girls’ school sponsored by Liebfrauenschule Bonn

workshop for graphics and art

The last of the four countries that constitute the AFW Vice-Province to receive Salesian missionaries was Ghana. Early in 1993 an international team of Salesians: Fr Michael Karikunnel (India), Fr Ivan Stojanovic (Croatia), Fr Isaias Torres (Venezuela), Brother Michael Schmitz and Fr Andreas Kroworsch (both from Germany) accepted the invitation of the Bishop of Sunyani and arrived in Sunyani. The North German Salesian Province (GEK) sponsored this mission with the co-operation of the South German and Austrian Provinces. The Salesians accepted the care of a parish and eight outstations in Odumase, eight kilometres outside Sunyani, together with the management of several Catholic elementary schools that were in the neighbourhood. Before long a daily oratory and a Youth Centre were functioning and well attended by the local youngsters.A further development in 1996 was the Vocational Training Centre, offering training in agriculture, carpentry, masonry, metal work, typewriting, computer skills and graphic arts. Local boys and girls soon discovered the value of these courses and were joined also by youngsters from more distant places. An offshoot of the Vocational Training Centre is the Foster Youth Association, a credit scheme to help finance past pupils in beginning their own businesses.

girls can play soccer, too

school farm for agriculture training

A scheme to care for street children in Sunyani town began in 1995 and has developed into the Don Bosco Boys' Home. All this progress has been made possible through financial help from the three associated provinces, GEK, GEM and AUS, and the Mission Procure in Bonn.A second Salesian Community was established in Ghana in 1996 at Ashaiman, considered locally as a slum, on the outskirts of the important town and seaport of Tema. This Salesian Community has developed the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre, where a variety of trades may be learned. They have also established a street children programme in Ashaiman and in Tema New Town. So far there is no Salesian parish but pastoral work is done in a nearby slum called Bethlehem.

In Ashaiman, adjacent to the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre, the AFW Provincial House and Administrative Headquarters was occupied in 2005.