NIGERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been able to provide clean water for people in the village of Isi-Obi Ukwu, Nigeria, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative”, is positively impacting more than 3,300 people living in the village.

Isi-Obi Ukwu has poor road conditions and no stable electricity. The area lacked any safe drinking water. If there is water in the rainy season, it’s often polluted as flood waters drain into two rivers where villagers wash their clothes and soak their cassava bags for fermentation. Before drinking the water, people sift it and let it settle, and even then, the water can make them sick. In dry periods, the volume of the rivers is greatly reduced, leaving people with little water.

With donor funding, Salesians were able to drill a borewell then install a tank and solar pump. The new system provides safe drinking water and water for other uses, like cooking. As a result, there has been a decrease in waterborne illness and an increase in better hygiene practices.

One of the villagers impacted by the donation is Ebere Egbechuo. He said, “Before the borewell, we had to walk long distances for unsafe water. It was leading to health issues and took the time that could have been spent on more productive activities. My hope for the future is better health for all of us, especially the children in the village. I am concerned about making sure the borewell and pump remain working, and so we in the village are meeting to make sure we can do the upkeep and maintenance.”

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050. While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day.

About 64% of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32% of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

To learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria

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NIGERIA

(MissionNewswire) Five communities in Nigeria have clean water access thanks to donor funding through the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Borehole projects have been completed in Alaenyi, Umuaju, Bagbe, Nsasak Afaha and Neke. Due to geographic conditions, there is very little potable water in this region, and people—mostly women and children—are forced to travel long distances to access clean water for their daily needs or rely on rain and river water, which can sometimes be contaminated.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people, pushing global water demand up to 30 percent higher than today. One in four primary schools has no drinking water service, with students using unprotected water sources or going thirsty.

The new boreholes provide clean water, reduce outbreaks of waterborne diseases and eliminate the need for traveling hours each day in search of water. Poor residents of these communities, students, and women and children will benefit from these boreholes. Children can remain in school instead of searching for water. Women no longer have to travel long distances, often risking their lives just to find a water source.

“The water projects we fund ensure that Salesian programs around the globe have access to safe, clean water for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Ensuring access to clean water brings a sense of dignity to communities and promotes proper hygiene. This also reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. With an estimated population of 150 million, one in every five Africans is a Nigerian. The country has been undergoing explosive population growth and has one of the highest growth and fertility rates in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050.

While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day. About 64 percent of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32 percent of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

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Sources:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria

The post NIGERIA: 5 communities gain clean water access first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco High School in Nkhotakota, Malawi, is able to provide clean, fresh water to its students and staff thanks to funding from Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The funding was utilized to dig a borehole and install a solar pump, providing water to the school.

Don Bosco High School was launched in direct response to the need for education for youth in the southwestern part of Nkhotakota. The school started with 88 students and six teachers. Today, Don Bosco High School has 378 students across four grades educated by 20 teachers. More than half of the students are from the local community, but the school does board 160 students.

“The biggest challenge the school faced was the chronic lack of regular water supply for both our boarding and day students,” said Father J. Czerwinski. “Although the school is near a large lake and connected to the town water source, there were still acute water shortages every day. The town supply is very erratic and unreliable. This caused problems for our students including a lack of proper hygiene, a health hazard, and no water for cooking and drinking.”

Fr. Czerwinski added, “Because of that, we turned to Salesian Missions for the help and assistance, and through donor funding we were able to drill the borehole and add a solar pump to solve our water challenges.”

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people, pushing global water demand up to 30 percent higher than today. One in four primary schools has no drinking water service, with students using unprotected water sources or going thirsty. In addition, UN-Water notes that more than 700 children under 5 years of age die every day from diarrheal disease linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, continues its “Clean Water Initiative” to make building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

In Malawi, more than 50 percent of the population lives in poverty and the majority of households have women as the head of the household, according to the World Bank. Located in southeast Africa, Malawi is a landlocked country bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique to the east, south and west.

Agriculture is a central part of Malawi’s economy but land distribution is unequal and crops are highly vulnerable to the region’s frequent droughts. Few houses have piped water and less than one in 10 Malawians has access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most people cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, 45 percent of the country’s children under age 5 are stunted due to a lack of adequate nutrition. Many children also lack educational opportunities and have few options for improving their circumstances.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative

Salesian Missions – Malawi

UNICEF – Malawi

World Water Day 2019

The post MALAWI: Don Bosco High School has clean, fresh water thanks to funding from Salesian Missions ‘Clean Water Initiative’ first appeared on MissionNewswire.

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Students attending the Don Bosco College, located in Golaghat, Assam, India, have access to clean fresh water thanks to a recent water project funded by Salesian Missions donors. The project is part of Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” which funds and initiates projects to bring clean water to Salesian centers and programs around the globe.

Don Bosco College provides a vital education and housing for 150 boys and 180 girls. The high demand for water has the college struggling to provide a sufficient supply. Salesian Missions funding enabled Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco College to facilitate a project that included drilling a borewell that provides adequate water for drinking, hygiene, and meeting the basic needs of those attending and working at the college.

“It’s critical that Salesian programs around the globe have access to safe, clean water for the health and safety of those we serve,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities brings a sense of dignity to children and ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

With more than 1.3 billion people, India’s growing population is putting a severe strain on the country’s natural resources. According to Water.org, close to 77 million people do not have access to safe, clean water and 769 million have no sanitation services. Most water sources throughout the country are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff.

While India has made some progress in the supply of safe water, there remain gross disparities in safe water access across the country. The World Bank estimates that 21 percent of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water with diarrhea alone causing more than 1,600 deaths daily. Access to proper sanitation is extremely poor, particularly in rural areas where only 14 percent of the population has access to a latrine.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions has developed a “Clean Water Initiative” that has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a new report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Clean Water Initiative

Salesian Missions – India

Water.org – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” provides clean water for Don Bosco College Golaghat thanks to donor funding first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The parish also holds spiritual formation, meetings and other pastoral activities or gatherings for its parishioners. The parish also offers a small farm next the church, which contributes to the daily sustenance of the Salesian community in Calinan. A water system is set up in Dacudao that provides an adequate safe water supply to about 2,000 residents.

Recently work needed to be completed to improve this water system. With the funding provided by Salesian Missions, the project entailed the installation of water pump and pump house, water tanks and pipe lines. An 8-inch, 100-meter deep water well borehole with a 6-inch casing was dug followed by the installation of a water pump. Constant discharge pumping tests were done and the construction of a pump house was also completed. The construction of the raised water storage stand and the installation of a water tank completed the project.

Residents of Dacudao are happy that they now have an additional source clean water. Many nearby residents are able to conveniently access water from the faucets strategically located in the farm. The new water supply was also effective is helping those affected by the December 2017 typhoon, Tropical Storm Vinta, which damaged a large area in Mindanao including those living in Calinan, Davao.

Flooding in many areas near the Davao River caused residents to be temporarily evacuated. Some of the families evacuated to the church parish where they sought refuge from the storm and flooding. The completion of the water project was very timely as it provided the evacuees clean and potable water for their daily needs. In addition, the new water system supplies the irrigation requirements of the farm. With it, the farm is expected to increase production of fruits and vegetables for the families that live near the farm.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people, pushing global water demand up to 30 percent higher than today. UN-Water also indicates that around 1.9 billion people live in potentially severely water-scarce areas. By 2050, this could increase to around 3 billion people.

“Having access to clean water is essential for the health and safety of those we serve around the globe,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities like this project in the Philippines brings a sense of dignity for the children we serve and ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

Throughout the Philippines, Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth, many with an emphasis on recreation and sports activities. 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.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

UN-Water

The post PHILIPPINES: New water project provides clean, fresh water to 2,000 residents first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, UN-Water sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme “Nature for Water” explores how people can use nature to overcome the water challenges of the 21st century. UN-Water notes that environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises seen around the world today.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services, and by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people, pushing global water demand up to 30 percent higher than today. UN-Water also indicates that around 1.9 billion people live in potentially severely water-scarce areas. By 2050, this could increase to around 3 billion people.

“Having access to clean water is essential for the health and safety of those we serve around the globe,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities brings a sense of dignity for the children we serve and ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

UN-Water highlights that nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of the globe’s water challenges. It suggests doing more with “green” infrastructure and harmonize it with ‘grey’ infrastructure wherever possible. Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands will rebalance the water cycle and improve human health and livelihoods.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions has continued its “Clean Water Initiative,” making building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

CAMBODIA

Salesian-run Don Bosco Kep, located in Kep Province, Cambodia, has completed a water system and sanitation project on the school grounds. The project entailed drilling a new well, and installing a water filter, new irrigation and a water treatment plant, in addition to new sanitation facilities. The water project is providing appropriate sanitation and fresh drinking water for 350 students and teachers on campus, as well as providing clean water for farming, fishing ponds and cooking. The addition of the new water treatment facilities is also preventing ecological contamination.

INDIA

Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” is bringing water to the Marathwadi village in India. The project was implemented by local Salesian missionaries through Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra (BGVK). Successive years of hardly any rainfall in the villages of Marathwadi and Kolhewadi, in the districts of Ahmednagar and Beed, had made the life of villagers miserable. Agricultural productivity was going down, cattle were not producing enough milk, the groundwater table was declining, people were migrating and children were suffering.

To improve water security and water management, BGVK focused on facilitating groundwater recharge and retention to improve soil moisture, de-silting the canal-bed, increasing green cover and laying a pipeline to the village. BGVK also completed an excavation of two dams for de-silting and recharging village wells, as well as constructing two drinking water tanks of 10,000-liter capacity each. The local villagers provided the technical support and manual labor, while Salesian Missions provided the financial support.

This project has benefited 1,200 people in two villages and saved at least 1,000 hours each day collectively for people out searching for water. It has also made the life of young girls and women in the villages more comfortable as they traditionally have the primary responsibility of finding water for their families.

RWANDA

Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Oratory in the village of Kabgayi, located south of the city of Gitarama in Muhanga district in the southern province of Rwanda, just completed a water well project in cooperation with Logic Engineering. The project included drilling for a new water well and installing an electric pump. A new water tank was also built to store large amounts of water. The new well provides water for youth who participate in the oratory’s activities, as well as the surrounding community that often faces water shortages.

The project was funded by Salesian Missions and has drastically improved the sanitation and hygiene of youth in the Salesian program. Students and their families are able to have access to clean drinking water and water for washing their hands and taking a shower. The water is also available for cleaning the program’s sports facilities and equipment. New bathroom facilities provide better sanitation as well.

ZAMBIA

The government of Zambia asked Salesian missionaries to start an agricultural school in Lufubu with the goal of establishing an alternative to fishing. The local community was over-fishing the lakes and needed a new source of food security that would combat hunger while preserving the environment. The school includes a working farm where the students gain hands-on experience with animal husbandry and the cultivation of vegetables and maize on a personal plot of land designated for each student. The farm includes 400 hectares of land, five of which are currently cleared. There is a river near to the farm that provides a reliable source of water year-round.

While the Salesian campus, which includes the agricultural school, farm and youth center, does have a bore hole that provides fresh water, it was limited. A stream about 200 meters away brings in fresh, clean water for washing, watering and even drinking, but unfortunately much of the water did not reach the Salesian storage tank because of the many leaks. Salesian Missions provided the funding for Salesian missionaries in Lufubu to replace the 200 meters of PVC piping to deliver the fresh water from the stream to the storage tank positively affecting the school and its students.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Water Day

The post WORLD WATER DAY: Salesian Missions highlights “Clean Water Initiative” projects that ensure youth have access to clean, safe water first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Billions of people around the world lack appropriate sanitation systems. They are either non-existent or completely ineffective, leading to significant disease and even death. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. By 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals aim to reach everyone with sanitation, halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and increase recycling and safe reuse.

Each year, World Toilet Organization sets a theme for World Toilet Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme of “Wastewater” focuses on the fact that the majority of wastewater from homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or reused—polluting the environment, and losing valuable nutrients and other recoverable materials. World Toilet Organization encourages the reduction of wastewater and its reuse. In cities, wastewater can be treated and reused for green spaces, and in industry and agriculture, wastewater can be treated and recycled for things like cooling systems and irrigation. Through this reduction and reuse, the natural water cycle will work better for every living thing.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work through their Clean Water Imitative.

“Having access to proper sanitation brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

In honor and celebration of World Toilet Day 2017, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that aid in the development of appropriate and effective water and sanitation systems.

CAMBODIA

Salesian-run Don Bosco Kep, located in Kep Province, Cambodia, has completed a water system and sanitation project on the school grounds. The project entailed drilling a new well, installing a water filter, new irrigation and a water treatment plant, in addition to new sanitation facilities. The water project is providing appropriate sanitation and fresh drinking water for 350 students and teachers on campus as well as providing clean water for farming, fishing ponds and cooking. The addition of the new water treatment facilities is also preventing ecological contamination.

THE CONGO

Salesian missionaries at the Salesian Center of St. Charles Lwanga, located in Makelekele, a suburb of Brazzaville, the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo*, operate a parish, youth center and primary school. The center recently raised funds through the help of the Salesian Missions office in Madrid, Spain and other donors to develop a hydraulic system and water tower to collect and distribute water from the existing well for the more than 900 people who pass through the center daily. This is needed because interruptions to the water service are frequent in Makelekele and the surrounding areas.

The local Salesian parish in Makelekele has close to 5,000 people attending mass and other services. The Salesian youth center, open to local youth groups, offers a well-equipped library and a computer room. Nearly 250 youth access the center every day either to study or to have fun in a healthy educational way during their free time. The Salesian primary school is also open every day and 600 students attend morning or afternoon classes. The new water system will help to provide fresh, clean water to the students and families who take part in Salesian programs and for the surrounding communities.

INDIA

Salesian students in their final year of their civil engineering technical degree with Don Bosco Self Employment Research Institute in Howrah, a municipal corporation in the Howrah district of West Bengal, India, completed a water project building and installing state-of-the-art toilets. The new toilets, which are economical and user-friendly, were provided to eight families in need in the immediate neighborhood to the school.

The toilets were created using rain water harvesting, which provides an uninterrupted supply of water to these toilets. The students, three young men and two women, we able to complete the project within 40 days. Both the concept and the execution of the project were part of the students’ mandatory practical project work that is necessary for obtaining the Civil Engineering Technician’s Certificate of New Delhi–ISC Certificate. This certificate shows that the students have the proficiency needed in the classroom and are applying the skills learned into a real-world environment.

The project was part of their final grade and was evaluated by their teachers at the Salesian Institute. The students were very happy with their grades and earned the praise of professionals outside of their school. Two professors from the Bengal Engineering Institute of Science and Technology were highly impressed with the design and workmanship of the toilets. In addition, Howrah Municipal Corporation has expressed great satisfaction at this unique venture undertaken by the students and the Salesian Institute.

RWANDA

Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Oratory in the village of Kabgayi, located south of the city of Gitarama in Muhanga District in the southern province of Rwanda, just completed a water well project in cooperation with Logic Engineering. The project included drilling for a new water well and installing an electric pump. A new water tank was also built to store large amounts of water. The new well provides water for youth who participate in the oratory’s activities as well as the surrounding community that often faces water shortages.

The project was funded by Salesian Missions and has drastically improved the sanitation and hygiene of youth in the Salesian program. Students and their families are able to have access to clean drinking water and water for washing their hands and taking a shower. The water is also available for cleaning the program’s sports facilities and equipment. New bathroom facilities provide better sanitation as well.

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Sources:

World Toilet Organization

World Toilet Day 2017

Photo courtesy INFOANS

*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 TOILET DAY: Salesian Missions highlights water and sanitation projects as part of its Clean Water Initiative first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Akolkar was not alone in her search for water. Successive years of hardly any rainfall in the villages of Marathwadi and Kolhewadi, in the districts of Ahmednagar and Beed, had made the life of villagers miserable. Lack of water had changed the natural landscape of the villages. Agricultural productivity was going down, cattle were not producing enough milk, the groundwater table was declining, people were migrating and children were suffering.

To improve water security and water management, BGVK focused on facilitating groundwater recharge and retention to improve soil moisture, de-silting the canal-bed, increasing green cover and laying a pipeline to the village. BGVK also completed an excavation of two dams for de-silting and recharging village wells as well as constructing two drinking water tanks of 10,000-liter capacity each. The local villagers provided the technical support and manual labor, while Salesian Missions provided the financial support.

“Water for drinking and irrigation is a lifeline to people in the villages. This project is our small effort to help people improve health and income and thus lead a better quality of life,” says Father Rolvin D’Mello, executive director of Don Bosco Development Society.

This project has benefited 1,200 people in two villages and saved at least 1,000 hours each day collectively for people out searching for water. It has also made the life of young girls and women in the villages more comfortable as they traditionally have the primary responsibility of finding water for their families.

With more than 1.2 billion people, India’s growing population is putting a severe strain on the country’s natural resources. According to Water.org, close to 77 million people do not have access to safe, clean water and 769 million have no sanitation services. Most water sources throughout the country are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff.

While India has made some progress in the supply of safe water, there remain gross disparities in safe water access across the country. The World Bank estimates that 21 percent of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water with diarrhea alone causing more than 1,600 deaths daily. Access to proper sanitation is extremely poor, particularly in rural areas where only 14 percent of the population has access to a latrine. In addition, hand washing is not commonplace, which leads to an increase in the spread of disease.

Salesian missionaries across India are dedicated to ensuring that access to safe water is a priority in Salesian-run programs and schools and in the communities in which they operate.

The project was one of several highlighted on the Salesian Missions website that needed funding. To see the full list, go to SalesianMissions.org/projects.

To give to the Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

ANS – India – “Water changed my life!”

Salesian Missions – Clean Water Initiative

Water.org – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative brings water to village residents first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Salesian mission of Araimiri was launched in 1980 by Father Valeriano Barbero, Father Rolando Fernandez and Salesian coadjutor Joseph Kramar. Currently, the school educates 250 students. Secondary education provides youth the foundation for later vocational and technical education youth need to find and retain stable employment. Education helps youth break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide there are more than 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to their home and must spend countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources to look for water and cope with the health impacts of using contaminated water. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases.

Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households globally and spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Having access to clean water and proper sanitation brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools and keeping them away from important study time.”

Having access to basic needs like water and sanitation in schools and within local communities is important in a country where 28 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Close to 50 percent of adults are illiterate and 25 percent of children are unable to attend school. Part of the problem with getting to school, work and hospitals has to do with Papua New Guinea’s infrastructure. In rural areas, where nearly 88 percent of the population resides, there are few roads or means of transportation to get to schools or places of employment.

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.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Papua New Guinea Poverty

The post PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Salesian Missions provides eight new water tanks giving students access to clean water first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Don Bosco Youth Center had been relying on the original borehole that was dug as their only source of water. Due to the dropping water level that has been caused by the continued mining in Chingola, the borehole had collapsed. It also caused the loss of the submersible pump. A professional company advised the center staff that in order to meet the increased demand for water a new borehole needed to be dug and a new pump needed to be installed. Salesian staff also separated the water lines with the addition of new piping to each of the existing structures for better water circulation.

“From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “This water restoration project will greatly impact the youth and staff who participate in education and social programs at the Don Bosco Youth Center. Having access to clean, safe water brings a sense of dignity to people and also reduces the number of water borne illnesses that people are susceptible to without it.”

Four different programs within the Don Bosco Youth Center are positively affected by this water project. Salesian missionaries offer technical education through the Salesian Technical College and Secondary Technical School. The college is currently offering four courses in metal fabrication, auto mechanics, general agriculture and information technology. In 2016, Salesian missionaries opened the secondary education programs, taking advantage of the new secondary curriculum in Zambia. Some of the school teachers live nearby at the Don Bosco Flats, which is part of the infrastructure of the Don Bosco Youth Center. The community is also finalizing an extension project that will allow 600 students in secondary technical school plus future boarding facilities for male students.

The clean water project also impacted youth who attend the youth center for recreational and other social and spiritual programs. Youth are able to take part in a range of activities from team sports like basketball, football and volleyball to other activities including reading in the library, swimming in the pool and playing music in the band. Another program, the Magone School, provides once a month programs for youth who need extra attention and a supportive environment, more than what is offered at their regular school. Youth are able to engage in educational lessons and recreation activities. Most important is the structure and care they receive from adults.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, 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.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has taken its toll on Zambia’s children. More than 20,000 households in the country are headed by children whose parents have died because of HIV/AIDS. Many of these young children are desperate for adult support.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Zambia

Photo: Guido Dingemans for Salesian Missions/MissionNewswire

The post ZAMBIA: Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative Increases Water Access at Don Bosco Youth Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Like many poor nations around the world, Tanzania struggles to provide clean, safe water to its citizens. Nearly one-third of the country is arid to semi-arid and people not living near one of the three major lakes that border the country have difficulty accessing water. Ground water is the primary water supply throughout the country but wells are often few and far between. In many instances, wells are located near toxic drainage systems, which leak into the fresh ground water and contaminate it. According to UNICEF, as a result of a lack of access to safe, clean water for drinking, cooking and bathing, water-borne illnesses such as malaria and cholera account for close to half of the diseases affecting the population.

The city of Dar es Salaam is the worst hit region in the country by HIV/AIDS. According to UNICEF, more than 250,000 children are orphaned yearly by the disease. HIV/AIDS is a major public health problem for the city with families disintegrating due to stigmatization, unfaithfulness, high poverty levels, prostitution, rapid urbanization and unemployment. Many children who have lost one or both of their parents turn to the streets for survival.

Salesian missionaries operate four Salesian centers in Dar es Salaam that provide education, workforce development programs, health services and assistance to street children. The Kinyerezi Children’s Center has been established to provide street children and orphans a place to call home and will provide them with an education, rehabilitation and psychosocial support. Many of the center’s structures and programs are still in development, and this clean water project will ensure youth have access to clean water they need. The water will be used for drinking, bathing, sanitation and the small-scale food production planned at the center.

The project entailed drilling a bore hole and constructing a reservoir tank and piping within the institutions as well as installation of full grid electricity power supply to power the submersible pump. Once it was completed, youth in the program, as well as those living in the surrounding communities, were able to enjoy clean, fresh water. One community resident, Joseph Luwi, noted that because of the newly accessible water he no longer has to travel great distances to find water or pay for it. Now he is able to stay right in his own community and access water for free.

“From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Often it is mothers and children who have to travel great distance to find water, putting their lives at risk and preventing children from attending school. This water project in Tanzania and others around the globe ensure communities have the water they need, and children can remain in school focused on their studies.”

Almost one third of people in Tanzania live in poverty, according to UNICEF. 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.

To learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Tanzania

The post TANZANIA: Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” Brings Clean Water to More Than 3,000 Poor, Homeless Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In the village of Kolhewadi in the Ahmednagar district, funding helped pay for digging a new bore well, 20 feet of casing pipe, and the installation of a submersible pump of one and half HP for the bore well, which includes HDPE pipes, panel boards and a service cable up to the connection point. The project also entailed the installation of a new water tank that holds 5,000 liters of water, and new fencing and plumbing for the water tanks.

In Pimpalgaon Ghat in the Beed district, the project entailed 1,500 meters of new pipe lines as well as fixing current piping, and the installation of a submersible pump of one and half HP for the bore well, which includes HDPE pipes, panel boards and a service cable up to the connection point. This project also funded a new drinking water tank for the residents of the village.

“The construction of these two water projects will greatly impact residents of these villages and provide them better access to clean, safe drinking water and water for cooking,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Having access to clean, safe water brings a sense of dignity to people and also reduces the number of water borne illnesses that people are susceptible to without it.”

With more than 1.2 billion people, India’s growing population is putting a severe strain on the country’s natural resources. According to Water.org, close to 77 million people do not have access to safe, clean water and 769 million have no sanitation services. Most water sources throughout the country are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff.

While India has made some progress in the supply of safe water, there remain gross disparities in safe water access across the country. The World Bank estimates that 21 percent of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water with diarrhea alone causing more than 1,600 deaths daily. Access to proper sanitation is extremely poor, particularly in rural areas where only 14 percent of the population has access to a latrine. In addition, hand washing is not commonplace and leads to an increase in the spread of disease.

Salesian missionaries across India are dedicated to ensuring that access to safe water is a priority in Salesian-run programs and schools and in the communities in which they operate.

“Water is vital for life,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Salesian Missions has made building wells and other projects that supply fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.”

India is home to 25 percent of the world’s poor and more than 30 percent of the country’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. With the largest number of child laborers in the world, India has made significant progress the past eight years reducing the number of out-of-school children from 25 million to 8 million. However, an estimated 11 million children live on the streets facing the daily horrors of rampant exploitation, forced labor, widespread substance abuse and physical violence. Many poor youth see little opportunity or hope for a better life.

The project was one of several highlighted on the Salesian Missions website that needed funding. To see the full list, go to SalesianMissions.org/projects.

To give to the Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Clean Water Initiative

Water.org – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Donor Funds Two Salesian Missions Water Projects, Providing Access to Clean Water in Drought-Prone Villages first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, UN-Water sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme “Wastewater” focuses on the fact that the majority of wastewater from homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or reused – polluting the environment, and losing valuable nutrients and other recoverable materials. UN-Water encourages the reduction of wastewater and its reuse of it. In cities, wastewater can be treated and reused for green spaces, and in industry and agriculture, wastewater can be treated and recycled for things like cooling systems and irrigation. Through this reduction and reuse, the natural water cycle will work better for every living thing.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide there are more than 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to their home and must spend countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources to look for water and cope with the health impacts of using contaminated water. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Having access to clean water and proper sanitation brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools and keep them away from important study time.”

In honor and celebration of World Water Day 2017, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that provide clean, safe water to those most in need.

CAMBODIA

Salesian-run Don Bosco Kep, located in Kep Province, Cambodia, has just completed a water system and sanitation project on its school grounds. The project entailed drilling a new well, installing a water filter, new irrigation and a water treatment plant, in addition to new sanitation facilities. The water project is providing appropriate sanitation and fresh drinking water for 350 students and teachers on campus as well as providing clean water for farming, the fishing ponds and for cooking. The addition of the new water treatment facilities is also preventing ecological contamination.

THE CONGO

Salesian missionaries at the Salesian Center of St. Charles Lwanga, located in Makelekele, a suburb of Brazzaville, the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo*, operate a parish, youth center and primary school. The center recently raised funds through the help of the Salesian Missions office in Madrid, Spain and  donors to develop a hydraulic system and water tower to collect and distribute water from the existing well for the more than 900 people who pass through the center daily. This is needed because interruptions to the water service are frequent in Makelekele and the surrounding areas.

The local Salesian parish in Makelekele has close to 5,000 people attending mass and other services. The Salesian youth center, open to local youth groups, offers a well-equipped library and a computer room. Nearly 250 youth access the center every day either to study or to have fun in a healthy educational way during their free time. The Salesian primary school is also open every day and 600 students attend morning or afternoon classes. The new water system will help to provide fresh, clean water to the students and families who take part in Salesian programs and for the surrounding communities.

RWANDA

Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Oratory in the village of Kabgayi, located south of the city of Gitarama in the Muhanga District in the southern province of Rwanda, just completed a water well project in cooperation with Logic Engineering. The project included drilling for a new water well and installing an electric pump. A new water tank was also built to store large amounts of water. The new well provides water for youth who participate in the oratory’s activities as well as the surrounding community that often faces water shortages.

The project was funded by Salesian Missions and has drastically improved the sanitation and hygiene of youth in the Salesian program. Students and their families are able to have access to clean drinking water and water for washing their hands and taking a shower. The water is also available for cleaning the program’s sports facilities and equipment. New bathroom facilities provide better sanitation as well.

SAMOA

Don Bosco College and Vocational Center in Salelologa, a village district at the east end of Savai’i Island in Samoa, has a new water tank system thanks to funding provided by Salesian Missions. The funding helped to provide water tanks and pumps for water storage necessary for the school, especially during Samoa’s dry season.

The college is located downhill from seven new water tanks so that the school water will be gravity-fed without the expense of additional water pumps. The college located three new water tanks at the new Don Bosco Hall, which is currently under construction. This will provide a separate water supply to a location situated away from the existing water pipes and avoid additional expense to the college. The new water tanks and associated pumps and pipes will be maintained by college maintenance staff as a part of their normal duties.

ZAMBIA

The government of Zambia asked Salesian missionaries to start an agricultural school in Lufubu with the goal of establishing an alternative to fishing. The local community was over-fishing the lakes and needed a new source of food security that would combat hunger while preserving the environment. The school includes a working farm where the students gain hands-on experience with animal husbandry and the cultivation of vegetables and maize on a personal plot of land designated for each student. The farm includes 400 hectares of land, five of which are currently cleared. There is a river near the farm that provides a reliable source of water year-round.

While the Salesian campus, which includes the agricultural school, farm and youth center, does have a bore hole that provides fresh water, it was limited. A stream about 200 meters away brings in fresh, clean water for washing, watering and even drinking, but unfortunately much of the water did not reach the Salesian storage tank because of the many leaks. Salesian Missions provided the funding for Salesian missionaries in Lufubu to replace the 200 meters of PVC piping to deliver the fresh water from the stream to the storage tank, providing a positive impact on the school and its students.

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Sources:

World Water Day 2017

UN-Water

Salesian Missions – Cambodia

Salesian Missions – Zambia

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

*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 WATER DAY: Salesian Missionaries Complete Water Projects Ensuring Youth Have Access to Clean, Safe Water first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Samoa is located close to the equator and experiences climatic extremes each year. The wet season typically has heavy rainfall over an extended period of time. The corresponding dry season can result in extended periods without any significant rainfall at all. Interruptions to the water supply to homes and schools during the dry season can occur frequently. This has caused problems for Don Bosco College and Vocational Center due to the reliance on the town water supply.

The provision of a suitable alternative water supply will assist with the day-to-day operations of the college and allow for a substantial reserve supply of water throughout the year. An assessment was conducted to determine the likely water storage requirements for Don Bosco College and Vocational Center, which has an enrollment of 300 students with expected increases over the next few years. A local contractor was engaged to provide advice on the project and determined that ten 10,000 liter water tanks would provide a supply of water sufficient for the college requirements.

The college is located downhill from the location of seven new water tanks so that the school water will be gravity-fed without the expense of additional water pumps. The college located three new water tanks at the new Don Bosco Hall, which is currently under construction. This will provide a separate water supply to a location situated away from the existing water pipes and avoid additional expense to the college. The new water tanks and associated pumps and pipes will be maintained by college maintenance staff as a part of their normal duties.

“The absence of a reliable water supply had consequences for the college’s ability to provide safe and hygienic facilities for staff and students,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

Samoa boasts one of the most stable and healthy economies in the Pacific region, according to the World Bank. The poverty rate, once just over 25 percent, has dropped closer to 20 percent as the country strives to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals, a blueprint driving efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.

Although Samoa has made impressive progress in social development, many rural communities in the country grapple with an unequal distribution of wealth and benefits. Poorer communities in remote parts of the islands are particularly vulnerable, especially in areas most likely to be affected by cyclones or other natural disasters. Gender inequality is apparent as women strive and often fail to find the same work and income opportunities as men and youth find it increasingly difficult to find livable wage employment in the country. Salesian programs in Samoa are working to provide youth with an education and training as well as the necessary resources to find and keep employment.

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Sources

Don Bosco College and Vocational Center

World Bank – Samoa

The post SAMOA: Salesian Missions Funds New Water Tank Project at Don Bosco College and Vocational Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Changing the water filters.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

“Having access to clean water brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and allows for safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

Don Bosco Kep provides basic, secondary and technical education to poor youth living in the Cambodian provinces of Kep, Kampot, Takeo, Ratanakiri and Mondolkiri. The organization’s educational and social development programs help students break the cycle of poverty in their lives and become contributing members of their communities. Don Bosco Kep provides special attention to children and young people from ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, orphans and at-risk youth in danger of becoming victims of human trafficking, labor exploitation or other abuses.

Students clean the water treatment system.

The organization includes the Don Bosco Technical School Kep, a new kindergarten program and the Don Bosco Children Fund which assists poor youth between the ages of six and 15 who are either unable to go to school or have had to drop out due to poverty. Currently the agricultural program at the Don Bosco Technical School Kep is planning the development of a small farm on a newly acquired plot of land to provide hands-on training for its students while producing much needed food.

“Youth living in poverty are among the least likely to have access to educational programs that provide the skills necessary to lead stable, productive lives,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Salesian missionaries in Cambodia are working to ensure that every child, no matter their situation, has access to education.”

With Cambodia’s long history of violence, almost a quarter of Cambodians still live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Many reside in the country’s most rural areas. Rural Cambodians make up about 80 percent of the population and have the most limited access to education, healthcare and other public services.

Today, close to a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 are illiterate. Seasonal food shortages leave close to 75 percent of the population without the proper nutrition they need. With very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty.

Learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Kep

UNICEF – Cambodia 

The post CAMBODIA: New Water Project Ensures Safe Drinking Water and Proper Sanitation for Students and Teachers at Don Bosco Kep first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The project has drastically improved the sanitation and hygiene of youth in the Salesian program. Students and their families are able to have access to clean drinking water and water for washing their hands and taking a shower. The water is also available for cleaning the program’s sports facilities and equipment. New bathroom facilities provides better sanitation as well.

“The new water well has given the oratory access to the water it needs for students to have access to better sanitation and water for washing their hands, proper hygiene and safe drinking water,” says Brother John Ngigi Njuguna, of the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Rwanda. “We also expect that access to this clean, safe water will reduce the number of children who become sick due to lack of proper hygiene and safe water.”

According to UN-Water, the United Nations inter-agency coordination mechanism on all freshwater related issues, 1.3 billion people cannot access electricity, 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation, worldwide. For those who have no access to clean water, water related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water related diseases.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water, a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Having access to clean water is essential for life and brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in Rwanda for many years to provide educational opportunities to poor youth. They operate primary, secondary and vocational schools throughout the country as well as offer recreational activities, English language classes and agricultural programs.

Rwanda has made remarkable progress since the 1994 genocide in the country, particularly in providing education and health services to the poor, according to UNICEF. However, with high rates of poverty, there is still much to be done. Close to 57 percent of the country’s population of 10 million live below the poverty line and for those under the age of 18, the poverty rate increases to more than 60 percent. UNICEF notes that subsistence farmers, households headed by youth and those without assets and adequate household resources remain the poorest and the most vulnerable to worsening poverty and the effects of natural disasters, food insecurity and economic crises.

With half of Rwanda’s population under the age of 18, lack of educational opportunities is a concern. Half of all children who enroll in primary school don’t finish and go on to face a future of unemployment or employment at low-paying jobs. In addition, almost four percent of children aged five to 14 are working in domestic service or other jobs instead of going to school.

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Sources
UNWater.org
UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: New Water Well Provides Clean, Safe Water for Youth in Salesian Oratory first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The program supports the work of Salesian programs that focus on native populations especially the Xavantes and Bororo tribes. In early April, a team from the program including Salesian Brothers Ludwig Würstle and Mario Bordignon and technician Osmar Paulino Guarienti Bezerra drilled a well 30 meters deep and built hydraulic and electrical systems in the Bororo village of Jarudori near Poxoréu. The team also built another well the Bororo village of Areiao in Santo Antônio do Leverger, near the bank of the Arareiáo River. The team also installed a water tank, solar panels, a pump, and a fountain with a shower.

“Through this project, residents of the village are now able to drink unpolluted water instead of the water from the river which is polluted with pesticides from large soya, cotton and corn plantations” explained Bro. Würstle, the project coordinator.

The Traveling Missionary Support Program started in the 1970s, initially under the name of Motorized Help to Amazonia. At that time, military vehicles donated from Switzerland were used for the construction of roads and bridges to three missions served by the Salesian missionaries at Meruri, San Marcos and Sangradouro. Ten years later when the agreement with Switzerland ended, Salesian missionaries in Mato Grosso decided to continue the project with its own resources and help from donors from Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.

UN Water estimates that worldwide 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

“Having access to clean water is essential for life and brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of those in poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

PHOTO: ANS

ANS – Brazil – Travelling Mission Support: new wells in the Bororo villages

UNICEF – Brazil Statistics

UN Water – World Water Day 2016

The post BRAZIL: More than 250 Wells in Villages Built by Traveling Missionary Support Program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, UN-Water sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme is ‘Water and Jobs’ and highlights the positive effects of having enough quality water to change workers’ lives and livelihoods and even transform societies and economies. UN Water notes that almost half of the world’s workers, 1.5 billion people, work in water-related sectors and nearly all jobs either depend on water or ensure its safe delivery. Yet, the millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or protected by basic labor rights.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water, a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Having access to clean water is essential for life and brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

In honor and celebration of World Water Day 2016, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that provide clean, safe water to those most in need.

DR CONGO

Close to 4,000 youth, parents, Salesian staff and community members are benefiting from two water projects at Salesian training and vocational centers in the city of Lubumbashi in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo*. The Salesian-run Kansebula St Jean Bosco Institute and Chem Chem Center have nearly completed the renovation of existing water systems which were outdated, wasting energy and had insufficient quantities of water.

Salesian missionaries began the two water projects to ensure clean fresh water for the students and the sustainability of the water sources for their facilities. At Kansebula, the project consists of erecting a high water tower and two 2,500 liter water tanks in connection to the existing water system. Once completed, this project will improve water management and protect the water pump in use. At Chem Chem the project entails upgrading the existing water system to allow proper quantities of clean water for students. This is being accomplished by deepening the existing well, erecting a high water tower and installing two 2,500 liter water tanks.

ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is experiencing the worst drought the country has seen in more than 50 years. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently announced that agricultural assistance for the upcoming rainy season in Ethiopia is essential to help the drought-affected people as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to have devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of farmers and herders.

Salesian missionaries and volunteers with the International Volunteers for Development (VIS) are concerned that the devastating drought is forcing residents to flee the country making them vulnerable to illegal migration (particularly to Europe and the Middle East), exploitation and human traffickers who are already taking advantage of the crisis. Using deep wells built by VIS volunteers in recent years, Salesian missionaries and volunteers are currently distributing water to schools, hospitals and first aid clinics, centers for street children, women’s refuges and diocesan centers. The goal during this emergency phase is to support the 12,000 residents of the Somali, Tigray and Oromia regions and those living in the South.

INDIA

Salesian missionaries working at the Don Bosco St. Joseph School for Children in Ghanaur, a town in the Patiala district in the state of Punjab, India, have begun a construction project to update and improve facilities at the school making it more accessible to its more than 540 students. Currently, the school’s bathroom facilities are dilapidated, out-of-date and insufficient to accommodate the students and faculty.

Situated on the periphery of a large village, the school was created to serve poor students whose parents could not afford traditional school fees. It offers a full range of academic classes as well as recreational programs. Each year, the student population grows as more and more area families require access to affordable education. Due to its growing population, sanitation has been a major concern at the school and will be addressed by the recent construction project which will provide separate bathroom facilities for male and female students. To date, a well has been dug and the purchasing of materials and digging of pits are underway. Once enough funds are raised to complete the project, construction of the bathroom buildings will begin.

RWANDA

Salesian missionaries in the community of Rukago in the city of Kigali, the capital and largest city of Rwanda, just completed a water and sanitation project for the local Salesian school which had been in desperate need of new sanitation and safe drinking water. The project, funded by Salesian Missions, provided eight new toilets and repaired a water tank that provides clean drinking water for the students. Prior to the repair of the water tank, students had to walk more than a mile to collect water from a hill in a swampy area.

The construction project for the new toilets consisted of digging a pit, purchasing materials and constructing a beam, walls and roof. After that, doors were added and the new building was painted. Salesian missionaries expect that this new project will help local families save on medical expenses for treating children who develop water-related diseases and illnesses due to contaminated water. The new improvements will also give the school children better access to safe water so they can turn their attention and focus to their studies.

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Sources:

UN Water – World Water Day 2016

*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 WATER DAY: Salesian Missionaries Ensure Safe, Clean Water for Teachers and Students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Residents of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia are experiencing chronic food insecurity made worse by recurring periods of drought, low soil fertility and an unsustainable use of natural resources. Agriculture is the primary source of sustenance and survival for communities in this region and the onset of drought has negatively impacted all aspects of family life. In order to address this situation and provide access to clean, safe water, Don Bosco Missions in Turin, Italy is planning to implement a well project. Each well equipped with pump is expected to cost just over $11,000 U.S.

The project will utilize construction techniques compatible with cultural traditions, practices and customs of the region and use locally sourced materials. It will also establish village committees that will be responsible for the management of the wells and water-collection systems in addition to the training of community members in appropriate sanitation practices.

The new wells will provide water for agriculture and food production and access to safe drinking water in addition to improving sanitation. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in communities without access to local wells are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

“From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian Missions has made building wells and other projects that supply fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.”

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than 38 percent of its population living in poverty, according to Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. Close to 85 percent of the country’s workforce is employed in agriculture but frequent droughts severely affect the agricultural economy leaving more than 12 million people chronically, or at least periodically, food insecure. In addition, more than two-thirds of the population is illiterate.

The country has 4 million orphans which account for nearly 12 percent of all children and according to UNICEF, more than half a million of these were orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS crisis that has affected the country. Thousands more children run away each year seeking a better life on the streets.

Salesian missionaries have a long history of providing educational and support services to poor youth in Ethiopia. Missionaries operate six primary schools, three secondary schools and six vocational training centers in the country. At all these Salesian-run educational facilities, youth are able to gain an education while accessing support services including family sponsorship and school feeding programs. These supports reinforce the missionaries’ goal of keeping youth in school as long as possible.

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Sources:

ANS – Ethiopia – A comprehensive water project

UNICEF – Ethiopia

The post ETHIOPIA: Salesian Missionaries Start New Well Project to Provide Clean Water to Communities across Ethiopia first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In the Rukago community, Salesian missionaries operate primary schools, a vocational school and a parish. One of the primary school provides education to a large population of poor children from the local community. The school was in desperate need of new sanitation and safe drinking water. Prior to the repair to the water tank, students had to walk more than a mile to collect water from a hill in a swampy area.

Sanitation was also a concern for the students. The construction project for the new toilets consisted of digging the pit, purchase of materials, construction of the beam and walls, and roofing. The final stage was the fixing of the doors and painting.

“This project has had a great impact for our students now that they have access to better sanitation and water for washing their hands, proper hygiene and safe drinking water,” says Father Jean Paul Ruriho, PDO director of Salesians of Don Bosco Africa of the Great Lakes. “We expect this project will reduce the number of children who become sick due to lack of proper hygiene and safe water.”

Salesian missionaries also expect that this new project will help the families of the children save on medical expenses for treating children who develop water related diseases and illness due to contaminated water. With these new improvements, children now have better access to safe water and can turn their attention and focus to their studies.

According to UN-Water, the United Nations inter-agency coordination mechanism on all freshwater related issues, 1.3 billion people cannot access electricity, 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation, worldwide. For those who have no access to clean water, water related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water related diseases.

In addition, women and children bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households, and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated, and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water, a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Water is essential for life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “From helping to ensure our communities have access to clean water for drinking and agriculture to helping build a hydro-electric power station, Salesian missionaries working in 132 countries around the globe are always looking to expand their services to meet the needs of the poor youth and families they serve.”

Salesian Missions has launched a special campaign to raise money for  its Clean Water Initiative which supports water projects like this one around the globe.

Rwanda has made remarkable progress since the 1994 genocide in the country, particularly in providing education and health services to the poor, according to UNICEF. However, with high rates of poverty, there is still much to be done. Close to 57 percent of the country’s population of 10 million live below the poverty line and for those under the age of 18, the poverty rate increases to more than 60 percent. UNICEF notes that subsistence farmers, households headed by youth and those without assets and adequate household resources remain the poorest and the most vulnerable to worsening poverty and the effects of natural disasters, food insecurity and economic crises.

With half of Rwanda’s population under the age of 18, lack of educational opportunities is a concern. Half of all children who enroll in primary school don’t finish and go on to face a future of unemployment or employment at low-paying jobs. In addition, almost four percent of children aged five to 14 are working in domestic service or other jobs instead of going to school.

Salesians have been working in Rwanda for many years to provide educational opportunities to poor youth. They operate primary, secondary and vocational schools throughout the country as well as offer recreational activities, English language classes and agricultural programs.

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Sources:

UNWater.org

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: New Sanitation, Water Tank for Primary School Helps Provide Proper Hygiene, Safe Drinking Water for Students first appeared on MissionNewswire.