Don Bosco University inaugurates new facilities for Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences thanks to “Walking Anew!” project.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 30, 2021) Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, has inaugurated new facilities for the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences to empower the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners through its “Walking Anew!” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The “Walking Anew!” project is expanding and upgrading the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science as well as the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project will also pioneer innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

The construction of this new building, which will house the Applied Research Center, will allow for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provide space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The construction of this new building marks an important milestone for Don Bosco University by becoming the first university in El Salvador with a building built under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) parameters. The building has incorporated aspects related to energy efficiency, the use of alternative energies, the improvement of indoor environmental quality, the efficiency of water consumption, the sustainable development of open spaces on land and the selection of environmentally friendly materials.

The design of the building was also developed based on a bioclimatic study to preserve as many trees as possible on the land. More than 80 percent of the trees were maintained. The landscaping was designed with a combination of native plants, plants with low maintenance and water consumption, and elements that do not require water consumption. To manage rainwater, the project has a system of cisterns with triple function, including a rainwater collection system for reuse and retention, along with a water mirror to improve indoor air conditioning.

“Don Bosco University has done an exceptional job with this project and we are grateful to USAID for its ongoing support and funding,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “People with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers if given the opportunity. Projects like this help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that help aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Beyond the construction of the new building, Don Bosco University will also update technological infrastructure for the existing orthosis and prosthesis laboratories as well as for movement and gait analysis. Similarly, the Applied Research Center will be equipped with the necessary technology for the exchange of knowledge and experiences with physical and academic rehabilitation centers identified in the United States and Latin America.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

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