WELCOME TO BOMBO MISSION
A brief geographical and socio-political introduction will help you to understand the aim and scope of our mission.
Uganda received independence from the
British in 1962. Unfortunately two decades after independence has been
reign of terror under the infamous president Idi Amin and Milton Obote.
It is believed that at least one million people died at this time and
lives of another million have been badly affected. Later Ugandan people
suffered another form of suffering in AIDS epidemic. It is sorry to
note that the political situation under the current government too is
not healthy. There is rampant corruption, injustice, extra-judicial
dealings in the parliaments, civil departments, army, etc. There was an
apparent peace and development in the late 80s and early 90s. Currently
the peace and development in the nation is very fragile and vulnerable.
In this situation the Salesians
Missionaries have worked in Bombo Mission for the past 20 years.
Witnessing the poverty and the need of the place they choose this
Mission for their pastoral and educational projects. These years have
been years of grace and transformation for the people of this locality.
Our Mission through its various activities was able to bring Education,
Technical Skill, Leadership Training, Pastoral and Social Assistance,
Peace Education, Medical Care, etc. to over 20,000 people of the
locality.
This Salesian religious community
belongs to the Salesian province of Africa Great Lakes (AGL) having its
head quarters in Kigali, Rwanda and it is within the Ecclesiastical
jurisdiction of Kasana-Luwero Catholic Diocese.
Bombo town is situated in the north of
Kampala, the capital city. It is about 35 kilometers on the Gulu
Highway. The town was known for agriculture, trade and commerce for
several decades during the British rule. The entire infrastructure was
destroyed and the people were forced into poverty during the rule of
Idi Amin. The town is full of ruins of coffee factories, and other
warehouses and stores of agricultural produce.
- Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre was the first
educational project started by the Salesians to alleviate rampant
poverty and illiteracy and lack of skills among the people. The
institution began with carpentry and masonry for boys and tailoring for
girls. Soon metal fabrication, plumbing, electrical installation,
training in nursery teaching, hair-dressing were added to the centre.
In the past 20 years the centre has trained over 1000 students who are
getting along well in life through jobs in factories and
self-employment. We are the process of adding other trades such as
mechanics and computer applications.
- St. Mary’s Senior Secondary School was added to
our Mission in 1994 to cater for primary leaving students of the
catholic parish as well as others of the neighbourhood. It is a private
institution owned and managed by the Salesians. The leaders and
Catholic Christians of Namaliga Parish felt the need for a Christian
secondary school for their children who had to walk long distance to
school. Hence the school was an initiative of the local people. The
idea was readily accepted by the Cardinal Archbishop of Kampala and
supported by the Salesian Community of Bombo-Namaliga.
Initially the school
occupied two class rooms in the already existing primary school of the
parish. As the school grew very quickly, 4 separate class rooms were
built. In the first 2 or 3 years the school depended on the financial
support of the local people, who were much poorer than today.
With
the great help of MANOS UNIDAS the school got a new face. Every year
more students and teachers were added. Many facilities such as
laboratories, library, kitchen, dinning, playgrounds, etc were
established. After stabilizing the school academically boarding
sections for boys and girls were added in 1998, though initially they
were only few. By this time the school has been well rooted. By the
year 2001 most of the help from Manos was ended. It was a time for us
to manage the school with its own income. The school excels in
academics within the district and beyond. In the past 15 years over
1500 students have passed through this institution. Many of them are
gainfully employed and few hundred are pursuing her education in
universities and other higher institutions. The school maintains its
founding principle of educating poor students of the locality in
affordable fees.
- St. Joseph Primary School was
probably come to existence in the 1940s. It was founded by the
Missionaries of Africa who evangelized this part of the country. It is
one of the few schools inherited by the Salesians from the former
parish. The school is managed by lay staff under the supervision of the
Salesians. The staffs who are paid the government and the school also
receive several financial support from the Salesian community. As it
happens in several African countries, government cares little for rural
elementary education. The school has poor structures and facilities for
learning. Inspite of this, the school continues to offer good Christian
education to over 1300 students in current enrolment.
- St. Josephine Bakhita Children’s Home is a semi
orphanage and a home for needy children of the neighbourhood and
deserving children of our Catholic parish. It was started in 2007 with
140 boys and girls who are 8 to 14 years of age. They attend classes at
St. Joseph Primary School. Admission preference is given to children
who are supported by our out-reach programmes, children from AIDS
affected families and those whose homes are far away from school. This
home offers children good education with Christian morals and
upbringing.
- St. Luke Health Centre was build and well equipped
by the Salesians in 2001 with the assistance of our Mission office in
Germany. Initially the Salesians managed all the activities of the
Health Centre, but soon it was handed over to Franciscan Sisters of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, an Indian indigenous religious congregation.
The Centre has received awards and appreciation from the Ministry of
Health for its pioneering work in AIDS care in our locality. It cares
for the people of the locality to the radius of about 10 kilometres.
Besides numerous out-patients it also admits a small number of
in-patients.
- Don Bosco Brass Band is one of the creative
activities of the Salesians of the young people of our schools and the
neighbourhood. It was begun in 2004 in a small scale with about 15 boys
who showed interest in learning music. Now it has grown to two groups
having 30 boys each. Indeed it is a pride of our Mission. Boys are
taught music methodically. They read and write music and offer them at
school as an elective subject. They are regularly invited by government
offices, schools and social gatherings. Through their nominal fees
students earn their school fees and academic requirements. It is a hope
that in the future many of these trained boys will find employment in
armed forces and other music related institutions.
- Dominic Savio Youth Centre is an informal youth
activity of the Mission and the catholic parish in particular. Besides
caring for the students and the boarders the Salesian exercise their
Oratorian Spirit through youth activities such as weekend games and
music programmes, liturgical groups, prayer activities, summer camps,
tournaments and music competitions, etc.
- Primary and Nursery Schools are out-reach programmes of the parish in the villages.
The Salesians through its parish office
manages five primary/nursery schools in the villages. These schools
partly supported by the government is owned and supervised by the
parish staff under the leadership of the parish priest. They serve over
1000 children aged 4 to 14. Besides educating young children, these
schools offer employment to young teachers within their own villages.
This programme includes St. Dominic
Savio Primary School in Buvuma which is fully owned private school of
the parish. It has over 300 children who come from very poor homes of
the village.
- Don Bosco Reach-Out Programme is extension of our
educational assistance especially to the poor families of our
sub-parishes (catholic villages and communities). It includes
Long-Distance Adoption programme initiated by Polish Mission Office and
other assistance we reach from other Salesian sources and our own
income generating programmes.
Over 400 young children and school
going adolescents reach bursary and few academic requirements three
times in a year. A careful selection of beneficiaries are done by the
appointed staff of the parish and constantly up-dated. It is a joy to
see that many children are able to finish their school with our timely
help. Through this programme we are able to monitor their academic
progress and wholesome formation of young students.
All these works are possible through
the generous contribution of numerous people far and near. Assistance
of any kind, small or little will go long way in making the lives of
the young people worth living and something to hope for.
Those willing to contribute or collaborate with our educational, social and pastoral activities please get in touch with us.
Thanking you and God bless you.
Salesians of Don Bosco
Bombo – Namaliga Catholic Mission
Kasna-Luwero Catholic Diocese
P.O. Box 10117 Kampala
Uganda – East Africa.
Tel. Rector
Tél. (+256) 77.67.63.899 E-mail: ruriho@gmail.com Rector and Parish Priest
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