(ANS - Bangui) - "Many parents bring their children to us, knowing that at Don Bosco they will be sure of having school for the year. Many young people come, hoping to be able to study in peace," says Fr Desiré Adjeckam, Rector of the community and of the Salesian secondary school at Damala, a district of Bangui. His statement was published on the website of the project "Spaces of Peace, Schools of Reconciliation in the Central African Republic."

Fr Adjeckam continues: "We have just started the school year. At night we still hear  some shots. The military are patrolling the streets to try to protect the people. Yesterday a young man was killed in front of his house by robbers who wanted to steal an old bike. There are many unlicenced  weapons in the city, but we are staying  for the sake of the young."

"Little by little peace is returning. Small markets are opening, taxi drivers return to the streets, people are able to move back and forth. We want to continue to normalize this situation by opening the Don Bosco Secondary Education Centre,  Bangui."

"Many centres will not open in this uncertain environment. The state still owes several months’ salary to teachers. There are teachers in  the Salesian School, classes are held and the area is safe. The teachers are the guarantee of human relations and security. We cannot allow the young people to hang around the streets, with the risk of violence and missing out on their education."

Our job is to ensure that young people have hope, that they believe in the future of the Central African Republic and that they need to prepare today for a future of peace and prosperity."

On the site "Spaces of Peace and Schools of  Reconciliation in the Central African Republic" there are other testimonies like that of Fr Adjeckam.

Published 12/12/2014