300 students from Don Bosco Technical Institute attend chapel.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (July 7, 2025) Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Technical Institute and hostel, located in Odumase, Sunyani, Ghana, were able to expand the Don Bosco Chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The expansion allows the chapel to accommodate up to 400 people, an increase from 150 in the previous space.
The new chapel will be able to provide space for the 300 students who attend the institute, as well as the 60 children from the Don Bosco Boys Home and parishioners from the Mary Help of Christians outstation.
Michael Akornoba, a Salesian cooperator and member of the Don Bosco community, said, “The extension of the Don Bosco Chapel has brought freedom of worship and relief from harsh weather. We are now able to sit inside the church to listen to the priest. Some time ago, I used to sit outside because the chapel could not accommodate us all.”
Don Bosco Boys Home provides social support and education to boys in the care of Salesian missionaries. The center was established in 1989 for the rehabilitation of youth who are at risk. The rehabilitation and development process at the center is based on the needs and situation of each individual. The Don Bosco Technical Institute ensures that youth have the skills needed for later employment.
While Ghana’s economy continues to improve, nearly 45% of the population lives on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. Rural poverty remains widespread in the dry savannah region that covers roughly two thirds of Ghana’s northern territory. Small-scale farms suffer from a lack of infrastructure and equipment, both of which are needed to shift from subsistence farming to more modern commercial farming which would yield greater incomes and a chance to escape poverty.
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About Salesian Missions USA
Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.