DON BOSCO PAST PUPILS OF KENYA

 The Christian past pupils accept some promises of baptism and confirmation and his living of them reflects the typical spirituality of Don Bosco which is expressed in an apostolic lifestyle inspired by the awareness of being a disciple of Christ.

To this end:

• He will encourage those activities for him and development, which people of noble vision and good will engage in for worldwide group in respect for human dignity and family life.
• He will strive to poster un updated economical spirit amongst Christians and an openness to dialogue with other religions.
• Past pupils of other religions also participate in the ideals of Don Bosco; share in the educational, cultural, spiritual and social values of his system cherishing them as common patrimony of the human family. They become dispensers of these gifts in their spheres of life and work, and will confirm them as their religious beliefs and culture prompt.
• All past pupils, aware of the agency of the modern youth problems, will be actively sympathetic to educational imperatives and to al cultural and formative initiatives involving young people, aiding them to assume responsibility at every level.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION

 By early 1990s Kenya had four vocational training centres namely: Embu, Makuyu, Siakago and Boys’ Town; one secondary school in Embu, and a primary school in Korr. The past pupils associations began in these institutions at various times. These were termed to as Local Units.

Between  30^th and 6^th May of 1992, a meeting was held in Rome as the first confederal assembly of the Association of past pupils of Don Bosco, in the Salesian generate. There were 80 delegates in all from 30 countries attending the meeting, representing  9 Million past pupils scattered all over the world. From Kenya, three representatives attended the meeting in Rome; Mr. Lawrence Maina from Embu, Mr. Joseph Gakaya from Boys Town and Mr.Peter Kimani from Makuyu.

The Kenya National Federation of Don Bosco Past pupils was launched on 12^th December 1992 under the leadership of Fr. Joe Prabhu. The units, which participated then, were the units of Embu, Makuyu and Nairobi. The National Council comprising of the Chairmen of the local units met twice a year in the months of april and November respectively.

The acting officials in Kenya were:  

• National Chair

The movement started in 1990, the brain child of Fr. Tony D’Souza (a former director of Don Bosco Boys’ Town) with a mere 150 pupils. Two years later, the association was launched on under the leadership of Fr. Joe Prabhu.  It then acquired the name “Kenya National Federation of Don Bosco Past Pupils Association.”

OBJECTIVES

• Create self employment to the members and to the other youths who have completed their respective trades.
• To animate the past pupils to become self reliant after training instead being dependent on the Salesian family.
• To have a recognition at the national level.

MEMBERSHIP

 The association is composed of all members from all Salesian houses namely:

• Don Bosco Boys’ Town
• Don Bosco Kuwinda
• Don Bosco Upper hill
• Don Bosco Makuyu
• Don Bosco Embu
• Don Bosco Kakuma
• Don Bosco YES
• Don Bosco Korr  e.t.c

The association is steered by the National Office whose role is to monitor the progress and the management of the local institutions. The office has eight  (8) elected officials and currently they are as follows:

1. Salesian National Delegate – Fr. Abel  Njeru Thathi sdb
2. National Chairperson –Mr. Lawrence Njeru Maina.
3. National Vice Chairperson – Mr. Stephen Chomba.
4. National Secretary  - Mr. Charles Odhiambo Lang’o
5. National Vice Secretary – Mr. Kevin Nyamora.
6. National Treasurer _ Mr. Jeremiah Kinyua
7. National Executive Member (1) –Ms.  Marianne Bakhita
8. National Executive Member (2) – Peter Wangucu

FUTURE PLANS FOR THE ASSOCIATION.

1.  REVIEW THE CONTEXT OF YOUR LIFE:

Look at your own life in the light of time. Millions of years have passed and millions will come

2. KNOW LIFE IMPERMANENCE:

Now and then, a pinch of unpleasantness comes. It makes you aware of your pleasantness. Suppose you never had unpleasant moments in life, you would never had/ have pleasant ones. Your life as a past pupil would stagnate in utter boredom and you would become like a stone. So in order to keep you alive, now and then, here and there, nature gives you a little pinch. It makes life more lively.

3. MAKE YOUR SMILE CHEAPER:

Research done in England found that a baby smiles 400 times a day, an adolescent 17 times and an adult doesn’t smile at all. You should smile more. Do you what happens when you smile? All the muscles in your face get relaxed. The nerves in your brain get relaxation and you get the confidence, courage and energy to move and life goes on.

4. BE ENTHUSIASTIC AND PRAISE OTHERS.

Take every opportunity to praise others and praise others and support their enthusiasm. If you put down others enthusiasm, the same may happen to you. As you sow, so shall you reap!

5. MAKE MEDITATION A PART OF YOUR LIFE.

Meditation is letting go of anger from the past and all the planning for the future. Meditation is accepting this moment and living every moment totally with depth. Just this understanding, and a few days of continuous practice of meditation can change the quality of your life as a past pupil.

     6.  COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY;

If you are faced with someone who knows more than you, be like a child and keep your ears and eyes open for learning. If you are faced with someone who knows less than you, be humble and strive to make them as good as, or better than you. Play with a small child as you played when you were a child. Talk with an elderly person remembering that one day you will grow old. Communicate with a person of your age group like you are his/her best friend.

7. TAKE OUT TIME FOR YOURSELF.

If the whole day you have been engaged in only gathering information, you do not take out time for yourself, to think and reflect. A few quiet moments are sources for creativity.

8. BETTER THE WORLD AROUND YOU.

During floods, water has no direction, has no direction. Similarly, the energy in your life needs direction to flow. Today, many are confused because they’ve got no direction, it is all confusion. When you are happy there is so much life-energy in you; but when this life energy doesn’t know where  to go, how to go, it gets stuck, when stagnates, it rots. For life-energy to move in a direction, commitment is essential. If you observe every small thing or big thing in life, they go with certain commitment.

9. NOURISH YOUR EMOTIONS:

The way to expand from individual to universal consciousness is to share others’ sorrow and joy. As you grow, your consciousness should also grow. When you expand in knowledge with time, then depression is not possible. The way to overcome personal misery as a past pupil of Don Bosco is to share universal misery! The way to expand personal joy is to share universal joy. Instead of thinking, “What can I gain from this world?” think about, “What can I do for the world.”

10. GO TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

To cultivate the habit of listening, you have to go to a place where everything is beautiful. Where is this place? That most beautiful place within you! When you come to this place, then any place is beautiful. Then, wherever you are, you go, you add beauty there.

For more information and contribution visit our official website www.donboscopastpupil.org