(ANS – Saint-Junien) – Since 1856, the Don Bosco Institute, which originally began as an orphanage, has cared for the most vulnerable children. Earlier this month, the organization opened a Social Care Home for Children (MECS), named “Don Bosco 87,” in Saint-Junien, in the western part of the Haute-Vienne department.
The Don Bosco Institute, a recognized charitable and social welfare organization based in Gradignan, operates 50 facilities and services, primarily in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Committed to serving the most vulnerable, it devotes particular attention to children and young people facing social challenges, especially through its MECS centers. More than 1,200 staff members are involved in this social welfare mission.
In France, of the 392,000 children and young people receiving support from Child Welfare Services (ASE), 57%—or 224,700—are placed outside their family homes. In Haute-Vienne, the number of placements has increased by 45% since 2014, prompting the Department to fund a new facility, the MECS Don Bosco 87.
The facility consists of three separate sites located in the municipalities of Saint-Junien y Saint-Brice-sur-Vienne. The first building opened in February 2025, and with the opening of the third building a few days ago, the Don Bosco Institute can now accommodate up to 34 children between the ages of 3 and 18 who are under the care of the ASE in the region.
The children are divided into three age groups: 3–9, 10–14, and 15–18. In addition, there are eight places in independent housing—shared apartments or individual apartments—for young people ages 16 to 21, as well as two foster families providing personalized support.
To help these children grow up in the best possible conditions, a team of 43 professionals—including educators, nurses, care workers, custodial staff, and others—provides comprehensive support through academic assistance, independent living skills, social development, mental health services, and more. The “Don Bosco 87” home is intended to be a place of stability, refuge, and new beginnings.
“Every child carries with them a unique story—sometimes difficult, often marked by upheaval, but always a source of hope. We believe that every child possesses within them resources, talents, and an inner strength that asks for nothing more than to be expressed,” explained the center’s director, Malick Kaouane, on the Don Bosco Institute website.
This third building, located in a charming stone house surrounded by a large garden, offers young people a safe and restorative rural environment.
“The Don Bosco 87 MECS provides a human-scale setting with its small residential units. The young people can grow up in the open air, just a short walk from the school, supported by a dynamic and committed educational team,” said Renan, a specialist educator.
The opening ceremony began with a tour of the three residential buildings, led by the educational staff and the young residents themselves. It concluded at La Fabrique, the administrative headquarters of the Don Bosco 87 MECS and the Dominique Savio Home-Based Educational Placement (PEAD) program, where guests watched a video produced by the children from the La Gaudine residence and viewed a LEGO model of the MECS that they had built themselves.
Among those in attendance were Jean-Claude Leblois, President of the Haute-Vienne Departmental Council, along with Vice Presidents Gulsen Yildirim, responsible for children, families, and healthcare democracy, and Sylvie Tuyeras, responsible for integration and housing. They were joined by numerous elected officials, magistrates, and social service professionals, as well as Caroline Ballon, President of the Don Bosco Institute.
Since early July 2026, the Salesian presence in France has opened a new chapter in child protection in Haute-Vienne.
Source: Don Bosco Aujourd’hui