Salesian Missions

Don Bosco College, Salelologo

Owing to the endemic poverty, most families can only provide a tiny school fee so the school has to support this.  The college has two buses that pickup and drop off students to both sides of the island.  Most families pay a bus fare which covers only about 10% of the cost, but are not denied a ride if unable to pay.  Otherwise families do not send their children beyond basic primary schooling.  


To assist on-island development, the college provides basic technical classes, and are building up a hospitality training faculty.  The aim is to enable kids to graduate into the workforce of a gradually increasing tourist industry on Savaii. 

The kids

College Newsletter to St John Bosco Parish Engadine 

The College are providing us with informative newsletters advising the successes and challenges they have:   

The College Buses

This is a link to Fr Petelo Vito, college principal, expressing his gratitude for the school buses.  Our Parish contributes to the fuel and maintenance of the buses.

Continuing the work of St John Bosco


Over coming years we will cover fuel & maintenance costs for the 2 buses to bring kids to school, and contribute to teacher salaries to educate them.  


This is an excellent opportunity for our Parish to assist directly in the education of many kids who would otherwise have only primary school education, and the growth of the schools’ reputation. We have made three donations totalling $230,000 during the 2022/23 financial year and a further $210,000 in 2023/24.


Fr Petelo Vito, previously the Provincial Delegate for the Pacific, was appointed Principal of the College and Vocational Centre in Salelologa in 2023 and it seems this has made an impact within the community.  Covid impacted greatly on the college, particularly with student attendance.  Pleasingly, enrolments have doubled since the end of 2022, but remain lower than pre Covid times.

In December 2023 Fr Petelo sent the following message "Christmas Greetings to you all our generous benefactors from Engadine Catholic Parish. Thank you very much for everything that you have done in 2023 and continue to do for our students’ future. I and my staff really appreciate your valuable assistance. May God bless you for your generosity."