Bellefonte Community College is an alternative educational project initiated by the Salesian Sisters (FMA) of Northern India - Shillong in 2010. Drawing its inspiration from the education style of St. John Bosco and St. Maria Domenica Mazzarello, it seeks to embrace both formal and non-formal educational streams and follows a United States’ and Indian model Community College. The rationale behind Bellefonte Community College is to offer educational opportunities in response to the urgent needs of the society particularly young people of the poorer sections in Northeast India. Through job oriented and self-employment educational courses, it seeks to alleviate the poverty stricken population of the region. It is a private, non governmental and non political organization with its own statutes and regulations, an autonomous organization legally constituted without financial aim, working at the national and international levels of co-operation for the welfare and development of the marginalized youth of the North Eastern States. In the certainty that the contribution of women constitutes a winning strategy in the sustainable development of a society, Bellefonte Community College pays specific attention to the empowerment of women as well as young people both girls and boys in academic and vocational courses.
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The Bellefonte Community College envisions running curriculum covering four main areas such as:
Sacred Heart Girls Hr. Sec. School Mawlai (MBOSE & NIOS) for Secondary and Senior Secondary Course and St. Anne’s Secondary School Mawtawar
As Principal of Bellefonte Community College (BCC) it is my pleasure to welcome you to our website. We thank you for taking the time to visit. We hope to provide you with some useful information. The website showcases the wealth of experiences we offer the students and give them a wider audience for their wonderful work. We hope you enjoy your visit and return regularly to check out our latest news. Blending the essence of traditional education with the conventional one, at Bellefonte Community College, we encourage our students to showcase their unique skills in countless ways. The aim of education is not to lead the students towards the path of restricted or specifically defined education; a school must make the student realize what he/she is and where his/her potential lies. We believe that the student must be groomed and nurtured in a way that he/she can stride into the adult world, confidently, responsibly and independently. I personally believe that the foundation of a successful educational institution depends on the kind of co-operation among the learners, teachers, mentors, parents and the community. Each day offers a newfangled experience in the learning process of the child and we try our best to provide such experiences to our students. Along with the shelter of guidance with the first step, we encourage our students to discover their hidden potential based on their passion and be guiding lights for others. For the overall development of the student, I believe that we all must hold our hands together and walk towards the path of excellence. If you would like to learn more about our institution, or arrange a visit, please follow the contact links and rest assured you will be more than welcome.
When Johny Bosco was less than two years of age, his father was struck down by pneumonia and on May 11th, 1817, he left in the care of his wife and relatives his three children. Hence, at a very tender age, Johny Bosco became fatherless and grew up experiencing the hardships of a boy with a single parent. This experience had a profound impact on him, and he resolved that through him, no one should feel as if they have no father; he would become a father to them. He was educated by his mother,a women with deep human and Christian intuition and was endowed by Providence with numerous gifts. He grew up, filled with an extraordinary grace of intelligence and memory, and picked up limitless skills, which became very helpful for him in the future when the Lord would entrust him with young boys to guide and form as shepherd.
Johny Bosco faced many hardships and trials of various types. He spent difficult years due to the poverty of his family and the tension with his half-brother Anthony, who was against his desire to study and become a priest. At the age of nine, little Johny had a dream in which he was given a mission to fulfil. He was to transform wolves into lambs,"Not with blows but with kindness". This dream, which would repeat itself in varied and continuously clarified versions, guided him and set the tone for his work throughout his life
Despite the many difficulties, John Bosco entered the seminary at the age of twenty in 1835, and his dream of becoming a priest became a reality.He was ordained a priest in Turin by Archbishop L. Fransoni on June 5, 1841. As a priest, he came into direct contact with young prisoners and saw the miseries of the poor boys of the working class in Turin. His heart was moved for them, and he made up his mind to do something for these young ones after seeking the wise direction of Don Cafasso, his spiritual guide. Don Bosco had the opportunity of becoming a chaplain for a rich household or a chaplain for an institution that looked after orphan girls with a very handsome salary, which would be a great help for him. But he chose his boys—the poor, abandoned, orphaned, and homeless young boys. In all earnestness to his boys, he would declare: "For you I study, for you I work, for you I am ready to give my life to its last breath."
He began his work for these unfortunate youth on December 8th, 1841 with a "simple catechism" and expanded progressively to respond to pressing situations and needs of the time through workshops, schools of arts and crafts to teach them a job and make them capable of earning their livelihood honestly. His deep love and concern for the young people made him say: "It is enough that you are young for me to love you very much." "I promised God that my last breath would be for my poor youth." Indeed, the writings, institutions, travels, and meetings with civil and religious personalities were all meant for the welfare of young people. With his educational system called "THE PREVENTIVE SYSTEM"—a system based on Reason, RELIGION and loving kindness that springs forth from the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd, he was determined to conquer young people to be faithful to the church and responsible to the society. He distinguished himself by his zealous apostolate among the poor young people with the motto, "Give me souls and take away the rest." He said no word, and he took up no task that was not directed toward the salvation of young people.
In order to perpetuate his work: In 1859, he founded the Society of Francis de Sales; in 1872, the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and in 1874, the Association of the Salesian Cooperators. He died at Valdocco, Turin on January 31, 1888, was beatified on June 2, 1929, and was proclaimed a saint on April 1, 1934.
St. Mary Mazzarello was born into a peasant family on May 9th, 1837 in Mornese, a small, hidden town in Northern Italy. Her father was Joseph Mazzarello and her mother, Maria Calcagno. Her family was poor and simple, but rich in faith and moral principles
Young Mary was known for her cheerful spirit and willingness to help others. While still a young girl, she taught catechism to her little brothers and sisters, made them say their prayers, and if she feared or saw that they had some company that was dangerous to their souls, she would warn her parents about this. Already, as a Daughter of Mary Immaculate, at the age of fifteen, she made a clear educational choice to commit herself to the integral education of young girls and began her apostolate among the young people of her village, Mornese.
When broken in her strength by typhoid which she contracted while helping her sick relatives in 1860, and was unable to resume work in the fields, she sought divine enlightenment with fervent prayer. She had the inspiration to gather many girls to make them good, which she shared with her friend Petronilla: "I can no longer work in the countryside. Let's learn to sew, so we can gather girls, teach them to sew and to know and love the Lord. Let us set the intention that every stitch is an act of God's love". On recovering from it, one fine day, as she was walking down the uninhabited slopes of Borgo Alto, she received a heavenly mandate. In the vision, she saw a group of girls playing in the non-existing playground. She heard a strong voice, firm and steady, saying,, "I ENTRUST THEM TO YOU." She wondered if it could be just a dream or hallucination. Yet she was fully awake, walking in full consciousness. From this inspiration, the vision of Borgalto: first the workshop, then the festive oratory, and, finally, the hostel, were built. Through these initiatives, a true apostolate was carried out among the ever-growing number of young girls, and a true school was offered where the life of faith, Christian formation, and training for work went hand in hand.
Without studies in pedagogy or theology, animated by the same educational passion of Don Bosco, guided by common sense and love of people, Mary Domenica was a true educator of youth. Her human and spiritual qualities made her a particularly skilful educator, with a formative style similar to that of Don Bosco, based on the Preventive System. She received from God a particular educational charism that she was able to accept, put at the service of the Church, and transmit to the Daughters f Mary Help of Christians (FMA).
Her educational project matured and took on new and broader dimensions in her encounter with Don Bosco in 1864, when he visited Mornese. Encouraged by Pope Pius IX to do for girls what he was doing for boys, Don Bosco had been pondering in his heart for years the project of founding a female institute that could parallel his work for boys. With the wise collaboration of Don Pestarino, he chose the first foundation stones of the future Institute from among the members of the association of Mary Immaculate, and on August 5, 1872, the FMA Institute was founded with Mary Mazzarello as the first Superior General. The Institute grew rapidly, and in 1877, the first six Salesian Sisters left for the missions and founded the first community in South America.
At 44 years of age, St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello contracted a severe form of pneumonia and died on May 14th, 1881 in Nizza Monferrato. She was beatified on November 20th, 1938 and canonised as a saint on June 24th, 1951.
Today, Don Bosco’s unique charism for youth lives on undiminished in the different parts of the world where the Salesian presence is felt and touched through his sons and daughters.
Appeal: The Bellefonte Community College counts on the donations/offerings to support the noble mission of offering educational opportunities in response to the urgent needs of the society particularly young people of the poorer sections in Northeast India.
Success stories are effective motivational tools that will uplift the spirit of the staff and volunteers and ignite their desire to further devote their lives to advancing society. We offer this opportunity so that former students can share how Bellefonte Community College has impacted their lives.
View our Successful Stories
Bellefonte Community College,
P.B No.10, Lumshyiap,
Golf Link, Shillong,
Meghalaya - 793001