慈幼會士在舉行2014年世界盃開幕禮的球場旁 

為滅貧奮鬥

【慈幼通訊社 2014 06 17 巴西聖保羅訊】 舉行2014年世界盃開幕禮的聖保羅哥連泰斯足球場,其旁邊就是伊塔奎拉貧民區。全球大都市之一的聖保羅,人口約二千萬,其中約五十萬人居住在這貧民區內。西班牙籍慈幼會傳教士 Rosalvino Morán Viñayo神父表示:「當我於1981年到來時,到處都是郊野、溪流和野花。」

當他抵達伊塔奎拉時,一群毒販用槍指向他的胸部。很多他身旁的人因這死亡恐嚇而離開,但Rosalvino神父卻沒有。「我告訴他們,讓我開展我的事業,因為我會協助並保證他們的子女有美好的將來。」

他們回答說:「我們沒法改變自己,因為我們是毒販,但你可幫助我們的兄弟及子女。」這樣,他們同意讓他安靜地工作。

自此,Rosalvino神父與他的合作者一起,成立工藝訓練工作室、體操學校、管弦樂團及現代化的圖像設計中心。

如今,那些毒販的子女已成為運動家、演員、音樂家、製餅師或機械技師,而伊塔奎拉鮑思高中心,已成為透過教育改變世界的一個典範。

「慈幼中心」除此之外還收容出獄的青年,並預備他們重返社會。培訓為期至少七個月,期間會有心理專家、律師及社工陪伴他們。年青釋囚可重返一般學校上課。此外,很多殘疾青年及其他學生,每天來回上課的路程,長達20公里。

慈幼工作計劃的成果,在人們進入中心時已能看到。數以百計不同年齡層的青年,向到訪者致候。中心食堂每天供應7000份飯餐。那裡有多所工場──電腦實習室、髮廊、造鞋店,以及電子學、縫紉、體育及音樂訓練中心。

當地政府已尋求慈幼會士的協助,抵禦市內罪惡、飢餓及因中途退學而帶來的問題。聖保羅市政府簽署了一份價值9萬雷亞爾的協議書,支援慈幼會士開設的工場,為超過12000名青年服務。中心為青年重拾生活的希望及目標,否則他們很可能會淪落於吸食毒品、被判監禁及年青早逝的結局。

A Salesian fights poverty at the stadium where World Cup 2014 was inaugurated

 (ANS - Brazil San Paulo, 17 June 2014) – Just outside the Arena Corinthians stadium in  Sao Paolo, where World Cup 2014 opened, there is the poor neighborhood of Itaquera. About 500,000 people live there, out of a total of about twenty million inhabitants of the entire metropolitan area of ​​the city, one of the largest in the world. "When I arrived in 1981, this was all countryside, streams and favelas," says Fr Rosalvino Morán Viñayo, a Spanish Salesian missionary.

When he arrived in Itaquera, the drug lords put a gun to his chest. Many others had left because of death threats but Fr Rosalvino did not. "I told them to let me work because I would help to ensure that their children have a future."

"We will not change”, they answered, “because we are traffickers. But you can help our brothers and our children." And so they agreed to let him work in peace.

Since then, along with his collaborators, Fr Rosalvino has built professional training workshops, a schools of gymnastics, an orchestra and a modern centre of graphic design.

Now the children of the drug lords are athletes, actors, musicians, bakers or mechanics while the Don Bosco Centre in Itaquera is an example of how you can transform the world through education.

The Salesian Centre houses, among others, young people released from prison on bail and prepares them for reintegration. A psychologist, a lawyer and a social worker accompany this process, which lasts at least seven months.  The young ex-offenders join the  other students in the school. There are also many disabled young people and many others who do a round journey of up to twenty kilometres a day to attend classes.

The success of the Salesian project can be seen as soon as you enter the centre. Hundreds of young people of different ages greet the visitor. The refectory provides 7,000 meals a day.  There is a huge number of workshops - computer labs, hairdressing saloons, shoemaking shops, training centres in electronics, sewing, physical education and music.

The government has sought the help of the Salesians to combat crime, hunger and problems of school dropouts in the city.  The São Paulo City Council has signed a deal worth 90,000 reais to support the workshops where the Salesians help more than 12,000 young people. The centre offers hope and a goal in life to young people who otherwise would most likely end up in drugs, prison and early death.


慈幼會中華會省