Donor funding from Salesian Missions provides music opportunities for all students.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Feb. 20, 2024) Youth at Don Bosco Boys’ Home in Liloan, Cebu, Philippines, have 15 new accordions thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. There are 45 boys at the home and, prior to the donation, there were only four accordions. The donation is giving all the students the opportunity to learn how to play the accordion. Other young people are also being invited to learn.

Salesian Brother Alexander Abelgas provides accordion lessons for the interested students. Each of them takes a lesson to learn the notes before using the instrument. They then advance to 30-minute daily practice to learn more about the instrument and to play difficult songs. The students who can play proficiently will be given the opportunity to accompany the Mass and community celebrations.

Don Bosco Boys’ Home was established in 1989 to provide residential care and education to boys living in poverty in Cebu. Thirty-three boys, ages 12-17, are in junior high school while 12 boys, ages 16-20, are in senior high at the Liloan National High School-Don Bosco Campus, located within the boys’ home compound.

A Salesian noted, “The goal is to reintegrate the boys to society, so they can have a good future for themselves. Our motto is ‘We help the boys help themselves in life.’ At the home, they experience group living enhanced by educational, social, cultural and spiritual interventions. They are provided food, clothing, toiletries, and medical and dental care. The boys follow a daily schedule that is aimed to foster discipline, personal development and interpersonal skills.”

The boys wake up early to prepare for school. After class, they have time for recreation including games, music and arts. Dinner is followed by time for tutorials and study before sleeping. On Fridays, the boys watch a film.

“The boys are assigned different home chores daily to promote personal responsibility, cleanliness and organization,” added the Salesian. “They also have singing, music, dancing, arts classes, sports practices and competitions. Every first and third weekends of the month, the boys have home and family visitations.”

Since 1950, Salesian missionaries have been providing crucial help in the Philippines — working with at-risk youth, impoverished families and disaster victims. Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.

### Contact: [email protected]