1. Brief History
On 8th of January 1989, in Nsakaluba Fr Piotr Boryczka received the promises made by the first Salesian Cooperators in Zambia; there were more than ten people, man and women. Fr Stan Jagodzinski and Fr Paul Dziatkiewicz helped to organise that first group. Nine years later, on the 13th of July 1998, four cooperators from Chingola made their promises in Bauleni – Lusaka. On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee Visit to Zambia of the Rector Major Most Rev. Father Pasqual Chavez in 2007 the new canters were opened in Kabwe, Bauleni Chingola and in Harare – Zimbabwe receptively. On this occasion Rector Major received promises of the new members. On the 15th of March 2014, Rector Major, the 9th successor of Don Bosco Father Pasqual Chavez, sign a Decree for the formation of the new Province for the Salesian Cooperators for the countries of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Namibia. In response to the forgoing Decree of the Rector major, a meeting was convened on 20th July 2014 at St. Mathias Mulumba Bauleni parish to elect a Provincial Council Executive. Thus the new Province was born after of the elections by at least three representatives of each of the four centres. The new Provincial Coordinator Mrs Jennifer Sikazwe was elected to lead the new Province. The official name of the Province is known as “The Association of the Salesian Cooperators of Zambia – Don Bosco Province”
2. Expansion
Immediately after the formation of the executive of the Province the new groups of the Salesian Cooperators started their formation in the view of the preparation of the Don Bosco Bicentenary. On 16th August 2015 during the celebration of the Bicentenary 94 new cooperators made their promises and five new centres where opened in Mazabuka, Mansa, Kasama and Rundu in Namibia and Hwange in Zimbabwe. Presently in ZMB Vice Province we have nine centres and 201 members of the Association of the Salesian Cooperators.
3. Animation
Provincial Council meetings of the Association are held every three months. The provincial Delegates of the SDB and FMA are always present during the meetings. To date the Provincial Council has visited all the first existing centres in Chingola, Kabwe, Rundu and Bauleni. However, other councillors have managed to pay visits to Rundu, Hwange and Mazabuka. All the centres where involved actively in the preparation of the Bicentenary of Don Bosco including the event itself on 15-16th of August 2015. Presently the office of the Association is being establish at the Provincial House of the SDB in Lusaka. The main task of the Association is to establish a good foundation and to stress activities on the ongoing formation as well as active participation on the Regional level.
