Greetings from India

Dear Friends of Fransalians,

The world is going through very difficult times. The wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East have brought immense sufferings to millions of innocent people. The economic crisis that followed has gripped the whole world. There is much distress all around. In the face of such man-made disasters we can only pray that the world leaders may come together and earnestly work for a lasting peace on earth.

I am happy to write to you these few lines expressing my sincere gratitude to each one of you for your generous support towards the many ongoing projects in our missions in India and in Chad-Cameroon. It is always a joy to share with you some news from our Missions. There is much good news from our Chad Cameroon Mission. The number of Fransalian Missionaries working in this Mission is on a steady increase. Local vocations are flourishing year after year. All our formation houses are full. The necessary infrastructure developments in recent years has been quite impressive. Our educational institutions are thriving with ever increasing number of students with excellent academic results. Apart from the five existing schools at Doba, Bero, Gaki and Ngaoundéré the Mission is now planning a new school in Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon. There are several upcoming projects planned for the immediate future. A tailoring school for women at Doba and a dispensary at Ngaoundéré are some of the proposed projects. The ongoing project of “scholarship for poor children” is continued with the support of many of you. Each year we are able to transfer a sum of Euro 10.000/- to Chad-Cameroon specifically for this purpose. More than 150 poor children are helped with this amount. The drinking water project continues on a small scale as we have only a limited number of donors. In India our projects are limited to specific sectors of people who live in extreme poverty. We have been able to give financial help to several poor girl students to pursue their higher education. We have also helped a number of very poor people especially women to find modest jobs through self-help programs such as tailoring. Medical Aid to the Poor and Help for the Homeless are some of the other programs we are continuing with the limited donations we receive.

Shanthi Dham: A Hospice for the Dying Destitutes and the Abandoned

Shanthi Dham is a Sanskrit word which literally means “Abode of Peace”. This new project is initiated by the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales in Mysore in the South Indian State of Karnataka. It is a hospice and compassionate care centre for the dying destitutes and the abandoned. Its mission is to provide a peaceful environment for the poor, the abandoned and the terminally ill with an end of life care towards dying with dignity.

An Appeal: With the generous financial help from a number of donor agencies and from many friends and benefactors the construction of the hospice is now complete with sufficient facilities for 20 inmates at a time. The project is scheduled to be inaugurated in September 2026. Vikasjyothi, the Indian branch of Agape has been able to support this project by financing an Ambulance for the centre at the cost of Euro 10.000/- I thank all our friends and benefactors for their timely support towards this project. We will need continued financial help and assistance from our friends and benefactors for the maintenance of this new project. I shall be much obliged to you for any financial help according to your means towards this noble cause. Vergelt’s Gott.
With every good wish.

Yours cordially
Pater Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

Dear Friends and well-wishers,

I am happy to share with you some news from our missions in Chad and Cameroon. Following the footsteps of Saint Francis de Sales, our Patron and Servant of God Peter Mermier, our Founder, we the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales have been able to make a profound impact on the lives of thousands of people in the two countries of Chad and Cameroon. We have just celebrated the silver jubilee of our presence in these two countries. The Mission is being raised to the canonical status of a Region considering the tremendous growth of the Mission in recent years. We thank God and all our friends and benefactors for the steady growth of our Mission.

We are 22 priests working in this Mission. There are 42 seminarians pursuing their studies in philosophy and theology besides 8 Novices and 17 candidates. The Mission is managing 6 parishes: 4 in Cameroon and 2 in Chad. Of the 5 educational institutions 4 are in Chad and 1 in Cameroon. A new school is being planned for Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon. More than 3000 children are given quality education through these 5 schools. The 3 Boys’ Homes attached to these schools impart special formation to 150 children who come from situations of extreme poverty.

Our school at Gaki in Doba, Chad has achieved 100% pass. Thanks to targeted community outreach, a deliberate "preferential option for girls" saw female enrollment soar to 67.8% at the secondary level, while a brand-new 12-classroom block nears completion to support this steady growth. The Daniel Comboni School at Doba town is another major undertaking of the Fransalians in Chad. Since its foundation in 2010 the school has grown steadily and has become an important center of learning in the entire region. The school serves 751 children at secondary level and 423 children at the primary school. The school welcomes young people regardless of social or economic status and promotes equality, mutual respect, and inclusion. Students learn not only from their teachers but also from one another through shared experiences and collaborative activities. SFS School at Djalingo, Ngaoundéré in Cameroon is yet another landmark achievement. Despite pressing infrastructural needs the school has achieved over 90% of its developmental goals. In this year a new block of the college with 12 class rooms and related facilities are nearing its completion. The SFS Primary School and Boys’ Home was established in the year 2003. The school is located in a rural setting which caters to the most needy children of the region. The Boys’ Home with a strength of 52 children from very remote areas is a beacon of hope for the rural folk.

We have three upcoming projects for which we earnestly seek the help of our friends and benefactors. The three projects are: 1) A Tailoring school at Gaki in Doba 2) A dispensary at Ngaoundéré in North Cameroon 3) A new school at Yaoundé in the outskirts of the capital city of Cameroon. May I request you all to help us realize these projects in the immediate future.
Thanking you.

Yours cordially
Pater Manoj Arackal, MSFS

Our projects at a glance

• Scholarship program for the primary education of poor children in Chad-Cameroon
• Scholarship towards higher education of poor girl students in India
• Help for self-help program for poor housewives in India
• A tailoring school for poor women at Gaki in Chad
• Emergency Medical Aid to the Poor
• Help towards the maintenance of Boys’ Homes in Chad, Cameroon and in India
• Help for the Homeless
• Drinking water project in Chad
• The upcoming school at Affamayo near Yaoundé in Cameroon
• The upcoming Dispensary at Ngaoundéré in North Cameroon
• Maintenance of Shanthi Dham Hospice at Mysore in India for the Dying Destitutes

We request you to please help us to help the poor and needy.

Thank you for yout love and concern for the poor.