The post ECUADOR: Shuar Indigenous students celebrated first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Intercultural Bilingual Educational Unit marked the Shuara Tsawantri Cultural Day in celebration of Shuar students on Feb. 9. The Shuar are an Indigenous ethnic group that inhabits the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia.
The Salesian day of celebration followed Shuar People’s Day, which falls each year on Jan. 18. The day is a cultural celebration to commemorate the birth of the Shuar Federation, one of the earliest Indigenous resistance organizations in Ecuador. The federation was founded in 1964 to defend Indigenous communities from the 1964 agrarian reforms that promoted the colonization of the Amazonian region. During the first Shuar leaders’ conference, held in Jan. 1964 in which 52 Shuar leaders participated, the decision was made to form the Interprovincial Federation of Shuar Centers and assume self-government, a significant step that marked the beginning of a new era for the Shuar people.
Education programs provided by the federation have allowed and empowered the Shuar to reassert themselves and take pride in their culture. The celebration of Shuar People’s Day aims to instill in Shuar youth the historical value of their people as well as recognizing the role of Salesians in the formation of the federation.
A Salesian said, “Salesians have been very involved in providing support, education and protection of the Shuar and Achuar people in the Amazon. The cultural day was an opportunity for youth to reaffirm Shuar identity, promote the defense of the territory and express gratitude for Salesian support.”
Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help poor youth gain an education and the skills for later employment. The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.
Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20% of the population receives almost 50% of the national income, while the poorest 20% receives only 5%. According to the World Food Program, almost 26% of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31% in rural areas and 47% in Indigenous communities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Ecuador – Shuar People’s Day Celebration
Salesian Missions – Ecuador
UNICEF – Ecuador
The post ECUADOR: Shuar Indigenous students celebrated first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: 35 new counselors graduate first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students at Don Bosco College Angadikadavu, located in the town of Angadikadavu in the Kannur district of Kerala, India, concluded a six-month certificate course in counseling psychology. The course, organized by the college’s department of psychology, distributed certificates to 35 participants from diverse backgrounds.
Father Jose Koyickal, provincial of the Salesian Province of Bangalore, presented the certificates to the graduates. The event was a moment of pride for the graduates and the entire institution, symbolizing their commitment to mental health and well-being.
Father Kuriakose Pallikunnel, along with his dedicated team from the department of psychology, provided his insights during the course on subjects including basic and advanced skills in counseling, conflict resolution, peaceful communication, and psychological first aid. The program included supervised practices and written assignments, ensuring a holistic learning experience for all attendees. Graduates left the course having gained fundamental and advanced skills in counseling psychology.
In his address during the graduation ceremony, Fr. Koyickal underscored the critical importance of mental health in today’s society, emphasizing the role of trained professionals in providing support and guidance to those in need. Father Bastin, head of the department of journalism and manager of the college, echoed these sentiments. He urged the graduates to extend a compassionate ear to those around them and decipher the unspoken struggles of others.
The graduates expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in such a meaningful program. Mercy Maria, one of the participants, shared her experience and highlighted self-transformation as the most significant achievement of the course.
A Salesian noted, “The successful completion of the certificate course in counseling psychology not only signifies the personal growth of the graduates but also reflects the commitment of Don Bosco College in fostering mental health awareness and providing valuable resources for the community. As these newly certified counselors embark on their respective paths, they carry with them the knowledge and compassion needed to make a positive impact on the lives of others.”
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Certificate Course in Counselling Psychology concludes at Don Bosco College Anagdikadavu
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: 35 new counselors graduate first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ZAMBIA: Youth learn journalism trends first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Youth from Zambia, Zimbabwe*, Malawi and Namibia came together at the Salesian Youth Center in Bauleni, Lusaka, Zambia, for a first-of-its-kind Salesian mobile journalism workshop nicknamed “Sal-MoJo.”
The workshop was led by Father Maciej Makula and his colleague Aleksandra Stankiewicz, a young journalist from Poland. Fr. Makula had a long career in Polish television and had traveled to Africa extensively. The pair wanted to teach youth a skill but were also interested in highlighting positive aspects of life in Africa, including the joy, music and the openhearted nature of the people.
The four-day workshop gave youth the skills to report in real time the happenings in their Salesian centers and communities. A key aspect of the workshop was to get youth up-to-date with the current trends in journalism. Fr. Makula said, “By making use of content creation, young people will be able to tell stories through their videos in real time, that is the way to go.”
He added, “Throughout the experience young people have also begun to tap into their creativity by bringing life to seemingly uninteresting happenings through the power of video. In one of the exercises, youth captured ants, flowers and buildings and gave them meaning through the use of the numerous techniques taught in the workshop.”
Although youth lack access to professional equipment, they experienced joy in learning a new skill and excitement about what the future holds for them.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Zambia – Salesian Mobile Journalism workshop
Salesian Missions – Zambia
UNICEF – Zambia
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post ZAMBIA: Youth learn journalism trends first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post THAILAND: Students volunteer at wildlife sanctuary first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students from Don Bosco Saengthong Vitthaya School, and the Thidanukhro School, run by the Sisters of Mary Help of Christians in the Songkhla Province, volunteered to do nature conservation work at the Ton Nga Chang Wildlife Sanctuary National Park in Thailand. The volunteers consisted of 53 students along with teachers and parents.
The Songkhla and Satun provinces, where the schools are located, have a large area of forest with abundant wildlife. The area serves as watershed for many streams that flow into the basin of Lake Songkhla, an important water source for the surrounding environment.
The volunteer day started with the group listening to Panapon Chiva Sereechon, director of the park, who spoke about the conservation of natural resources and the role of national park officials in the area. Students then volunteered to help collect garbage and clean up the area around the park. They also built a low-head dam to slow down the water at Ton Nga Chang waterfall.
A Salesian noted, “These activities have helped students understand the benefits of building dams, which retain water and reduce soil erosion, as well as helping to retain sediments and miscellaneous materials that come down with the water in the stream. This helps increase biological diversity and becomes a habitat for aquatic animals.”
Salesian missionaries provide education and social programs in Thailand to give poor and disadvantaged youth an opportunity for a brighter future. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp rise in the country’s “targeted poor” (those who hold state-issued welfare cards) as noted by the Thai People Map and Analytics Platform. There are 8.1 million people in Thailand who are poor and 4.4 million people below the poverty line.
Although the country had made strides in reducing poverty before the pandemic, improving nutrition and meeting the basic needs of its residents, inequality is still pervasive. More children are also dropping out of school, especially those who are not living with their parents.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Thailand
The post THAILAND: Students volunteer at wildlife sanctuary first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Program supports at-risk youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Young At Risk Aftercare and Short Stay Home, part of the Salesian-run Anbu Illam (A Home of Love) project, celebrated its 10-year anniversary in Chennai, India. The celebration was held on Feb 16. This program is part of more than 40 years of work by the Salesians of providing for youth at risk in the region.
Since the organization’s inception, 2,125 boys and girls from risky and difficult backgrounds have received support from the Salesians. The youth have been mentored through skills-training programs, higher education opportunities, and job placements in India and abroad.
Currently, there are 82 youth who are under direct care and supervision of the home. These youth include young offenders who are either orphans or semi-orphans who are arriving from government juvenile homes.
“This ministry directly transports me to Don Bosco’s times and helps me get into his shoes and appreciate his foresight,” said Father Vincent Xavier, the founding director and the present joint director of Don Bosco Young At Risk ministry. “I salute this great saint of the young for his noble vision and proactive mission nearly two centuries ago. I feel honored to be playing my part in this great dream as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Don Bosco’s dream.”
India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22% of the country lives in poverty. About 31% of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco YaR Aftercare and Short Stay Home holds Decennial Celebrations
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Program supports at-risk youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SPAIN: Students design games for children with cancer first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Graphic design students from the Salesian Institute in Pamplona, Spain, and the Don Bosco Center in Marseilles, France, collaborated on the “Printing Smiles” project. Together, they presented the project to the public and highlighted its impact of providing games and recreational material for children at the Navarre Hospital Complex’s pediatric oncology department.
The project is part of the Erasmus+ program, the European Union’s program to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. The nine Salesian students and two teachers from France arrived in Pamplona on Jan. 22 to collaborate with the Salesian Institute’s students and staff on the project. The project will be completed in April, and at that time, the students from Spain will visit the Don Bosco Center in France.
The project includes 3D printing of games and play material for young cancer patients. The project also educates and provides hands-on experience for the graphic design students.
The presentation of the project was attended by representatives of the Government of Navarre, the Association for the Support of Children with Tumors in Navarre (ADANO in Spanish), and the oncological-pediatric department of the Navarre Hospital Complex.
A Salesian said, “The Salesian Institute in Pamplona sought the collaboration of ADANO to raise the students’ awareness of the plights of these young children. The project was building bridges between cultures and making a positive contribution to society. The Salesians in Pamplona and the participants at the Don Bosco Center in Marseilles have been enthusiastic about this exchange. It will not only promote the development of their technical skills but will also strengthen the values of empathy and service to the community.”
In addition to the project work, French students were able to fully immerse themselves in the culture of the region, participating in various activities while hosted by local families.
Guadalupe, one of the students, said “Our challenge was clear from the outset — to create educational and recreational material for a good cause. This motivated us a lot, and I have to say that we did not waste any time at all. Indeed, we were pleased to see how the regional media were also interested in our initiative.”
Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.
Close to 32% of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14% less than men and represent only 34.5% of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
The post SPAIN: Students design games for children with cancer first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DR CONGO: Displaced people offered shelter, support first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are providing shelter and support for those who have been displaced by recent fighting in the Masisi territory in Sake, near Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo*. Clashes between the regular army and the rebels have intensified, causing more than 3,000 people to flee the area to seek shelter and safety.
Salesians on the ground report that the humanitarian situation is serious and risks getting worse. Bombs have fallen in Sake and shots can be heard throughout the area. The situation has left people without food or water. Due to poor hygienic conditions, people are facing cholera.
“Along the Sake-Goma road, toward Mugunga, we see children, young and old, sitting, tired, they don’t know where to go,” explained Pascal Bauma, from the Salesians of Goma Project Office. “They were displaced people who had previously set their sights on Sake. Now, following the clashes, they were forced to leave Sake and head toward Goma. This is the second time these people have had to flee for safety.”
Given the ongoing clashes in the region, there is no more space available in the refugee camps. Those who are displaced must find alternative living arrangements.
“We cannot yet estimate the number of people who have moved from Sake to Goma because the situation is ongoing,” added Bauma. “Thousands of families have been forced to leave. There are those who stayed in Shasha and Sake because they were afraid of living as a displaced person. Others stayed in Mugunga waiting for the situation to improve so they can quickly return home.”
In Goma, people who have been displaced are living in difficult conditions. Streets that allowed food supplies to be brought in are no longer accessible. If things do not change, a serious famine looms for all the inhabitants of Goma, reported the Salesians. The scarcity of some foodstuffs is already noted, and the population is living under extreme duress. The added worry is that the city will fall into the hands of the rebels.
Salesians in the region are working to provide support. There are more than 3,500 families living on the grounds of Don Bosco Ngangi. There were another 1,000 at Don Bosco Shasha until the rebels moved in. Now it is nearly empty. Salesians have also been providing food and non-food items for those displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid. Salesians have distributed corn, soy and sorghum to the children, as well as offered games, hot meals, school and medical care.
In addition, Salesians have a medical dispensary at Don Bosco Ngangi and plan to offer schooling to the displaced children and vocational training education for the older youth. The goal upcoming is to offer training for social workers on how to best help unaccompanied minors as well as economic support for families to be able to start small income-generating activities.
Salesians in the country are calling on the international community to help with donations and humanitarian aid to help alleviate the challenges the displaces have faced.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – More violence in the east. Salesians at the service of the needy
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post DR CONGO: Displaced people offered shelter, support first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INT’L WOMEN’S DAY: Salesian programs focus on inclusion for girls and women first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. The day honors the economic, political and social achievements of women while focusing the world’s attention on areas requiring further action.
This year’s theme is #InspireInclusion and aims to forge a more inclusive world for women. The International Women’s Day website notes, “When women aren’t present, we must ask if not, why not? When women are discriminated against, we must call out poor practice. When the treatment of women is not equitable, we must take action. And we must do this each time, every time.”
Salesian missionaries living and working in more than 130 countries are focused on achieving gender equity through programs targeted specifically for young women and girls. These programs strive to empower young women and girls by providing opportunities for education and training that lead to livable wage employment.
“Salesian schools and centers focus on inclusion of girls and young women to ensure equal access to education and the supports needed to graduate and find stable employment,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “These efforts with girls and young women ensure that they can achieve long-term self-sustainability while empowering them to make good life choices for themselves and their families.”
In honor of International Women’s Day, Salesian Missions is proud to share Salesian programs around the globe that include and empower girls and young women.
Salesian missionaries with Bosco Global have launched a project to provide 80 Indigenous artisan women in Ecuador with vocational training to improve artisanal processes, management and entrepreneurship. The women from the parishes of Salinas, Simiatug and Facundo Vela sell their products under the Warmi Ruray (Women who work) brand. The project received funding from Cabildo Gran Canaria in Spain.
Training sessions included the proper use of and responsible management of raw materials such as fibers, straw, and sheep and llama wool. Women created crafts to emphasize their cultural identity and showed innovation in their designs to make them more attractive to potential customers. One of the women said, “We are very proud to have developed a catalogue of handcrafted products with our brand.”
The women also participated in the production of jams. The project has helped make the packaging more visible and attractive, reduce production times and costs, and develop and incorporate a biosafety plan that guarantees compliance with manufacturing best practices throughout the production process.
Fifteen young women who are first-year students at Don Bosco College, located in Canlubang, Philippines, have been awarded scholarships that will allow them to pursue their dreams of becoming skilled electrical technicians thanks to The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) through One Meralco Foundation (OMF), according to a Malaya Business Insight article.
Each scholarship will cover tuition fees and allowances for students in the dual NC II program in electrical installation and maintenance and mechatronics. The scholarship program also provides a four-month on-the-job training for the students, who will be given the opportunity to join the Meralco workforce afterwards, according to the article.
This initiative falls under Meralco’s Gender Diversity and Inclusion Program called MBrace that aims to provide inclusive opportunities to empower women and increase the ratio of women in the company to 40% by 2030.
Young women in the “Gender Matters for Green Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET)” program at Don Bosco Gatenga, located in Gatenga, Rwanda, were provided toolkits for employment while completing their technical courses in plumbing and electricity. This is the first group of women in the program.
Salesians note recent studies have shown that women are still underrepresented in technical courses such as masonry, welding, plumbing, electricity, carpentry and many other courses that are believed to be reserved only for young men.
In response, Salesian missionaries are working to change that through the Gender Matters for Green TVET project, which is financed by the Austrian Development Cooperation and Jugend Eine Welt. Salesians aim to increase the number of girls studying technical professions by removing the barriers that can hinder access to the courses. To help with this, Salesians have also held an awareness-raising campaign in the surrounding community to encourage girls to enroll in technical courses.
Don Bosco Fambul, one of Sierra Leone’s leading child-welfare organizations located in Freetown, offers the Girls Shelter GO+ program to support young girls who have been forced into sex work. Some of the girls are as young as 9 years old. Most of them have faced violence and sexual abuse. They include girls from other countries, villages or the poorest areas of Freetown, who all often are forced to provide financially for themselves and their families.
Don Bosco Fambul has been operating a shelter for young girls who have faced sexual abuse and are in need of shelter, support and education. Recognizing the specific need for girls who had been forced into prostitution, Father Jorge Crisafulli asked a group of girls if they wanted to change their lives.
He was able to create the Girls Shelter GO+ program inside a therapeutic center. Since the program was launched six years ago, it has changed the lives of more than 600 girls, given them the opportunity to start a new life, and provided access to education.
###
Sources:
ECUADOR: Indigenous women artisans gain income/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
PHILIPPINES: Young women awarded electrical technician scholarships
RWANDA: Young women find success in male-dominated fields/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
SIERRA LEONE: Over 600 girls rescued through program/Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Fambul
The post INT’L WOMEN’S DAY: Salesian programs focus on inclusion for girls and women first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post MEXICO: Collaboration aids migrants and refugees first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Tijuana Project in Mexico has been committed to the most vulnerable people, especially migrants and refugees, since 1987. On Jan. 26, UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), the Mexican Refugee Aid Commission and the Salesian Tijuana Project reaffirmed their commitment to working together on behalf of refugees and migrants in Tijuana.
Three years ago the Multiservice Center was created to house the Mexican government offices processing visas for refugees in Mexico, a UNHCR counseling office, and several civil associations offering legal advice, childcare, free medical consultations. Added this year is the National Employment System desk where any migrant, refugee or member of the community can apply for formal employment. The three organizations have decided to expand the range of services offered in the coming years.
This joint work model was presented at the Global Refugee Forum, held in Geneva in December 2023. The Multiservice Center was internationally recognized for its unique service model.
Father Agustín Novoa Leyva, director of the Salesian Tijuana Project, said, “The sum of efforts in this community space is unprecedented in Mexico. The center is a strong and decisive response of solidarity and support for all refugees, displaced persons and those in need of protection.”
This alliance began in 2021 with the aim of providing better care to those seeking refuge in Tijuana. The three key agents have gradually gained endorsements from other government organizations, international agencies and civil society organizations. From 2021 to 2023, 15 organizations collaborated to assist 22,614 people.
“It is part of the Salesian essence to be able to offer welcoming spaces to protect, promote and integrate the migrant community that arrives in our centers,” explained Fr. Leyva. “In this way, we want to join the call of the Salesian Congregation to take care of vulnerable children and adolescents, working in networks and adapting our structures for this purpose.”
He added, “It is in our DNA to meet people and provide them with safe spaces so that they can integrate into our society and progress. We defend and promote the rights of all people, especially the most vulnerable, such as those who are forced to leave their place of origin, fleeing with the knowledge that they will never be able to return because their lives are in danger.”
The goal of the Salesian Tijuana Project is to create an extensive educational network in areas where poor youth are at risk of social exclusion. The project took shape through Salesian oratories and educational centers where children grow up learning to share faith, culture, and sports within their communities.
A Salesian center acts as a hub for migrants who, besides much-needed material help, are also offered a familiar and welcoming environment. They can access haircuts, a change of clothes, a shower, and an opportunity to call and make contact with their families. The Salesian center also has a partnership with the Red Cross and local volunteer doctors who offer psychological and medical help.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Mexico – The Salesian Project Tijuana consolidates networking for refugees and migrants
Salesian Missions – Mexico
UNICEF – Mexico
The post MEXICO: Collaboration aids migrants and refugees first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: High infant mortality rate examined first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Campinápolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil, attended a meeting held by the local District Attorney’s Office to discuss strategies to address the high infant mortality rate in the region’s Indigenous villages. Salesians were attendance with representatives from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Department for Indigenous Health, the National Indian Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the House of Indigenous Health.
The rate of infant mortality stands at 66 deaths per 1,000 births, according to Edemilson Canela, technical advisor to the Department of Indigenous Health. The mortality rate is caused by several factors including mobility problems (such as the lack of vehicles), the limited budget of the municipality, a shortage of health professionals, lack of supplies and problems related to basic hygiene. These factors all contribute to the struggle with hospitalizing the sick and providing health services in Indigenous areas.
Prosecutor Fabricio Miranda Mereb stressed the urgency of adopting measures to reduce the infant mortality rate. Representatives at the meeting suggested ideas including the implementation of an advanced laboratory, the structuring of an imaging network and better monitoring of pregnant women. Another possible strategy is collaboration with the Federal University of Mato Grosso to provide training to the Indigenous population on food security and liaison with relevant institutions to ensure access to public policies.
Deacon José Alves, representing the Salesians, expressed the importance of the collaboration between the Salesians and the District Attorney’s Office in Campinápolis, stressing the need to expand initiatives such as the maintenance project of artesian wells.
Deacon Alves said, “The initiative is very important because it is a meeting with various groups that deal with the health of the Xavante Indigenous people in our municipality. It is part of our missionary work to seek improvements in public health policies.”
He added, “The collaboration between the Salesians and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the maintenance of artesian wells is a reality that, due to the great demand in other areas, must expand further.” Deacon Alves noted that this initiative allows better access to clean water and consequently an improvement in health and hygiene for all the communities concerned.
Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty. Salesians provide a range of services including nutritional support and training for the cultivation of land, as well as financial support for the purchase of materials, fertilizers and seeds.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: High infant mortality rate examined first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DR CONGO: Salesian missionaries open new health center first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have opened the Gabriele Confortini Health Center in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo*. The new health center will offer essential medical services for poor families and provide prevention programming aiming to improve the health of the community, especially children and women.
An opening ceremony took place on Feb. 3 in the presence of donors from Italy. The center is being managed by the general directorate of Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic and was made possible by the Confortini family, originally from Verona, Italy, who financed the construction work. The building was dedicated to the memory of Gabriele Confortini, who died after a long illness at the age of 13.
Confortini’s aunt, Anna Maria Coelli, sold her apartments shortly before she passed away in order to finance the construction of a health center in memory of her nephew. The two shared a close relationship and she wanted to save the lives of poor children in a country that desperately needs access to quality health services. Monica and Linda Confortini, Gabriele’s mother and sister, and Dario, Anna Maria Coelli’s husband, took part in the opening ceremony of the center.
Father Guillermo Basanēs, superior of the Assumption of Mary Salesian Province of Central Africa, expressed his sincere thanks to the Confortini family and urged the nursing staff to take care of patients with great love.
Representing the local civil authorities, the area health director, said: “I was called to this opening to verify that this center meets the required standards. Even before it opens its doors, I have no doubts about its credibility knowing that the Salesians of Don Bosco are responsible for it.”
The building was built by the Indian company A One Builders. Father Guislain Kaya, administrator of the Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic, publicly paid tribute to the company for completing the work on schedule.
At the closing of the ceremony, Father Mathias Amani, the province’s social communication delegate, said, “This center represents much more than a medical infrastructure. It is a tangible symbol of love, international solidarity and hope. It’s a sign imprinted in the hearts of those who have known Gabriele and those who will benefit from the care offered by this center.”
Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post DR CONGO: Salesian missionaries open new health center first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SIERRA LEONE: Don Bosco Fambul celebrates 25 years first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Located in Sierra Leone’s capital city of Freetown, Don Bosco Fambul is one of the country’s leading child-welfare organizations. It has been on the forefront of efforts to help save young women who have faced abuse and prostitution and to rehabilitate street children and reunite them with their families. In December 2023, the Salesian organization celebrated its 25-year anniversary.
Over the last four years, Don Bosco Fambul has provided assistance for nearly 11,000 children and youth suffering violations of their fundamental rights. Through education, Salesians and a large multidisciplinary team of social workers transform the lives of youth to allow them to take control of their own lives. Don Bosco Fambul also offers a 525 Childline toll-free number, available throughout the country, 24 hours a day/7 days a week for youth who suffer any type of violence.
In the last 25 years, Don Bosco Fambul has also earned recognition for having been at people’s side during the civil war and the Ebola epidemic. In addition, Salesians are on the front lines of helping residents during the floods and landslides that the capital suffers every year.
Don Bosco Fambul has two buildings where youth receive assistance. The original building houses the 525 Childline staff as well as the staff for the bus that goes out at night to meet with youth on the streets. There are also staff that go to the Pademba Prison each day to provide food, psychosocial support and recreational activities to the most vulnerable inmates, especially the youngest and the sick.
The original building also supports the Girls Shelter and the Girls OS+ (Hope Plus) program that aids victims of the sex trade through training in hotel, catering, tailoring or hairdressing disciplines, or formal education. The Eco project focused on reducing plastic waste and increasing tree planting is in this original building.
The second location was built outside the city. The Fambul Therapeutic Center complex near the sea is surrounded by greenery and large recreational areas. The complex includes four large residential buildings for youth accepted into the various programs. They receive education and legal and psychological support as well as family reunification, when applicable. The complex also has sports fields, a health clinic, a nursery and accommodations for volunteers.
During a celebration of the anniversary, Salesian organizations that support Don Bosco Fambul came from around the globe for an event. The event was also attended by members of various ministries of the government of Sierra Leone, international organizations and official representatives of the embassies of Spain and Germany.
Raquel Fuente, head of the Department of International Cooperation for the Development of Salesian Missions, together with Dr. María Eugenia Hernández, head of Anglophone Africa, delivered a commemorative plaque to Father Piotr Wojnarowki, director of Don Bosco Fambul, in recognition of this collaboration.
“The work of Don Bosco Fambul is the best example of child protection. Don Bosco worked all his life in Italy for the most vulnerable minors and young people, and Don Bosco Fambul does just that, thus expressing the best demonstration of Salesianity,” said Hernández.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Sierra Leone
UNICEF – Sierra Leone
The post SIERRA LEONE: Don Bosco Fambul celebrates 25 years first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post UGANDA: Students receive new school uniforms, supplies through funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students attending Don Bosco Primary School, part of Don Bosco Children and Life Mission (Don Bosco CALM), in Namugongo, northeast of Kampala, Uganda, received new school uniforms, sports uniforms and school supplies thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
The 200 children, ages 5-13, were from families most in need. They could not afford to buy their children new school uniforms or the school supplies to take part in educational activities.
Mbabazi Prosper, age 9, was one of the recipients. He lives with his grandmother who is unable to buy the things he needs for school. Prosper said, “I was not going to school before because my grandmother could not afford the school fees. Now I study at Don Bosco and I’m sure I will succeed in the future. Thanks to the donors we received new uniforms, books and pencils that allow us to participate in school. We are all grateful.”
Many of the students who received the donation drew pictures and wrote notes in thanks for the donation that allows them to fully participate in their education.
Don Bosco CALM rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates street children back into society. Salesians meet basic needs and provide education, socio-cultural activities, and recreation such as sports programming to help youth have a bright future.
Salesians work primarily with homeless boys and those who have been orphaned, battered, and neglected. They also provide support for other vulnerable youth and children, including those who are HIV/AIDS positive. All of the children are in school with some attending Don Bosco Primary School, Salesian secondary schools and vocational training institutes.
Uganda’s literacy rate has improved with 73% of the population literate, but only 23% of Ugandans go on to acquire a secondary education. Nearly 21% of the population in Uganda lives below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. This number rises to 33% for those living in the northern region where poverty is greatest. While the country has seen some economic growth as well as improvement in its U.N. Human Development Index ranking over the last 20 years, the country still ranked near the bottom at 166 out of 191 countries in 2022.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Uganda
World Bank – Uganda
The post UGANDA: Students receive new school uniforms, supplies through funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post AFRICA: Project aims to create safer environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Gender Matters for Green TVET (technical and vocational education and training) Project, which is financed by the Austrian Development Cooperation and Jugend Eine Welt, has initiated a comprehensive training program on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Exploitation, and Abuse (PSHEA) in five Salesian centers. The project aims to create a safe and inclusive environment that allows youth to thrive without fear of harassment or abuse, according to an article in Top Africa News.
The program is facilitated by Taaka Janepher, who commends the Salesians for approving the policy on prevention of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse. In the article, she said, “As a religious community serving young people, the Salesians recognized the need to address vulnerabilities within their community and took action to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals.”
The training brought together participants from Salesian centers in Kamuli, Bombo and Palabek in Uganda and Gatenga and Muhazi in Rwanda to undergo intensive training on rolling out the PSHEA policy at their respective centers.
In the article, Janepher highlighted the increasing awareness of sexual abuse. She noted, “The risk of sexual abuse is continuously increasing. It might have been there in the past, but now people are getting more aware. And the more they get aware, the more they get comfortable to speak about it.” She also emphasized that gender equality is a fundamental right and that it’s important to put mechanisms in place to protect the rights of all individuals.
Innocent Mutala, the program manager for Gender Matters for Green TVET, told Top Africa News, “We are trying to prevent occurrences and create a safe environment for everyone, both girls and boys, and even our staff, so that they feel safe to come and acquire a skill at any of our TVET centers.”
Gender Matters for Green TVET is a four-year program implemented in five Salesian centers including Don Bosco Vocational Training Centers in Palabek and Bombo and St. Joseph Vocational Training Center Kamuli and Don Bosco Technical Secondary Schools in Gatenga and Muhazi.
###
Sources:
Top Africa News – Salesian TVETs Takes Bold Step Towards Preventing Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse in TVET Centers
The post AFRICA: Project aims to create safer environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDONESIA: Christian and Muslim students come together first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Tigaraksa, located in Tangerang Regency, Indonesia, operate a training center called Balai Latihan Kerja for poor youth in the region. The center is unique because about 93.7% of the 150 current students are Muslim and 95% of the teaching staff are Muslim.
A Salesian missionary explained, “The students came to know Don Bosco through the presence of Salesians, and they even called themselves the Bosconian Youth. It is certainly a unique thing to see Muslim youth wearing a headscarf and claiming themselves to be Bosconian youth. For them, Don Bosco is a great man and a good person who is loyal to helping the small, weak, poor, marginalized, and disabled young people in the world. Don Bosco’s presence among Muslims in this area has changed the paradigm of local youth to see universal human values. We are all different in ethnicity, race and religion, but because we are humans, love is everything. The human person is very valuable because it is a creation that deserves attention.”
Hundreds of students and alumni recently attended events for Don Bosco’s Day, which is celebrated the first week of February every year. Father Advent, the director of the center, noted that the theme of the day was in line Rector Major’s Strenna “The dream that makes you dream.” Don Bosco’s Day event was filled with modern and traditional dance, drama, games, and live music.
Father Andang, rector of the Salesian Don Bosco Community of Tigaraksa, invited students and alumni to dream together to achieve a better future. He reminded them that Don Bosco’s first dream at the age of 9 had opened a wide path for him to become the father, teacher and friend of youth throughout his life.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed 2.76 million more Indonesians into poverty, bringing the country’s poverty rate to the highest level since March 2017. Due to job loss and business closure, there are 27.5 million people living below the poverty line as of September 2020. This is up significantly from 24.8 million a year earlier.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Indonesia – Muslim students dreaming with Don Bosco
World Bank – Indonesia
The post INDONESIA: Christian and Muslim students come together first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Women gain entrepreneurial skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in India launched the third edition of the Northeast Venture, a program for women entrepreneurs through The Hub Jorhat Bosco Institute. With the flagship program, women receive training in business skills, develop their business and finance plan, attend pitch training, and have access to the co-working space in The Hub Jorhat. There were 25 women selected for the program. At the end of the incubation training and pitching, the most promising entrepreneurs will receive seed funds to set up their enterprises.
Nidhi Gupta, executive director of Dhriiti – The Courage Within, is the chief facilitator of the incubation program. Professor Ajanta Borgohain Rajkonwar, the honorable vice chancellor of the Assam Women’s University, was the chief guest at the launch event. In her address, she emphasized the need to identify innovations at the grassroots level and promote them.
Entrepreneurs displayed a wide range of products such as handicrafts, local food, recycled cloth products and tech products. The women shared their entrepreneurial journey with the dignitaries and guests who included students from nearby colleges and institutions.
A Salesian noted, “The Hub Jorhat is an initiative of the Bosco Institute to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the region. We believe that entrepreneurship is a dignified way of attaining financial security, social stability, and ecological sustainability in diverse cultures, traditional wisdom and native skills. The Hub, with training halls, co-working space, maker space, innovation lab and media lab, was officially inaugurated in January 2022.”
India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22% of the country lives in poverty. About 31% of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – India – The Hub Jorhat launches Women Entrepreneurship Incubation Programme
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Women gain entrepreneurial skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post LIBERIA: Salesians build sports arena at prison first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries support inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison for Juveniles in Liberia. Their newest initiative is the construction of a multifunctional sports arena on the prison grounds. The construction project, which is supported by Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany, will be dedicated to Pope Francis.
“This project is a very significant step forward in our educational-pastoral work with prisoners, especially with young offenders,” said Father Augustine Okeke, rector of the Salesian community in Monrovia-Matadi.
Salesians have been giving support in the prison since they arrived in the country in 1979. Today, they provide food for those who are malnourished, medical assistance and psycho-social care in a specially built living area of the prison. For those who are wrongly held, Salesians help connect young inmates with lawyers who offer free legal assistance. Salesians also offer pastoral care including prayer, individual and group discussions, Bible lessons, the Sacraments of the Eucharist, and confession.
The prison is overcrowded due to the slow work of the judiciary system in the country. It was initially built for 325 inmates, but today, there are over 1,500 prisoners in the narrow cells. Overcrowding has led to a lack of food and water, poor hygienic standards, and a lack of psycho-social support. These in turn have led to increased aggression and frustration among prisoners, resulting in physical and mental illnesses and injuries.
Salesians hope that the addition of an area where prisoners can exercise and form sports teams will encourage working together and moments of peer-to-peer support. Prison officials are rallying behind the project.
Varney Lake, superintendent and head of the Central Prison, said, “It is only through this initiative that sport activities will soon return after so many years. That’s what I call a real Don Bosco celebration.” He emphasized the importance of sports as a therapeutic measure in the prison system.
Salesians noted that the donor was involved from the very first moment of planning. Fr. Okeke explained, “It is important to us that the donor is also involved during and after the project implementation. Even though he lives far away, he should know that he can make a difference with his own resources.”
The donor, 85-year-old Peter Friemel from Germany, has been collecting money from sponsors for his bicycle tours for many years. After some time, the project was granted permission to go ahead.
An estimated 64% of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41% of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.
Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Liberia – Salesians build “Pope Francis Arena” in Liberia State Prison
Salesian Missions – Liberia
World Bank – Liberia
The post LIBERIA: Salesians build sports arena at prison first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post NEPAL: Students visit Rohingya refugees first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) A group of 5th-grade students from Nepal Don Bosco School, located in Siddhipur, Nepal, visited the settlement for Rohingya refugees in the District of Lalitpur, a neighboring district of Kathmandu. Students were accompanied by their class teacher and the principal Father Binu Jacob.
The refugees were driven out of their homeland of Myanmar 12 years ago. The settlement has 88 Muslim families in temporary houses made out of bamboo and tin sheets. Since the stoppage of the monthly support from UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, they are under great stress to look for shelter and work so that they are able to feed their families.
The young Don Bosco students observed the condition of the settlement, met people and listened to their stories of moving from place to place after taking refuge in Nepal. The main purpose of the visit was to distribute food packets and bundles of clothes for women, children, and men. The students had gathered these items during the Christmas season.
A Salesian missionary explained, “The Rohingya refugees have been helped by Nepal Don Bosco Society several times with food provisions, clothes, shelter materials and sanitation materials. About 35 children from this settlement are going to nearby schools even though at times they unable to pay the school fees. Several private institutions, nongovernmental agencies and Christian organization have rendered support to these children and their families.”
Salesian missionaries arrived in Nepal in the 1890s and started a secondary school in Siddhipur, a village in the Lalitpur district. Today there are 20 secondary schools and nine Salesian centers in the central-eastern and far western regions of the country. Salesians provide education and social development programs to aid poor youth and their families.
Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Salesian missionaries are still hard at work with long-term reconstruction efforts after a devastating 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, with a second striking on May 12, 2015.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Nepal
The post NEPAL: Students visit Rohingya refugees first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post NAMIBIA: New parish house built with funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesians in Rundu, Namibia, have a new house thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The house will directly benefit 11 Salesians, five of whom will be there full-time. The house will also benefit more than 5,000 people in the community who will be accessing youth programs and the parish.
A Salesian said, “The Salesian community in Rundu is grateful to be able to have a Salesian house, where the growing number of Catholics in Rundu can find spiritual assistance and counseling as needs arise.”
The Don Bosco Parish opened in 2019. At the time, local business people and the community constructed a hall to be used as a church. Over the years, administration space was added. Priests were driving to the church daily for Masses and other pastoral activities, which was expensive for the parish. Salesians needed a local house where they could live and rest after providing for members of the community. The house also reduces overcrowding where the Salesians had been staying.
The most recent phase of construction began in April 2023. It included finalizing internal parts of the home, including six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a sitting area, an entertainment area, a dining room, a kitchen, a storeroom, an office and a waiting room. Salesians also finished the roof, walls and installation of windows in the chapel, and the sacristy. In addition, plumbing and electrical work was completed.
The Salesian added, “The house that has been constructed with the funding from Salesian Missions will make the pastoral activities of the Salesians easier, especially allowing them to be near the youth who come to the parish for meetings, counseling and sporting activities.”
According to the World Bank, Namibia is one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper-middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32% with an unemployment rate of 29.6%. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9%.
Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Namibia
World Bank – Namibia
The post NAMIBIA: New parish house built with funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SIERRA LEONE: Vulnerable youth have new chapel through Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Youth at Don Bosco Fambul in Freetown, one of Sierra Leone’s leading child-welfare organizations, have a new chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Don Bosco Fambul provides a range of programs to support youth who are living on the streets, girls who have faced sexual abuse, young women who have been forced into prostitution and youth in trouble with the law.
A Salesian missionary at Don Bosco Fambul noted, “The Don Bosco chapel in Don Bosco Fambul’s Child Protection Center provides a safe and nurturing environment where youth can find comfort, solace and hope. Many of the youth who come to the center have suffered physical, emotional or sexual abuse and are traumatized by their experiences.”
Before the chapel, Salesians were holding Catholic Mass in the corridors of the building, By providing a chapel within the center’s facilities, youth now have a designated space where they can reflect, meditate and receive spiritual guidance. The chapel provides a peaceful and calming environment, which can aid in the healing process. It also offers a sense of community where youth can connect with caring adults and their peers, developing a sense of belonging essential for their well-being.
The Salesian added, “The chapel also provides a space for staff, volunteers and supporters who understand the importance of helping youth who have been through such difficult times, allowing them to experience a sense of hope and comfort. The chapel will complete the therapy center and give staff a place to reflect during their breaks. Their mental health while doing this critical work is as important as that of the youth we serve.”
Don Bosco Fambul social workers go out to the streets, poor neighborhoods, and marketplaces to engage with vulnerable youth and encourage them to join Don Bosco Fambul’s programs. The organization has four large buildings, a clinic, accommodations for volunteers and social workers, a house for the Salesian community, and the chapel. The Child Protection Center, where the chapel is located, currently serves 125 young men who stay an average of three months.
One of the beneficiaries is Osman, who experienced child trafficking and was intercepted along the Sierra Leone-Guinean border. The whereabouts of his parent are unknown. Osman takes the auto mechanic’s course at the Don Bosco garage, and Salesians have been impressed with his commitment to skills training.
Another beneficiary is Musa, who had been living with his father and mother in the eastern part of Sierra Leone. After his father’s sudden death, he came to Freetown because his mother could not provide for him. He ended up living with his elderly sister who forced him into child labor. He left to live on the street and survived for more than a year washing dishes and sleeping in market stalls. Staff of the mobile unit at Don Bosco Fambul found him and brought him into the group home. Musa is now honing his skills in welding and improving every day.
In addition to the youth and staff at Don Bosco Fambul who will use the chapel, it is also open to the more than 2,000 in the village community. While nearly 80% are Muslim, because of the pastoral work of the Salesians, they will join the congregation for prayers, especially on Sundays.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Sierra Leone
UNICEF – Sierra Leone
The post SIERRA LEONE: Vulnerable youth have new chapel through Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PHILIPPINES: Youth learn to recognize emotional abuse first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish’s Youth Coordination Council has facilitated the training “Identifying Emotional Abuse in the Family.” More than 150 members from various youth groups of the Salesian Youth Movement, recipients of youth scholarships and members of other parishes participated in the meeting held in the Philippines.
May Margaret Sim, a counselor and psychologist, shared her experience in recognizing emotional abuse within the family and shared her insight on how to deal with it. She also taught young people how to cope with emotional trauma. Father Fidel Ma. Orendain, superior of the Salesian Province of the Southern Philippines, also spoke at the event as part of the provincial visit to the parish.
A Salesian noted, “This is information that is applicable to all youth. Whether the emotional abuse is occurring at home, school or within their friend groups, being able to identify emotional abuse is the first step in addressing and overcoming the trauma it can cause. The goal is to bring awareness to the issue and help youth learn strategies to address it while also providing them the support they need.”
Since 1950, Salesian missionaries have been providing crucial help in the Philippines — working with at-risk youth, impoverished families and disaster victims. Salesians offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Philippines – Forming Young People for Life: Identifying Emotional Abuse in the Family
Salesian Missions – Philippines
UNICEF – Philippines
The post PHILIPPINES: Youth learn to recognize emotional abuse first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Youth graduate with hospitality skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Tech, located in the village of Rongajan in the state of Assam, India, held graduation for 25 youth. Originating from conflict-ridden areas, many of these students had previously dealt with homelessness, family loss and substance abuse. Through the free training initiative, youth found hope through developing job skills, specializing in food and beverage service in the hospitality industry.
With the leadership of Brother Sunny Joseph, the director of Don Bosco Tech, and dedicated staff, students gained basic computer skills, English language skills and soft skills in the two-and-a-half-month program. They also attended industrial training at The Wild Dhansiri Borgos in Golaghat, which provided first-hand insight into hotel operations. A 19-day practical training at Bonvilla Retreat and Iora The Retreat Hotel in Kaziranga further honed their skills.
By the end of the training, 15 students secured training positions as food service associates, housekeeping associates and front office associates at Vedik Resort in Gujarat. They are receiving a stipend along with food and accommodation for six months of on-the-job training. Another five students secured employment at Tamara Resort in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, and the remaining five candidates will gain employment at local placements at Borgos Hotel Kaziranga and The Wild Dhansiri Borgos, each offering compensation with food and accommodations.
A Salesian missionary said, “These trainees’ personal struggles with substance abuse serve as a testament to their resilience as they now embark on promising and dignified career paths.”
India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22% of the country lives in poverty. About 31% of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Training at Don Bosco Triumphs in Transformative Career Journeys
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Youth graduate with hospitality skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SIERRA LEONE: Don Bosco Fambul expands child-welfare work with grant secured by Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Fambul in Freetown, one of Sierra Leone’s leading child-welfare organizations, has added staffing support thanks to a grant from the Flora Family Foundation secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The Flora Family Foundation was established in 1998 by the family of William R. Hewlett (co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company) and his wife Flora Lamson Hewlett to support social progress, environmental well-being and cultural vibrancy.
Don Bosco Fambul provides a range of programs to help support youth who are living on the streets, girls who have faced sexual abuse, young women who have forced into prostitution and youth in trouble with the law. With the funding, Don Bosco Fambul was able to add a program manager, advocacy officer and communications officer.
Thanks to the staffing support, Don Bosco Fambul raised public awareness about child sexual exploitation and promoted its Child Line 525 for reporting child abuse and crimes committed against children. Through an advocacy campaign, Don Bosco Fambul staff educated the public about sex offenses, child rights, sexual exploitation and the consequences when these laws are broken. They also provided information on the channels by which the public can access justice in such cases.
Don Bosco Fambul celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. It is operating a shelter for young girls who have faced sexual abuse and are in need of support and education. Recognizing the specific need for girls who had been forced into prostitution, Father Jorge Crisafulli, former director of Don Bosco Fambul, created the Girls OS+ (Hope Plus) program inside a therapeutic center. Since the program launched six years ago, it has changed the lives of more than 600 girls.
Fr. Crisafulli said, “The main aim of the Girls Shelter OS+ program is to reach out to underage girls who are involved in prostitution and help them off the streets, offering a safe environment where they can access holistic rehabilitation and physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. The goal is to help them recover their dignity through education and skills training and reintegrate back into their community.”
A young woman named Mable was one of the beneficiaries of the program. She explained, “I was able to access the resources I needed to change my life. This included education at the Portree Vocational Training Center where I studied hairdressing. During the training, I was given food, clothing and financial assistance. I was even given a start-up kit when I graduated. Today, I make a good living in my salon.”
In addition to these services, Don Bosco Fambul also has social workers who go out to the streets, poor neighborhoods and marketplaces. They engage with vulnerable youth and encourage them to join Don Bosco Fambul’s programs. The organization has four large buildings, a clinic, accommodations for volunteers and social workers, a house for the Salesian community, and a chapel. It’s the only program of its kind in West Africa that provides girls who have been sexually abused or forced into prostitution with a safe environment to overcome their traumas and start a new life.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Sierra Leone
UNICEF – Sierra Leone
The post SIERRA LEONE: Don Bosco Fambul expands child-welfare work with grant secured by Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PHILIPPINES: Youth learning music through accordion donation first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Youth at Don Bosco Boys’ Home in Liloan, Cebu, Philippines, have 15 new accordions thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. There are 45 boys at the home and, prior to the donation, there were only four accordions. The donation is giving all the students the opportunity to learn how to play the accordion. Other young people are also being invited to learn.
Salesian Brother Alexander Abelgas provides accordion lessons for the interested students. Each of them takes a lesson to learn the notes before using the instrument. They then advance to 30-minute daily practice to learn more about the instrument and to play difficult songs. The students who can play proficiently will be given the opportunity to accompany the Mass and community celebrations.
Don Bosco Boys’ Home was established in 1989 to provide residential care and education to boys living in poverty in Cebu. Thirty-three boys, ages 12-17, are in junior high school while 12 boys, ages 16-20, are in senior high at the Liloan National High School-Don Bosco Campus, located within the boys’ home compound.
A Salesian noted, “The goal is to reintegrate the boys to society, so they can have a good future for themselves. Our motto is ‘We help the boys help themselves in life.’ At the home, they experience group living enhanced by educational, social, cultural and spiritual interventions. They are provided food, clothing, toiletries, and medical and dental care. The boys follow a daily schedule that is aimed to foster discipline, personal development and interpersonal skills.”
The boys wake up early to prepare for school. After class, they have time for recreation including games, music and arts. Dinner is followed by time for tutorials and study before sleeping. On Fridays, the boys watch a film.
“The boys are assigned different home chores daily to promote personal responsibility, cleanliness and organization,” added the Salesian. “They also have singing, music, dancing, arts classes, sports practices and competitions. Every first and third weekends of the month, the boys have home and family visitations.”
Since 1950, Salesian missionaries have been providing crucial help in the Philippines — working with at-risk youth, impoverished families and disaster victims. Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Philippines
UNICEF – Philippines
The post PHILIPPINES: Youth learning music through accordion donation first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CAMBODIA: Indigenous people share voices first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries facilitated the second edition of the “Voices” program, which amplifies the silent voices of youth, providing them with the platform and support they need. The most recent edition was held at Don Bosco Kep in Kep, Cambodia. The program is promoted by the Social Communication Sector of the Salesian Congregation.
In Cambodia, eight different Indigenous groups were involved over the two-day program at Don Bosco Kep. The groups were mainly from the northern province of Ratanakiri and provinces such as Oddar Meanchey, which is the ancestral land of the Kuy people.
“The goal is to give voice to Indigenous people in Cambodia, especially those whose voices are often ignored, silenced or attacked through discrimination and social injustice,” said Father Albeiro Rodas, director of Don Bosco Kep.
During the event, Indigenous people shared their identity, language, traditions, spirituality, territory and problems. With their traditional customs, one youth and one Cha Thom or elder, discussed these topics while adding stories and proposals for solutions. Day one of the event concluded with a cultural night and ancestral traditional music and dances performed by students. Day two provided a time for Indigenous people to share their concerns about the challenges they face and their hopes and aspirations for the future.
All participants visited the Bokor National Park Mountain, a sacred place for Cambodians. Participants gathered inside a 100-year-old abandoned Catholic Church for a moment of prayer. This was followed by a short ceremony led by Fr. Rodas and Father Harris Pakkam, from the Social Communication Sector in Rome. All involved symbolically expressed commitment to protect and defend Indigenous rights and traditions and share the knowledge to the rest of the world.
The concluding ceremony took place around a camp fire under the full moon, where the Indigenous groups were represented by an elder and youth who shared their impressions and the impact of the program. The elders expressed a great sense of gratitude for the awareness that had been had created. They also suggested that all the discussions be documented and published in a book in the Khmer and English languages.
One elder of the Lun Indigenous group remarked, “I am grateful for this invitation to participate. It is the first time that I met members of other Indigenous groups and I found not only so many similarities in our traditions, but also in our problems and challenges.”
Bonny Seun, a young Indigenous leader from the Jarai group who coordinated the event, concluded, “This is a historic event for Indigenous people, as it is the first time they have come together under this program to participate, speak and discuss. I hope that there will be lot of awareness created about the situation and plight of the Indigenous people who also have a dream and a future.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Cambodia – Indigenous People speak up at VOICES, Cambodia
ANS – RMG – “Voices” returns to East Asia-Oceania, to listen to the Indigenous Young People
Salesian Missions – Cambodia
World Bank – Cambodia
The post CAMBODIA: Indigenous people share voices first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: Volunteers support families in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Youth Missionary Project in Brazil provides volunteer opportunities for people ages 17-30. The project is carried out in the Salesian parishes of São Joaquim, Nossa Senhora de Fátima and Nossa Senhora da Conceição. A similar volunteer project for older adults, known as the Adult Missionary Project, takes place in the Salesian Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora Parish.
Between these two projects, volunteers have made over 2,000 visits to the cities of Missal and Ponta Grossa in the Paraná state and Pouso Redondo and São Joaquim in the Santa Catarina state.
During recent missionary activities, 100 volunteers visited several families to provide support. Volunteers met with residents to help address shortfalls in their basic needs and living environments.
A Salesian noted, “By engaging in volunteer work, youth have the opportunity to cultivate empathy, develop leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. Through these visits, youth were not only helping others, but they were improving themselves with better social skills and self-esteem and increased happiness.”
Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: Volunteers support families in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post NICARAGUA: Students receive scholarships through Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students attending Saint John Bosco Salesian School in Granada, Nicaragua, received scholarships thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. In 2023, 62 primary and secondary students benefited from this scholarship funding.
The students come from poor families who do not earn a substantial wage or who are led by single mothers. The families have serious financial difficulties and struggle to pay tuition on their own. The scholarship funding ensures youth from these families have access to high-quality education.
A Salesian noted, “Salesian education responds to today’s challenges and seeks to educate and empower youth to develop a sense of responsibility for one’s own life, overcoming obstacles with courage and perseverance.”
The school was founded in May 1912, the year in which the first Salesians arrived in the city. Education is offered for preschool, primary and secondary school.
Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80% of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.
Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.
More than 70% of the population is under 30 years old, which is youth play such central role in the development of the country. However, Salesians report that youth have few prospects because of poverty. Salesians are working to provide education and social development programs to help youth have stability so they can gain an education and become self-reliant.
###
Sources:
Photo capture from video courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Nicaragua
World Bank – Nicaragua
The post NICARAGUA: Students receive scholarships through Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Girls brass band places third at national competition first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run St. Xavier’s Secondary High School, located in Pathaliaghat, Tripura, India, has won third prize in the category of female brass bands during a national competition. The competition was held at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi in January. The jury was composed of members of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. The event was attended by 457 youth from 16 schools across India.
The school band is comprised of 25 girls between the ages of 11-17 from various villages in Tripura. The group, formed just eight months ago, has shown exceptional talent while improving their skills through hard work and dedication.
A Salesian said, “This is a wonderful accomplishment in such a short time for the young girls that are part of the brass band. Not only to be able to come together and play but to win a national competition so soon after its formation. We congratulate them for their hard work, talent and accomplishment.”
The school is led by Father Babu, and it has four teachers and 25 girls. The band won previous competitions at the local and regional level to advance to the national competition in New Delhi.
“The young girls in the band have shown great teamwork and talent to advance as far as they did,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Music education is a part of Salesian curriculum. Through music education, students not only learn to play an instrument but the lessons taught help them in working collaboratively, developing a talent and having an appreciation of the arts.”
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – India – The St Xavier School band on the podium of the national competition for school bands
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Girls brass band places third at national competition first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post MADAGASCAR: 800 youth take part in activities first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing support for youth in Madagascar since 1981. They offer education, literacy, and professional training, as well as pastoral care and oratories for youth. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world and more than 60% of the population is under age 20.
The town of Ankililoaka has been home to a Salesian community for more than 40 years. Located in the southwest of Madagascar, the town and the area are poor. People are mostly supported by agriculture even though there is often a lack of water. In addition to education, Salesians focus efforts on ensuring that the people have their basic needs met. There has also been an oratory for youth since the beginning.
A Salesian noted, “The oratory has always been an important point of reference for youth where they are protected and learn the true meaning of friendship, respect, collaboration and responsibility. It’s been a space in which they grow, play and pray in the little church that is the heart of this oratory. More than 800 youth attend the activities there that are coordinated by 35 leaders.”
The Salesian added, “Play and sport have always been important to the Salesians and the youth we serve. There is much for youth to learn while they are having fun with their peers. At the oratory in Ankililoaka, we offer both basketball and volleyball. As the oratory continues to grow and serve even more youth, we are looking for international support to build two playgrounds. Mission Don Bosco in Italy is currently looking for the support to helps us carry out this project.”
Salesian missionaries have 11 centers and work in several locations in the country, including the Don Bosco House in Ivato in the outskirts of the capital of Antananarivo.
Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Madagascar – The oratory in Ankililoaka has a new life
Salesian Missions – Madagascar
UNICEF – Madagascar
The post MADAGASCAR: 800 youth take part in activities first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Afghan refugees building new life first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Prato, a city in Tuscany, Italy, are supporting Afghan refugees with the “We are with you” project, thanks to the financial support of Don Bosco Mondo. The project provides reception, integration, education and social support for Afghan families who arrive in Italy seeking safety and a new life.
Mahdi and Tayeba Moshtaq, two married Afghan refugees, received support from the project. After the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, the entire Moshtaq family fled their country. The couple has two children, Narges and Amir, who were young when the family left. They arrived in Italy in January 2022 and were welcomed by the Saint Anna Oratory in Prato.
After completing procedures to obtain a residence permit, health cards and refugee status, along with the A2 level Italian certification and the eighth grade diploma, Mahdi began working at a cooperative. Tayeba takes care of the children. In March 2023, Mahdi began an internship at a spinning company, which recently turned to an open-ended contract for him.
The family, now more settled, lives in one of the residences of Prato’s Reception and Integration System. Despite the distance from the Don Bosco Center, they continue to attend the oratory. Tayeba has said it is a real home where the family found much comfort and emotional support. Mahdi is grateful for the closeness and kindness of the people they have met.
A Salesian said, “It is not easy to start a new chapter in life when you are forced to run away from your country, taking with you the bare minimum, and having to take care of safeguarding two young children. Salesians do as much as they can to ensure refugees have safe shelter first and foremost. We help with the paperwork, teaching language lessons and helping refugees integrate into their new communities.”
In addition to helping migrants and refugees, Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Italy – The story of Mahdi and Tayeba, from Kabul to Prato for the dream of a happy life
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
The post ITALY: Afghan refugees building new life first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SOUTH AFRICA: Green project to educate 15,000 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the AFM Vice-Province of Blessed Michael Rua in South Africa held a workshop for 39 delegates and leaders from the Eco Ubuntu project in Johannesburg. The three-year Eco Ubuntu project was inspired by Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which had as its theme “Good Christians and Upright Citizens.” Pope Francis underlined the importance of education and training to help youth foster environmental responsibility.
The green project involves most of the 18 Salesian school networks in Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa. Salesians will educate more than 15,000 youth about environmental protection through eco camps, debates and festivals. Once youth have the knowledge, the goal is for them to help educate their communities and the broader society about enacting green interventions such as solar energy, borehole installations, hydroponics sites and sustainable gardens.
The workshop brought together Eco Ubuntu project stakeholders including leadership from schools, green delegates (mainly school teachers), and experts in solar technology, water access, waste management, hydroponics and sustainable cultivation. There were educational sessions, time for questions and an open forum.
One Salesian said, “This was a successful kick-off workshop where experts were able to share best practices and the teachers who are our delegates provided creative input and asked questions about the project and how best to educate youth on the subject.”
Salesian programs in South Africa provide a range of educational and social programs to help poor youth and their families have hope for a better future. The environmental education provided by this project is a recent addition to Salesian education. Similar Salesian initiatives are happening in centers and schools around the globe.
Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – South Africa – 15,000 Young people involved in Eco Ubuntu Project
Salesian Missions – South Africa
UNICEF – South Africa
The post SOUTH AFRICA: Green project to educate 15,000 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: Medical clinics reach Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian centers in Sangradouro and Meruri, Brazil, were host to 34 medical students and doctors from the University Center Faculty of Medicine of Santos (UNILUS). This was the 15th expedition of the Academic Project of Assistance to Indigenous Peoples (PAAPI), which started in 2009. The project provided medical clinics for Xavante Indigenous people in Sangradouro and Bororo Indigenous people in Meruri.
The students are in their first to third year of medical school and were supported by doctors and teachers. Along with the Salesians, they organized a health center and facilitated activities for the children including sports and painting.
“This is a yearly event that ensures medical support reaches these Indigenous communities that have access to few resources,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education may be the main goal, Salesians serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs are met including proper nutrition and medical care.”
Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: Medical clinics reach Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ARGENTINA: Vulnerable families benefit from food aid first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the cities of Santa Fe and Rosario, Argentina, have mobilized to provide food support to 240 vulnerable families. According to the country’s National Institute of Statistics and Census data, poverty rates are alarming, with many families lacking the resources to meet their basic needs. This includes the many families already being supported by the Salesians.
Thanks to collaboration with the IRSA Foundation, Salesians are focused on helping families who are suffering in the neighborhoods of Ludueña, Los Hornos, Hipódromo and San José. Bags of food were donated to three Caritas offices and then delivered to the families. In addition, a support network has been established, which includes providing these families with technical training workshops and job placement possibilities.
“Providing stopgap food aid to families suffering from conditions of poverty is critical to ensure their health and safety,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians know that providing aid isn’t enough. These families need long-term support to get back on their feet. The only way to accomplish this is by providing skills training so individuals can join the workforce and earn an income to support their families long term.”
The Salesians of Don Bosco are considered the largest private provider of vocational and technical training in the world. Programs focus on helping vulnerable youth by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs. Around the globe, there are nearly 1,000 Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools. Those receiving training in Argentina had a real shot at success with long-term stable employment with the help of the Salesians.
More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37% and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12% of children ages 5-17 are working instead of being in school and 20% need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Argentina – Salesians and “IRSA Foundation” unite to provide food assistance to families
Salesian Missions – Argentina
World Bank – Argentina
The post ARGENTINA: Vulnerable families benefit from food aid first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INT’L DAY AGAINST THE USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS: Salesian Missions highlights support for former child soldiers first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring Feb. 12 as Red Hand Day, also known as the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers. The day was started when the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict entered into force on Feb. 12, 2002. This protocol was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations (U.N.) in May 2000 and has been ratified by 168 U.N. member states.
In 2001, the U.N. Security Council sent a powerful message to the world that the recruitment of child soldiers would no longer be tolerated. Resolution 1379 requested the U.N. secretary-general attach an annex to his report on children and armed conflict, in which he would list parties to conflict who recruit and use children in situations on the U.N. Security Council’s agenda. Subsequent resolutions added four additional triggers for listing: sexual violence, killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and abduction of children.
Salesian organizations around the globe give youth who have been recruited as child soldiers a chance at a better life. They offer shelter, counseling and education to gain the skills for later employment.
“Children utilized in hostilities and war have faced unimaginable violence and abuses and need our support to have a second chance in life,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian missionaries work with former child soldiers so that they may overcome the traumas of war and reintegrate into society.”
In honor of International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs that help child soldiers by offering education and psychosocial support.
Salesian missionaries are helping former child soldiers and at-risk youth in Colombia gain an education and have hope for the future. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. In addition, the country’s guerrilla warfare has caused more than 300,000 deaths and fueled the growth of powerful drug cartels.
Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, has been working with youth for more than 55 years and has saved more than 1,300 from a life of violence. The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn — how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.
Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.
Another program focused on similar work is the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center (Don Bosco Center) in Cali. The Don Bosco Center provides a chance at rehabilitation for youth who have been ripped from their families at a young age to become soldiers.
Operated by Salesian sisters, Mary Help of Christians School provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities — many of whom are former child soldiers. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. The school also has a feeding program, which serves more than 100 students each day.
This is one of many schools that Salesian missionaries operate in Liberia. Salesians have been present in Monrovia since 1979 and manage parishes, youth centers, schools and oratories.
In 2019, Don Bosco Technical High School, also in Monrovia, launched a vocational training course for electro-technicians. An afternoon class is available to high school students, which complements their current educational path. There is also a morning class for young workers to help them obtain certification to improve their options in the workforce.
The Salesian Père Michael Training Center in Bamako, the capital and largest city of Mali*, is bringing joy, providing education, and cultivating peace among children and older youth. The center keeps its doors open all day and provides support to hundreds of youth from the Niarela district and the outskirts of the city. It also works as a deterrent for children being recruited as child soldiers.
Youth come to the center to play sports, learn music or study at its library. The center provides a safe haven where youth have an opportunity to live, dream of a future, study, and learn the importance of being committed and collaborating in groups. They are able to express themselves freely and access the support of adults.
The goal is to keep young people, ages 12 to 25, away from the street and harmful habits such as alcohol or drugs. Instead, youth are offered an educational space during their free time which promotes cultural activities and allows the development of values. Salesian missionaries have been able to access sports equipment for the girls basketball team, set up a music training center, and organize health and hygiene awareness days to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.
###
Sources:
ANS Photos (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
COLOMBIA: Salesians work to rehabilitate young soldiers
LIBERIA: Salesian-run Mary Help of Christians School educates 560 students each year
MALI: Center provides safe haven for youth
United Nations – Children and Armed Conflict
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post INT’L DAY AGAINST THE USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS: Salesian Missions highlights support for former child soldiers first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post WORLD DAY OF THE SICK: Salesian Missions highlights health programs for youth in poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring the Catholic World Day of the Sick. Every year on Feb. 11, the Pope marks the day with a special message calling for spiritual and physical closeness to all those who are ill. Saint John Paul II instituted the day “to encourage the people of God, Catholic health institutions and civil society to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them.”
Pope Francis focused his message for the day on the theme “It is not good that man should be alone. Healing the Sick by Healing Relationships.” He calls on everyone to improve their relationships with each other as the first stage of healing sickness.
In his message, Pope Francis wrote, “Brothers and sisters, the first form of care needed in any illness is compassionate and loving closeness. To care for the sick thus means above all to care for their relationships, all of them: with God, with others — family members, friends, health care workers — with creation and with themselves. Can this be done? Yes, it can be done and all of us are called to ensure that it happens. Let us look to the icon of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37), to his ability to slow down and draw near to another person, to the tender love with which he cares for the wounds of a suffering brother.”
Salesian missionaries offer more than 150 medical clinics and hospitals in mostly rural areas around the globe that serve a wide range of medical care needs. In many countries with Salesian programs, dental care and other necessary health services are offered to poor youth and their families who might otherwise have no access to health care.
“Salesians aim to serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs like health and nutrition are met in addition to other social service needs,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Without being healthy, it’s difficult for youth to focus on their education, which is the main goal of the Salesians. Health also includes mental health services, which can also improve relationships with others. We offer these wrap-around services to ensure youth have what they need so they can focus on gaining an education.”
On World Day of the Sick 2024, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight medical and health programs that provide critical services to those living in poverty.
Salesian College Siliguri, located in North Bengal, India, has launched its first Psychology Lab, Wellness Studio and Wellness Woods. The lab is a facility for research, psychological testing and diagnostics while the studio is a counseling center open to students and anyone who requires wellness therapy.
The psychology department at Salesian College started in 2012. It is the only college of North Bengal University’s 64 affiliate colleges to offer degree courses in psychology both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
“The Psychological Lab and Wellness Studio are significant contributions the college is offering to North Bengal and particularly to Siliguri in the mental health sector,” said Father George Thadathil, a professor and principal of Salesian College.
Dr. Prince C. P., one of the initiators of the lab, explained, “The Wellness Studio and Wellness Woods are the facilities for counseling and clinical psychology where master’s students of psychology will be able to practice and provide professional services to students on referral.”
People in Salesian communities and people who are internally displaced in Myanmar* received medication and other health support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. While initially wanting to set up a clinic, Salesians had to shift how they provided health services in a country that has been experiencing political turmoil since a military coup in February 2021.
Doctors were unable to come to a Salesian clinic and the need was far reaching outside of Salesian communities. As a result, Salesians used donor funding to send medicines to people most in need. If medicine couldn’t reach them, Salesians sent funding so that items could be purchased locally to address the overwhelming need.
Father Khun Myat Victor, provincial economer in Myanmar, said, “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the financial support donors have provided for the poor people who are staying in our communities and in refugee camps in different parts of our country. With their generous support, we provided health support for 500 people.”
The State Coordination of Salesian Social Platforms in Madrid held the “Comprehensive approach for children, young people and educational teams” workshop for Salesian staff. The workshop provided practical tools to effectively address mental health challenges faced by youth who are being served by Salesian centers across Spain. An emphasis was placed on ensuring that the integration and normalization of mental health support in the educational plans remains a priority.
Father Luis Fernando López Martínez opened the workshop with a presentation about the importance of understanding mental health from a broader perspective. He highlighted the complexity of the issue and stressed the importance of defining strategies that educational teams manage during the year. He also focused on how youth face intensified emotional vulnerabilities due to overexposure and social comparisons in the digital age and through social networks.
The following day, María José Ortega Cabrera addressed mental health problems in childhood and adolescence, classifying them according to their severity. Challenges were examined and she offered guidelines to address them. She also highlighted ways to differentiate typical behaviors from those that could indicate deeper problems. The goal is always to ensure care for youth in Salesian centers.
Salesian missionaries with the Don Bosco Health Clinic Gumbo, located in Juba, South Sudan*, are appreciative of the support provided by the Ordesa Foundation, an organization in Spain. With the foundation’s support, the Don Bosco Health Clinic will have improved equipment and supplies available for diagnosis and treatment to enable doctors to better care for those people who have been displaced by violence in the country.
Since 2002, the Ordesa Foundation has been committed to the improvement of the living conditions and the nutrition and health of children — especially newborns, infants and children in the first years of life.
In South Sudan, many of the health centers are not functioning and people may live miles away from a health care center, making access to care difficult. The clinic was founded in 2012 to treat internally displaced people, especially children suffering from malnutrition. In addition, Salesians offer mobile clinics in surrounding areas. With the support they received from the Ordesa Foundation, Salesians will be able to aid more than 87,500 women, 12,000 children under the age of 14 and almost 6,000 others.
###
Sources:
INDIA: Student mental health services launch at college/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
MYANMAR: Health services reach 500 people thanks to donor fundingPhoto courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
SPAIN: Youth mental health focus of training/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
SOUTH SUDAN: Over 100,000 people to receive better health care/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post WORLD DAY OF THE SICK: Salesian Missions highlights health programs for youth in poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post UNITED STATES: Youth participate in vacation camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Boys & Girls Club in East Boston, Massachusetts offers a vacation camp during the week after Christmas and winter and spring breaks. Youth who attended the camp in December were excited to participate in the various activities offered.
The vacation camp supports working parents who need a place for their children to go during the school break. The club’s staff facilitate games, gym activities, and various competitions for prizes in the morning. The club provides breakfast, lunch and snacks.
Salesian Brother Bob Metell explained, “Over the course of the week during this Christmas break camp, youth had a choice to go on a field trip, either bowling, going to video arcades or going to the movies. This year, some of the youth went to an art studio and created their own works of art, assisted by art students.”
Salesian camps in the United States and around the globe provide disadvantaged youth a chance to have an enriching break where they can connect with friends and engage in safe activities. The camps provide much more than recreational activities. There is also an educational component that instills teamwork, skill building and problem solving.
###
Sources:
Photo by Br. Bob Metell, SDB
Salesians of Don Bosco Canada & Eastern USA – East Boston: Vacation Camp at the Salesian Boys & Girls Club
The post UNITED STATES: Youth participate in vacation camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Teachers empowered for safer schools first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Pontifical University’s Institute of Psychology in Rome has organized a course for teachers focusing on strategies to address classroom management challenges and to support students. The goal is to empower teachers to make the learning environment an even safer and more inclusive place.
A Salesian said, “Teaching represents a stimulating and rewarding challenge, but, in the face of difficult class groups and students, it can turn into an experience full of complications if methods and tools aimed at particularly effective management are not adopted.”
Aimed at teachers at all levels, school leaders and school psychologists, the course is directed by Prof. Alessandro Ricci. It will consist of three different modules, including addressing group dynamics in the classroom, dealing with difficult students and conflict management, and rules for students and families.
With both theoretical and practical skills, participants will learn strategies for effective involvement with other teachers, students and parents in the school environment. In addition, strategies for prevention and promotion of socio-relational well-being in school will be addressed.
The Salesian added, “These skills will cover a range of school grades and situations that come up in the classroom. We want teachers to be able to prevent conflicts, but if they can’t, then they need to learn how to effectively put in place rules, handle conflict and improve the school-family collaboration.”
Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.
Poverty rose sharply in 2020 to its highest level in 15 years as the COVID-19 crisis brought economic challenges for much of the country. With subsequent inflation, 1 in 12 Italians lived in absolute poverty in 2022, causing 5.67 million individuals and 2.18 million families to have an income level that did not support them to meet basic needs of life including food, shelter, education and healthcare. This number includes 1.3 million minors.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Pontifical University
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
The post ITALY: Teachers empowered for safer schools first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post RWANDA: Children with deafness or hearing loss receive education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Filippo Smaldone Institute, located in Nyamirambo, a suburb of Kigali, Rwanda, is run by the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart. The institute provides primary and secondary school, as well as vocational courses to prepare students for the workforce. The institute also has special courses for students with vision and hearing disabilities, according to a recent article in Global Sisters Report.
The Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Heart congregation was founded in 1885 by St. Filippo Smaldone, who is known as the apostle of the deaf. According to the article, since 1987, the Salesian sisters have focused their work to assist those in danger of social exclusion, including students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The institute educates more than 400 students, including 207 children with hearing loss or deafness and more than 200 without a disability. According to the article, Salesian Sister Therese Akayezu, head teacher at the Filippo Smaldone Institute, noted that by attending classes and special programs with dedicated teachers, deaf or hard of hearing children can learn skills to master a profession.
Sr. Akayezu said, “In our teaching methodology, we try to focus on improving self-esteem among children with hearing loss who sometimes develop lower self-esteem than hearing peers.”
Many parents in remote and rural Rwanda do not know that their children with disabilities have a right to study. Children who do attend school drop out earlier because they are unable to learn in classrooms where only 15% of teachers are trained in how to educate those with disabilities, according to the article, which pulled statistics from the Ministry of Education.
Students with disabilities, which include nearly 39,000 learners, need an education in order to gain the skills for later employment. The article noted that one-third of Rwandan students with disabilities in both primary and secondary schools have hearing loss.
“Parents should understand that these hearing-impaired children need to attend school and learn how to use sign language as it creates for them a true learning experience,” Sr. Akayezu said in the article.
Jules Mugirase, a 12-year-old from Mageragere, used to have a self-deprecating mentality due to his severe hearing loss. Things have changed since he enrolled at the institute. Mugirase told the Global Sisters Report, “I made many new friends at school, and thanks to the special support I am getting, this keeps encouraging me to do my best.”
Parents also report a positive change in their children as they learn skills and become engage in their education. Alphonse Munyankindi, whose son is learning baking at the institute, said his child has grown happier since returning to school. In the article, he explained, “My son first developed hearing problems when he was 5 years old, and the situation continued to worsen, and he was no longer able to study at regular schools.”
Adults are also succeeding in finding a career thanks to the institute’s vocational training. The article noted that thanks to the Salesian sisters, Fiona Mukundente, a 23-year-old mother with hearing impairments, has been able to complete the one-year intensive vocational sewing program. After her training, she and her peers at the institute secured a loan from the Saving and Credit Cooperative Society, a microfinance institution, to establish a modern sewing workshop at Kabeza, a suburb of Kigali.
She told Global Sisters Report, “Before joining hands with my peers in running a sewing workshop, I was unemployed and had nothing in terms of assets. After starting this career, I started making money, bought a piece of land and can pay school fees for my siblings.”
Salesian sisters at the Filippo Smaldone Institute are not only improving individual students’ lives but are setting a standard for education for youth with disabilities in the country.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Aimable Twahirwa and Global Sisters Report
Global Sisters Report – Salesian Sisters’ school supports Rwandan children with deafness or hearing loss
Salesian Missions – Rwanda
UNICEF – Rwanda
The post RWANDA: Children with deafness or hearing loss receive education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post MEXICO: Salesian volunteer serves migrants in Tijuana first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Tijuana Project has been committed to the most vulnerable people, especially migrants and refugees since 1987 in Tijuana, Mexico. The Salesian Center houses a refectory and other project activities and provides services to migrants and poor youth living on the border between Mexico and the United States.
Kristiñe Azpiazu is a young psychologist who spent three months as a Salesian missionary volunteer in Tijuana. Azpiazu, who was part of the Basque government volunteer program in Spain, became a Salesian volunteer through the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid.
Salesian Tijuana Project has youth centers, where cultural and sports activities are offered to children and older youth, both native to the city and migrants. In addition, there is a large Salesian Center that acts as a hub for migrants who, besides much-needed material help, are offered a familiar and welcoming environment. They can access haircuts, a change of clothes, a shower, and an opportunity to call and contact their families.
The Salesian Center also has a partnership with the Red Cross and local volunteer doctors who offer psychological and medical help. Nearly 1,500 are offered support through this center at any given time.
In her first weeks of service, Azpiazu was assigned to the San Juan Bosco Salesian Oratory which provides quality educational opportunities to youth from vulnerable families. Nearly 1,000 people access services each day. Later, Azpiazu spent time at the Padre Chava Salesian Refectory and Reception Center, an initiative that began 21 years ago to assist migrants and people living on the street.
The Padre Chava Salesian Refectory offers meals and a safe space for those reaching the border and within the community. Migrants and people who are homeless can access nutrition, safe shelter and human interaction. The welcoming environment helps people integrate into society and provides tools for personal and professional growth.
While spending time with both the refectory and the reception center, Azpiazu was able to use her professional skills as a psychologist to lend support. She found her experience invaluable. Azpiazu said, “I recommend everyone be informed and participate in this volunteer program. For me, it represented a before and after in my life. It has helped me to grow personally and to know a situation that otherwise I would never have known and felt as I feel it now.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Mexico – Kristiñe’s volunteering experience in Mexico marked “a before and after in my life”
Salesian Missions – Mexico
UNICEF – Mexico
The post MEXICO: Salesian volunteer serves migrants in Tijuana first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: 15 young refugees finish technical training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Vocational Training Center Rebaudengo, located in Turin, Italy, launched a program to provide skills training for 15 young refugees who are living at Camp Fenoglio in Settimo Torinese, a commune in Turin. Run by the Red Cross, the camp houses young refugees and migrants ages 20 to 40.
The center, part of CNOS-FAP – Salesian National Center for Training and Job Placement Network, leads the training for the program. Partners Biella Industrial Union and the Italian Red Cross support the program and the participants. Biella Industrial Union reviews companies for hiring refugees after the training is finished. The Red Cross provides ongoing support for candidates, including monitoring the progress of the students’ activities and attendance as well as ensuring trainees have access to public transport passes to facilitate their travel to and from the course.
The course, which began in December 2023, provided 120 hours of vocational training in the mechanical-textile field. After training finished in January 2024, a supervisor with Biella Industrial Union ensured job placement in the city of Biella along with proper housing.
Agostino Albo, from the Salesian Vocational Training Center, said, “We did not record any absentees on the part of the students. There was a strong level of motivation and the will to complete the course.”
A Salesian added, “This is an important training program beyond how we are helping the young refugees. The training is focused on the mechanical-textile sector, which in recent years has been experiencing a production crisis due to the lack of manpower. This shortage is primarily linked to the excessive choosiness of companies, which require a specific skill-set. This training program aims to meet the needs of this sector while uplifting those who need training and employment.”
Last year, another course for a different employment sector was held for immigrants. All 14 students found employment when the course ended.
Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Italy – A Job Placement Course for Young Refugees at ITI – “Rebaudengo”
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
The post ITALY: 15 young refugees finish technical training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ARGENTINA: Youth celebrate at Don Bosco camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) More than 800 youth from the provinces of Salta, Córdoba, Tucumán, Mendoza, San Juan, San Luis and Santiago del Estero, Argentina came together to celebrate with their peers at the Don Bosco summer camp. The camp, held in Anisacate in early January, was organized by the Northern Region of the Argentine Explorers of Don Bosco. The camp’s theme “A heart that dreams, a thousand who live it” was inspired by the Rector Major’s Strenna 2024.
The event provided an enriching experience for youth who participated in workshops, catechism and games. Several Salesians were in attendance, including Auxiliary Bishop of Córdoba Alejandro Musolino and Father Horacio Barbieri, superior of the Salesian Province of Northern Argentina. Bishop Musolino expressed his joy at having participated in such a beneficial experience for youth, underlining the importance of these meetings for their development.
“Vulnerable and disadvantaged youth deserve a chance to have an enriching summer break where they can connect with friends and engage in safe activities,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian camps provide much more than just recreational activities. There is an educational component included in each one that instills teamwork, skill building and problem solving. Youth learn while having fun.”
More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37% and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12% of children ages 5 to 17 are working instead of being in school and 20% need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Argentina – More than 800 young people at the Exploradores of Don Bosco summer cam
Salesian Missions – Argentina
World Bank – Argentina
The post ARGENTINA: Youth celebrate at Don Bosco camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PERU: Youth center to expand first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries provide programs and support for youth and their families in Huancayo, Peru, which is located in the Andes Mountain range. Salesians have been in the city for more than 100 years educating youth and working to meet the community’s needs. One of the cornerstones of the Salesian presence in the area is the Salesian Youth Center.
When the center first started, it was only a courtyard where youth met, engaged with their peers and prayed. Over time, new buildings have been erected and the services expanded to better meet the educational needs of youth.
Today, youth from 13 to 30 years old come to the center to take a range of educational courses. Nearly all of them come from families with few financial resources. Most have complex family problems and the center is a second home for them. For a few, it’s the only place they feel cared for and safe. They can study, read, use the computer, play, and attend singing, music and theater workshops.
A Salesian missionary noted, “We think it is necessary to equip it to be the best, to be able to guarantee all the services to the less fortunate young people. We want to have a large multipurpose room that is welcoming and beautiful to look at.”
To complete the project, Mission Don Bosco, the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, is helping to furnish the new room so that it is a comfortable and safe space. The mission office will provide the funding for Salesians to buy new computers for young university students and promote youth group activities.
In addition, funding will buy different musical instruments including a drum set, keyboard, guitar and bass for music workshops. There will also be support for a music teacher to encourage youth to start artistic and musical training courses. An audio system with speakers, consoles and microphones, both for training courses and special events will also be purchased.
The Salesian said, “This project will ensure additional educational initiatives for youth in Huancayo to provide them the opportunity to grow and develop their passions.”
Peru faces high levels of income inequality and has more than a quarter of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty levels are significantly higher in rural areas but urban areas struggle most with inequality, most notably metropolitan Lima. Poverty in the country is made worse by a shortage of productive farmland and a lack of job skills among women entering the workforce, as well as a lack of adequate housing, nutrition and education.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Peru – Computers and musical instruments for the Salesian centre in Huancayo
Salesian Missions – Peru
World Bank – Peru
The post PERU: Youth center to expand first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ECUADOR: Salesian soccer schools benefit Achuar youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries started the Yankuam Jintia Soccer School in February 2020 in the Wichimi community in Ecuador. This was the first school of its kind for the Achuar community, an Indigenous population in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The school was developed by Father Agustín Togo, a member of the Wasakentsa community, who saw an opportunity to use soccer to educate and teach about Catholic values.
Four years later, the school has had a positive impact on the community. The school has provided an opportunity for youth to connect with their peers, learn important life lessons and do something productive with their free time. The one school has now grown to seven. Soccer schools are available in Wichimi, Patukme, Wasakentsa, Sapapentsa, Karakam, Wampuik and Wachirpas. The number of participants has also grown from 80 to more than 700 youth.
The soccer schools encourage participation and growth in sports skills. Fr. Togo explained, “Through soccer, which is so important in the life of the Achuar population, children learn values such as respect, discipline, responsibility and teamwork. But it is also a way for young people to meet God.” Fr. Togo organizes opportunities for prayer, confessions and celebrations when he has the chance to be with youth in the schools.
To strengthen the bonds between Achuar communities, soccer leagues have recently been organized in the under–12 category. The operation of the schools is made possible thanks to the collaboration of people from the community who volunteer to conduct the training sessions. They are also responsible for the care of the equipment provided by Salesians in Ecuador and around the globe, including Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Thanks to support, volunteers also have mobile phones or tablets to keep in regular contact with Fr. Togo to plan and evaluate activities. Technology helps the volunteers gain up-to-date knowledge on sports training methods.
Fr. Togo has plans for the schools, including obtaining technical training in soccer for the volunteers through an agreement with the Salesian Polytechnic University. Volunteers will be able to access the pedagogy of physical activity and sport courses. Fr. Togo also aims to establish links with soccer teams or schools in other provinces of the country, so that youth can test their skills.
He explained, “They dream of becoming great players and some dream of playing on the national team. There is talent, skill and technique among the young players. My dream would be to be able to have a national team of the Achuar people and participate in championships in other cities around the country.”
Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20% of the population receives almost 50% of the national income, while the poorest 20% receives only 5%. According to the World Food Program, almost 26% of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31% in rural areas and 47% in Indigenous communities.
Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help poor youth gain an education and the skills for later employment. The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Ecuador
UNICEF – Ecuador
The post ECUADOR: Salesian soccer schools benefit Achuar youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post UNITED STATES: Volunteerism changes Salesian lay missionary’s life first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Juan Carlos Montenegro, originally from Ecuador and now living in Los Angeles, Calif., credits a volunteer experience with the Salesians in 1994 for changing his life. He spoke about the experience and the importance of volunteerism at his recent TEDxOneonta Talk, an independently organized TED event. The talk was entitled “Unleashing Human Potential Through Volunteerism.”
As a young man, Montenegro struggled in school due to his dyslexia. He failed tests and was not able to advance his education. At age 18 he took an opportunity to volunteer in a Salesian community in Wasak’entsa, Ecuador, in the Amazon jungle. When he asked what to do, a Salesian priest told Montenegro that he was going to be a teacher.
Montenegro was astounded given his poor performance in school. As he noted in the talk, he wasn’t even good at studying. He was given the keys to the library and he says that is when his life began to change. When he returned home, he was ready to continue his studies. He entered university where he earned numerous advanced degrees.
Today, Montenegro is a commercial engineer with a master’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree in youth ministry and a certificate in coordination of youth ministry. He also holds a Ph. D. in individuals, family and society, which is a multidisciplinary vision from the University of Comillas, Spain. He is dedicated to offering support to people and organizations in their processes of self-knowledge and in the discovery of their abilities to achieve their freedom and success.
Through his talk, Montenegro sheds light on the potential within individuals that can be unleashed through acts of service and compassion. He challenges the audience to envision a world where everyone volunteers to make the world a more compassionate and better place to live.
A Salesian missionary echoed Montenegro’s words, “The power of volunteerism goes beyond the immediate impact on those being served — it also has the potential to transform the volunteers’ lives. By engaging in volunteer work, individuals have the opportunity to cultivate empathy, develop leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. By volunteering, individuals can build strong communities, develop social skills, improve self-esteem and increase happiness. Moreover, giving back fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment that can be profoundly enriching on a personal level.”
Montenegro’s TEDxOneonta Talk is currently available on YouTube.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – United States – Unleashing Human Potential Through Volunteerism: a TEDx Talk That Inspires Change
The post UNITED STATES: Volunteerism changes Salesian lay missionary’s life first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ZAMBIA: Street children find hope at center first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Makululu, within the city of Kabwe, Zambia, reach out and assist vulnerable street children through a project started in 2016. Makululu is a disadvantaged area, characterized by lack of employment, high mortality because of HIV/AIDS infections, a high percentage of separated families, heavy alcohol abuse and extreme poverty. As a result of these issues, many children and older youth are forced to live on the streets.
To provide support, Salesians started a community school for street children and school dropouts. Over the years, Salesians increased their support by adding new educational activities and developing new infrastructure, including a specific center for street children and children at risk.
The center offers shelter, rehabilitation and reintegrating programs for 92 boys, ages 7 to 14. The process of rehabilitation and reintegration depends on the situation of each child and the condition of the parents or guardians. Some of the children can be reintegrated with their families after a few months and continue education at the Salesian school or another school. Others may leave the center to start independent life.
A Salesian missionary said, “Salesians work closely with the families through regular home visits, counseling and offering transformative programs. The goal is always for youth to remain with their families when it’s possible.”
Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.
Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Zambia – Supporting Vulnerable Children in Makululu
Salesian Missions – Zambia
UNICEF – Zambia
The post ZAMBIA: Street children find hope at center first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PAKISTAN: 4 new youth projects funded first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Edoardo Agnelli Institute in Turin, Italy, provided support for four projects at the Don Bosco House in Lahore, Pakistan. Salesian Brother Piero Ramello, the former economer at the institute, currently works at the Don Bosco House as a missionary and has been providing a multifaceted and comprehensive program for youth.
A Salesian in Turin explained, “The Don Bosco House currently provides informal training opportunities for 150 youth, who are 12 to 20 years old. The newly funded projects will help to provide more diverse and robust activities for the youth. The commitment of everyone made it possible to raise 6,000 euro from a single school, helping to develop these projects.”
The first project is focused on musical activities. Courses are provided in the evening and encourage youth to choose what instrument to learn and play with other performers. This provides a time for collaboration and socialization.
Another project is sports activities, which are provided in the afternoon. These activities encourage youth to play, compete and collaborate with their peers while respecting the rules and improving endurance, speed, flexibility, willpower and coordination skills.
The third project is focused on recreational and formative activities. Youth will learn through viewing films, as they are encouraged to debate, ask questions and learn the religious and cultural meaning in them.
The final project, thanks to a collaboration with a professional, will emphasize mental health. It will help youth understand their personal fears and address feelings of guilt and negative emotions. The goal is to help them psychologically acquire self-acceptance and self-compassion while transforming self-harm behaviors into positive actions in their lives.
Salesian schools provide economic benefits, scholarships and accommodations for students from the poorest families so that education is not only accessible but also an incentive for parents to send their children to school. Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia at less than 50%. Although the country’s constitution acknowledges free and compulsory education between the ages of 5 to 16, the rule is often not followed in rural areas for those over age 13.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Italy – Solidarity Christmas: the Agnelli institute helps Salesians in Pakistan
World Bank – Pakistan
The post PAKISTAN: 4 new youth projects funded first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SYRIA: 3,500 youth supported by Salesian centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) More than 3,500 youth are being supported by Salesians in Aleppo, Damascus and Kafroun, Syria*. Almost 13 years after the start of the war and 11 months after the earthquake that hit Aleppo, the devaluation of the currency, poverty, unemployment and despair has increased among adults and children.
“In October 2023, we started the new pastoral year and winter activities, and in Aleppo alone we have more than 1,500 children. They participate in oratory, formation and catechesis activities,” explained Mateo Colmenares, a volunteer in Aleppo. “We are also providing economic aid to families in need, including vouchers for solar panels, food and help with reconstruction after the earthquake.”
Syria is undergoing a severe economic devaluation. The Syrian lira has devalued by more than 100% in the last year, salaries are not enough to buy the basics to live and houses do not have electricity.
Colmenares said, “We’re bringing light in times of darkness and difficulty. Salesians never stop supporting young people despite very complicated situations, and together we try to open up new perspectives to reach more and more people.”
However, youth are still facing the realities of war with the conflict in Gaza seen in everyday life. In the early days of the war, those attending the Salesian oratory could see bursts of gunfire streak across the sky toward Gaza.
“Younger children were crying and scared. The older ones, aged 16 to 17, who remember the worst part of the war in Syria, went about their normal lives and didn’t notice anything. When these things happen, we began saying the rosary in the courtyard,” said Colmenares.
Salesian missionaries operate three centers in Kafroun and the particularly high-conflict areas of Aleppo and Damascus. Throughout the ongoing war and struggles in the country, Salesian centers continue to meet the needs of their communities through the distribution of food, economic aid and scholarships to help young people continue with their schooling.
Colmenares added, “So much has been destroyed by the war and the earthquake. Children are still recovering but many see little hope for the future. As we start a new year, Salesians are asking for an end to the violence and for help from all over the world to continue supporting the victims.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Syria
*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post SYRIA: 3,500 youth supported by Salesian centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PORTUGAL: Campaign provides basic needs for families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The SolSal-Family Support Service in Lisbon facilitates a yearly Christmas Campaign to collect and distribute items for disadvantaged families. This year, 3,371 packages of basic necessities were collected and distributed. A similar campaign supports families in Évora, Portugal.
The Christmas Campaign brought together students, families and educators. The campaign collected 188 packages of diapers, 239 packages of baby care products, 194 hygiene products such as toothpaste and deodorant, and 2,750 packages of food products. At the Salesian nursery and kindergarten, about half a ton of food was collected. The items will be distributed to families benefiting from Évora’s SolSal Family Assistance Service throughout the year.
SolSal in Lisbon currently supports 84 families, including 184 youth. Youth benefit from programs that help them and their families meet their basic needs in order to minimize the constraints of poverty. This support is possible thanks to the many donors who have contributed to the campaign.
A Salesian said, “Salesian solidarity campaigns were organized throughout the Christmas period to ensure that families have their basic needs met. The school community, including youth and their families, have put all their efforts into helping the most vulnerable. No one was left behind and everyone had the courage to dream big, just as Pope Francis asks.”
According to the World Bank there are close to 2.6 million people living below the poverty line in Portugal, 487,000 of whom are under the age of 18. The country is one of the most unequal countries in Europe as far as wealth distribution. Wealthy citizens earn five times the rate of income than those living in poverty.
Unemployment and low incomes are two of the factors that contribute to unequal wealth distribution. Portugal has a low hourly rate for workers in comparison to other countries in Europe. Many parents have to work multiple jobs, which leaves less time at home with their families and children. This leaves children without the proper guidance at home leading to behavior problems and lack of preparedness for school, including getting homework done and eating breakfast before coming to school.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Portugal – A great success for the Lisbon and Évora Christmas Campaigns
World Bank – Portugal
The post PORTUGAL: Campaign provides basic needs for families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: Students from Salesian Educational Center research water quality first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students from the Salesian Educational Center in Talca, Chile, presented the “Analysis of Water Quality in Nearby Rivers or Bodies of Water” project at a recent exhibition for educational environmental innovation associated with service learning. The presentations of the Salesian students and other local high school students took place at the Enrique Maldonado Sepúlveda Higher Institute of Commerce. The event was organized by the Innovation Network for the Professional Technical Educational Transformation.
A Salesian explained, “The students, advised by their teacher Nicolás Ulloa Ravello, carried out exhaustive research on the quality of water in rivers and bodies of water near Talca, Colbún and San Clemente. This involved taking samples from various water sources, including rivers, springs, canals, groundwater, rain and bodies of stagnant water. They grew microorganisms from these samples and analyzed the nutrient levels, focusing mainly on nitrogen and phosphate levels. The findings are presented in a research paper, offering a complete view of water quality in the region.”
The exhibition not only showcased the students’ work but served to strengthen service learning experiences. This method of education combines learning processes and community service in which students help address real needs in the environment.
The Salesian added, “The students are looking for funding to continue the water analysis project to achieve improvement in the areas where the project was carried out. They aim to continue the study and focus their efforts on environmental care.”
Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.
According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10%. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Project on Water Quality was presented as a service-learning experience
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: Students from Salesian Educational Center research water quality first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PHILIPPINES: Hydroponic garden promotes well-being at Don Bosco Boys Home first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Brother Alex Abelgas from Don Bosco Boys Home, located in Liloan, Cebu, Philippines, has started a garden using hydroponics technology. He created it in response to Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility.
Through vegetable production, Bro. Abelgas is promoting well-being for young people. He grew lettuce using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. Using money raised from his close friends, he constructed a new greenhouse, which is now one of the main attractions at Don Bosco Boys Home.
A Salesian noted, “Though still at the early stage of his project, Bro. Abelgas has already provided lettuce for the Salesian community. He partnered with the Department of Agriculture and hopes to attach the project as one of the programs that will be implemented by the Don Bosco Boys Home Training Center, headed by Father Ding. The goal is not only for sustainability but to provide training for youth and the nearby community.”
Since 1950, Salesian Missions has been providing crucial help in the Philippines — working with at-risk youth, impoverished families and disaster victims. Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Up Beat Response To Pope Francis’ – “Laudato Si”
Salesian Missions – Philippines
UNICEF – Philippines
The post PHILIPPINES: Hydroponic garden promotes well-being at Don Bosco Boys Home first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SPAIN: Nearly 130 youth learn about climate change first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The “nARTure” project aimed to foster the bond between youth and their cultural and natural environment through innovative workshops in Spain, Portugal and Greece. Workshops focused on sustainable cultural practices and the close relationship between body expression and nature. Supported by European Union funds, the project concluded at the end of 2023.
The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid was involved in the project to help facilitate youth activities. Its partners, The High Mountains and Arte M., carried out the same service with youth in Greece and Portugal.
The year ended with nearly 130 youth committing to fight climate change and build a more supportive, just, and inclusive community through art. One of the youth who participated in the project said, “I keep hold of everything I have learned — respect for others and the environment. The Earth belongs to everyone and there is only one Earth. This project brought me joy, knowledge and experience. There is still a lot to do to improve the environment.”
The Salesian Mission Office collaborated with Herbario Comestible, a local cultural association that promotes sustainable practices and a deeper bond with nature. In a day trip to Canencia Park near Madrid, participants were able to have fun, identify plants and learn responsible harvesting practices.
Ángela Denore, project manager for the Salesian Mission Office, explained, “‘nARTure’ is a project in which we tried to focus on cultural and artistic practices that we share and that are sustainable. We want to give youth visibility and encourage the need to transform society and culture to take care of our common home. We are satisfied with the response of young people and their involvement.”
The project supports development education, sustainability and the link with culture. In addition, the project lays the foundation for a future where local communities are rooted in their past, aware of their present and committed to a sustainable future.
Salesian missionaries have also been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.
Close to 32% of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14% less than men and represent only 34.5% of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Europe – The “nARTure” ecological education project has formed more than 100 people in 2023
Salesian Missions Madrid nARTure
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
The post SPAIN: Nearly 130 youth learn about climate change first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INT’L DAY OF EDUCATION: Salesian Missions highlights life-changing educational programs for poor youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in honoring International Day of Education on Jan. 24, recognized since 2018. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed International Day of Education as a celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) noted, “Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. Today, 250 million children and youth are out of school, and 763 million adults are illiterate. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. It’s time to transform education.”
Salesians provide primary and secondary schools, and they are considered the largest private provider of vocational and technical training in the world. Programs help vulnerable youth by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs. Around the globe, there are nearly 1,000 Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools — with a focus on serving poor and needy youth.
“Education provides a path out of poverty,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian education provides youth a chance to learn fundamental skills that will help them later in life. Many students advance from secondary school into Salesian vocational and technical training, which gives them the skills for long-term stable employment. It’s the way youth become self-sufficient and productive members of their communities.”
In honor of International Day of Education, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight educational programs that benefit youth around the globe.
Salesian missionaries in Machala, Ecuador, provide technical education for at-risk young people from low-income sectors in the city. Salesians also supported 20 small family business initiatives to improve the living conditions of the beneficiaries. The project was supported by the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, the ADEY Foundation and the Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Ecuador.
The goal was to reduce poverty by strengthening technical skills and promoting family and entrepreneurship for young people ages 18 to 35. Courses focused mostly on young women who are migrants, mainly from Venezuela, and Ecuadorian citizens experiencing social exclusion, including single mothers and economically dependent women. With lower levels of education, these young women face the greatest barriers to accessing training and employment.
Education included courses in gastronomy, cosmetics and cell phone repair, which were held at three different times. Each course included 108 hours of face-to-face lectures on technical topics, 12 hours of lectures on peace culture, entrepreneurship, and business models, and 24 hours of hands-on individual work that was done at home. A total of 218 students participated in the courses, with 68% of the students women and 32% men. Of the students, 56% were from Ecuador and 44% were migrants.
The Salesian Center in Ibadan, Nigeria, has a new computer lab thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The project known as “Provision of Vocational Skills for Young Girls & Boys for the Improvement of Livelihoods” has provided 31 desktop computers, six laptops, software, computer tables and chairs, among other items.
Salesians established the center in 2002 to offer poor youth educational and social services. Today, the center has the Institute of Philosophy with 200 students, a youth center that is visited by 500 youth each day, an oratory where 100 youth visit each day and a child protection home with 40 children. Salesians also offer an outreach program where street children who cannot be accommodated in the child protection home are able to visit for support and assistance. More than 1,000 youth have sought help through the outreach program.
Prior to the donor funding for the project, the center only had four computers available for all of these youth in addition to teachers, staff and Salesians. The new computer lab will accommodate more youth and allow them to learn digital skills for employment.
Six students who attend Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati City, Philippines, were supported with their education thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. Five of the students are in the automotive program while the sixth student is taking the fitter machinist course. The students have completed their coursework and advanced to hands-on training with their graduation in September 2023.
Don Bosco Technical Institute was established in 1971 to provide poor and underprivileged youth with the skills training to find and retain employment. Today, the institute teaches close to 800 students in courses including automotive, machine shop, electrical and electronics, and printing.
The institute has also developed long-term partnerships with organizations that help ensure students are able to access on-the-job training and find employment once they graduate. Partnerships have been developed with Ford and Porsche, among others.
Students enrolled in the Porsche program complete a 10-month basic training course that includes both theoretical and practical training at the Don Bosco Technical Institute where Porsche has set up and equipped a dedicated training facility. During the program, students undergo advanced Berlitz-administered language lessons in English and Spanish, as well as training in customer service.
Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, South Africa, is taking a pivotal role in developing programming for youth ages 18 to 26 who are neither employed, engaged in education nor receiving training. Salesians empower youth by reintroducing them to learning, nurturing entrepreneurial skills, and providing valuable exposure to real workplace experiences.
The NEETs program combines essential life skills training with vocational skill training. Youth are selected from specific disadvantaged communities within the greater Cape Town area. This strategic choice is intended to foster social change within these communities, creating a ripple effect.
Youth are in the program for 12 months covering three learning modules of life skills and fundamentals such as language and math, an internship in social enterprises, and workplace learning within a partner organization, allowing them to gain practical experience in their field.
###
Sources:
ECUADOR: New technical training benefits young women/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
International Day of Education
NIGERIA: Salesian Center has new computer lab thanks for donor funding/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
PHILIPPINES: Students continue education thanks to donor funding/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
SOUTH AFRICA: Youth empowered by skills program/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
The post INT’L DAY OF EDUCATION: Salesian Missions highlights life-changing educational programs for poor youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post GUATEMALA: Children in need receive gifts first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Gifts were delivered in the days before Christmas to the most disadvantaged children from the territory connected to the Holy Spirit Parish in Guatemala City, Guatemala. This was coordinated by the Association of Mary Help of Christians and was made possible thanks to parishioners who collected and delivered the gifts. In addition to gifts, association members shared a snack with the children during their time together.
A Salesian said, “The children and their families were grateful for the support during this Christmas season. The children enjoyed the gifts and snacks and a moment of happiness with their peers and caring adults. It was also an opportunity for parish members to give back and support their local community. We are grateful for our donors who are always willing to help.”
Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.
Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70% of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91% for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Guatemala – Delivery of gifts to many disadvantaged children
Salesian Missions – Guatemala
World Bank – Guatemala
The post GUATEMALA: Children in need receive gifts first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post THAILAND: Salesian Thailand Planning and Development Office shared food with families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Thailand Planning and Development Office provided bags of food to 120 poor working families from Burma, Laos and Cambodia, as well as people with disabilities. This distribution was part of the “Share Love at Christmas” project at the end of 2023.
A Salesian noted, “The families live in the area of the parish of Mary Help of Christians, mostly comprising of Muslims and Buddhists. The food parcels were prepared by the church youth group and were received with appreciation and gratitude. This was a wonderful way to give back to our community and ensure people have the nutrition they need.”
Salesian missionaries provide education and social programs in Thailand to give poor and disadvantaged youth an opportunity for a brighter future. One of the best-known programs is Don Bosco Technological College in Bangkok, which has been ensuring poor youth have access to advanced education since 1949. Its education programs allow youth to gain the skills needed to find and retain stable employment. To do that successfully, the college has developed partnerships that help train youth in employment sectors that need a skilled workforce and have the jobs available to hire youth right after graduating.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp rise in the country’s “targeted poor” (those who hold state-issued welfare cards) as noted by the Thai People Map and Analytics Platform. There are 8.1 million people in Thailand who are poor and 4.4 million people below the poverty line.
Although the country had made strides in reducing poverty before the pandemic, improving nutrition and meeting the basic needs of its residents, inequality is still pervasive. More children are also dropping out of school, especially those who are not living with their parents.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Thailand – Food baskets delivered to more than 120 needy families
Salesian Missions – Thailand
The post THAILAND: Salesian Thailand Planning and Development Office shared food with families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SUDAN: Salesian sisters’ home damaged in war first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians Dar Mariam House in Khartoum, Sudan*, was again impacted by the ongoing war in the country. On Jan. 2, a sniper from one of the rebel groups involved in the conflict set fire to the second floor of the house. Rooms and the hall on a side of the floor were badly damaged. With help from neighbors and soldiers, the fire was extinguished in two hours.
“No one was injured. Thank God. May his will and his glory always prevail,” said Father Jacob Thelekkadan, an Indian Salesian missionary who has been living in the Dar Mariam House since shortly after the outbreak of the war.
The Dar Mariam House is home to Salesian sisters, Fr. Thelekkadan, mothers and children, and a group of men, including some who are elderly and sick. This is the second time the house has been impacted by the war. On Nov. 3, 2023, it was hit by a large bomb, which damaged several classrooms and structures. There were only minor injuries given the destruction.
The war between Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) started on April 15, 2023. Since then, there has been no public transport, electricity is sporadic and water is becoming scarce.
The most official data available from October 2023 indicated that there about 10,000 dead and almost 12,000 injured. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees noted that at the end 2023, the conflict had caused almost 7.1 million internally displaced people and more 1.3 million refugees.
Salesian sisters will continue to monitor the situation and do what they can for those most in need.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Sudan – Sniper sparks a fire at the FMA house in Karthoum
Salesian Missions – Sudan
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post SUDAN: Salesian sisters’ home damaged in war first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SPAIN: Salesian Institute celebrating 75 years of vocational training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Hogar Fundación Institute in Vigo, Spain, celebrated its 75th anniversary with a commemorative day that included dignitaries, past pupils and teachers. Since 1948, the institute has provided vocational training in the city and its surroundings to ensure that youth have an opportunity to access skills for employment.
“These 75 years show that education is really a matter of the heart,” said Father Fernando García Sánchez, superior of the Salesians from St. James the Greater Province, at the celebration.
The institute offers nine training courses, including digital printing, graphic printing, welding, machining, electrical and automatic installations, telecommunications installations, production scheduling in mechanical manufacturing, industrial automation, and robotics and electronic maintenance.
Part of the success of the institute is its focus on employment. The institute has incorporated the dissemination of research and practical training into its business-oriented higher education model. The result is that 80% of students are recruited for work after they finish their studies.
A Salesian missionary noted, “Hogar Fundación Institute is always looking to adapt to not only students’ need but the needs of the community. During the most complicated moments of the COVID-19 pandemic and given the lack of medical safety equipment, the institute, at the request of its faculty and volunteer students, made masks and visors as a first protection barrier. Through a network, more than 14,000 were created.”
The institute continues to demonstrate that education and long-term stable employment are possible when there is collaboration among the social and entrepreneurial fabric of a city.
Close to 32% of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14% less than men and represent only 34.5% of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Spain – Salesians in Vigo: “These 75 years show that education is really a matter of the heart”
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
The post SPAIN: Salesian Institute celebrating 75 years of vocational training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Annual event brings joy first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian cooperators in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, conducted a series of awareness programs in the villages belonging to the Mary Help of Christians parish, including Tobera, Malex and Ramale. The events started at the beginning of Advent and culminated on St. Stephen’s Day on Dec. 26. On Christmas day, gifts were given to 180 families. Salesians also extended these activities to the Rakunai parish on Christmas.
Salesians held a Christmas Mass as well as a celebration with songs and dances. This annual event is the result of collaboration between all members of the Salesian family and the friends of Don Bosco.
A Salesian noted, “This event brings much joy to the children and families we serve. It’s a time for the community to come together to celebrate the holidays and connect with one another. It’s also the time for Salesians and school staff at Don Bosco Technical School to celebrate the accomplishments of youth this past school term.”
Salesian missionaries in the country provide primary and secondary education as well as technical skills training to prepare youth for the workforce. Missionaries also help to ensure that basic needs like shelter, food and water are met so students are able to focus on their studies.
Papua New Guinea has a population of approximately 7.5 million people. It is a resource-rich country with oil, gas and gold reserves as well as fertile land capable of producing high crop yields. Despite this, an estimated 40% of Papua New Guineans live below the poverty line of $1.25 per day, according to the World Bank.
Close to 50% of adults are illiterate and 25% of children are unable to attend school in Papua New Guinea. Part of the problem with getting to school, work and hospitals has to do with the country’s infrastructure. In rural areas, where nearly 88% of the population resides, there are few roads or means of transportation to get to schools or places of employment.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Don Bosco Secondary Technical School
Salesian Missions – Papua New Guinea
World Bank – Papua New Guinea Poverty
The post PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Annual event brings joy first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post KENYA: Students graduate ready for workforce first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Secondary School (Don Bosco Embu), located in the municipality of Embu, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya, helps supply the workforce with qualified candidates while giving poor youth a chance at an education and a better life. Many of these students lack other opportunities to gain an education.
The school started in January 1986 and has grown to become a large institution within the region. All of the young men who attend the school live on campus full time. Most of the youth at Don Bosco Embu come from Don Bosco Boys Town in Nairobi, which provides a home, school, playground and church for youth, primarily boys, who have been rescued from the streets.
Students are able to take courses in trades including carpentry, masonry, vehicle mechanics, welding, electrical and mechanical engineering, cabinet making, and the most recently launched course in plumbing. The plumbing program is helping youth have access to high-quality training to be relevant in the job market and access an industry that needs a qualified workforce.
“These training programs ensure youth are able to take the skills learned in the classroom and utilize them in real working environments, benefiting both the student and the employer,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “When a student completes his education, he leaves with a certification in his specialty trade. This empowers students to go out into the workforce to put their technical skills to use in their respective fields.”
According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.
Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Technical Secondary School (Don Bosco Embu)
KENYA: Youth rescued from streets gain education
Salesian Missions – Kenya
World Bank – Kenya
The post KENYA: Students graduate ready for workforce first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Students win brass band competition first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run St. Xavier’s Secondary High School, located in Pathaliaghat, Tripura, India, has won first prize at the Eastern Zonal Inter-School Band Competition in the girls’ brass band category. The school represented the state of Tripura in the competition held Dec. 22.
The school took part in the state level inter-school band competition in November and won first prize, allowing it to advance. A four-member jury from the Army judged the competition. The band was evaluated on its team leaders’ answers to questions, its dress code, synchronization of music and marching.
The Odisha state minister for revenue and education declared the winners of the competition. Athukiri Debbarma, St. Xavier’s Secondary High School’s leader, and others received the champion’s trophy, a certificate and a monetary award from the minister.
The school is led by Father Babu, and it has four teachers and 25 girls. The team is selected to go to Delhi for the national level competition on Jan. 21 and 22.
“Music is an essential part of education at Salesian schools,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through music education, students not only learn to play an instrument but the lessons taught help them in working collaboratively, developing a talent and having an appreciation of the arts.”
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Girls win Eastern Zone Level Inter School Brass Band Competition
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Students win brass band competition first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ECUADOR: 12 Achuar students graduate university first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Polytechnic University’s Faculty of Bilingual Intercultural Education graduated 12 Achuar students, who are part of an Indigenous population in the Ecuadorian Amazon. This is the fifth graduation from the university of Achuar students who are from the Wasakentsa community in Ecuador.
Father Agustín Togo, rector of the Wasakentsa community, congratulated the new professionals and encouraged them to put the knowledge they have learned into practice for the benefit of their communities, especially for the education of youth.
Salesian missionaries have been working with the Achuar for the last 50 years. The Italian missionary Luigi Bolla was the first to live among the Achuar, sharing his life. Half a century later, Salesian work continues to focus on spiritual development, education, and human, social, and cultural promotion.
In 1988, the Achuar asked Salesian missionaries to start a mission in Wasakentsa. Salesians launched a school and a boarding school for Achuar youth. Today, there are 110 students and 80 interns. There are also 50 Achuar university students who come to study from far away locations. In addition, Salesians have a church that supports 49 Achuar communities in the surrounding area. Nearly 40% of the Achuar population is youth who dream of studying and having a better life.
“Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help poor youth gain an education and the skills for later employment,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.”
Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20% of the population receives almost 50% of the national income, while the poorest 20% receives only 5%. According to the World Food Program, almost 26% of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31% in rural areas and 47% in Indigenous communities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Ecuador – 12 Achuar students graduate from Salesian Polytechnic University
Salesian Missions – Ecuador
UNICEF – Ecuador
The post ECUADOR: 12 Achuar students graduate university first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Foundation celebrates 10-year anniversary first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation in Milan, Italy, is celebrating 10 years in operation bringing education and basic necessities to the most vulnerable. On its anniversary, the foundation has highlighted projects that have been made possible by its donors. A Salesian noted, “One of the driving forces of the foundation is that we are not content to deal with a problem piecemeal. We focus our attention on how to repair the problem itself.”
Since the start of the war in Ukraine*, the foundation has focused efforts on the plight of the people there. The foundation has provided support in Lviv, where Mariapolis was built to host nearly 1,000 displaced people from the eastern areas of the country. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the necessary funds were collected and sent throughout the year to support the services of the Mariapolis camp.
Facing the earthquake emergency in Syria, the Salesians of Aleppo and Damascus immediately provided assistance and aid to the population affected. After the initial relief operation, donors supported reconstruction and psycho-social support. This project was carried out in collaboration with the Opera Don Bosco Lugano.
Another donor project provided a new oven for the Salesian Bakery in Bethlehem. This historic institution has been in operation for 130 years and plays a crucial role in the life of the local community, providing free bread to those most in need. In addition, students come to learn the bakery trade. The old oven, which was more than 20 years old, required constant maintenance, was inefficient and did not meet occupational safety standards.
Michele Rigamonti, president of the foundation, said, “Thanks to the generosity of those who support our mission, we have been able to address emergencies and promote social development in many communities in need. In the last period, the foundation has responded to humanitarian emergencies in several regions, including Syria*, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar*, Democratic Republic of the Congo* and Venezuela*. We have contributed to growth and education through education and vocational training projects in Brazil, Burundi*, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Myanmar, Peru and Rwanda. In addition, we have promoted agricultural and food projects to contribute to the livelihood of many children and their families, in Brazil, Ethiopia*, Ghana, Senegal andEast Timor.”
Rigamonti added, “Our mission doesn’t stop there. We continue to move the heart of many people, encouraging them to make themselves present in a concrete way to those who need it most, especially children and young people, offering them opportunities for the future.”
Numerous projects are already underway for the coming year. These include the “Let’s all go to school” project in Gambella in Ethiopia and the “Health and well-being for the most needy families in Tegucigalpa” initiative in Honduras, as well as the opportunity to remotely support an entire community of youth for a year in different areas of the world.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Italy – Fondazione Opera Don Bosco: a 2023 full of exciting projects
Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post ITALY: Foundation celebrates 10-year anniversary first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: Youth learn to give back first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Youth from the Salesian Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in Porto Velho, Brazil, collected toys for other youth and children who are in an orphanage at the Madre Mazzarello Social Center run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christian. The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima serves close to 300 youth and children who live on the outskirts of Porto Velho.
Youth sharing the gifts are involved in the Salesian parish’s missionary childhood group, which was set up to provide youth opportunities to help their local community.
A Salesian missionary said, “This was a wonderful opportunity for these youth who are learning their catechisms to give back to the local community. They are living their faith in action by supporting those less fortunate than themselves. The youth in the orphanage were grateful for the toys for Christmas.”
Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, to help them break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: Youth learn to give back first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SIERRA LEONE: Youth rescued from streets first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been serving in Sierra Leone since 2001, when they began working to rehabilitate former child soldiers. In the years since, Don Bosco Fambul, located in the capital city of Freetown, has become one of the country’s leading child welfare organizations. It offers food, clothing, crisis intervention services, shelter, educational opportunities, long-term counseling and family reunification.
At the core of Don Bosco Fambul’s work is a program for street children. The organization has a staff of 120, including Salesian social workers who go out to the streets, poor areas and marketplaces. They engage with vulnerable youth and encourage them to join Don Bosco Fambul’s programs.
The success of the street children rehabilitation program is credited to its holistic approach which focuses on meeting basic needs like food and shelter in addition to personalized medical, psychological, pedagogical, social and spiritual care. Salesians reach out to an estimated 2,500 street children in the region each year.
Rehabilitation is a gradual process that includes formal classes, daily games, sports, music, drama, dancing, counseling and prayer. The parents and extended families of participants are contacted several times by social workers before final reunification.
Don Bosco Fambul has also been operating a shelter for young girls who have faced sexual abuse and are in need of shelter, support and education. Recognizing the specific need for girls who had been forced into prostitution, the Girls Shelter GO+ program was created. Since the program launched six years ago, it has changed the lives of more than 600 girls, given them the opportunity to start a new life and provided access to education.
Whether working with a young boy who has been living on the street or a young woman forced into prostitution, psychological support is a critical part of the work at Don Bosco Fambul. A Salesian noted, “Don Bosco Fambul Therapy Center is the first and one of the biggest in Sierra Leone. We offer therapeutic sessions for minors and survivors of all forms of abuse.”
The organization has four large buildings, a clinic, accommodations for volunteers and social workers, a house for the Salesian community, and a chapel. It’s the only program of its kind in West Africa that enables girls to live in a safe environment to overcome their traumas and start a new life.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Fambul
Salesian Missions – Sierra Leone
UNICEF – Sierra Leone
The post SIERRA LEONE: Youth rescued from streets first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Sustainable agriculture promoted first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought, and policy, participated in a two-day conference titled “Back 2 Nature”, which was held in November 2023, in Bangalore, India.
“Back 2 Nature” is a worldwide program started 20 years ago by Jugend Eine Welt – Don Bosco Austria in Nepal. The program promotes sustainable agriculture as a form of livelihood for marginalized people and aims to reduce forms of cultivation that are harmful to nature and people. There is also a special focus on economical sustainability. Initiatives have been focused on India, Philippines, Mozambique and Sierra Leone.
The speakers at the conference highlighted their experiences in making social impact initiatives financially sustainable. This involves working with a range of professionals including marketing experts, credit providers and local farmers. They also discussed the aspects of developing a sustainable product.
On the second day of the conference, participants chose one of three field trips to attend to gain hands-on experience. Participants could visit SELCO India, which offers solar energy-based solutions for poor households in rural India; City Green, an agri-tech start-up in controlled environment agriculture; or Gourmet Garden, which specializes in affordable, 100% contamination- and pesticide-free naturoponically grown, organic vegetables procured from certified partner farms.
A Salesian said, “Organic farming and sustainability relies on mutual trust. That’s one of the reasons for the organizers to use their international network for promoting partnerships between trustworthy partners, landowners, and farmers, as well as social businesses, impact investors, and everyone who can bring expertise to our common home.”
Don Bosco Green Alliance was launched in April 2018 in India. Since its launch, the organization has gained registered members from 86 countries. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Back 2 Nature conference organised by Jugend Eine Welt Austria, SAVE foundation Belgium and SKIP India
The post INDIA: Sustainable agriculture promoted first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: Nursing students create medicinal garden first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Silva Henríquez Catholic University (UCSH), located in the Lo Cañas district of La Florida, a suburb of Santiago, Chile, has created a medicinal garden and vermicompost bins in collaboration with students from the Laura Vicuña School in Valdivia. Nursing students worked with Daniela Espinoza, director of the school of nursing, and Valeska Leiva, an academic.
This new garden is called Weliwen (meaning new dawn in the Mapudungun language) and is providing medicinal herbs for the production of natural products. The seeds, medicinal plants and Californian worms to generate fertilizer were transported from Santiago. Plants were cultivated and harvested during the semester by the students.
Faculty of health services noted that the creation of a medicinal garden meets recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) with regard to health and well-being, quality education, sustainable cities and communities, and the protection of terrestrial ecosystems.
The WHO noted that health goes beyond the traditional health care system and includes seeking to prevent disease and strengthen the well-being of the community. A medicinal garden at the school is a practical approach to empowering students and families to take care of their health through natural resources and ancestral methods.
“The creation of the medicinal garden at the Laura Vicuña School is positioned as an initiative that promotes quality education, health, well-being and environmental sustainability, by actively involving the community in caring for its health and natural environment,” said Leiva.
The goal was for the nursing students to acquire practical skills in phytotherapy and self-care while creating an educational space to reflect on the care of the environment and the role of humanity in preserving it. The project also provides a health service aligned with the mission and vision of the university.
Students who are obtaining a kinesiology degree built terraces from raw material to make phytotherapeutic products that were shared with the community. The technique used was “living soil” to control factors such as pests and lack of water. This technique is organic in nature and does not produce erosion in the cultivated land. Students studying speech therapy were involved in herbal product workshops using the harvest of plants from the garden.
Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Ecological Activities at Universidad Catolica Silva Henríquez, Chile
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: Nursing students create medicinal garden first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post RWANDA: Students benefit from education materials first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Muhazi Technical-Vocational School, in the Gasabo district in the Kigali province of Rwanda, is celebrating the arrival of educational materials that will enhance the students’ activities. The materials were financed by the ACTEC project, a development program co-financed by the Belgian Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.
Father Bavumiragiye Raymond, rector of Don Bosco Muhazi, expressed his gratitude to the ACTEC donors who made this project possible, and he emphasized the importance of the materials for the school.
One of the clubs benefiting from the donation is the environmental club. The materials provided will enable students to continue their important work of protecting the environment. Materials for arts and sports were also included as part of the donation.
A Salesian noted, “With these resources, students can explore their creativity and expand their artistic skills. In addition, the sports club received the necessary equipment that will enable them to improve their training and participate confidently in competitions.”
The donation also aimed to support entrepreneurship among the students. Materials for students in the welding course will enable them to participate in the practical training that will be provided in cooperation with Manumetal Rwandan Metal Factory. The students who have completed the welding course will be able to gain valuable practical experience and further improve their skills.
Salesian missionaries provide a range of educational and social development services in Rwanda. Poor youth are able to access programs including health services, nutrition, education and general support services that help them to lead healthy productive lives.
After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39% of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22% of the population — face critical food shortages.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province Facebook
Salesian Missions – Rwanda
UNICEF – Rwanda
The post RWANDA: Students benefit from education materials first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Free sports programming funded in Bari, Italy first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Salesian Redentore Amateur Sports Association, located in Bari, Italy, have won the “Sport of All Neighborhoods” competition under the “Sport and Health” category in a plan from the Ministry of the Economy. The “Redentore. The sport that regenerates smiles for life” project was approved and will provide two years of sporting, recreational, educational and free activities for close to 500 children, older youth and the elderly.
The project will take place at the Salesian Redentore Center in the Libertà district of Bari, on the eastern outskirts of the city. The district has a population of 60,000 inhabitants, the largest multi-ethnic population and the highest percentage of minors undergoing criminal proceedings in the region of Apulia.
“Don Bosco said that Salesians must turn wolves into lambs and lambs into shepherds — this educational path often begins with sport,” explained Father Giuseppe Ieva, president of Redentore Amateur Sports Association and leader of the project. “The Salesians have been in the Libertà district for more than 100 years. If you go past the Redentore you see the kids with a ball, then sport becomes an educational tool to produce good Christians and upright citizens.”
The project includes sports courses for youth and specific activities for those over age 65, including people with disabilities. Other activities that aid study, outdoor multi-sport summer centers, food availability, education and film groups will be supported by volunteers of the Universal Civil Service.
Pietro Petruzzelli, councilor for sport for the Municipality of Bari, said, “‘Sport and Health’ encourages sports practice, from basic motor activity to competition. Everyone who goes through the oratory learns to practice a sport, but not only that, they do it through building up a community.”
“We work better together,” said Ruggiero Russo, a planner at PGS Italia, who wrote up the project. “I want to talk about the dream, because we started from here, from the heart that regenerates smiles and life. The Libertà neighborhood is an important neighborhood in the city with a difficult social scene, so it was necessary to play sports there. Through our project, we propose to use sport as a tool to build educational bridges with a very important network of collaborations. Bari is the only city that has won two ‘Sport and Health’ projects because there has been a strong awareness of networking: together we work better.”
Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Italy
UNICEF – Italy Poverty
The post ITALY: Free sports programming funded in Bari, Italy first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ARGENTINA: Salesians impacted by storm, flooding first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are working to provide relief and repair their own buildings after an intense storm caused flooding and high wind in the coastal city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The storm left 13 people dead and caused destruction to homes and buildings. The wind reached 87 miles an hour and at least 300 people had to be evacuated.
Father Darío Perera, superior of the Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá Province of Southern Argentina, sent a letter to Salesians expressing his solidarity with them. “On this occasion I send you this message with concern about the terrible storm that this weekend hit Bahía Blanca and its surroundings and several cities in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires.”
He added, “The Colegio Don Bosco is deeply saddened by the death of a child, a student of the school, and his father. For this reason, we pray intensely for this educative and pastoral community, so that the Father’s consolation may reach this family in these moments of inexplicable pain.”
The letter also noted that the Salesian house in La Piedad had been damaged. The roof of the old Salesian community, the roof of the new classrooms of Unisal and part of the roof of the chapel of Santa Lucia were blown off. Salesians are currently studying how to proceed with the repairs.
The Salesian Centennial Oratory in Avellaneda suffered the most damage with several uprooted trees and a huge wall that collapsed. Part of the roof of the school was also swept away and several classrooms were damaged. In addition, the Salesian Uribelarrea School suffered damage to part of the historic entrance of the school building and other minor damage in normal work areas.
Fr. Perera sent another letter asking the Salesian rectors for financial support for the structures that had suffered damage. He wrote, “I am grateful that two Salesian houses have decided to share resources to help in this situation. I am grateful for this generous gesture that makes us feel like a family, in which we not only think about our needs but also take others into account.” He invited others to help support the 2024 fund.
More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37% and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12% of children ages 5-17 are working instead of being in school and 20% need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Argentina
World Bank – Argentina
The post ARGENTINA: Salesians impacted by storm, flooding first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: School promotes care for environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students in 7th grade at the Salesian Agricultural School in Catemu, Chile, recently won first place in a bottle cap recycling contest to contribute to the care of the environment. The school’s initiative also instilled the importance of social responsibility by contributing to waste reduction.
The students collected the most bottle caps during the recycling campaign with a total of 25 sacks, which is 11 more than last year. The collected items were delivered to the Clownrisas Aconcagua Foundation.
A Salesian said, “This achievement highlights the commitment of the educational community of the Agricultural School of Catemu with the preservation of the environment and the formation of responsible citizens. We congratulate all the students of the 7th grade for their dedication and enthusiasm in this noble cause. Let’s continue working together for a greener and more sustainable future.”
Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.
According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10%. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Salesianos Catemu in Chile collects beverage caps for a sustainable future!
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: School promotes care for environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SPAIN: Youth mental health focus of Salesian workshop training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The State Coordination of Salesian Social Platforms in Madrid held the “Comprehensive approach for children, young people and educational teams” workshop for Salesian staff. The workshop provided practical tools to effectively address mental health challenges faced by youth who are being served by Salesian centers across Spain. An emphasis was placed on ensuring that the integration and normalization of mental health support in the educational plans remains a priority.
Father Luis Fernando López Martínez opened the workshop with a presentation about the importance of understanding mental health from a broader perspective. He highlighted the complexity of the issue and stressed the importance of defining strategies that educational teams manage during the year. He also focused on how youth face intensified emotional vulnerabilities due to overexposure and social comparisons in the digital age and through social networks.
The following day, María José Ortega Cabrera addressed mental health problems in childhood and adolescence, classifying them according to their severity. Challenges were examined and she offered guidelines to address them. She also highlighted ways to differentiate typical behaviors from those that could indicate deeper problems. The goal is always to ensure care for youth in Salesian centers.
The workshop included members of the Magone psychological team, which is a resource open to all Salesian centers. A Salesian said, “This part of the workshop focused on the importance of prevention as a fundamental method for mental health care, promoting healthy habits and emotional self-care, both in educational staff and among children, young people, and young adults who flock to Salesian centers. Specific protective actions were presented, reiterating the need to promote safe environments and encourage prevention from an early age.”
The workshop ended with a presentation about applying mental health support in socio-educational, support and volunteering environments. Participants shared their reflections and what they had learned. The cross-sharing of thoughts and experiences served to enrich the overall workshop and allowed time for peer-to-peer support.
Salesian missionaries have also been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.
Close to 32% of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Spain – Being formed to take care of the mental health of children and young people
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
The post SPAIN: Youth mental health focus of Salesian workshop training first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post RWANDA: Salesians confront gender bias first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesians with Don Bosco Gatenga, located in Kigali, Rwanda, participated in 16 days of social activism to confront gender bias. At the end of this initiative, Salesians held a march to involve the community and highlight the message of the campaign. The march was attended by Don Bosco Gatenga students, residents of the surrounding areas including many women, members of the Young Women’s Christian Association, the local administration and the Rwandan National Police.
After the march, the participants met at Don Bosco Gatenga to listen to speeches focused on the elimination of gender violence. Uzamureba Clementine, who is responsible for promoting gender equality at Don Bosco Gatenga, highlighted one of the school’s projects “Gender Matters for Green TVET”. The project aims to promote gender equality in technical and vocational schools and improve the skills of young women, encouraging them to join professions traditionally reserved for young men.
Don Bosco Gatenga has been at the forefront of gender issues in the region. Since its beginning in 1976, the school has welcomed youth in need. The school helps to prepare youth for the future and teaches them employable skills so that they will be self-sufficient and help support their families and the community.
Don Bosco Gatenga also features a large farm that has 26 hectares of land. Ten of those hectares have already been cultivated for farming. The food grown helps to feed the students in the school. Don Bosco Gatenga has seen more and more children who are undernourished and malnourished coming to the center. The number of students from poor families who want to attend the school to learn employable skills has also increased.
Salesian missionaries provide a range of educational and social development services in Rwanda. Poor youth are able to access programs including health services, nutrition, education and general support services that help them to lead healthy productive lives.
After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39% of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22% of the population — face critical food shortages.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Rwanda – A march to say no to gender-based violence
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province Facebook
Salesian Missions – Rwanda
UNICEF – Rwanda
The post RWANDA: Salesians confront gender bias first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: Campaign promotes inclusive education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Educational Center in Talca, Chile, raised awareness of the importance and value of diversity, emphasizing inclusive education and non-discrimination. In November, it held a week-long campaign under the motto “We are all different, but in this house we grow together.” Efforts focused on building awareness among students, teachers and teaching assistants about the challenges people with different abilities face.
Three workshops focused on strategies for dealing with situations of emotional and behavioral dysregulation, including a dialogue on Autism Spectrum Disorder for educational assistants, a speech therapy workshop on voice care for school leaders and a psychology workshop for parents. The Teletón Foundation also organized a workshop for preschool and basic education students for children to participate in recreational and educational activities.
In a reflection shared with the educational community during morning prayer, teachers Francisca Núñez and Sofía Sánchez both noted, “Everyone, regardless of how they are or where they come from, has the right to receive a quality education and to be treated with respect.”
A graduate who is deaf shared an emotional testimony about his difficulties, joys and gratitude for the support he received at the Salesian school. The week of activities culminated with students sharing suggestions on how to be more inclusive during recess on both campuses.
Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.
According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10%. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Chile – Inclusive Education and Non-Discrimination Week for the Salesians at Talca
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: Campaign promotes inclusive education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Salesians respond after devastating cyclone first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Emergency Relief Team quickly responded in the wake of the devastating cyclonic storm “Michaung” that impacted Chennai, the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The storm left a trail of destruction across the state, disrupting the lives of thousands, submerging entire neighborhoods and claiming the homes of countless families.
The northern part of Chennai, where there are five Salesian centers, bore the brunt of Michaung’s fury. The centers include orphanages, senior homes, schools and youth centers. The relentless downpour marked the highest rainfall in the last 47 years. This created unprecedented challenges for relief efforts by the government and other organizations.
Tragically, the floods claimed the life of 19-year-old Santhosh Kumar, who was washed away by the unexpected currents of the Coouam River. Kumar had been residing in a Salesian house and working in a private workshop.
An emergency response team rescued 150 youth and Salesian missionaries who were marooned by the floodwaters, relocating them to safety in other Salesian houses at St. Bede’s Higher Secondary School and the Salesian Institute of Graphic Arts. Operating under risky conditions, the team also organized the preparation and distribution of cooked food and drinking water to more than 1,500 people who were stranded by the floodwaters. SURABI, the local Salesian development office, took charge of broader relief and rehabilitation efforts, helping 3,000 flood-affected families.
Father John Alexander, the vice provincial who coordinated the province’s emergency and relief efforts, said, “I witnessed firsthand the sacrificing and daring spirit of Salesians and young volunteers who risked their lives to rescue the people in crisis. They worked day and night to supply food to areas surrounded by neck-deep water. The resilience and generosity of people in these critical conditions are truly amazing.”
Recognizing the urgent need for medical assistance, the Past Pupil Association of Don Bosco School at Egmore organized free medical camps in the flood-affected areas. These camps provided general health check-ups, consultations with doctors and free basic medicines. This effort offered a lifeline to those grappling with health issues in the aftermath of the disaster.
As SURABI assessed the extensive damage and disruption to the livelihoods of flood-affected families, Salesian initiated reconstruction and rehabilitation projects to help communities rebuild. A Salesian noted, “Despite the grim circumstances and the profound challenges posed by Michaung, the Salesian community’s response stands as a testament to the strength of human spirit and the unwavering commitment to restoring hope in the face of adversity. The rebuilding process may be long and arduous, but there is a resilient and united front working toward the restoration of normalcy and the rebuilding of lives in the aftermath of this natural calamity.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – India – Rebuilding lives amid large-scale floods and cyclonic destruction
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Salesians respond after devastating cyclone first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: Funds aid families, environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Network of Brazil launched a fundraising campaign known as “Union for Life – UPV” in collaboration with a broader “Gift Day 2023” held on Nov. 28. The campaign focused on the environment. It was inspired by Don Bosco Green Alliance and the teachings of Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility.
Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, executive director of the Salesian Network of Brazil, said, “This year the UPV Gift Day has helped to promote and strengthen our responsibility to look after our common home. We usually talk about financial sustainability, but today we need to be clear that the concept of sustainability is much broader. During the campaign, I was able to see many initiatives that brought the centers and their benefactors closer to concrete actions in response to Pope Francis’ appeals, and this is a great gain for our social action in Brazil.”
As part of the campaign, the Salesian Network of Brazil provided several educational sessions and materials to support local fundraising activities, as well as a marketing campaign to publicize the good that is done in Salesian centers.
“This year has been very challenging, but very rich and full of novelties,” explained Phelipe Sales, who was involved in the fundraising. “We brought together important topics, such as donations and sustainability, and managed to achieve many objectives throughout our network, especially with regard to the culture of giving, volunteering and raising awareness of caring for our common home.”
As a result, the Salesian Network of Brazil surpassed its 2022 collection by raising 3,146,421.46 reais (equal to more than $633,000). The campaign also collected more than 274,000 pounds of food and utilized 6,286 volunteer hours. This campaign supported 133,641 families.
Through the Union for Life campaign, the Salesian Network of Brazil raises funds to support the more than 100 social centers throughout the country, which currently benefit more than 80,000 children, older youth, young adults and their families in situations of vulnerability.
Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Brazil – The success of the “UPV Gift Day 2023”
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: Funds aid families, environment first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post WORLD DAY OF PEACE: Salesian Missions highlights technology education for poor youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring the Catholic World Day of Peace. Every year on Jan. 1, the Pope marks the day with a special message inviting all people to reflect on the important work of building peace. Pope Paul VI established the day in 1967, after he was inspired by the encyclical “Pacem in Terris” of Pope John XXIII and with reference to his own encyclical “Populorum Progressio”. The day was first observed on Jan. 1, 1968.
Pope Francis focused his message for the day on the theme “Artificial Intelligence and Peace”, highlighting the impact this advanced technology is having on human activity, personal and social life, politics, and the economy.
In a statement about the day on the Vatican website, Pope Francis calls for “an open dialogue on the meaning of these new technologies, endowed with disruptive possibilities and ambivalent effects. He recalls the need to be vigilant and to work so that a logic of violence and discrimination does not take root in the production and use of such devices, at the expense of the most fragile and excluded: injustice and inequalities fuel conflicts and antagonisms. The urgent need to orient the concept and use of artificial intelligence in a responsible way, so that it may be at the service of humanity and the protection of our common home, requires that ethical reflection be extended to the sphere of education and law.”
Technology education is a part of the Salesian education curriculum. The goal is to educate youth with 21st-century skills so that they are able to compete in the current job market. Having the same access to technology as their peers is critical for their future. Salesian students come from poor and marginalized backgrounds and in some areas just having access to basic education is a challenge.
To mark Catholic World Day of Peace 2024, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education with a focus on technology.
Students attending the Madre Cándida Center, located in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, have new computer equipment thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The funding provided 14 new computers to improve the computer laboratory which had obsolete and outdated equipment.
With the donation, students are now more comfortable in class and are working with equipment that helps prepare them for the job market and their careers. There are 125 students who access technical training offered by the center. They take courses in cutting and dress making, comprehensive beauty skills, executive secretarial work, machine embroidery, and computer systems. Twenty students in the computer systems course will benefit most from the donation.
A Salesian said, “Our students come from low-income families from the municipalities of Yapacaní in the Ichilo province. They do not have sufficient financial resources to enter the university or emigrate to the city to be able to pursue a degree at the undergraduate level, which is why they choose to study a technical degree near their communities. We are hoping with these new computers we also will be able to increase enrollment into the computer systems course.”
St. Anthony’s School, located in Jaigaon in West Bengal, India, partnered with International STEAM Research to conduct a three-day DaVinci Innovation Camp for 200 teachers and students. STEAM is a hands-on model for learning science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Dr. George Panicker, founder and director of International STEAM Research and Don Bosco Kolkata alumnus, facilitated the camp. He said, “The camp gives an insight into the much-needed paradigm shift from traditional education philosophy, based on standardized test scores, to a modern ideal which focuses on valuing the learning process as much as the results.”
Panicker added, “Both students and teachers got to understand the new teaching and learning ecosystem model for experiential learning, aligned to National Education Policy 2020.” The new education policy promotes invention literacy through critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration, as well as develops students as future-ready problem solvers.
Students in a Salesian school in Myanmar* have laptop computers thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. Donor funding was utilized to purchase 25 laptops to help the students with their education and for them to learn basic computer skills. The school set up internet and the electrical wiring for a new computer room for the 300 students as well as hired skilled staff to teach the course.
Father Khun Myat Victor, provincial economer in Myanmar, said, “We have just set up the computer room and the first group of young people have begun their lessons on basic computer skills.”
Myanmar has suffered political violence and instability since the military coup took over power in February 2021. There has been ongoing violence and chaos, and schools have been shut because of this and the COVID-19 pandemic. Salesians are opening their schools to enable youth to get back to their education, which they have been without for two years. Classes focus on English, computers and math.
First-year students at the Salesian Don Bosco Center in Logroño, Spain, recently participated in the #HackRural training project focusing on digital transformation of the rural village of San Martín de Jubera, which has no electricity grid and almost no mobile network coverage. The students are part of dual vocation training at the center and taking courses in administration of information systems in networks and development of multiplatform applications.
The project was organized by TICandBOT, a company created eight years ago by a teacher from the center. The goal is to teach students how to create a communication infrastructure, contracting the Starlink satellite internet service, at the old school in the village. Students also learned to develop applications as if they were in an office in an urban environment. The project combined rural entrepreneurship, new technologies and educational innovation.
More than 20 project activities were scheduled over four days and included the involvement of local information and communication technologies companies. In addition to developing the services, students had the opportunity to learn more about the community by taking part in beekeeping and milking workshops, as well as visiting the mines at Jubera.
One of the project teachers said, “These were unforgettable days of shared life between students, teachers and professionals without forgetting the typical good things in the area. We want to pay credit to all the students from our school who participated in the project for their attitude, proactivity and know-how which they developed and put into practice during these days.”
###
Sources:
BOLIVIA: Students build skills with 14 new computers/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
INDIA: Science and technology camp held/Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
MYANMAR: Students learn with new laptops/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
SPAIN: Students work to bring technology to rural village/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Vatican – World Day of Peace 2024
The post WORLD DAY OF PEACE: Salesian Missions highlights technology education for poor youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post TANZANIA: Engineering students graduate first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Thirty-six students have graduated from Don Bosco Kilimanjaro International Institute for Telecommunications, Electronics and Computers (Don Bosco KIITEC), located in Arusha, Tanzania. The students received their degrees in electrical engineering, industrial automation, electronics and telecommunications, and computer engineering.
A Salesian noted, “One of the most interesting aspects of this school is the strong female representation in sectors that in the past were traditionally dominated by males. The increasing number of graduates reflects a positive change in society and launches a strong message of inclusion.”
Don Bosco KIITEC serves poor youth and young adults. The school sits on a 15-acre campus that offers the most advanced training technologies in the region. Courses include electrical engineering with industrial automation, renewable energy, and computer science, as well as electronics and telecommunications.
The school’s education model is based on a hands-on and student-centered approach to learning with full access to modern equipment simulating real-world experiences. The school is also registered and accredited by the National Council for Technical Education and awards successful graduates with a three-year National Technical Award Level Six diploma.
“Salesians know that access to education lays the foundation for a better future for all youth,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In many countries around the globe where poverty is high and access to education is not universal, it is crucial that Salesian missionaries continue to offer technical and vocational training to as many youth as possible to ensure that they have access to long-term stable employment.”
In Tanzania, 67.9% of the population lives below the poverty line. While the country has seen some economic growth in tourism, mining, trade and communication, the number of Tanzanians living below the poverty line has marginally increased due to rapid population growth. In some regions, up to half of the population struggles to meet the cost of essential food and shelter and other basic necessities like clothing, health care and education. Nearly 43% of the population lives in extreme poverty.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Don Bosco Kilimanjaro International Institute for Telecommunications, Electronics and Computers
Salesian Missions – Tanzania
UNICEF – Tanzania
The post TANZANIA: Engineering students graduate first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DR CONGO: Refugees receive support first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Veteran Club Don Bosco in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, celebrated its ninth anniversary with efforts to give back and support the local community. The group consists of men and women of all ages, including the elderly, adults, young adults and children. It started at the Salesian oratory at the Industrial Technical Institute of Goma and was managed for many years by Salesian Brother Honorato Alonso.
The day of giving back began with a Catholic Mass followed by a photo session. Then, the group moved to Bulengo, one of the largest refugee camps just outside of Goma. The camp is the result of a long and complex war that has been raging in the country. People survive thanks to local help and support by international organizations. Health and safety conditions are lacking and youth do not have opportunities to go to school and learn.
Veteran Club Don Bosco provided aid for these marginalized people. Each member of the group contributed money, food, clothes and anything that would be useful to those living in the camp. On Nov. 12, the group gave the refugees what they had collected, and the beneficiaries thanked them for their support.
A Salesian noted, “It was a successful day of giving back to the local community. At the end of the visit, the whole group returned to the Industrial Technical Institute in Goma, to share a moment of reflection and fraternity. After, there were recreational activities and lunch. At the end of the day, members of Veteran Club Don Bosco expressed the hope that what they did would inspire others to do the same.”
Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post DR CONGO: Refugees receive support first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: School reduces carbon footprint first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Catemu Agricultural School, located in Catemu, Chile, began construction on a biodigester at its facilities. This project is part of an international collaboration with Don Bosco Bonn in Germany and marks an important step in the Salesian commitment to sustainability and environmental education.
A Salesian explained, “The biodigester is being installed in the piggery sector of the school and will serve as an innovative technology that will transform organic waste into bio-gas and organic fertilizers. This process will not only allow us to reduce our carbon footprint, but will also provide us with a source of sustainable energy and organic fertilizer for our agricultural activities.”
The project will also educate students who will be invited to watch and participate in the installation of the biodigester. This provides students with a valuable opportunity to learn firsthand how this technology works and to understand the positive impact it will have on the school and the environment.
The Salesian added, “We thank our international partners at Don Bosco Bonn for making this project possible and look forward to seeing how this biodigester improves our sustainability and enriches our students’ educational experiences. Catemu Agricultural School reaffirms its commitment to innovation, sustainability and the formation of environmentally conscious citizens.”
According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10%. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
As a result of the vocational and technical education provided by Salesian programs, Chilean youth are more likely to find stable employment and improve their standard of living.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Construction of a Biodigester at the School: One more step towards a Sustainable Future
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: School reduces carbon footprint first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Young migrants learn new language first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Rome has been working with migrants and refugees, and it recently started language classes to help these youth acclimate into their new communities in Italy. The class holds 130 people in each quarterly cycle. The demand far exceeds the capacity.
The course is free of charge and is run by volunteers, including youth from the Universal Civil Service and university students from the nearby faculty of educational sciences at Roma Tre University. Salesians, members of the Salesian family and members of other spiritual families also support the efforts.
“There are different levels for the course, based on need,” explained Father Enrico Lupano, a coordinator of the project. “We also have to address that learning a new language may be difficult because some youth are not literate in their home language.”
The youth who attend represent a cross-section of nationalities. In the current course cycle, Tenin is the top student and only girl in the class. Mamadou, age 23 and from Guinea Conakry, learned about these courses by playing soccer with a volunteer. Bernard, age 25 and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been attending the course for a month. He hopes that in a short time he will be able to find a job to support himself.
Suleyman arrived from Gambia three months ago and has a story like many others. When asked how he arrived in Italy, he quickly mentions his crossing in North Africa, the many who remained in Tunisia and the boat trip. He said, “It’s a long story and if I tell it to you, then I’ll end up crying.”
The course is a springboard to help youth gain an education and prepare for the workforce. They receive help in writing a resume, the search for work and a home. They are able to take driving lessons so they have greater mobility. Beyond that, Salesians offer help with navigating bureaucracy, such as challenges with residence permits.
“These young people have a great desire to learn,” explained Cristina, a young woman who grew up at the Salesian oratory in Macerata and is now a volunteer for the project. “They know that it could be their only opportunity and for this reason they all show great attention and kindness.”
Cristina hopes that her volunteer position will lead to employment helping migrants and refugees. She loves the work and learning about their experience. She added, “It is giving me many tools to learn more about their lives, their stories and how we can really make a home for them. It’s not just Italian or the service you do for them. Every day gives you an extra chance to understand their lives and their situation here in Rome and in Italy, amid daily difficulties and challenges.”
In addition to helping migrants and refugees, Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
The post ITALY: Young migrants learn new language first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post BRAZIL: Students harvest garden project first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Students at Recanto da Cruz Grande, located in Itapevi in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have been working on a garden as a food source. Over the last several months, the students prepared the seedlings and the soil, planted, and looked after the garden. They were excited recently at harvest time when they were able to pick what they had grown.
A Salesian said, “This project is part of one of our Guardians workshops. In addition to harvesting, the students washed the food and gave it to our cook, who will lovingly prepare a special dish so that they can taste what they themselves have planted. The aim is to encourage healthier eating and teach youth to work with, respect, and cultivate the environment.”
Recanto da Cruz Grande offers elementary education and socio-educational activities for children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 in the region. Recanto da Cruz Grande is committed to strengthening family ties, encouraging community coexistence and promoting citizenship.
Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.
According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance
Don Bosco Green Alliance – Harvest time at Recanto da Cruz Grande, Brazil
Salesian Missions – Brazil
World Bank – Brazil
The post BRAZIL: Students harvest garden project first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SOUTH SUDAN: Over 100,000 people to receive better health care first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the Don Bosco Health Clinic Gumbo, located in Juba, South Sudan*, are appreciative of the support provided by the Ordesa Foundation, an organization in Spain. With the foundation’s support, the Don Bosco Health Clinic will have improved equipment and supplies available for diagnosis and treatment to enable doctors to better care for those people who have been displaced by violence in the country.
Since 2002, the Ordesa Foundation has been committed to the improvement of the living conditions and the nutrition and health of children — especially newborns, infants and children in the first years of life.
In South Sudan, many of the health centers are not functioning and people may live miles away from a health care center, making access to care difficult.
The clinic was founded in 2012 to treat internally displaced people, especially children suffering from malnutrition. In addition, Salesians offer mobile clinics in surrounding areas. With the support they received from the Ordesa Foundation, Salesians will be able to aid more than 87,500 women, 12,000 children under the age of 14 and almost 6,000 others.
“This collaboration will last two years and will improve the quality of life for thousands of people in a country that has been suffering the consequences of violence since 2013. For this, we thank the Ordesa Foundation,” said Father Luis Manuel Moral, head of the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, who accepted the grant during a ceremony at the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Catalonia in Barcelona.
Salesians have been working in Juba since 2006 and operate the health clinic, a primary and secondary school, a vocational training center, a center for the empowerment of women, and a camp for internally displaced people.
South Sudan is expansive and largely rural with 83% of the population residing in rural areas. Poverty is endemic with at least 80% of the population defined as income-poor and living on the equivalent of less than $1 per day, according to the World Bank. More than one-third of the population lacks secure access to food.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – South Sudan – The Don Bosco health clinic in Gumbo receives the support of the Ordesa Foundation
Salesian Missions – South Sudan
World Bank – South Sudan
*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post SOUTH SUDAN: Over 100,000 people to receive better health care first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post ITALY: Youth in need find new opportunity first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The “You x the children” program run by Salesians for Social APS in Italy reached 54,190 youth in 2022, thanks to an investment of 2.5 million euro. The program is run through 46 Don Bosco Houses, where poor and marginalized youth study, play, grow and have new opportunities through the commitment of educators, volunteers and donors.
Operating through a network of more than 100 local organizations, Salesians for Social APS has been working for more than 30 years to take care of youth who need help. Don Bosco Houses are real homes where vulnerable children can live with foster parents who provide food, protection and love.
This support is important given the status of youth in the country. According to data released by the National Institute of Statistics in 2022, 13.4% of minors in Italy were in absolute poverty, equal to more than 1.2 million children and adolescents under 18. This is an increase of almost one point compared to the previous year of 12.6%. In addition, 23.5% of children are in a condition of relative poverty, which is more than 2.1 million children and adolescents.
The statistics also show regional differences, with disadvantaged children living to a greater extent in the south (15.9%) of the country, while lower numbers of disadvantaged children are living in the north (12.3%) and in the middle of the country (11.5%).
“A third of our children grow up with heavy negative conditioning,” explained Marco Rossi Doria, president of the social enterprise Con i Bambini. “Italy’s sustainable future is at stake. It is time to integrate public and private action in a strategic way, constant over time in support of the educating communities already at work. Child educational poverty is fueled by and fuels economic and social exclusion. It is an intolerable short circuit that harms people’s rights and opportunities at the beginning of life and threatens the future sustainability of Italy’s development.”
Father Francesco Preite, president of Salesians for Social APS, agreed. “We share the concern about the data, which gives us an alarming picture. The economic and social conditions of many families do not allow children and young people to have access to the services, activities and goods necessary for their development. We continue to be committed to supporting minors and young people with their families who live in situations of social vulnerability, material and educational poverty.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Italy
World Bank – Italy
The post ITALY: Youth in need find new opportunity first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Photo workshop sparks skills, creativity first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Academy Nerul, located in Mumbai, India, in collaboration with the company Canon, hosted a two-day free photography workshop. The basic course in photography welcomed 42 participants. The training aimed to nurture a love for photography and equip amateur photographers with the essential skills to embark on their creative journeys.
Guided by an expert team from Canon, the workshop began with an introductory session. The team delved into the art and science behind capturing moments, emphasizing the unification of creativity and technical proficiency. Participants were introduced to the latest advancements in photography technology, setting the stage for an exploration of visual storytelling.
The second day of the workshop offered a hands-on practical session that allowed participants to translate theory into practice. Armed with Canon cameras and accessories, students engaged in guided exercises, group activities, and discussions under the guidance of the Canon instructors. The practical session honed technical skills and fostered a collaborative and dynamic learning environment.
The workshop drew a diverse group of participants from Mumbai. College students eager to expand their creative horizons mingled with photography enthusiasts seeking to refine their craft. The diversity of backgrounds contributed to the creativity.
Feedback from participants showed the success of the workshop. Dr. Rajesh Nair, one of the attendees, said, “Don Bosco Academy once again proved its worth in imparting high-quality skills by collaborating with Canon. I grow by being a part of the Academy.”
A Salesian noted, “Don Bosco Academy has announced plans to continue offering training in photography skills. Starting in January 2024, it will offer regular photography classes, providing a structured and comprehensive learning experience. This initiative is a commitment to nurturing talent and providing a platform for individuals passionate about photography and media. The Academy is poised to become a hub for aspiring photographers, fostering a community where passion meets proficiency.”
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Academy nurtures visual storytelling
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Photo workshop sparks skills, creativity first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post RWANDA: Campaign highlights benefits of technical education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Job Service Office in Rwanda embarked on a month-long media campaign to raise awareness about the importance of technical and vocational education while also enhancing the visibility of Salesian technical and vocational schools across the country. Don Bosco Tech Africa provided the funding for this campaign.
The campaign utilized popular local news websites, social media, community radio and the National Broadcasting Agency. The segments highlighted success stories of graduates who had pursued technical and vocational education at Salesian schools. These graduates went on to create their own successful businesses or secured employment in reputable companies. They inspired and motivated current students, as well as highlighted the practical and tangible outcomes of this kind of education.
The media campaign’s reach was extensive, targeting the entire population of Rwanda, which has more than 13 million people, a majority of whom are young individuals. The impact was evident from the positive feedback received.
Twizeyimana Emmanuel, the national job service officer at the Salesian Planning and Development Office, said, “As a result of this successful media campaign, Salesian schools will undoubtedly experience an increase in enrollment as more young individuals recognize the value and potential of technical and vocational education. By highlighting the positive outcomes, the media campaign effectively shifted perceptions and created a wave of enthusiasm among young people.”
After the media campaign, an exhibition is bringing together all three Salesian technical and vocational schools in Rwanda. Additionally, there will be a roundtable conference to share best practices, workshops and other related activities.
Salesian missionaries provide a range of educational and social development services in Rwanda. Poor youth are able to access programs including health services, nutrition, education and general support services that help them to lead healthy and productive lives.
After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39% of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22% of the population — face critical food shortages.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Rwanda – Empowering Rwanda’s Youth through TVET Education: A Successful Media Campaign
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province
Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province Facebook
Salesian Missions – Rwanda
UNICEF – Rwanda
The post RWANDA: Campaign highlights benefits of technical education first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post EL SALVADOR: Students to aim for the stars first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, won first prize in the nongovernmental organization category in a contest facilitated by the “Helping those who help” program, an initiative of the Gloria Kriete Foundation, which grants funds for social projects.
At the award ceremony, an open forum was held. Nelson Cruze, executive director of FUSALMO, used the opportunity to share the experiences and perspectives of the Salesian organization in its work with youth. During its time in operation, FUSALMO has served more than 432,000 youth within its programs.
The award comes with a financial prize worth $100,000, which will be used to promote the implementation of FUSALMO’s Ad Astra project (from the phrase “to the stars”). The project focuses on guiding youth to develop their own skills and support their communities. Youth take part in robotics clubs and laboratories to develop their leadership through the STEAM+LAB approach and Industry 4.0.
This project also includes a Space for Investigators project in the FUSALMO facilities in Soyapango. It will fully equip an area for the transformation of ideas into innovative projects through the development of technical and technological skills, the promotion of collaborative and practical learning, and youth leadership.
A Salesian said, “The goal is to empower youth with critical thinking skills, innovation, and values of responsibility, teamwork, empathy, and problem solving, while preparing them to obtain better job opportunities and transform situations in their communities.”
El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO
Salesian Missions – El Salvador
World Bank – El Salvador
The post EL SALVADOR: Students to aim for the stars first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INT’L MIGRANTS DAY: Salesian Missions highlights programs that support young migrants first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring International Migrants Day. Each year, International Migrants Day is held on Dec. 18 to recognize the efforts, contributions and rights of migrants worldwide.
About 184 million people — 2.3% of the world’s population — live outside of their country of nationality, according to a new World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees and Societies report. Almost half of them are in low- and middle-income countries. This statistic also includes 37 million refugees who have been forced from their homes from war, natural disasters and other great suffering.
For those who choose to leave their homeland, youth often leave in search of employment, education and a better way of life. The United Nations notes that youth are heavily represented in migration for humanitarian reasons including as refugees, asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors.
Salesian missionaries care for and provide educational services to young migrants in countries around the globe. Unaccompanied migrant youth often face rejection, homelessness, exploitation and delinquency as they make their journey to find a new way of life. They are also at risk of human trafficking and exploitation.
“No matter the reasons why youth are leaving their homeland for another country, Salesian programs help them have an easier transition into their new communities through language and skills training and workforce development programs,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian missionaries are also working to create new educational and employment opportunities in countries youth leave as an incentive for them to remain at home.”
To mark International Migrants Day 2023, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and social support to migrants.
Salesian missionaries in Egypt have been offering training to assist refugees in gaining the skills needed for employment or self-employment through the Sunrise Project for Cairo’s Urban Refugees and Vulnerable Hosts since 2014. The project continued during the September 2021-2022 funding cycle and was made possible thanks to funding Salesian Missions received from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). The project was facilitated through a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo.
The project improved the livelihoods and quality of life of more than 3,000 Sub-Saharan African, Yemeni, and Syrian refugees, and vulnerable Egyptians. Most recently, there were 498 trainees in the program and 375 successful graduates across 12 workshops. Of the graduates, 77% were refugees and 44% were women. Twenty-seven percent of trainees found formal employment. In addition, 80 trainees received a seed grant and one-on-one mentoring to start their own business. Of these trainees 75% were refugees and 69% were women. Salesians created a new method for the seed funding mentoring. Instead of an outside consultant coming in to work with the trainees, Salesians developed a business curriculum and utilized mentors acting as business trainers to build local capacity and provide trainees a more customized and tailored approach.
Follow-up with those who had received seed funding over the previous three years found that more than 65% of microenterprises were still operational after 12 months. Twenty-one percent of respondents said their income was sufficient to meet their household needs and 17% said they had enough to save.
The Sunrise Project team also developed a wider network of partners across to foster better outcomes for trainees. Among these are 24 companies and factories that are willing to employ refugees and guarantee their rights. This work has been important for securing internships for trainees and employment after graduation.
The Global Solidarity Fund project, set up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,* has helped improve the lives of more than 1,500 returning migrants, refugees and those internally displaced in the country, according to an article by the Vatican News. The project has brought together five religious congregations including the Salesians of Don Bosco, Salesian sisters with the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Ursuline Sisters, Missionaries of Charity and Jesuits through the Jesuit Refugee Service.
Migrants and refugees from other African countries add to the more than 4 million inhabitants of Ethiopia’s ever-expanding capital city. According to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR), there are over 924,000 refugees and asylum seekers residing in Ethiopia. A majority originate from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea. In addition, there are 3.5 million people internally displaced in the country.
Under the project, Salesian missionaries and sisters have been responsible for providing skills training and job preparation, something the Salesians are known for around the globe. Courses were offered in tailoring, fashion design, hairdressing, domestic help, leatherwork, welding, electrical skills, carpentry, IT, graphic design and printing. More than 70% of those who have taken courses have already found work and companies are excited for the skilled labor.
Salesian Tijuana Project is committed to the most vulnerable people in the city of Tijuana, Mexico, especially migrants and refugees. The Salesian Center houses a refectory and other project activities. Since 1987, it has been providing services to migrants and poor youth living on the border between Mexico and the United States.
The goal of the Salesian Tijuana Project is to create an extensive educational network in areas where poor youth are at risk of social exclusion. The project took shape through Salesian oratories and educational centers where children grow up learning to share faith, culture, and sports within their communities.
The Salesian Center also acts as a hub for migrants who, besides much-needed material help, are also offered a familiar and welcoming environment. They can access haircuts, a change of clothes, a shower, and an opportunity to call and make contact with their families. The Salesian Center has a partnership with the Red Cross and local volunteer doctors who offer psychological and medical help.
Salesians at the center have been working to strengthen ties of friendship and collaboration with other government organizations and United Nations agencies. On April 5, the Salesian Tijuana Project received an official thank you from Giovanni Lepri, representative of the UNHCR in Mexico.
Don Bosco Foundation provides support and education for young migrants in Spain. The foundation develops projects to support youth in residential care as well as education and workforce development services. Two young migrants recently credited the support of the Don Bosco Foundation for their success.
Yassin Halim, a young man who received assistance in Don Bosco Foundation’s Project Buzzetti home, recently opened his own hairdressing salon in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and named it Don Bosco. When a customer recently inquired about the name, Halim said, “Because Don Bosco took me off the street.”
Halim arrived in Spain about four years ago by boat with only a backpack. He spent months on the road, ate meals at the Diocesan Caritas and took language classes with the Don Bosco Foundation. When faced with a deportation order for lack of documents, he was sent to the Don Bosco Foundation’s Project Buzzetti home. Today, Halim’s dreams have come true.
Another recipient of the Don Bosco Foundation’s support is Jimmy Samuel, a 21-year-old man from Venezuelan origin who arrived in Spain less than two years ago. Since then, he has worked hard to be successful and shown perseverance and gratitude for the support and opportunities he has been given. A Salesian said, “Jimmy won us over with that smile he never loses, with the melodious telling of his story, and with his satisfied look when he says he has managed to graduate.”
###
Sources:
Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
EGYPT: Sunrise Project provides technical skills training for refugees
ETHIOPIA: Migrants and refugees gain job skills
MEXICO: Work with migrants receives praise from UNHCR
SPAIN: 2 young migrants find success
World Bank – Migrants, Refugees and Societies 2023 Report
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post INT’L MIGRANTS DAY: Salesian Missions highlights programs that support young migrants first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PHILIPPINES: Students and staff showcase technical skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) For the first time, Don Bosco Agro-Mechanical Technology Center (known locally as Don Bosco Legazpi), located in Banquerohan, Legazpi City, Philippines, participated in the welding competition in the 2023 Albay Provincial Skills Competition held at the San Francisco Institute of Technology and hosted by the Technical Education Skills Development Authority.
The theme of this year’s competition was “Albay Technical Prowess: Fostering Innovation and Excellence” and showcased youth’s individual skills, practical ability, and innovation. Skills competitions were held in various fields of specialization.
The competition helped give young Filipinos a passion for skill development, provided recognition for technical excellence, and selected gifted and empowered individuals to represent the country in the international skills competition. It also fosters collaboration among private industries, organizations, technical and vocational training centers, and other institutions. The event brought together 11 competitive institutions in different technical fields.
John Mark Allen Belludo, age 18, represented Don Bosco Legazpi in welding. When he first entered Don Bosco Legazpi, Belludo had limited knowledge in welding, but his workmanship was recognized by Dysel Kerr Padilla, Belludo’s teacher in shielded metal arc welding. As Belludo began preparing for the competition, Loui Sibbaluca, an expert in welding, became his coach. The welding test package allowed four hours to accomplish the given task. Belludo received a certificate of recognition after the event.
Another project was the “Solar Powered Motorized Vehicle” project, the result of research and development conducted by Gilbert Banga, assistant director for technical affairs at Don Bosco Legazpi. This project showcased green technology in daily living, especially for commuters and owners of motorcycles. Audience members sought additional information from Banga after the demonstration.
A Salesian said, “This kind of event reminds and enlightens each person to harness their extraordinary giftedness that aims to contribute to technological innovations for the welfare and development of our society.”
Since 1950, Salesian Missions has been providing crucial help in the Philippines — working with at-risk youth, impoverished families and disaster victims. Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Philippines – Don Bosco Legazpi joins the 2023 Albay Provincial Skills Tilt
Don Bosco Agro-Mechanical Technology Center Facebook
Salesian Missions – Philippines
UNICEF – Philippines
The post PHILIPPINES: Students and staff showcase technical skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DR CONGO: Afia Don Bosco Hospital receives donor funding for new generator first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Afia Don Bosco Hospital, located in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, has a new generator to supply the hospital with consistent electricity thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The hospital, which runs 65% of the time on a generator, experiences frequent power outages, which impact its ability to provide proper medical care for patients.
The hospital provides medical care for the large population in Lubumbashi and its surroundings. Patients of all ages rely on the hospital services, including Salesians and families being served from the Salesian center in the area. The old generator that had been in use for some time recently broke, leaving the hospital in a precarious situation. With the new generator, the hospital will run more effectively and efficiently.
Afia Don Bosco Hospital has 156 beds and specialized services including radiology, an emergency department, general medicine, internal medicine, pneumology, gynecological and obstetric, dermatology, dentistry, kinesiotherapy, pediatric, general surgery, neurosurgery, psychiatry, ophthalmology, oncology and more.
Dr. Christian Mbuya, the medical director at the hospital, said, “We send out heartfelt thanks to benefactors, who are supporting Afia Don Bosco Hospital. This donation is important for the health and well-being of each patient. Thanks to this electrical supply, it will reduce the risk linked to the lack of power in this health and hospital environment.”
Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post DR CONGO: Afia Don Bosco Hospital receives donor funding for new generator first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post SPAIN: Young migrant shares his story first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Foundation in Spain has been supporting youth like Alhassane Camara, who left Guinea for Spain to find a better life. Thanks to his dedication and hard work, as well as the support of Salesians, Camara found a new home, a new family, and the prospect of a promising future along the way.
Camara shared his story. “In 2017, my travel companion, Abdul, and I left home to move by bus to Mali, a sister country to Guinea. After two weeks there, we moved to the border with Algeria. We crossed the desert on foot for three days, appreciating the gifts it gave us and also suffering its harshness. It was on the third day that an armed group blocked us and demanded a ransom for our freedom. Luckily, my mother found the money and sent it to allow me to continue my journey.”
Camara arrived in the Algerian town of Blida with no food, money or the strength to continue. He and Abdul found a way to survive working as bricklayers until they saved enough to continue to Morocco. He said, “A friend was waiting for us there, who gave us a place to live for three months, during which we continued to work to get more money to cross the Mediterranean. And we did it. After we raised enough money we managed to pay a person who got us on a zodiac. There were 59 people, 50 men and nine women, but not all of us managed to get to Spain. Many were lost in the vastness of the sea. Among them, Abdul, who had been my travel companion since the moment we left home.”
After waking from the shipwreck, Camara started a solitary journey. He was fortunate enough to meet people along the way who offered him support. Camara first went to the Don Bosco Center in Malaga for skills training school and Spanish language lessons. He began living in an apartment with other people and became self-employed very quickly.
However, shortly after, Camara’s documents expired and he was unable to renew them due to problems with the Guinean consulate. As a result, he lost his job and his bank account was blocked. A former classmate at the Don Bosco Youth Center reminded him that he could always return to the center for help.
Camara explained, “After I got back in touch with the Salesians, I went for an interview and entered the Francisco Míguez House, which has since become my home and family. I have not stopped working for my future. I have achieved many of my goals. I have a passport, I attend secondary school, I am learning a trade that will open the doors to me to get a quality job and I have met new people and new travel companions. I achieved all this also thanks to Abdul. We both had the same goals, but our destiny was different.”
He also credits the Don Bosco Youth Center for his success. He said, “I want to say thank you to all the professionals at Don Bosco who helped me when I was not in the best situation, and to all those who continue to support me still. I will never stop fighting for a better future.”
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Spain – The story of Alhassane in search of a better future
Salesian Missions – Spain
World Bank – Spain
The post SPAIN: Young migrant shares his story first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post UNITED STATES: Students help restore space shuttle mock-up first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Institute, located in Downey, Calif., is participating in the “Space Shuttle Inspiration Pathfinder” project, which aims to restore an original mock-up of the space shuttle. This full-scale model was originally used to gain approval for the space shuttle program and to contribute to the final design. Used in the following years for the development of hardware and software, it is now part of the “Columbia Memorial Space Science Learning Center” in Downey.
A Salesian explained, “Don Bosco Technical Institute is the only high school participating in this project. Students, under the guidance of teachers and former students who played a fundamental role in the space program, will dismantle, document, refurbish, and restore the landing gear. This is an exciting opportunity for students to put into action skills they have learned.”
For more than 65 years, Don Bosco Technical Institute has been producing engineers, scientists, lawyers, entrepreneurs and leaders in all sectors of industry. Young men of all religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds leave the school prepared to be lifelong learners, with the tools to succeed in college and beyond.
Working throughout the United States and around the globe, Salesian missionaries have created a vast network of primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools serving poor youth. With a focus on education and workforce development, Salesians worldwide provide disadvantaged youth valuable resources to help them find livable wage employment to break the cycle of poverty and lead meaningful and productive lives.
Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth centers and after-school programs offer youth opportunities for engaging in constructive activities. Through organized programs, which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth. Some youth centers also offer small medical clinics and, where needed, nutritional programs to protect children from malnutrition. Youth programs also offer valuable volunteer opportunities for youth to have a chance to engage with others and support their own communities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
The post UNITED STATES: Students help restore space shuttle mock-up first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post PORTUGAL: Music schools educate over 1,300 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries understand the importance of music education for youth. Thanks to a qualified teaching staff, Salesian music schools in Portugal are open to all students as well as people of all ages. Lessons on individual instruments, ensemble music lessons, general training, composition and production are just some of the courses offered. The training also includes live performances at school shows, auditions and concerts.
Salesian music schools are found in cities including in Lisbon, Estoril, Évora and Porto, and there is the Dom Bosco Music Center in Manique. Across these schools, there are 1,300 students taught by 100 teachers.
A Salesian said, “The education offered at Salesian music schools is rich and fruitful. Students not only learn the music skills taught but learn life skills in working collaboratively, dedication to a talent and an appreciation of the arts.”
In Estoril students have access to education in a range of instruments as well as singing, collective combo lessons (pop/rock or jazz band), vocal ensemble, history of music, multimedia production and writing lyrics. In Évora, students are exposed to musical initiation and a general course in musical, instrumental or singing training and ensemble music classes. There is also a free course offered. In Porto, students can learn a range of instruments and participate in the children’s choir.
At the Dom Bosco Music Center in Manique, there are classes on different instruments, musical training, chorus and the maintenance of acoustic pianos. In Lisbon, the leader of the Salesian music schools produced the Don Bosco Musical staged during last summer’s World Youth Day. There, lessons range from courses on individual instruments to general training, an improvisation workshop, music production and music technology.
According to the World Bank there are close to 2.6 million people living below the poverty line in Portugal, 487,000 of whom are under the age of 18. The country is one of the most unequal countries in Europe as far as wealth distribution. Wealthy citizens earn five times the rate of income than those living in poverty.
Salesians provide education and social development programs to ensure youth have access to education so they can learn the skills for later employment, helping them lead self-sufficient lives.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Portugal – Salesian Music Schools: Music, Body and Soul
World Bank – Portugal
The post PORTUGAL: Music schools educate over 1,300 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: School celebrates 100 years first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical School, located in Shillong, India, marked 100 years in operation with an event showcasing a rich legacy of technical education, character building and community service. The event brought together past pupils, students, faculty and well-wishers to commemorate 100 years of excellence.
The celebration kicked off with an exhibition to highlight products prepared by trainees from the woodworking, general mechanics, bakery and fast food departments. The exhibits demonstrated the school’s commitment to technical excellence, technological advancements and contributions to society through various programs.
The chief guest for the day was Dr. Ampareen Lyngdoh, cabinet minister from the Government of Meghalaya. The event featured speeches, songs, and dance reflecting on the school’s achievements, impact on students, and vision for the future. One of the features of the celebration was the reunion of past pupils. This enabled former students to reconnect, share experiences and reminisce about their time at the school. The achievements of the past pupils in different fields were also highlighted.
The grand finale of the three-day event was Holy Mass celebrated by Most Rev. Victor Lyngdoh, Archbishop of Shillong and co-celebrated by three other bishops and priests. The Mass served as a spiritual anchor, reflecting on the values instilled in students over the years.
A Salesian said, “The celebration for Don Bosco Technical School was a momentous occasion that brought together generations of students, faculty and supporters to celebrate a century of technical educational excellence. The event not only looked back at the technical school’s rich history but also set the stage for the continued pursuit of excellence in the years to come. As we move forward, we remain committed to the principles of our founder, St. John Bosco, and the holistic development of our students.”
India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22% of the country lives in poverty. About 31% of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.
India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia
Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Technical School Shillong celebrates 100 Years of existence
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: School celebrates 100 years first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Renewable energy project launches first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries from the St. John Bosco Province of the Antilles, through the Salesian Don Bosco Foundation’s youth ministry school sector and environment unit, have launched a renewable energy project in the Dominican Republic to equip seven polytechnic institutes with solar panels.
The project “Vocational qualification of vulnerable young people in the field of renewable energy and environmental awareness” will run through the end of 2025 and will be carried out in the provinces of Barahona, Santiago, La Vega and Santo Domingo.
The 580 solar panel modules will produce 295.8 kilowatts a year, which is equivalent to avoiding the emission of 274,906 kg of CO2 (a service equal to 46,218 trees that would be needed to convert CO2 into oxygen). In addition, the project will be completed with a series of other environmental awareness-raising activities.
The overall goal of the project is to help with the production of clean energy for the development of technical and vocational education, to protect the environment, and to give access to the labor market for youth trained in this sector.
A Salesian explained, “The technical baccalaureate in renewable energies started this year at the Don Bosco Polytechnic Institute in Santiago and the Cristo Rey Polytechnic Institute in Barahona. Before that only one technical school in the entire country offered this type of training and there is a high demand for qualified technicians in this technology from businesses. Similarly, in the seven schools where the project was launched, training in the installation and maintenance of solar panels will be offered, in coordination with the Dominican Republic’s National Institute for Technical and Professional Training.”
The project is being co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Don Bosco Mundo in Germany, and St. John Bosco Province of the Antilles in coordination with the Directorate of Vocational Technical Education of the Ministry of Education.
Nearly half of youth under the age of 18 live in poverty in the Dominican Republic, according to UNICEF. Although the country’s economy has been steadily improving, the country’s poor people still struggle to get enough food to eat and to access safe drinking water and adequate housing. Only 30% of youth finish primary school and only 18% finish secondary school on time. Schools are in poor shape with nearly half having no access to safe drinking water and more than 60% lacking adequate bathroom facilities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
UNICEF – Dominican Republic
The post DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Renewable energy project launches first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CAMEROON: Training program improves lives of youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Yaoundé, Cameroon, completed the “Improving assistance to disadvantaged young people in Yaoundé through quality training” project in October. The project was carried out by Bosco Global in Spain and funded by the Municipal Council of Tenerife, Spain. The goal was to improve the lives of youth in vulnerable situations by supporting educational assistance at the Don Bosco Center in the Mimboman district.
Education in the district is important for youth given the challenging conditions they face. The area where they live is on the outskirts of the city and has no paved roads, precarious health services, overcrowded schools and a high crime rate among youth who do not see a better future.
Dr. Virginia Martín, technical consultant with Bosco Global for the project, said, “Fortunately, in this hostile environment the Don Bosco educational complex in Mimboman stands out. It consists of a primary and secondary school, a vocational training center, and the Don Bosco Youth Center that is open to all young people in the neighborhood.”
Martín added, “As a result of this project, the library at the center has been equipped with books, computers, a photocopier, and a librarian has been hired. There are extended opening hours to allow access not only to the students of the center but also to the rest of the neighborhood. A school canteen was also built and the vocational training workshops for aluminum carpentry, woodworking, and tailoring were equipped. In addition, teachers were trained in the correct use of the new equipment, and all the improvements were disseminated to the educational community and the neighborhood.”
After the project, Bosco Global highlighted the outcomes with a special presentation at the San Juan Bosco Salesian Secondary School in La Cuesta, Tenerife, to raise awareness of the situation of Mimboman’s youth and the importance of fighting for the right to education in any country in the world.
More than 30% of Cameroon’s population lives below the poverty line and human development indicators remain low, according to the World Food Programme. Poverty is the highest in the Far North, North, Adamawa and East regions. In northern regions, people are often affected by natural disasters and below-average harvests which contribute to a continuing cycle of poverty and hunger.
Salesian missionaries in Cameroon provide education and social development services to poor youth so they are able to gain the training needed to find and retain long-term employment. They in turn are able to give back to their families and communities.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Cameroon – “Bosco Global” promotes quality education
The post CAMEROON: Training program improves lives of youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: Salesian Missions highlights educational and social programs for youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring Human Rights Day, celebrated each year on Dec. 10. Human Rights Day commemorates the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 75 years ago this year and has been translated into more than 500 languages. This milestone document proclaimed the inalienable rights that everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being — regardless of race, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.
The U.N. noted, “In 2023, we reinvigorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, showing the ways it meets the needs of our time, and advancing its promise of freedom, equality, and justice for all.”
Through education and social development programming, Salesian missionaries in more than 130 countries around the globe work to ensure that all youth know their rights, are able to fully participate in their communities and have their voices heard.
Whether it’s combating child labor, assisting homeless youth or building schools where children previously had no access to education, Salesian missionaries are educating youth on their rights and ensuring access to programs and services they need. Working in more than 5,500 Salesian educational institutions and youth centers around the world, missionaries educate children in some of the poorest places on the planet.
“Among many educational programs for poor youth, Salesians also provide education on human rights which provides vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “At Salesian schools, young children gain an education, learn about their rights and freedoms, and participate in sports and other activities — all in a safe environment that encourages learning and growth.”
In honor of Human Rights Day, Salesian Missions highlights unique programs that are helping poor youth receive an education and find a path out of poverty, bringing them hope for the future.
St. John Paul II School in the community of Maram Khullen, located Manipur, India, has a new toilet complex thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The project is part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The school provides education to 170 students, ages 4-13, with the support of 10 staff members.
The funding was utilized for construction of the entire complex from the foundation to the ceiling and walls. Funding was also used to tile the floor, paint the entire building, and install the toilets and partition them. Separate areas of the building were provided for both boys and girls.
Houdina, a girl in class 7, expressed her gratitude for the new toilet complex. “I am very happy now. I don’t feel embarrassed anymore. I never went during school recess to the toilet, but used to go during class time to avoid the gaze of the boys.”
Nearly 1,400 people in Peru benefited from a donation from ASAP – Tools for Empowerment thanks to a partnership with Salesian Missions. Don Bosco Foundation received the donation and distributed it to seven Salesian organizations in 2022. Salesian organizations that received the donation include Bosconia Technical Education Center, Salesians in Piura, Salesian Polytechnic Education Center and Salesians in Monte Salvado, among others.
The donated tools and equipment have been used mostly by students in technical training centers. Students have access to them during the practical part of their training in courses focused on carpentry, automotive mechanics, electricity, industrial pattern making (textiles), metalworking and agriculture. The tools are also used for maintenance and gardening, and in the warehouse.
Students who have completed their training have also benefited from basic tool kits including hammers, pliers, screwdrivers and saws. Young Venezuelan migrants housed in the Magdalena Shelter benefited from baseball equipment for their recreational activities.
Students attending Don Bosco Technical School in Gatenga, Rwanda, received nutritional support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The support, which covered from January to May 2023, provided for the purchase of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner at the school.
The funding ensured proper nutrition so students could focus on their studies and had the motivation to learn. Often, the meals students receive at the school are the only meals they have in a day. As a result of this donation, the learning environment improved, and students and staff were more focused on their tasks. The school also has an organic farm. During the first part of 2023, the number of vegetables planted in the garden increased due to more space that became available for the farm.
A Salesian missionary at the school said, “Don Bosco Gatenga school staff and the whole Salesian community, including students and their families, are grateful and happy for the donor support and thinking of the youth in need here. We extend our thanks to all the donors.”
St. Augustine Agricultural Junior Secondary School, located in Lungi, Sierra Leone, received support from donor funding from Salesian Missions. The school, which was established in 1984, has 14 classrooms, a computer lab, an infirmary/clinic and an administrative building.
The school provides education to marginalized students in the region. It currently has 700 students, 34 teachers and four auxiliary staff, including a nurse. Given the economic condition of the country and the challenges faced by students, the school recently reintroduced its feeding program. A portion of the donor funding went to support this program and ensure students in need have access to healthy nutrition through school lunch.
In addition, funding provided for school uniforms and to support salaries for the auxiliary staff. Maintenance and repairs of the school buildings, assembly and sport grounds, school fence, bathrooms and canteen also took place with the funding.
At the school, Salesian sports programming provides much-needed recreation and life skills for the students. Funding provided for table tennis equipment, balls, and jerseys for soccer, basketball and volleyball.
###
Sources:
Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)
INDIA: New toilets benefit students
PERU: Donation provides youth with tools for studies
RWANDA: Funding ensures proper nutrition for students
SIERRA LEONE: Donor funding helps marginalized students
The post HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: Salesian Missions highlights educational and social programs for youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post INDIA: Sister receives award for combating human trafficking first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Sister Seli Thomas, a member of the Catechist Sisters of Mary Immaculate Help of Christians, has been awarded the “SATA – Sisters Anti-Trafficking Award”, given to sisters engaged in the fight against human trafficking. Sr. Thomas, from Krishnagar, West Bengal, India, received the award on Oct. 31 during a ceremony held in London along with two other sisters from Nigeria and Thailand.
The three sisters rescued women from a network of traffickers who allegedly exploited them for sexual and labor purposes. The commendation states that all three showed courage and cooperation in protecting these women from human trafficking.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted, “Globally, national responses, particularly in developing States, appear to be deteriorating. Detection rates fell by 11% in 2020 and convictions plummeted by 27%, illustrating a worldwide slowdown in the criminal justice response to trafficking. The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the characteristics of trafficking, pushing it further underground and potentially increasing the dangers to victims by making the crime less likely to come to the attention of the authorities. In fact, 41% of victims who manage to escape their ordeal reach out to the authorities on their own initiative — another clear sign that anti-trafficking responses are falling short.”
As UNODC explained, “those who lack legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, health care, or decent work, face discrimination, violence, or abuse, or come from marginalized communities are often the primary targets of traffickers.”
Salesian missionaries who operate in more than 130 countries work both to prevent human trafficking and to care for victims who are living on the streets and seeking a second chance in life.
“Salesian missionaries and sisters around the globe provide programs and services to help youth lead healthier and productive lives, combat trafficking, and ensure youth are safe,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We applaud the sisters for their courage in helping the young women to escape from their traffickers. They will have a chance at a better life thanks to the sisters’ brave actions.”
##
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – England – An award for commitment against human trafficking to Sister Seli Thomas, SMI
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2023
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
The post INDIA: Sister receives award for combating human trafficking first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post NICARAGUA: Youth give back to those in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Youth from the Salesian center in Granada, Nicaragua, recently carried out a campaign called “Sharing dreams and smiles”. The initiative aimed at sharing Salesian joy and promoting charity and empathy with the children at the St. Vincent de Paul Special School and the elderly people living in the La Providencia Care Home.
Representing the educational community, students brought sweets and food to share with the students and the elderly. Youth were able to meet new people, listen, converse and be part of the daily life of these places.
“Volunteering is a great way for youth not only to give back but to share in new experiences,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education in the classroom is the primary focus, Salesian schools also provide youth an opportunity to get out into their communities and provide support for those in need. The exchange brings joy and growth on both sides.”
Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80% of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.
Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Nicaragua – Solidarity campaign: “Sharing dreams and smiles”
Salesian Missions – Nicaragua
World Bank – Nicaragua
The post NICARAGUA: Youth give back to those in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post DR CONGO: Salesians care for displaced families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Shasha, Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center and the Salesian Industrial Technical Institute in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, are continuing to provide support for those who have been internally displaced in the country. Conflict has left more than 6.2 million people displaced across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR.
The country is battling conflict fueled by competition for the region’s rich resources including diamonds, cobalt, gold and oil. The March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group launched an offensive on Oct. 20, 2022, and seized a large part of the Rutshuru territory, displacing people who had fled to the region to escape conflict between the M23 and Congolese armed forces. With the takeover, these people had to flee again.
As a result, the Nyiragongo Territory, bordering the city of Goma, has welcomed thousands of those who have been internally displaced. Many are in the Kanyaruchinya Internally Displaced Persons camp. There has also been serious fighting in Masisi territory, where the towns of Kitshanga and Mushaki have fallen under M23 control. Rutshuru and Masisi are the main sources of food for the city of Goma, and as a result food prices are very unstable. Also, due to the vast numbers of displaced people, several other camps have sprung up. The situation has stressed humanitarian organizations that are already overstretched with their resources.
There are more than 25,000 families living in the camps at Kanyaruchinya, Don Bosco Ngangi, Don Bosco Shasha and Bulengo. Salesians are working to collaborate with other partners to better coordinate interventions at the local level. Many households in the various camps rely on the assistance of the Salesians, who provide food to displaced families as well as spiritual support.
A Salesian said, “The conditions of the camps are challenging. Thanks to donors though some families now have tarpaulins on their shelters. Increases in the cost of living have exacerbated the crisis, with food, fuel and other goods rising in price. Pregnant women, the elderly, people living with disabilities, and widows/widowers are finding it hard to get by in these conditions, having left everything behind in their homelands. The needs are enormous. The children need a space for games and for psychosocial care, helping them to deal with the trauma of the war. Salesians are already doing what they can to organize activities, but have yet to be able to provide these for all the children across the different camps.”
Salesians are also concerned about youth missing their education. Some children missed the 2022-2023 school year and it is very likely that they will miss the 2023-2024 school year. There is currently no hope of a return to their villages, where the security situation remains precarious. There is an urgent need for youth to be enrolled in either local schools or vocational training courses to reduce the risk of violence and exploitation. There is also a need for households to learn income-generating activities in order to reduce their total dependence on humanitarian aid, especially considering that not everyone has access to aid.
Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – DR Congo – Helping Families Displaced by Conflict
Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo
UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
The post DR CONGO: Salesians care for displaced families first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post KENYA: Working toward a green campus first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Tech Africa has been implementing the Green TVET (technical and vocational education) project in collaboration with the local Salesian planning and development office. As part of this project, tree nurseries have been developed in the five implementing countries of Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Madagascar and Nigeria.
Through these efforts, Don Bosco Technical Secondary School Embu (Don Bosco Embu) in Kenya is working toward a green campus, community and culture. Efforts include knowledge sharing and incorporating the importance of environmental conservation and management in youth programs and community wide.
Don Bosco Embu is taking advantage of the ongoing rains to carry out a massive afforestation initiative at the institution and the surrounding area with seedlings supplied by a tree nursery. This initiative is a crucial step toward greening and preserving the environment while promoting sustainability. Some of the trees will provide fruit to be consumed by the community. The presence of the fruits will also attract different biodiversity that in the long run may lead to a self-sustaining ecosystem.
A Salesian said, “The collaboration between Don Bosco Tech Africa, the Salesian planning and development office, and the local community in Don Bosco Embu showcases the importance of partnerships in achieving long-term environmental goals.”
Don Bosco Tech Africa is the coordinating body for the Don Bosco technical and vocational schools in the Africa region. The organization coordinates approximately 110 centers spread over 34 countries. Salesians aim to empower centers to deliver demand-driven and quality training to the marginalized and at-risk youth who gain employable skills through the centers. Don Bosco Tech Africa has trained Salesian technical and vocation center management and staff as part of the Trainers-of-Trainers program.
###
Sources:
Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Africa
Don Bosco Tech Africa – Tree Planting Exercise in Don Bosco Embu
Salesian Missions – Kenya
World Bank – Kenya
The post KENYA: Working toward a green campus first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>The post CHILE: School launches agriculture sustainability project first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Catemu Agricultural School in Catemu, Chile, launched a terracing project in October, led by the Ceres Center, a regional institution to promote sustainable development. Terracing projects represent an important step toward the sustainability of agriculture and rural areas. The day was led by Roxana Lebuy, director of the landscape, territory and rural development program at the Ceres Center.
During the event, Lebuy shared her experience and knowledge with the students and explained that terracing is based on the transfer of a water harvesting technique inspired by nature, respecting contour lines to reduce erosion and increase water efficiency. This technique allows water to accumulate in the soil for longer, penetrating the deeper layers. It also increases the biological activity of the soil, which is essential for organic cultivation.
A Salesian explained, “Another key aspect of the project is the subsequent planting of mycorrhizal fungi on the terraces, which nourish the soil without the need for chemicals. This approach is a fundamental part of the Salesian school’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.”
The project will be developed in seven provinces in the region, and the Catemu Agricultural School is the center in its province. The Ceres Center will supervise the project and train the students in all stages of the process.
Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.
###
Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Chile – A step towards sustainability: Salesian Agrarian School in Catemu builds terraces
Salesian Missions – Chile
World Bank – Chile
The post CHILE: School launches agriculture sustainability project first appeared on MissionNewswire.
]]>