At the Salesian Centre in Goma scholastic and human formation are not separate. In addition to vocational skills, the Salesians and their lay helpers provide a Christian education aimed at all-round development. So the Centre sets out to make known and to apply the rights of children– which by law apply to all those under 18 years of age – as indicated in the Declaration of Childrens Rights and the International Convention on Childrens Rights.
The values which inspire the daily work of the Youth Centre in Goma, are also promoted through artistic activity and games, which make the youngsters themselves first of all aware of their rights. In this spirit for example, the Salesian Centre has organised a singing competition which has directly involved hundreds of youngsters and informed about 100.000 students from other schools concerning the rights of the child.
Under the direction of Chiara Leonardi and Luca Marinacci, from the International Volunteer Organisation for Development (VIS), from the early days of November 14 leaders from the Don Bosco Centre have visited 211 schools in the city, speaking to the Headteachers, staff and pupils of elementary, middle, and high schools.
During the enrolments for the competition at the Gahinja house (a reception centre for street children), students and staff members were given information about the rights of the child and on the Convention signed in 1989. Then the young people who had entered the competition had a week in which to compose a song on the subject of childrens rights, and then after an initial selection process the 10 best songs from the secondary schools and the 5 best from the elementary schools were chosen.
On 20 November, Universal Childrens Day, the competition was held in truly festive atmosphere with the participation of some stars from the Congolese music scene. So many were taking part that many of the members of the 15 groups selected had to wait their turn outside the Institute. The winners, - three from the secondary schools and 2 from the elementary schools – received a number of prizes and the first 10 group were also able to record their songs.
Every youngster was given a booklet explaining in simple terms the essential points about the Rights of the Child. In addition, for the future, the Salesians are organising the distribution in all the schools the “Inter-religious Prayer for Children and Young People,” from the Global Network of Religions for Childhood also promoted this year by the Rector Major, Fr Pascual Chávez.
Published 09/12/2010
