(ANS - Santo Domingo) - On Wednesday 26 March, Her Royal Highness the Infanta Elena of Bourbon visited  the Social and Sports School  Plaza Educativa  Don Bosco at Hainamosa in Santo Domingo. The Infanta is Director of the Social and Cultural Projects of the Mapfre Foundation.  The school serves 135 at-risk children in the capital of the Dominican Republic. It is one of two Social and Sports schools, founded as a result of the alliance between the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation.

Overall, the two social and sport centres care for the holistic growth of 269 children. The current school year (2013-2014) is the second for the two schools. They carry out their activities under the auspices of the Foundation Mapfre, which in turn enjoys the financing of the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development.

In the social and sports schools, children and young people at social risk receive, through the medium of sport, education in values, help in their educational activities, nutrition and health care. Sport, particularly football, has proved an effective tool for educating the young. Since 2010 the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid has already assisted 18 social and sports schools in 13 countries, in strategic alliance with the Real Madrid Foundation.

Since their arrival in the Dominican Republic in 1934, the Salesians have focused on the training of young people. In addition to these projects, they have 25 schools (11 primary, 10 secondary and 4 superior), 5 vocational training centres, 11 centres for social activity, 18 youth centres, an agricultural school and a house of welcome run by the Salesians to improve the quality of life of children and young people.

Published 01/04/2014