From Burundi to South Africa: a spark for others
My name is Sango Marongiu and I was born in Bujumbura, Burundi.
Today I live in the Lehae district of southern Johannesburg. I came here looking for new possibilities for my future and, like so many others, I had to learn to build my way step by step.
For some time now I have been taking a computer course offered by the Scalabrinian missionaries. Each lesson is an open window to a new world for me: I am learning the basics of using computers, discovering tools that before seemed distant and complicated. It is not just a matter of skills: thanks to Fr. Gabriel, a Scalabrinian missionary, I also receive spiritual guidance that supports and encourages me in times of difficulty.
I believe deeply in the value of sharing knowledge. Knowing how to do something, for me, is not enough: the real step forward is being able to teach it, to pass on what you have learned to others. That is why, one day, I would like to teach other people how to use a computer.
My dream for the future, however, is even bigger: I want to become a Scalabrinian missionary. I want to be for others what missionaries have been for me: a reference point, an outstretched hand, a presence that accompanies you when you are far from home and facing life as a migrant.
The Scalabrinians have been by my side in the most difficult times. They have helped me not to feel alone and to believe that, even in the midst of challenges, there can be a better tomorrow.
Today, every skill I acquire, every word of encouragement I receive, every gesture of solidarity I see, fuels a spark in me. It is the spark of the dream I carry in my heart: to support and defend migrant people, just like me, and to walk together with them toward a more dignified and hopeful life.



