Thanks to the Salesians of Don Bosco, Ukrainian children and youths are being helped at borders and finding homes in countries such as Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
I asked Bryan Magro, who is part of the Don Bosco Salesian Missionary Foundation, how these children are being helped. He replied: “As our main work is with children and young people, our priority is orphan children who were in our care in residential homes in Ukraine.”
He said the 48 children under the care of the Salesians in Ukraine were moved to Slovakia. All children under the age of 10 are living in Presov with foster families who are part of the Salesian family. The children are attending school every day in a Salesian house in Presov and have online school from Ukraine. Magro added that “the children older than 10 are living in four Salesian houses in Slovakia and attend different schools in the locality where they are living”. They are looked after by the Salesians and a group of Salesian volunteers.
The children are attending school every day in a Salesian house in Presov [Slovakia] and have online school from Ukraine
The children are being provided with therapy by psychologists due to the trauma they experienced through war. Magro explained that “psychologists are working with them through play and sand therapy to help deal with the fact that they had to be uprooted and leave their country”.
The Salesians are also working with women and children who are crossing borders and have nowhere to live. Magro said “they are being supported to resettle in Slovakia or a destination of their choice”. They are provided with various needs such as food and medicine, and assisted to find rent accommodation and a job. He said “we are trying our best to meet the needs of these young families who are traumatised by the impact that the war had on their families”.
Magro recently visited Slovakia to meet the children and the people taking care of them. He also visited the Ukrainian border to understand the experience of refugees leaving their country for a safer space. He said they hope to return to their country and be able to live in peace.
Monetary donations may be sent to the Salesians of Don Bosco Malta for Ukraine at the following accounts:
Revolut: +356 7920 3983.
APS Bank: Provincial Economer, Salesians of Don Bosco, account: 102 5873 0013, IBAN: MT60 APS B770 7900 0258 7102 5873 0013.
BOV: Delegation Economer, Salesians of Don Bosco, account: 400 1171 4219, IBAN: MT16 VALL 220 1300 0000 0400 1171 4219.
Sephora Camilleri is a Year 9 student at St Benedict College secondary school, Kirkop. This article was written as part of a European studies project.