(ANS – Sevilla) – A series of meetings to do with cooperation took place from 3 to 5 April at Sanlucar Retreat House. The main one was the 6th General Assembly of the Federation of Salesian NGOs for Development, aka “Don Bosco Network” (DBN). Ms Joanna Stozek was elected president.

Twleve people, Salesian and lay, represented 8 NGOs that make up DBN: Via Don Bosco (Belgium), Jovenes y Desarrollo (Spain), Don Bosco Mondo (Germany), Salesian Missions (USA), Noi per Loro (Italia), Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo (Italy), Solidaridad Don Bosco (Spain) and Młodzi Swiatu (Poland). The Councillor for the Missions, Fr Václav Klement, was also with them.
  
The annual report by DBN was studied, along with earlier directions given to the NGOs, preparations for EXPO 2015 and especially possible ways of strengthening the DBN network and its member groups.

Amongst the common issues NGOs are facing at the moment are the decrease in public funds for development and the consequent need to reduce personnel. On the other hand the financial crisis has focused renewed attention on the people and agencies interested in quality intervention on behalf of poor young people around the world. To tackle the situation DBN has actually involved an additional person to serve the network, and thus guarantee coordination and efficiency for common projects.

Each NGO presented a project aimed at sharing its experience and seeking possible contributions from other member groups: 

1. Solidaridad Don Bosco: Education to development campaign for schools“I am a Planet”;
2. Don Bosco Mondo: A digital handbook of best practices for vocational training centres;
3. Salesian Missions: Private-Public Partnership helping past pupils of vocational training centres to find employment;
4. Noi per Loro: A Web TV project and offering “mission” products through the internet;
5. Via Don Bosco: Education to development campaign “Saved by the bell”;
6. Jovenes y Desarollo: Outreach initiative;
7. VIS Italia: developing “Bosco Tech Africa” to improve vocational training centres;
8. Młodzi Swiatu: development project in South Sudan.

The new president, Ms Joanna Stozek, has been elected for the 2013-2015 term. She is the vice president and coordinator for “Młodzi Swiatu” projects. “I am honoured to have been entrusted with the task of leading DBN. I believe that together we can truly change the world not only the world of Salesian missions, but especially the world of poor and abandoned youth whom they look after”, Ms Stozek said.

Two other events happened around this meeting:

• 4 April: the “Cooperation for development” team made up of 7 members, studied a database of projects, guidelines for emergency situations, a likely contribution to the “Bosco Tech Africa” project and fundraising best practices at a time of financial crisis;
• 5 April: workshop for PDO - Planning and development offices led by Ms Maud Seghers (Director of Via Don Bosco). This is a strategic effort of DBN's to help more than 30 provinces to strengthen their PDOs, as agreed upon at the Hyderabad seminar in 2011.

DBN came into existence at the European level in 2003; in 2010 it was extended globally as the Federation of Salesian NGOs for Development. The 8 Salesian NGOs have a total of 110 professionally equipped lay people working full time, plus hundreds of volunteers working in 4 continents. DBN, which is in more than 90 countries, contributes to the Salesian mission, especially in the field of education of youth.

Published 05/04/2013