Salesians start new mission center in town of Kagwema for poor children

(MissionNewswire) Mission Don Bosco, the Salesian Mission office in Turin, Italy, has provided support for a new center in Kagwema, Burundi*, a town of 60,000 people. Infrastructure and services are lacking, and as a result, many children and youth are unable to receive an education.

The goal of the Salesian project is to start with the construction of a parish church. This will be followed by the construction of an oratory to welcome the children of the community.

A Salesian missionary with Mission Don Bosco, said, “Thanks to the work of Salesian missionaries, we want to kindle hope for the people of Burundi and start a new center in the village of Kagwema. We believe in a tomorrow of equality, justice and development for all, which is why we support with all our strength the new Salesian missions in the poorest countries.”

Salesian missionaries in Burundi and around the globe provide education and social development programs to help poor youth and their families achieve self-sufficiency and have hope for a better life. Through schools, vocational and technical training programs, youth centers, medical clinics, and more, Salesians are ensuring youth have the services and programs they need to thrive.

Burundi, located in the heart of the African Great Lakes region, has seen more than a decade of violence and conflict which has contributed to widespread poverty, according to UNICEF. Children are some of the most severely affected by the country’s rampant poverty. Fifty-three percent of children under the age of 5 suffer from growth stunting caused by inadequate food, low-quality diet, poor infant feeding practices, poor household management of childhood diseases and the general decline of the country’s health system.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Burundi – Giving light to a new mission: the support of “Missioni Don Bosco” to Salesian project for Kagwema

Mission Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Burundi

UNICEF – Burundi

*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.