Togo

The Salesian presence in Togo is very rich with six communities located in four localities of the country. The Salesians of Don Bosco have been present in Togo since 6 April 1982, with the arrival of Fathers Juan Manuel Melgar, Antonio César Fernandez and Lucas Camino from the Salesian Provinces of Cordoba and Seville (Spain). They arrived at the request of Bishop Robert Dosseh, of Lomé Archdiocese and founded the first Salesian community in the country. This community was entrusted with the care of the Maria Auxiliadora parish in Gbényedzi. In another neighbourhood (Akodessewa), less than a kilometre from the parish, the Salesians opened an apprenticeship centre, which years later became a Vocational Training Centre. In order to ensure the continuity of the charism in the country, the Salesians opened a formation house for young Salesians of Don Bosco alongside the professional centre. This is the post-novitiate stage, where the Salesians receive training at the Don Bosco Higher Institute, which trains students in philosophy, sciences of education and communication.

In 1994, the Salesian novitiate, which was first installed in the Maria Auxiliadora parish and then in the post-novitiate, was transferred to the new house built 22 km from Lomé, on the road leading to the southern border of Benin, in the village of Gbodjomé. This novitiate welcomes Salesian novices from West and Equatorial Africa. The Salesian community will receive from the Bishop of Aneho, the responsibility of animating the parish of Saint Matthew in Gbodjomé.

In the north of the country, the Salesians are present in Kara and Cinkassé. The work in Kara was born in response to the request of the Bishop of Sokodé, Most Rev Chrétien Matawo Bakpessi. On 30 September 1985, the Salesians José Antonio Rodriguez, Marcos Santos and Juan Melgar formed the first community. Today, the work of the Community includes several structures: the parish, two Don Bosco Home for girls and boys (Child Protection Centre), the Don Bosco school, the vocational training centre, a boarding school for students and a dispensary.

The Salesians have been in Cinkassé since 20 June 1990 with the arrival of the first Salesians: Fathers Paco Rodriguez, José Manuel Nogueroles, and Brother Constant Kossé, in training. They took charge of the Christian community of Cinkassé, which was then dependent on the parish of Nadjundi, run by the Franciscans. It became a parish immediately. Today, the work of the Salesian community of Cinkassé includes: the parish, the Don Bosco School, the boarding school and the oratory.