visited the “Educación y Trabajo” (EDYTRA) Foundation, also known as the “Polígono Industrial Don Bosco”, in an outlying district of the capital San Salvador.

In the afternoon about 16.20, the Queen of Spain was welcomed by a group of the students of the Tecnnical Institute “Obrero Empresarial Don Bosco” part of the “Polígono Industrial Don Bosco”, founded and directed by the Salesian  Fr José Moratalla.

According to the report in the daily “La Prensa Gráfica” the visit of Queen Sophia was a very simple and quiet affair. Fr Moratalla briefly explained the development of the project and mentioned the successful results achieved by the hundreds of youngsters who had been able to  find their place in the commercial life of the country and become successfully self employed.

Afterwards the youngsters of the Salesian school greeted the Queen and the President of the Interamerican Bank for Development (BID), Luis Alberto Moreno, who accompanied her  and presented them with some examples of Central American local craftsmanship. The two guests then visited the sections devoted to the production of bread, plastics and aluminium and to working with “achiote” seeds (“Bixa orellana”), from which various  colouring agents are obtained.

The “Polígono Don Bosco” began in a area of the city where immigrants in search of work were establishing themselves without planning permission. With the help of Fr Moratalla, affectionately called “Pepe” by the people, some began setting up small autonomous business associations with the purpose of offering many needy people the possibility of a dignified means of livelihood, and by developing their enterprising skills to have a better future.

Now, at the side of the “Polígono” an educational centre is being built for children at risk. It also includes a medical clinic for the local people of the district.

Published 08/10/2007