The Salesians of Don Bosco arrived in Sierra Leone in 1986. Since then, Salesians have inserted themselves into the culture of the people in order to transmit Don Bosco’s charism to the young though their different fields of work: shelters for street children, schools, youth centers, and parishes. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries on earth. Thirteen years of war and the Ebola epidemic have left an unstructured society in every way. Many of the pre-existing social institutions, churches and community support systems have been physically destroyed or vastly dilapidated. Freetown is geographically located in a low-lying coastal swamp, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Peninsula Mountain Range, leading to severe flooding during the annual monsoon season. This flooding contributes to the physical and social instability of communities and inhibits people from safely attending church or community events.

By means of the proposed project, the Salesians of Don Bosco seek to address an urgent need of the community by stabilizing the structural integrity and internal framework of the St. Augustine parish in Dworzark. The heavy rainfall is threatening the foundation and a timely response is required to avoid the collapse of key structural supports. This initiative is phase two of three in an overall mission to rehabilitate and expand the parish for the growing Christian community. These foundational enrichments are a necessary condition for phase three of this initiative, which includes expanding the parish hall, offices and congregation rooms to accommodate the growing Catholic community.