KENYA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Province of East Africa has inaugurated a new Don Bosco oratory in Siaya, Kenya, near Lake Victoria. The launch of the new center also marks the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian missionaries in the region. Welcomed by Archbishop Maurice Mbata and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Kisumu, the Salesians are being hosted by the parish community of Mbaga.

The oratory was officially blessed and opened on Nov. 22. More than 100 boys and girls attended the first gathering, expressing joy and enthusiasm for the new center. Local families are anticipating the future senior secondary school also planned for the site. The land was donated to the Salesians two years ago by German philanthropist Dr. Alois Stimpfle. The Salesian community is looking for assistance to start the school with the goal of the first enrollment in 2028.

A Salesian explained, “This is the first Salesian oratory in Siaya. We have had such a welcome reception. With the great need for poor youth in the community, we hope to expand to provide formal education so youth can gain the skills for long-term employment. Salesians require assistance though to build the school and get it operational.”

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 community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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

ANS – Kenya – The First Salesian Oratory at Siaya (Kenya)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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Project trained 66 animators and teachers across seven parishes

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries were able to train Pontifical Missionary Children animators and Sunday school teachers in Salesian parishes in Kenya, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Through this project 66 animators and teachers were trained across seven parishes.

The animators and teachers were trained in psychology of child development, psychosocial development, James Fowler’s model of faith development and cognitive development contemporary theories for children learning spirituality.

A Salesian explained, “This was an excellent training project. Now with the 66 animators and teachers trained, they will bring what they are learned to educate more than 12,000 children, aged 5–12 years, in various parishes. Not only that but animators and teachers were able to share their experiences, build a supportive network and continue to learn from each other.”

An interactive WhatsApp group was created through this project to enable members to share ideas, showcase progress, and demonstrate the application of learned methodologies. On the last day of the training, animators visited Don Bosco Upperhill Parish (Shrine of Mary Help of Christians) to observe how the animators and Sunday School teachers organize and conduct their sessions.

Nelly Lukaziva Sanya is one of the people who attended the training. She has always been passionate about nurturing children’s spiritual growth. Before joining the project, Sanya faced several challenges that affected her confidence and teaching effectiveness. Her methods were mostly traditional, and she often felt limited in how she could engage her students or manage classroom dynamics.

Reflecting on that period, Sanya said, “Before the training, I often felt stuck doing things the same way and wasn’t sure how to make my lessons more engaging.” When the project was introduced, Sanya welcomed it with both excitement and apprehension. She was eager to learn new teaching techniques and connect with other teachers, yet she worried about whether she could adapt to the new methods and apply them effectively. Despite these initial worries, she embraced the learning process and found the sessions inspiring and transformative.

By the end of the training, Sanya felt a renewed sense of confidence and purpose. The practical methods and creative strategies she learned helped her better engage her students and strengthened the trust between her and the children’s parents. The training not only improved her teaching but also deepened her sense of community among fellow teachers. Together, they shared insights, encouraged one another, and discussed ways to make Sunday school more interactive and spiritually enriching.

Looking ahead, Sanya hopes to continue growing as a teacher and mentor. She envisions creating digital learning resources, forming a supportive network of Sunday school teachers, and inspiring others through mentorship and collaboration.

Sanya added, “I want to mentor children and new teachers, share what I’ve learned, and create online resources to support others.” Overall, the project has enhanced Sanya’s confidence, teaching effectiveness and community leadership, contributing to a more engaging and spiritually enriching learning environment.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

Initiative fosters sense of stewardship among youth, educators and communities

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Kenya has taken a transformative step by launching the Don Bosco Integral Ecology Plan that spans from now through 2029. Salesians in Kenya will turn to Don Bosco Green Alliance, a global platform for ecological initiatives and activities.

The plan represents a comprehensive roadmap to integrate ecological responsibility across all facets of Salesian education, pastoral care, and social engagement. The six pillars of the plan include energy management, carbon management, water management, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and ecological conversion.

These actions will involve the participation of 14 Salesian institutions across Kenya and is designed to benefit more than 45,000 youth and community members annually. Rooted firmly in the principles of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’s call for an integral approach to ecology, the initiative addresses critical environmental challenges while fostering a sense of stewardship among young people, educators, and communities.

In his opening remarks to unveil the plan, Father George Tharayil, provincial superior, framed the initiative as both a spiritual and practical commitment. He said, “This five-year strategic plan for Integral Ecology reflects our dedication to God, the environment, and the people we serve.”

Father Savio Silveira, the coordinator of the Don Bosco Green Alliance, addressed the growing concern of “eco-anxiety” among youth, emphasizing the importance of immediate action. “Whatever affects young people affects the Salesian community,” he stressed, applauding the Salesian Province of East Africa for being the first in the Salesian world to launch such a comprehensive ecological plan.

The launch event concluded with a symbolic tree-planting ceremony, involving representatives from Don Bosco institutions, private entities, non-governmental organizations and civil society. This act symbolized the shared commitment to nurturing a greener planet and marked the beginning of a legacy that will inspire future generations.

The Don Bosco Integral Ecology Plan sets a powerful example, calling on Salesian provinces worldwide to embrace ecological responsibility with focus, unity, and determination.

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Don Bosco Green Alliance – Kenya – The Salesian Province of East Africa (AFE) Launches the Don Bosco Integral Ecology Plan (2025–2029)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Utume in Nairobi, Kenya, has installed a new tank to provide clean water to community members and others, including people who are marginalized, thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.”

This project has increased the total water storage from approximately 5,200 gallons (25,000 liters) to almost 16,000 gallons (85,000 liters), resolving the previous storage shortfall that had caused frequent outages. Don Bosco Utume is located in Langata, Nairobi, an urban area with a growing population and significant water needs. The climate is semi-arid, with irregular rainfall patterns, making water storage essential for both human consumption and agricultural sustainability.

The community serves approximately 200 residents, including seminarians and staff, while also providing free water to more than 1,000 people each day, including members of the Maasai community and children who live on the street. The previous water tank was insufficient to meet the demands. The borehole pump ran continuously, increasing electricity costs and maintenance expenses. The lack of adequate water storage limited irrigation for agribusiness, affected sports field maintenance and hindered community outreach efforts.

A Salesian noted, “Since the installation of the new storage tank, people report that water remains available even during busy times. Water that used to run out by the afternoon is now consistently available throughout the day. Early readings also indicate that the pump runs approximately 30% less each day. This lowers electricity consumption and reduces wear and tear on the pump, which is exactly what we aimed for.”

The new storage tank is greatly impacting the lives of people in the community, particularly women who are often tasked with finding water sources. Elizabeth is a mother of four, and every day, she and her daughter would wake before sunrise and walk more than three miles to fetch water. They often waited in long lines and were exhausted by the time they got home.

Elizabeth said, “We had to use the little water we had sparingly, as shortages can cause stress and hurt our health. I hoped my children could stay healthy and attend school instead of spending hours fetching water. Before the new tank was installed, the old one at Don Bosco often ran dry by midday. I would arrive and find it empty, forcing us to come back later or walk further to another borehole. This meant missing chores, such as washing clothes, or even delaying cooking.”

She added, “With the new water tank, for the first time, my children can bathe daily, and we all feel cleaner. We still have to carry heavy cans home because the water isn’t piped to our homes. It’s a lot of effort, but at least we don’t have to worry about the tank running out of fuel. If I could have one more thing, it would be a pipeline or even more taps closer to the village. This project has shown us that improvements are possible. For now, I am thankful that, although we must walk to Don Bosco, water is available there. I genuinely feel optimistic about the future. I am very grateful for this gift of water.”

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

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Don Bosco Makuya in Kenya were able to remove and replace hazardous asbestos roofing thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. All of the asbestos has been removed from the technical school and staff housing roofing, and new roofing has been added.

Close to 1,000 individuals, including students, teachers, residents, and parishioners, are benefiting from this project with safer classrooms and workshops. The technical school has close to 150 people, including students and staff, who are taking courses to learn a trade for employment. Courses are offered in masonry, plumbing, electrical installation, arc welding, motor vehicle mechanics, solar photovoltaic skills, carpentry and joinery, printing technology, and cabinet making.

Students come from the surrounding communities and often face significant poverty. The majority of students lack the tuition money to continue with their secondary or college education. Some even find it difficult to get three meals a day from their families due to harsh economic situations.

One of those interviewed about the project expressed joy, relief and gratitude for the project’s completion. They said, “The project has given us peace of mind knowing that all the students and staff are no longer exposed to hazardous asbestos.”

In addition, there is a parish community with more than 700 people, including youth and volunteers, who use the space. Stakeholders in this project cited reduced respiratory risks and increased long-term health benefits, especially for the students, staff, Salesians and all who visit the community, as well as residents previously exposed to asbestos fibers.

Many viewed the transition as a step toward a healthier, more sustainable future for the next generation. The stakeholder added, “The renovation work not only removed asbestos but also improved the overall condition of our buildings.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys) Langata is providing services to 32 boys who had been living on the streets of Nairobi, Kenya. The Salesian organization is the first reception place for youth to take part in a program of rehabilitation, literacy, and gradual inclusion into school or learning a trade.

A Salesian explained, “The boys stay at Langata for a period of three to six months, during which they receive assistance to stabilize them. Once they have made satisfactory progress, both personally and educationally, they are transferred to Bosco Boys Kuwinda to continue their education. At Kuwinda, the boys follow a standard education program, from primary to high school.”

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

With the two-year technical training, youth have a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80% of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

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 community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – More than thirty street children saved thanks to Bosco Boys Langata

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been working in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County in northern Kenya for the past 25 years. Established in 1992, Kakuma is one of Africa’s largest refugee settlements, sheltering thousands fleeing conflict. Salesians began their work under the leadership of Father Vincent Donati. Seeing the urgent needs of young refugees, Fr. Donati enlisted former students from Don Bosco Technical School in Embu to bring education to the camp.

The first vocational school welcomed 153 students, supported by the Lutheran World Federation and Italian donors. By 2000, a permanent Salesian community was established. Today, the mission collaborates closely with United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), which funds most of its projects.

A Salesian explained, “Over the years, Don Bosco Kakuma has grown into seven centers, offering technical and vocational training in fields like carpentry, tailoring, welding, agriculture, photovoltaics, and motor mechanics. From humble beginnings, the mission now serves around 2,300 students annually, with over 19,000 graduates since its inception.”

The Silver Jubilee Mass, led by Bishop John Mbinda of the Diocese of Lodwar, was the centerpiece of the anniversary celebration. Attended by 18 priests, students, and members of the host community, the event featured a vibrant liturgy and cultural performances. In his homily, Bishop Mbinda commended the Salesians for their dedicated service to young refugees and emphasized the transformative power of Kenya’s youth, who make up 70% of the population.

After the Mass, they blessed the newly constructed administration block, funded by Slovak Aid. Celebrations continued with cultural displays and speeches from the Rector of Don Bosco Kakuma, a UNHCR representative, the Salesian provincial, and student representatives. Despite the challenges of life in the camp, Salesians remain steadfast in their mission offering hope and opportunity to the refugee youth.

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

ANS – Kenya – Kakuma Refugee Camp: 25 Years of Salesian Service and Dedication

Mission Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Ten Belgian students from the Salesian Province of San Giovanni Berchmans volunteered at the Kebene Children’s Home in Ukunda, near Mombasa, Kenya. From Feb. 25 to March 6, students from the Salesian house “Don Bosco” in Hechtel, Belgium, learned and provided support to children and youth who had been living on the street.

The children and youth at Kebene receive food, shelter and education. They also learn how to sew and gain other skills that help them secure employment. In addition, during the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities requested that the shelter accommodate young girls who had experienced early pregnancies. The center houses around 150-160 children, including the babies of young mothers.

The trip was part of a project that allows students to dedicate one hour a week to an activity of their choice. According to Mark Van Dyck, a supervising teacher, the trip to Kenya has become popular, with 40 students who wanted to focus their time on helping others applying.

Van Dyck notes that preparation for the students’ trip was important. He said, “At the shelter, there are young mothers who became pregnant as a result of violence. These girls have painful pasts, and encountering such realities can be distressing. We wanted to prepare the students for this while also allowing them to fully experience it.”

Once back in Belgium, the students reflected on their extraordinary journey. On social media the students remarked, “We are immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this project. We laughed, cried, sweated a lot, and most of all, we learned so much. Kebene will always have a place in our hearts.”

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Belgian Salesian Students on a Humanitarian Mission with Street Children

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training Center in Makuyu, Kenya, has undergone much-needed renovations to improve the learning environment for students thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The funding was used to renovate student bathrooms, paint the entire center, cement and plaster exterior pillars and the interior of some classes, and replace windowpanes and frames. The next project is replacing the roofing of the center, which has asbestos.

The center offers training to youth and adults aged 13-35 to equip them with the job skills they need. The students come from the surrounding communities and often face significant poverty. The majority of students lack the tuition money to continue with their secondary or college education. Some even find it difficult to get three meals a day from their families due to harsh economic situations.

The center has become a refuge for these students to help them become self-sufficient. Salesians offer technical training in various areas of specialization including masonry, plumbing, electrical installation, arc welding, motor vehicle mechanics, solar photovoltaic skills, carpentry and joinery, printing technology, and cabinet making.

One of the students impacted is James Munene, who is the oldest in a family of seven. He is studying motor vehicle mechanics. Munene said, “When I finish school, I want to get a job and help my family and pay school fees for my brothers and sisters. Thanks to the repairs and painting, our school is very beautiful. I feel proud to be here.”

The economic situation of the students has led the center to face financial constraints. A Salesian explained, “The limited funds we have are channeled to purchasing training materials, and salaries for the teachers and staff. To equip the school with modern machinery and equipment has proven to be a challenge to date. This is why we are so grateful for the funding that has enabled us to make improvements to the school, which positively impacts the learning environment.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Utume Salesian Theological College, a center for learning for those who are becoming priests in Nairobi, Kenya, has new bathrooms for its multi-use field for the community thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.”

Salesians rent out their field for use for community activities including sports, but the bathrooms were more than 25 years old. In order to be able to continue to rent out the space, which brings in revenue to help Don Bosco Utume remain self-sufficient, the block of bathrooms needed to be updated. The Karen Hospital next to the school also uses the field often, while youth use it for events.

With the funding provided, Salesians were able to build a block of bathrooms for men and women. The toilets are modern and have sensors for flushing to avoid wasting water. There are also changing rooms, lockers and showers available.

A Salesian noted, “We are grateful for the funding and what we have been able to accomplish with this project. One of the most important things for us was making sure that the men’s and women’s bathrooms had at least one toilet for a person with a disability. This project has enabled Don Bosco Utume to be part of a disability inclusion agenda.”

With the new bathrooms, Don Bosco Utume has improved the field grounds by making it a friendly environment for those using it. This will significantly contribute to improved income earned from the grounds.

Collectively, Salesians at Don Bosco Utume provide support and services to more than 1,000 youth. The school has 169 students and 20 staff members. On monthly basis, the facility serves around 1,600 people.

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

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries working in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya are providing education and social support for people who have been displaced. Kakuma Refugee Camp has more than 225,000 refugees from nine countries including South Sudan*, Sudan*, Rwanda and Burundi*. It is estimated that more than 50% of refugees are youth and children.

Operated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in collaboration with Salesian missionaries and other humanitarian organizations, Kakuma Refugee Camp offers refugees safety, security, and life-saving services such as housing, health care, clean water and sanitation.

Of the organizations working in the camp, Salesians are the only ones residing in the camp among the people. This has given them an ability to learn firsthand the needs of the refugees and develop bonds with the people.

To help refugees gain skills for employment, Salesians operate the Don Bosco Technical Institute in the camp with the help of UNHCR. The courses offered include masonry, electrical and solar, motor vehicle mechanics, plumbing, dressmaking, welding and fabrication, secretarial, and computer, as well as literacy programs.

To increase access to the training, Salesians run four other centers across the camp that offer the same services. Over the years, Salesians have provided education to more than 3,000 refugees that have enabled them to earn a living in the camp and in their countries of origin.

A Salesian explained, “Youth have been given the opportunity to earn a living, both in the refugee camp, which is now structured like a large village, with no shortage of shops, workshops and laboratories, and in their country of origin, should they return.”

Salesians also provide spiritual service to the refugees through the only Catholic parish. The Holy Cross Catholic Parish provides spiritual services at 10 out-stations spread across the camp. Salesians also launched the Savio Club in 2014 to provide character development for children. Today, there are more than 1,000 children involved in club activities.

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Photo courtesy of Mission Don Bosco

ANS – Kenya – A future for young refugees in Kakuma

Mission Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

*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.

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute, located in Nairobi, Kenya, awarded certificates to 321 youth who completed two years of rigorous training in trades, including carpentry, plumbing, tailoring, mechanics, computer science, and solar technology.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills. After graduation, more than 80%of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

After the Mass celebrated by Father George TJ, superior of the Salesian Province of East Africa, the participants attended cultural shows and speeches that highlighted the graduates. The event also marked the official opening and blessing of a newly built pavilion that hosted the ceremony.

In addition to the awarding of certificates, recognition was given to the students who participated in the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival, celebrating their involvement and contribution. The event attracted hundreds of participants, including parents, relatives, friends of graduates, benefactors and partners of the institution.

“At the institute, students have access to the training and support needed to thrive in the job market,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian education ensures 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.”

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Graduation ceremony for 321 young people and opening of a new pavilion at the Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute in Nairobi

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town, located in Nairobi, has become Kenya‘s first Amazon Web Services (AWS) Digital Academy member institution. The launch event held Sept. 10 marked a significant step forward in cloud skills training and certification in the region.

A Salesian explained, “As an AWS Digital Academy member institution, Don Bosco Boys Town is now authorized to offer digital literacy cloud skills training and certification, potentially opening new avenues for youth employment in the rapidly growing tech sector.”

The launch ceremony was attended by key figures from both government and private sectors. During the event, the Salesian vice-provincial in East Africa presented an overview of the organization’s global presence, emphasizing its commitment to youth skill development. The partnership between Amazon, Thin Tech and Don Bosco Boys Town is expected to create new opportunities for digital skills training in Kenya.

A Salesian noted, “As the first AWS Academy in Kenya, this initiative is poised to play a crucial role in bridging the digital skills gap and preparing the country’s workforce for the demands of the modern digital economy. The success of this program could set a precedent for similar initiatives across the African continent.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Don Bosco Boys Town: Kenya’s First AWS Digital Academy Launched

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians in Korr, a city in the Chalbi desert in Kenya, are building two wells thanks to donor funding from the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy. The project involves the installation of solar pumps, pipes and a 20,000-liter tank. The water wells will improve the quality of life and health of over 800 families. One of the wells has been completed.

A Salesian said, “Imagine a girl who can finally attend school regularly because she no longer has to spend hours looking for water. Together we can make a difference, transforming their daily struggle for water into a story of change and hope. Let’s build together a future in which water access is no longer a privilege, but a right guaranteed for everyone.”

The ongoing drought and poverty, along with and the lack of running water, makes life difficult for the Samburu and Rendille tribes who live in this region. Every day is a quest to find water. People travel up to 15 km to reach the nearest water point, which takes time away from education, work and family life. Women and children bear the greatest burden of this effort. The surface and underground wells, often distant and not always safe, are also used for subsistence farming activities.

Salesians have always been committed to fighting the drought. In 2018, a well was dug in one of the villages, but the water over time proved too saline to be used. Now two new wells will bring better quality water.

The mission in Korr was started in 1972 by Father Redento Tignonsini, who realized digging wells was essential for survival. He built a dispensary to treat the people who were sick and a shop to sell essential products for the population. In 1981, Salesians took over, transforming the area into a beacon of hope for the local community. The Salesian mission provides education, health care and food support to communities in one of Kenya’s most isolated and needy regions.

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

ANS – Kenya – A well in the desert, where the earth is burned by the sun and drought is constant

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Students and staff at Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, completed the fabrication of waste bins for waste management and environmental sustainability. The community is working toward achieving a green campus, community and culture.

The project was completed with the support of Don Bosco Tech Africa and coordination by the Salesian Province of Eastern Africa through the Don Bosco Development Outreach Network. The collaboration between these organizations highlights the importance of working together toward a cleaner and greener future.

A Salesian noted, “Through hands-on experience and practical training, the institute has not only contributed to waste management efforts but has also provided valuable learning opportunities for the participants. The successful completion of this activity demonstrates the positive impact that vocational education can have on both individuals and the community. By actively engaging in such projects, Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute is also setting an example for other institutions to follow in promoting environmental consciousness and responsibility.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. Secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi. The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from. After graduation, more than 80% of graduates are employed in their fields of study.

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.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Waste Management at Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Students boost campus environmental efforts with waste bins first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Technical Institute in kenya.

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Institute, located in Embu, Kenya, provides youth from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds a chance at an education. The institute hosts Don Bosco Embu Farm, which was set up by the late Brother Umberto Rizzetto, who worked at the school since its founding in 1984. From then until his death in 2017, he worked to make Don Bosco Embu self-sufficient regarding food.

Today, with the help of several donors, the farm has the needed equipment and tools to use in both the agriculture and animal departments. Vegetables like cabbages, tomatoes, spinach and Sukuma wiki are grown for consumption and for sale. There is also animal husbandry at the farm with cows, pigs, rabbits and layer chickens. The farm has a herd of 20 cows.

A Salesian said, “The farm takes pride in providing high-quality vegetables to meet the needs of the local community and beyond. With a commitment to sustainable farming practices and a dedication to delivering fresh, healthy produce, the Bro. Umberto Memorial Farm continues to contribute to the local food market while promoting healthy eating habits.”

Poultry farming thrives thanks to a generous donation of 1,500 laying chickens through The Sterling Trust, which has significantly elevated production levels and turned it into a highly profitable venture.

The Salesian added, “By exposing them to advanced agricultural practices from Israel, the Bro. Umberto Farm empowers young individuals to embrace modern farming methods, boosting productivity and sustainability. This invaluable experience not only equips them with marketable skills but also nurtures a spirit of entrepreneurship and a passion for agricultural development.”

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.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Embu

Don Bosco Embu

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Youth gain farming skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town, located in Nairobi, Kenya, has launched the International Trade Center-Ethical Fashion Initiative, which is a green fashion project funded by the Italian government. The project will utilize micro-manufacturers to enhance Kenya’s potential as a fashion production center. The Salesian Training Center, part of Don Bosco Boys Town, will serve as a design center for the production of products.

The launch of the project featured an event with several Salesians and industry leaders from the fashion world and government agencies. Stakeholders involved in the project highlighted the importance of collaboration among the government, Salesians and other development partners in order to empower and enable job creation and sustainability for youth.

A Salesian missionary explained, “Don Bosco Boys Town has launched similar initiatives all with the goal of helping youth gain the skills for later employment in industries that are hiring and need skilled labor. A couple of years ago it was a plumbing partnership program and now it’s fashion. Salesians remain at the forefront of technical training in Kenya and around the globe.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80% of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – An initiative for ethical fashion at the Don Bosco Boys Town in Nairobi

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Fashion initiative to build job skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians in Kenya held a mobile journalism training for Salesian staff to help them empower youth tell their stories. The training gave participants, who were from Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania, the skills to produce high-quality content using mobile devices.

The training is particularly relevant as mobile communication is growing in Africa. In 2022, there were 415 million smartphone subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on the steady growth seen in earlier years, this number is expected to reach 689 million by 2028.

During the three-day seminar, the participants learned how to effectively use a smartphone for journalism purposes. Using the phone’s camera, they learned how to utilize different angles and movements for shooting, lighting, microphones, interview skills, and more.

A Salesian noted, “The participants were trained to shoot and edit photos and videos and use social media for publishing and distribution. The workshop also stressed real-time reporting, teamwork and ethical considerations involved in this type of journalism. The training also covered various aspects of mobile journalism, including reporting, visual storytelling, and utilizing mobile platforms to disseminate news and other content. The training gave the participants a lot of hands-on experience.”

At the end of the training, the participants felt they had gained sufficient knowledge to embark on a mission to tell African stories to the world. The Salesian explained, “This training reflects the growing trend in Africa, where mobile journalism and content creation are gaining popularity. Smartphones are expected to continue evolving, with journalists and content creators adapting to new technologies and storytelling to meet the demands of modern news consumption.”

Salesians are grateful for the support of Father Gildasio Mendes, the general counsellor for social communication, who enabled Father Maciej Makula and Aleksandra Stankiewicz from the Social Communication Department to facilitate the training.

One participant said, “We acknowledge with gratitude Fr. Makula’s and Stankiewicz’s hard work in training the communication delegates. We also thank the provincial, who sponsored and encouraged this training.”

Salesians in Kenya provide a range of social development and educational programs including primary and secondary schools as well as vocational and technical education to help poor youth gain self-sufficiency and hope for the future.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Mobile Journalism (MoJo) training for the Social Communication Delegates of the province of East Africa (AFE)

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Mobile journalism empowers youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) With education from the Don Bosco Boys Training Institute in Nairobi, Kenya, Lucy Muchemi has become an accomplished plumber. An article in The Standard highlights her work in a male-dominated field and her educational path to get there.

The Standard noted, “Her trajectory from an office assistant to a successful entrepreneur who has established a thriving plumbing business underscores the transformative influence of vocational education, mentorship and unwavering perseverance.”

According to the article, Muchemi initially wanted to be a civil engineer. In 2001, she enrolled at Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology but underestimated the course. “I never fully understood what the course was all about,” Muchemi told The Standard. “I was the only woman in a class of about 20 students. Of course, I struggled and failed in several assessment tests.”

She then started her plumbing training at the Don Bosco Boys Training Institute with coursework as well as hands-on training. Muchemi was so interested in the subject that she read more and more away from classes and spoke to people in the field. She received her diploma in 2003.

At the Don Bosco Boys Training Institute, students undergo training as well as mentorship. Apprentices are certified as professionals in the trade by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA). There are currently two class groups enrolled in the two-year program with one scheduled to graduate in November 2024.

After working for a few companies and trying to open her own business, Muchemi succeeded in opening Mavens Plumbers in 2017 while still under employment at another firm. In the article, Muchemi explained, “I was so good at plumbing that the employer was hesitant to let me go, even offering me some space in the firm to set up my private business.” She balanced the two until 2020 when she chose to work with her business full-time.

In addition, Muchemi is a mentor to empower individuals to excel in trades such as plumbing and electrical work, according to the article. In this role, Muchemi ensures that the plumbing curriculum in the country’s vocational schools aligns with current industry demands.

Being a woman in the field has not been easy. Muchemi is met by men who do not want to work with her and others who think plumbing is an odd profession for a woman.

In the article, Muchemi said, “I have done ground and home piping. I have installed facilities on the walls. I have fixed toilets. I can hold my own in meetings with experts in the construction industry. Unfortunately, some still hold me in contempt because I am just a plumber and a woman at that. That mindset must change.”

Don Bosco schools help empower women like Muchemi to ensure they have the skills needed for self-sufficiency and long-term employment even in traditionally male-dominated technical 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.

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Sources:

The Standard – Lucy Muchemi: What plumbing has taught me about resilience

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Woman shares experience as plumber first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(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.

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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.

KENYA

(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.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Africa

Don Bosco Tech Africa – Tree Planting Exercise in Don Bosco Embu

Don Bosco Tech Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Working toward a green campus first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Students from Don Bosco Technical Secondary School (Don Bosco Embu) in Kenya participated in planting 400 trees. The activity is part of the school’s environmental sustainability “Green TVET Program” and is supported by Don Bosco Tech Africa. A new forest will be created from this planting event and is named after the late Father Richard Mtui, who served the school as bursar.

The event was also marked by a visit from Father T.J. George, provincial of East Africa, and Father Erastus Chege, provincial economer. They visited the Salesian community in Embu, which consists of the school, a national aspirantate and a modern farm. Fr. George and Fr. Chege interacted with the staff and students and were touched by their friendliness.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School teaches young students trades that are needed in Kenyan industries,” explained Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Most of the students at the school come from poor backgrounds, and there is little chance for them to gain an education. They are learning the skills for employment while also engaging in projects like tree planting to provide care and focus for a better environment.”

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – The Provincial of East Africa inaugurates the planting of 400 trees at the ‘Don Bosco Embu Technical Institute’

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Students plant 400 trees first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Sixteen specialists and facilitators who are focused on the environment attended a three-day solar training workshop as part of Don Bosco Tech Africa’s Green TVET (technical and vocational education) project. Participants came from Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Madagascar and Nigeria.

The goal was to build the capacity of the participants in developing and implementing new solar energy technologies and applying new solar regulations. Don Bosco Tech Africa has adopted a strategy called Greening Campuses, which gives learners theoretical and practical exposure to different skills related to the environment.

Dr. George Adwek and Cyprian Njururi organized this workshop to prepare the green specialists and facilitators as trainers on new solar energy regulations, technologies, and pedagogical approaches. The workshop also helped educate the participants on legal provisions governing the environmental sector and aided them in developing a monitoring and performance tracking tool to collect data.

A Salesian noted, “The participants expressed their gratitude to the facilitators for empowering them with knowledge and skills. In addition, they promised to pay forward what they have learned to the young people and to bring about positive change in the Don Bosco technical and vocational training centers and communities surrounding them.”

Speaking on behalf of the facilitators, Adwek thanked the participants for their enthusiasm. He assured them that they will continue to be supported to ensure the goal of the project is achieved.

Brother John Njuguna, the deputy director of Don Bosco Tech Africa, reminded the participants of their roles in ensuring the success of the Green TVET project. He added that they are the ones to champion the Don Bosco TVET centers to be models of green culture where other institutions and communities come to learn.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Solar PV Training for Green Specialists and Green Facilitators

Don Bosco Tech Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Workshop promotes solar training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys) in Nairobi, Kenya, provides a home, school, playground and church for youth, primarily boys, who have been rescued from the streets. Boys who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training. Don Bosco Boys Town also provides vocational training for 340 youth — both boys and girls.

The campus has classrooms and workshops where 50 teachers provide vocational courses. Students can choose to study in 20 course areas including mechanics, welding, electrical engineering, carpentry and joinery, cabinetmaking, masonry, tailoring, aesthetics, and hairdressing.

The school is experiencing difficulties in providing water for the student community. The water table in the neighborhood has diminished with most of the wells drying up, including the one in Don Bosco Boys Town. Salesians have been forced to buy water to ensure the minimum amount of water the school needs. This is beginning to weigh heavily on the financial resources of the vocational school.

Excavation work has been started to find a deeper water source, but the existing pump is not powerful enough to bring it to the surface. Mission Don Bosco in Turin, Italy, has stepped in to help the vocational school buy a new electric pump to find water.

A Salesian said, “To date, the project has yet to be completed, but all of us at Don Bosco Boys Town are very optimistic. The collaboration developed and strengthened over the years with Mission Don Bosco has already brought many concrete results in Kenya.”

With Mission Don Bosco and the help of Olympic athlete Fiona May, Salesians in Makuyu were able to refurbish the printing workshop. At a Salesian center in Nairobi, Mission Don Bosco and May collaborated to purchase and install solar panels to ensure clean energy.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Clean water for Don Bosco Boys Town

Don Bosco Boys Town

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: School gains new water source first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys) in Nairobi, Kenya, provides a home, school, playground and church for youth, primarily boys, who have been rescued from the streets. Boys who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80% of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

The program was started in 1990, and in 2022, it rescued 145 boys. Additionally, 215 boys and girls were in the primary school and 44 boys were in the technical school and residing in the center. Salesians also provide financial support and have paid the school fees for 75 youth in secondary schools and 25 youth in university, colleges, and technical institutions. More than 5,000 children and youth have benefited from this program since it started.

“Our story begins on the streets,” explained Father Chege Erastus, director of Don Bosco Boys Town. “We find boys living on the streets and welcome them into our program. We rehabilitate and educate them and then reintegrate them back into their communities and families. The boys we serve are 8 to 17 years old. When we first come in contact with them on the streets, we befriend them and learn their story. We only invite those who are willing into the program because it requires dedication and change. On the streets they learn behaviors that are not acceptable in society. We make sure they are willing to change their behavior and gain an education. Their participation in the process is vital to their success.”

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.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy Don Bosco Boys Town

Don Bosco Boys Town

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Youth rescued from streets gain education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Youth Educational Services in Nairobi, Kenya.

(MissionNewswire) Bosco Eastern Africa Multimedia Services (BEAMS) is located within the Don Bosco Youth Educational Services in Nairobi, Kenya. The organization provides media training for youth and prepares them for the workforce. Youth leave the training with more confidence, better self-esteem and an improved psychological outlook.

Youth in the training program come from living in conditions of poverty. Many have had trauma in their childhoods that has affected their ability to relate with other members of the community. The aim is to positively impact their lives by allowing them to tell their own stories and helping them overcome their current situation.

The students in the program have shared their stories in the form of documentaries to highlight the challenges they have been through, as well as how they have overcome these to lead a better life. The documentaries also showcase different commonalities that bridge culture and ethnic divides. Teaching youth to produce a documentary instills discipline, confidence and leadership. Students also learn tolerance, cooperation and respect.

“We have been striving to empower youth to enhance their capabilities in the use of media including computer applications, use of equipment for documentary production, and improving social, cultural, moral, and ethical competencies through film,” said a Salesian missionary. “Our training targets youth mostly from Nairobi, especially from the disadvantaged areas of Dagoretti Market, Karinde and Mutuini, all in our locality. This training takes youth away from harmful behaviors like drug abuse which is rampant in these areas.”

At BEAMS, youth receive training in theoretical and practical aspects of music production and sound engineering, photography and graphic design, and video production. The Salesian missionary added, “All this helps to foster leadership skills for social development, as well as improving self-esteem and encouraging personal development. In return, this brings about a changes in attitudes toward young people, as communities appreciate the potential of young people.”

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Empowering youth through media training

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Youth empowered to tell their stories first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town Vocational Training Center, located in Nairobi, Kenya, recently held a graduation for 117 young men who are ready to find long-term employment with the skills they learned. The graduation began with Catholic Mass celebrated by Father Simon Asira, superior of the Salesian Vice-Province of East Africa. The guest of honor was Praveen Eazhawa, national director for vocational training and skills development.

In a speech at the graduation, Eazhawa presented various programs that many youth were not aware of and urged them to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the government for young entrepreneurs.

“Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training. This enables them to learn the skills for long-term stable employment and is a path to self-sufficiency.”

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including automotive mechanics, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electricity, solar energy and refrigeration, cosmetology, tailoring, welding, and fabrication. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – 117 students of “Don Bosco Boys’ Town” Vocational Training Center graduated

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Graduates ready for employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) More than 350 children and older youth raced with Luke Kelly, a 22-year-old marathon runner and a member of the famous musical group “Kelly Family” from Germany, on his most recent trip to Kenya. Some of the youth were street children who have found a new home at Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys) in Nairobi.

In October, Kelly visited the Kenyan capital to learn about Don Bosco’s work with street children. He said, “Everyone should be given the chance to live a dignified life. It impressed and inspired me to see how effective and close Don Bosco’s help is to the children. The enthusiasm with which the children ran along was incredible. Boys and girls of all ages joined in. It was truly the run of my life.”

In the future, Kelly would also like to inspire German children to run and learn the work of Don Bosco. He has school visits planned in 2023 to spread the word about this initiative. Kelly stressed the important values such as discipline, perseverance and community that youth learn through sports. He explained, “Sport plays a very special role in the rehabilitation of street children. I have experienced this with the Bosco Boys.”

Dr. Nelson Penedo, managing director of Don Bosco Mission Bonn in Germany, said, “We are very happy to have won Luke as an ambassador. He will certainly inspire children and young people for sports not only in Nairobi, but also in Germany.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

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.

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Sources:

ANS – Germany – “The Run of My Life”: Luke Kelly and Bosco Boys in Kenya

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Youth race with sports ambassador first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys), located in Nairobi, Kenya, launched the Dual Apprenticeship Training program focused on the latest plumbing technology. This program will train 50 students in its initial class and is the first of its kind in Kenya. It is approved by the Ministry of Education, made possible through the Swiss contact, and funded by the Hilti Foundation in Switzerland.

There are 11 top plumbing companies in Kenya as partners. The project aims to provide apprentices with modern technology that bridges the gap between training institutions and job market needs. The training lasts for two years and is certified.

“This training program will help youth have access to world-class training in plumbing and be relevant to the job market,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Programs like these 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.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Dual apprenticeship project launched at “Don Bosco Boys Town”

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Don Bosco Boys Town launches plumbing apprenticeship program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Secondary School (Don Bosco Embu), located in the municipality of Embu, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya, teaches young students trades that are needed in Kenyan industries. Most of the students at the school come from poor backgrounds, and there is little chance for them to gain an education. Recently, 41 youth graduated after training through the Jiajili program, according to an article in Kenya News for Development.

The youth studied at the Don Bosco Embu and the Jeremiah Nyaga Technical Training Institute under a program sponsored by a collaboration among Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation, German Technical Cooperation Agency, and the Embu County Government. More than 3,500 youth have been trained in the program. The youth were also trained in entrepreneurship and were given tools to start their own businesses.

In the article, Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire said her government will continue to co-sponsor the program, matching the training opportunity for each one provided by the foundation. She advised youth to register with companies to be able to bid for the 30 percent government procurement reserved for youth, women and people with disabilities.

Since starting in January 1986, the school has grown to become a large institution within the region. All young men attending the school are boarders who live on campus full time. Students have the opportunity to take courses in trades including carpentry, masonry, vehicle mechanics, welding, electrical and mechanical engineering, and cabinet making. The school will soon offer plumbing courses.

When a student completes his education, he leaves with a certification in his specialty trade. This empowers students to go out into the workforce qualified to put their technical skills to use in their respective fields.

“Salesian technical and vocational education centers help youth gain the skills for employment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian technical education helps ensure that youth are able to be competitive in the current job market and can make an easy transition from school to their future jobs.”

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.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Embu

Kenya News for Development – 41 Youths Graduate With Technical Skills Under The Jiajili Program

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Youth learn trades, entrepreneurship first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Secondary School (Don Bosco Embu), located in the municipality of Embu, northwest of Nairobi, Kenya, teaches young students trades that are needed in Kenyan industries. Most of the students at the school come from poor backgrounds, and there is little chance for them to gain an education.

Since its start in January 1986, the school has grown to become a large institution within the region. All of the young men attending the school are boarders who live on campus full time. Students have the opportunity to take courses in trades including carpentry, masonry, vehicle mechanics, welding, electrical and mechanical engineering, and cabinet making. The school will soon offer plumbing courses.

When a student completes his education, he leaves with a certification in his specialty trade. This empowers students to go out into the workforce qualified to put their technical skills to use in their respective fields.

“Salesian technical and vocational education centers help youth gain the skills for employment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Technical education helps ensure that youth are able to be competitive in the current job market. The goal for Salesian vocational and technical education is to ensure that students can make an easy transition from school to their future jobs.”

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.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Embu

Don Bosco Embu

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Student build trade skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run SAVIO in Slovakia launched the 17th annual public fundraising campaign Tehlička (the Brick) to raise funds to help build new accommodations for teachers in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. The campaign started at the beginning of Lent in March and will run through October. In addition to raising funds, the campaign is helping to educate the public about the needs of people in the poorest countries around the globe.

SAVIO is working together with Salesians in Kenya to support their efforts among the local population and refugees living in the camp. The local Salesian school offers high-quality education, but there is a growing teacher shortage. Many teachers are afraid to move to this remote region. The goal is to build accommodations that will offer teachers a safe environment so they can focus on teaching young students. The campaign has already raised 42,081 euro.

“Over the past few years, Salesian technical programs in Kakuma have successfully trained thousands of youth in viable trades to earn a living and care for their families,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “For this education to continue, Salesians need qualified teachers. This campaign will ensure that prospective teachers feel safe enough to consider teaching at Kakuma.”

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Most of the refugees are from East and Central African countries including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kakuma is operated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country, as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, health care, clean water, and sanitation.

Salesian missionaries operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are four technical training facilities in the camp. The main center offers all the technical trades as well as a literacy and math program. A technical school offers agriculture education where youth learn advanced farming skills, and another is a technology-focused center that combines community technology access with computer training. The newest facility is offering classes for adults in carpentry, welding, sewing and English.

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

ANS – Slovakia – “The Tehlička”, Slovak fundraising campaign, is improving the education in Kakuma

Kakuma Refugee Camp

Salesian Missions – Kenya

The post KENYA: Funds to help with teacher shortage at refugee camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town, located in Nairobi, Kenya, inaugurated a new IT and Innovation Center. The new facility adds to the existing computer center, which provides computer education to youth finishing secondary school. The computer center is equipped with 20 computers and is also accessible to students from Don Bosco Technical Institute.

“Salesian technical and vocational education centers help youth gain the skills for employment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This new IT and Innovation Center will help ensure that youth are able to take courses to help them compete in the current job market. The goal for Salesian vocational and technical education is to ensure that students can make an easy transition from school to their future jobs.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

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 live in slums and 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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Fr. Václav Klement blesses and inaugurates Center for IT and Innovation in Nairobi

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Don Bosco Boys Town inaugurates new IT and Innovation Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Tech Africa in partnership with the International Labour Organization’s International Training Center (ITC-ILO) organized a training for Salesian technical and vocational center managers. The management training brought together administrators from west and central Africa and Madagascar. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development supported this training through Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn.

The main goal of the training was to equip managers with skills and competencies to manage centers effectively and efficiently. They were also trained to provide similar training to managers in their home locations. Participants took part in different training methodologies, including role playing, group discussions and interviews, among others.

The ITC-ILO team, led by Stephano Merante, expressed gratitude to the participants for their active involvement during the sessions. Merante urged participants to use the skills and competencies gained to transform Don Bosco centers in Africa.

Don Bosco Tech Africa is the coordinating body for the Don Bosco technical and vocational schools in the Africa region. The organization coordinates about 110 centers spread over 34 countries. Salesians aim to empower centers so that they can 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 63 Salesian technical and vocation center management and staff as part of the Trainers-of-Trainers program.

“Salesian technical and vocational education centers help youth gain the skills for employment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Educators and administrators need ongoing education to help them improve their skills and keep up-to-date with new information in the field.”

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 extreme 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 live in slums and 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.

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

ANS – Kenya – Empowering Salesian TVET Centre Managers

Don Bosco Tech Africa

International Labour Organization

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: Technical and vocational center managers boost skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Mission Korr in Kenya distributed humanitarian aid to people living in the Kaisut desert, within the diocese of Marsabit. Survival in the desert has been made even more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Don Bosco Mission Korr is part of the Salesian Province of East Africa and was founded in 1980. It offers assistance to the local population made up mostly of nomadic people whose lives revolve around the continuous search for water and vegetation.

Salesian missionaries work on a daily basis to reach the 85 villages near the mission. To reach some of the villages, missionaries must travel distances of more than 150 kilometers (93 miles).

“Salesians have to travel long distances to help ensure local populations have what they need to survive,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This has been particularly difficult with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many people are in great need of food, water and other supportive services. Salesians continue to do everything they can to reach people in these remote communities.”

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 extreme 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 live in slums and 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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Salesian mission of Korr brings aid to desert population

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: People in 85 desert villages receive aid first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Kakuma Refugee Camp was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan. It was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, Kakuma Refugee Camp has more than 225,000 refugees from nine countries including South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda and Burundi. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of refugees are youth and children.

Operated by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in collaboration with Salesian missionaries as well as several other humanitarian organizations, Kakuma Refugee Camp offers refugees safety, security, and life-saving services such as housing, health care, clean water and sanitation.

Over the years, Salesian missionaries have developed a number of programs and services for the refugees in the camp. The Salesian Holy Cross Catholic Parish provides spiritual services at 10 out-stations spread across the camp. Father Eric Owuor, assistant parish priest and local economer, said, “As part of the pastoral program of the parish, we organize frequent youth seminars and workshops that are very handy in human and Christian formation to our young refugees.”

Salesians also launched the Savio Club in 2014 to provide character development for children in the camp. Mr. Kelvin, a catechist in the parish, noted, “There is an incredible difference between the children who have been through the Savio Club and the rest. They are very active in the church, are well behaved and also perform way better in school.” Today, there are more than 1,000 children involved in club activities.

To help refugees gain skills for employment while at Kakuma Refugee Camp, Salesians operate the Don Bosco Technical Institute in the camp with the help of UNHCR. The courses offered include masonry, electrical and solar, motor vehicle mechanics, plumbing, dressmaking, welding and fabrication, secretarial, computer, and literacy programs.

To increase access to the training, Salesians run four other centers across the camp that offer the same services. Over the years, Salesians have provided education to more than 3,000 refugees that have enabled them to earn a living in the camp and in their countries of origin.

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, the majority in rural areas. Those living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions added up to some 6.6 million, while 1.1 million extreme 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 live in slums and 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.

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

ANS – Kenya – “Don Bosco Mission among the refugees”

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

The post KENYA: More than 225,000 refugees receive support and education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town, located in Nairobi, Kenya, teaches technical skills to youth from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. These youth, who live in slums and other informal settlements, have little chance for an education and advancement in life. Salesians are ensuring they are able to gain the skills for later employment.

Don Bosco Boys Town also provides education and technical skills training to former street children and offers a primary, secondary and technical school. Launched in 1985, Don Bosco Boys Town has provided education to more than 6,000 boys and girls.

Recently, Father Miguel Ángel García Morcuende, the general councilor for youth ministry, visited Don Bosco Boys Town for a joint meeting of the delegates for Youth Ministry and the delegates for Formation of the Africa-Madagascar Region at Don Bosco Educational Services in Nairobi. Fr. García Morcuende, along with the delegates, met the students and staff who welcomed them with a song.

Fr. García Morcuende and the delegates were very impressed by how Don Bosco Boys Town educates its students. Recently, state-of-the-art machinery was purchased and installed for the computerized automatic wheel balancing section, along with a new lathe in the mechanical section and new generation sewing machines for the tailoring department.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses in Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Boys Town provides youth with a chance to gain an education and become self-sufficient later in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training to learn marketable skills.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, UNICEF noted more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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

ANS – Kenya – General Councilor for Youth Ministry visits Nairobi’s “Don Bosco Boys Town”

Don Bosco Boys Town

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds learn job skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Fifteen job service officers from Salesian vocational training centers in the Africa-Madagascar Region completed a one-week training workshop conducted by staff of the Catholic Institute of Education. The seminar was promoted by Don Bosco Tech Africa and held at Don Bosco Youth Educational Services in Nairobi, Kenya.

The seminar’s objective is to equip job service officers with the knowledge and skills necessary to help youth achieve a better quality of life through employment. The seminar included lectures, practical sessions, group discussions and group projects. At the end, participants received certificates.

In the opening speech of the workshop, Father TJ George, executive director of Don Bosco Tech Africa, thanked the participants for their dedication. The first part of the seminar had been held in June 2019 in Lagos, Nigeria, with the second part planned for 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second part was rescheduled. Fr. George was pleased to see that even though considerable time had passed many of the participants had returned for the training.

An earlier job market survey noted life skills training played an important role in helping youth to find and retain stable employment. John Njuguna, deputy director of Don Bosco Tech Africa, said, “Life skills are generally applied in the context of personal and community development. The graduates of Salesian technical and vocational centers are generally appreciated more for their technical skills and for the life skills with which they enter the labor market.”

Innocent Mutala, a job service officer from Uganda, said participants appreciated the introduction of new topics. These included gender-based violence, the pandemic, the protection of personal information, and the methodology and technique of conducting a training seminar.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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

ANS – Kenya – Formation seminar promoted by DBTA

Don Bosco Tech Africa

Don Bosco Tech Africa Facebook

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Training aims to boost employment support for youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Boys Town Convergent Media Center, located in Nairobi, Kenya, was launched in April 2021, by Father Alphonse Owoudou, Salesian councilor for the Africa-Madagascar Region. The center began operating at full capacity on June 24 and helps students at Don Bosco Boys Town develop media skills. The main goal is to help students produce content using their smartphones and engage with social media to highlight their talents. The center also holds competitions for digital photography, singing and various productions.

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low-income student population in Kenya.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Start of activities of “Don Bosco Boys’ Town Convergent Media Center”

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya

The post KENYA: Students develop media skills at new center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town, located in Nairobi, Kenya, opened its 2021 academic year on Jan. 19 and welcomed first year students who are living on campus.

During the opening ceremony, Salesian missionaries and Salesian staff were introduced, and rules and regulations were explained, including health information about the COVID-19 pandemic. All staff and students were challenged to be the best they can be and support one another throughout the year. The opening ceremony also featured the Zamazuka Acrobatic group, which entertained and challenged the students with their skills.

Don Bosco Boys Town is a technical training institute which teaches technical skills to youth from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. The students come from slums and other informal settlements in Kenya. Don Bosco Boys Town also provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and offers a primary, secondary and technical school. Launched in 1985, Don Bosco Boys Town has provided education to more than 6,000 boys and girls.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low-income student population in Kenya.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – School opening in the time of COVID-19

Don Bosco Boys Town

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: School year begins first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries held an online graduation ceremony for graduates of the Salesian Technical and Vocational Training Center management course on Jan. 11. The course was specifically designed to improve the quality of vocational training and was divided into the four modules of organizational management, financial management, entrepreneurship, and green and sustainable approaches.

In delivering his congratulatory message on behalf of Don Bosco Tech Africa, Father George TJ, executive director, congratulated graduates for their perseverance and concentration. He expressed gratitude to the whole team of the International Training Center of ILO for their professionalism in conducting the educational sessions. Fr. TJ also thanked Don Bosco Mondo in Germany for its support and financing of the project.

The 33 participants in the training came from Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and South Sudan. On Jan. 25, 136 people started the course. This kind of training is important to improve the skills of those teaching in Salesian schools. Their work is vital to their students’ success both in and out of the classroom.

Salesian missionaries educate more than 1 million youth in over 5,500 schools and youth centers, and nearly 1,000 vocational, technical, and agricultural schools in more than 130 countries around the globe.

“Teachers are the backbone of the Salesian educational system and have had to quickly modify how they provide education during the pandemic—not an easy feat for many Salesian teachers,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian teachers face many challenges educating poor youth who have faced many barriers to education including severe poverty and homelessness, and the pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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

ANS – Kenya – Online graduation ceremony for Salesian TVET Center Management staff

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The post KENYA: Teachers improve their skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Hundreds of women entrepreneurs in Dagoreti, Kenya, and other poor areas are benefiting from the Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) project started by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco three years ago, according to an article in the Global Sisters Report. The Salesian Sisters developed the microloan project after securing funds from Don Bosco Mondo in Germany.

The project was launched to help women start businesses of their own to alleviate poverty and improve the well-being of their children. Many of the women use the funds earned for their children’s school fees and other necessities.

Sister Gisele Mashauri explained that the groups consist of 15 to 25 members each. Members save at least 50 Kenyan shillings (50 cents) per day from their businesses and then lend this money to other members in the form of loans without collateral.

“Microloans enable the poor to engage in self-employment and income generating activities,” said Mashauri in the Global Sisters Report article. “Our main goal is for families to be self-sustained and every child to go to school. We have seen very many poor people living in slums become financially independent and better able to break out of poverty.”

Joyce Nyokabi, a 34-year-old mother of four, is one of the recipients who has seen success. She started a small grocery business in 2019 in a poor district on the outskirts of Nairobi, after she received a loan from the project. Before, the family lived in extreme poverty after her husband lost his job as an office messenger at a local baking company. According to the article, Nyokabi took on odd jobs working all day just to feed her family and pay school fees for the children.

Joyce Nyokabi, a 34-year-old mother of four, is one of the recipients who has seen success with the Salesian program.

In the article, Nyokabi explained, “Life was very difficult and we suffered a lot as a family. I could only make around $30 (U.S.) monthly from odd jobs. We lived from hand to mouth and whatever I made could barely sustain other needs. My husband and children entirely depended on me.”

The project has changed her life. Nyokabi is able to feed her family and save to further expand her business. She said, “I’m very happy now and the future looks bright. I now have my own money and I’m able to comfortably cater for the needs of my family. I want to thank the sisters for improving my poor condition.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

PHOTO CREDIT: Doreen Ajiambo / Global Sisters Report  (Photos used with special permission and may not be re-used without permission from Global Sisters Report.)

Global Sisters Report – Sisters’ lending project helps women in poverty gain financial independence

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) In early October, Don Bosco Youth Education Services held three days of teacher training on the theme “Teaching and Learning in the 21st century” led by Father Selvam Sahay and a team of experts. Participants included 20 teachers from five Salesian academic institutions.

The topics covered in this training are particularly relevant right now given the global pandemic and shift in many countries from in-person to online lessons, even if temporarily. Teachers, now more than ever, have had to adjust their methods of teaching and use technology they have never used before.

Teachers play an important role in the lives of poor youth in Salesian schools. Their work is vital to their students’ success both in and out of the classroom. Salesian missionaries educate more than 1 million youth in over 5,500 schools and youth centers, and nearly 1,000 vocational, technical and agricultural schools in more than 130 countries around the globe.

“Teachers are the backbone of the Salesian educational system and have had to quickly modify how they provide education during the pandemic—not an easy feat for many Salesian teachers,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian teachers face many challenges educating poor youth who have faced many barriers to education including severe poverty and homelessness, and the pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.”

In Nairobi, Kenya, teachers play a significant role in the lives of youth attending Don Bosco Boys Town, which provides education and technical skills training to former street children. The program currently serves more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training offered through Bosco Boys gives youth a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the Bosco Boys program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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ANS – Kenya – Three days of formation for 20 teachers from 5 Salesian academic institutions

Bosco Boys Kenya

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UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (also known as Bosco Boys), located in Nairobi, Kenya, provides education and technical skills training to former street children and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school. Bosco Boys also has a reception and rehabilitation center known as Bosco Boys Langata, which was established in 1994 by the Salesian priests to help boys overcome addictions and behaviors learned on the street.

According to a recent article in the Global Sisters Report, 32 boys ages 5-11 are undergoing rehabilitation at the moment, and more than 3,000 have benefited from this center. Some of the boys live at the center, but others are day students. The boys usually stay from one to two years, and a good number of them are successfully rehabilitated.

Sister Jackline Mwikali Mwongela, a Sister of the Institute of the Virgin Mary (Loreto), has been volunteering as a social worker at Bosco Boys since 2017 as part of her practicum requirement for her bachelor’s degree in sustainable human development at Tangaza University in Nairobi. Sr. Mwongela wrote an article about her experiences working at Bosco Boys.

She said, “At the Bosco Boys informal school, I teach art and life skills and serve as counselor and after-school tutor. This informal setting is a basic preparation for some of the boys to later attend Kuwinda, a primary boarding school. I like the boys and find them friendly and cooperative, and we have grown in mutual understanding and trust. I also find they are unusually responsible in doing their work, except at times when they fall behind in doing homework.”

As part of Sr. Mwongela’s education through online courses at Loyola University in New Orleans, she studied Catholic social teachings and how to apply them in ministries. As part of her education, she was required to design a project. She taught a Catholic social teaching workshop in Swahili for the parents and guardians of the boys at Bosco Boys. The goal was to help parents and guardians understand their rights and responsibilities about reverence and dignity.

“Through the workshop we learned more about how unemployment creates serious disadvantages for the people in the slums,” explained Sr. Mwongela. “Both women and men do manual work for long hours—being paid very little—and their work environments are often inhumane. Most parents are day workers, and some, scavengers. Others brew illegal local beer or send their children out to beg. Their boys also were forced to work for employers who underpaid or failed to pay them. They lost their sense of dignity and self-esteem.”

She added, “After that workshop, we at Bosco Boys decided to provide the guardians and parents with the skills to help them gain self-reliance. We have tried to motivate them and sensitize them to save even small amounts of income for future skills courses or to start small businesses. A good number of them followed through and have dreams of becoming entrepreneurs. Seeing their parents make these efforts will also help prevent the boys from going back to the streets. Unfortunately, we had just begun this when the coronavirus intervened. I can only hope what we started will continue once the restrictions are over.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Boys Town Kenya

Bosco Boys Kenya

Bosco Boys Kenya Facebook

Global Sisters Report – Bringing Catholic social teaching to boys recovering from street life

Salesian Missions – Kenya

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Sister Jackline Mwikali Mwongela reflects on her time as a social worker at Don Bosco Boys Town first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town in Nairobi, Kenya, was visited by Simon Bartley, outgoing honorary president of WorldSkills International. While addressing trainers and students, Bartley urged youth to embrace globalization, which will go a long way in fulfilling the world’s future needs. He said, “The future of our world is in the hands of our young people of today.”

The mission of WorldSkills International is to raise the profile and recognition of skilled people, and show how important skills are in achieving economic growth and personal success. This resonates with Don Bosco Tech Africa’s mission of enhancing youth development in Africa through efficient resource management and skills training.

Those in attendance at the meeting included Don Bosco Tech Africa’s Executive Director Father TJ George; Father Benn Agunga, principal of Don Bosco Boys Town; and Julius K. Serem and Tom Olang’o, both from the Technical and Vocational Education Training Authority. The team proposed the formation of the Kenyan Chapter of WorldSkills International, where Brother John Njuguna, the deputy director of Don Bosco Boys Town, would be a national steering committee member.

Don Bosco Boys Town program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low-income student population in Kenya.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – President of “WorldSkills International” visits “Don Bosco Boys Town”

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

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The post KENYA: Don Bosco Boys Town hosts WorldSkills International outgoing honorary president for talk with students about importance of skills training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) In order to improve the quality of the technical training at Don Bosco Boys Town (also known as Bosco Boys), located in Nairobi, Kenya, 16 teachers participated in additional training, which was supported by Slovak Aid, a nongovernmental organization that supports community initiatives. After taking their exams, the teachers qualified as technicians and instructors in their chosen field. They acquired their provisional certificates and are already improving the quality of their students’ education.

Don Bosco Boys Town program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low-income student population in Kenya.”

The two-year technical training offered through Bosco Boys gives youth a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the Bosco Boys program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – “Don Bosco Boys Town” Vocational Training Improved

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The post KENYA: Salesian teachers take additional training to improve the quality of education at Don Bosco Boys Town first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Salesian-run Bosco Boys program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary, secondary and technical school.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low-income student population in Kenya.”

The two-year technical training offered through Bosco Boys gives youth a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the Bosco Boys program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

“All youth deserve a chance at a better life,” adds Fr. Hyde. “At Bosco Boys, Salesian missionaries help young people take responsibility for their own lives and train them in the skills necessary to find and retain employment in order to support themselves and improve their communities.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also noted that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children who live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Admission exam to enter “Don Bosco Boys Town”

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When Bosco Boys program participants complete their primary education, they are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

Two-year technical training programs are offered through Bosco Boys in a wide variety of vocational skills including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

Mutemi describes his experience at the school by saying, “I had been to both Salesian school and public school. What surprised me at the Salesian school is the fact that we as learners could actually play soccer with our principal and other teachers, something I had not experienced at a public school. At a Salesian school, there is interaction between learners and teachers. Salesian schools offer learners the opportunity to approach teachers without fear because the teachers are so friendly. At a Salesian school, it’s not just about academics, but we learn about life experiences.”

In addition to the education provided, youth in the Bosco Boys program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Mutemi is very involved in cycling and has used the sport as a way to relax and cope with stress and imparts this strategy to his students. He says about cycling, “You feel the freedom when you are on the open road with or without other cyclists. It nourishes you and you feel refreshed.”

He also adds, “The other reason for me being involved in cycling is that I am part of a charity cycle group called Miles of Hope which helps poorer youth with education, especially youth who cannot afford school fees. Every week we cycle as a group and each member must contribute 200 Kenyan shillings which goes towards funding poorer youth.”

Mutemi teaches his students about welding in addition to teaching them about life, how to handle their responsibilities and work hard to achieve their dreams. He says, “I tell youth that we must remember that nothing comes to us on a silver platter. Nothing comes for free unless you put hard work into it. Have a passion for what you do and you will see things moving. I coped with peer pressure when I got involved with cycling because there is no time for idling around. When you are idle, then that is when things like drugs and drinking take over your life.”

It’s a message that Mutemi passes on to his students in the hopes they will value their studies and succeed in life.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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ANS – Kenya – “At Salesian school it’s not just about academics but we learn about life experiences”

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

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Kakuma is operated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation.

Salesian missionaries at Kakuma refugee camp operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp.

As noted in a recent Anadolu Agency article, refugees are able to take classes at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center to ensure they will have the skills to rebuild their countries if they are able to go back home.

“We are arming ourselves with skills, which we will use to rebuild our countries when we go back home,” said Soieso Fumba, a Congolese refugee in the Anadolu Agency article.

The article noted that Fumba watched as militants killed her family. She fled and never looked back and has been afraid to return home because the area is still too dangerous. During her time at Kakuma, she is making the most of the opportunities at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center.

“When I came here, I was a student. I used to speak French — not even a single word of English. Now I will leave this place a designer, a professional one, if I may say. I design clothes, I make my own patterns, and I am sure that once I leave this place for my home country, I will bring change,” added Fumba in the article.

The article cites another story of 32-year old Kabat Hasafa, who ran away from Ethiopia because he felt his life was in danger.

“I am learning at Don Bosco Technical School. I study carpentry and joinery. I am living at the Kakuma 3 Refugee Camp. I fled from my country because of some political issues. You know in our country there is ethnic federalism. Ethnic federalism is not supported by the majority. I can say that, so I oppose that. Somehow, I have been harmed because of my ideology so that is why I came,” said Hasafa in the article.

He notes that the skills he has acquired at the Don Bosco center will help him provide for his family. In the article, he went on to say, “It is helping a lot because now I am a student. But after I finish this course, I can use what I learn here so I can do my business and survive. So I will start a family and then life will continue as long as the UNHCR is alive.”

Gashane Mulambo, a 23-year-old Congolese plumber who lost his parents and sister to tribal war, said things have changed for refugees in Kenya.

Salesian missionaries operate four technical training facilities in the camp. The main center offers all the technical trades as well as a literacy and math program. Another technical school offers agriculture education where youth learn advanced farming skills. Still another is a technology-focused center that combines community technology access with computer training. The newest facility is offering classes for adults in carpentry, welding, sewing and English.

Over the past few years, Salesian technical programs in Kakuma have successfully trained thousands of youth in viable trades to earn a living and care for their families.

“The refugees usually come here with their skills and experience while many others get their skills from here, so they can easily work in the country of asylum and can contribute to the local economy,” said Danya Kattan, a livelihood officer at UNHCR Kenya responsible for the livelihood of refugees at the Kakuma refugee camp, who was also quoted in the Anadolu Agency article.

He added, “The component of capacity building when it comes to vocational training will help them to be economically inclusive and also get them to work — not only in the country of asylum, but also when they head back home to their country of origin as they participate in the reconstruction of their country.”

Salesian missionaries have had an established presence in the Kakuma refugee camp since 1993 as a UNHCR implementing partner in vocational training in Kakuma. UNHCR notes that the camp was originally established in 1992 to host thousands of Sudanese refugees fleeing from civil war.

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Anadolu Agency – Kenya’s Kakuma camp gives refugees hope

KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Provided Technical Training to 3,774 Youth in 2015

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In addition to these projects, Schneider Electric, a European multinational corporation that specializes in electricity distribution, automation management and the production of installation components for energy management, has partnered on several initiatives with Salesian programs around the globe. According to the article, these agreements with the Don Bosco Foundation will allow Schneider Electric to reach its objective of training 1 million people by 2025.

Each year, the Don Bosco Foundation helps support vocational training for 200 underprivileged youth at three Salesian centers in Nairobi, Makuyu and Embu. As part of this agreement, Schneider Electric is providing financial and technical support to renovate the electricity labs at the three centers and launch a solar energy training module.

The company will also offer training to local trainers to update their skills and help them manage the new equipment through Schneider Electric Teachers, a nonprofit that allows employees to share their skills with underprivileged populations on a volunteer basis. Schneider Electric will also help the Don Bosco Foundation obtain government approval for its solar energy training in Kenya.

“Schneider Electric is firmly committed to facilitating energy access for unprivileged populations through renewable energy, particularly solar technologies,” said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric in the Voltimum article. “We are proud to conclude this latest partnership to help train young Kenyans for energy and electricity jobs. This training will help them find employment and raise their standard of living, not only for themselves but also their families. We share the Salesian Don Bosco Foundation’s vision of development built on education and work.”

The project just completed at the Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute involved renovating the existing electrical lab and integrating a solar energy module. The institute is part of a broader Don Bosco Boys Town program, which provides education and technical skills to former street children. Don Bosco Boys Town is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children live in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school. Close to 90 percent of children from poor households fail to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

Voltimum – The Schneider Electric Foundation and the Salesian Don Bosco Foundation in Kenya inaugurate the renovated electrical lab at the Don Bosco Boys Town Technical Institute

The post KENYA: New Schneider Electric Partnership Updates School Electrical Labs, Provides Technical Electrical Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Only 35.7 percent of the residents in the Marsabit region have access to drinking water. Natural sources are arid for much of the year. Water supply wells of different types are commonly used, where possible. Otherwise, rainwater is collected in tanks that are insufficient for the population’s needs and can also cause diarrhea and trigger typhus epidemics because the water collected has not been purified.

Salesian sisters in Karare operate a high school for girls who come from the desert. Their families are nomadic shepherds and before the Salesian school many of these children were sent to tend stock instead of gaining an education. The work of the nuns is to prepare future teachers for these areas.

“Karare is practically an island in the desert located on the margins of a small forest, it is populated by about 80 elephants,” says Father Felice Molino, a Salesian missionary who is tasked with finding the resources needed to help the many Salesian programs in Kenya and Tanzania currently experiencing a difficult time. “The water shortage has serious consequences for the nuns and for the more than 200 girls at the school. There is always a girl or nun sick with malaria or typhus. They do not have a sewage system and so they boil the little water they drink, and rely on luck for its other uses.”

This project is important for the health of both the nuns and girls who are in this region. It would also bring a sense of dignity for those attending the school to have access to water for drinking, cooking, washing and sanitation. Water projects such as these also tend to decrease water-borne illness so girls would spend more time in the classroom and less time sick. The project would entail the purchase and installation of an electrical system powered by solar panels that will also heat the water and a chlorination system for the water for purification.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

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Sources:

ANS – Kenya – A drop of education in the desert. Karare’s mission

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Salesian Sisters Launch Project to Raise Funding for New Electrical System for Water Purification first appeared on MissionNewswire.

UNHCR has noted that a record 65 million people worldwide are refugees and thousands flee their homes every day. The record number includes 22.5 million refugees, 40.3 million internally displaced persons and 2.8 million asylum seekers. Just more than 10 million of the world’s displaced fled their homes last year alone, including 3.4 million who crossed international borders to become refugees.

Each year, World Refugee Day focuses on a particular theme that highlights specific circumstances faced by refugees. This year’s theme is a continuation of 2016’s theme “We stand together #WithRefugees,” which encourages everyone to add their name to the #WithRefugees petition to send a clear message to governments that they must act with solidarity and shared responsibility. To date, more than 1.5 million people have signed the petition that asks governments to: ensure every refugee child gets an education; ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live; and ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.

“I’ve met so many who have lost so much. But they never lose their dreams for their children or their desire to better our world. They ask for little in return – only our support in their time of greatest need,” said UN Secretary-General, António Guterres in a statement about the day.

In countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries are assisting close to 400,000 refugees and internally displaced persons whose lives have been affected by war, persecution, famine and natural disasters such as floods, droughts and earthquakes. Salesian programs provide refugees much needed education and technical skills training, workforce development, health care and nutrition.

To mark World Refugee Day 2017, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and support for refugees and internally displaced people in need. Salesian Missions, headquartered in New Rochelle, N.Y., is the U.S. development arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco.

REFUGEES IN EGYPT

In 2014, Salesian Missions (thanks to support of external donors) began working with the Instituto Don Bosco in Cairo to fund scholarships as part of the Sunrise Project. This skills training program assists refugees and vulnerable Egyptians in gaining the technical and life skills they need to find employment and support their families in their new country.

This project also provides life skills training, health awareness, entrepreneurship literacy workshops, job panels, seed grants, and violence prevention training to help refugees build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adjust in their new urban environments. One of the great successes of the project is the additional social services, including transportation vouchers for travel to and from the courses, funded for participants. Those engaged in the training are also provided vouchers to purchase groceries and other needs from a local store. This helps to ensure that basic needs like nutrition are met for these individuals, as they work hard to meet the needs for themselves.

Each participant also receives a voucher for a primary care checkup and eye exam with a doctor who comes to the school. Some medicine prescriptions are included, and they receive referrals for secondary care as needed.

REFUGEES IN ETHIOPIA

Salesian missionaries working in Pugnido, Ethiopia provide several programs and services to help those living in poverty meet their basic needs, gain an education and learn skills for employment. They also work inside the Pugnido Refugee Camp, the oldest refugee camp in the Gambella region of Western Ethiopia, providing poor youth and their families with education and social development services.

The Salesian mission in Pugnido also includes 10 outreach stations and a few chapels inside the refugee camp that provide assistance, education, pastoral care and social development services. The goal is to ensure that youth have their most basic needs met so they are able to focus on gaining an education and the skills needed to find and retain stable employment. Since 2006, the Salesian Pugnido mission has grown and developed to better meet the needs of the growing refugee population and those living in the surrounding area. The camp is home to some 60,000 refugees, the majority of whom are escaping violence and conflict within South Sudan.

REFUGEES IN KENYA

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence.

Kakuma is operated by UNHCR in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, health care, clean water and sanitation. Salesian missionaries at Kakuma refugee camp operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp. Salesian missionaries are in the process of building a new school on a donated plot of land at the refugee camp in order to meet the growing demand.

REFUGEES & INTERNALLY DISPLACED IN SOUTH SUDAN

UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, has noted that nearly 2.2 million people are displaced within South Sudan*, and in September 2016, more than a million fled, seeking safety and shelter in neighboring countries. Many of those fleeing South Sudan are women and children. They include survivors of violent attacks and sexual assault, children who have been separated from their parents or travelled alone, the disabled, the elderly, and people in need of urgent medical care. The United Nations estimates that as a result of the conflict, up to 4 million people are currently facing “acute” food and nutrition insecurity.

In 2016, Don Bosco Gumbo, located in the town of Gumbo on the outskirts of Juba, hosted more than 3,000 people who fled the violence and conflict. Father David Tulimelli, parish priest at the Salesian St. Vincent de Paul parish which operates Don Bosco Gumbo, has recently been praised for his efforts to assist those who have been internally displaced by the ongoing conflict in South Sudan. Fr. Tulimelli fed 4,000 people in a year as the country’s refugee crisis intensified.

Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Gumbo and across South Sudan continue to assess the situation and are working within their networks around the globe to access additional humanitarian aid. Responding to the ongoing civil strife is nothing new to Salesian missionaries in South Sudan. They have been continuing their educational and social development programs in communities across the country while also responding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

REFUGEES IN SPAIN

In several cities, Salesian missionaries are working to address the challenges and needs faced by refugees who sought shelter and safety in Europe, which is experiencing a maritime refugee crisis of historic proportions, according to UNHCR. By the end of 2015, more than 300,000 refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea on their way to Europe. Syrian refugees make up the single largest group followed by refugees from Eritrea and Afghanistan. High numbers of refugees from Somalia, Iraq and Sudan who are in need of international protection are also arriving in Europe.

In Madrid, Spain, Salesian missionaries have developed programs across the country to assist Syrian refugees and young migrants seeking services. Missionaries are working with local governments and other social programs to respond to the crisis. Salesian missionaries who have previous experience working with young migrants have started additional Salesian programs that will address the needs of today’s youth. Many of the new programs focus on meeting the immediate needs of newly-arrived migrants and go on to address the need for education and employment. Missionaries are also working with local schools to help assimilate children from refugee families into classrooms. Salesian missionaries are also providing these programs in cities across Germany and Italy.

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Sources:

UN World Refugee Day 2017

UNHCR World Refugee Day 2017

*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 REFUGEE DAY: Salesian Missions Provides Education and Workforce Development Programs for Refugees Around the Globe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year on June 12, the International Labor Organization sets a theme for World Day Against Child Labor corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme “In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labor” is focused the plight of children in conflict zones who are more susceptible to being forced into child labor.

The International Labor Organization reports that in many areas of conflict, homes and schools are destroyed, families lose their means of income, and social protection systems break down, leaving children vulnerable and at-risk of child labor. Children who are forced by circumstance to become refugees and migrants are often at higher risk of child labor and human trafficking, especially if they become separated from their families.

Children who remain in conflict zones or who are left behind are vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor, including in mining or scavenging for metal and minerals in war-torn areas, clearing rubble, or working in the streets, according to the International Labor Organization. Children are often used by armed groups as child soldiers or as spies, helpers and porters or become victims of sexual exploitation and abuse.

“Children who are in vulnerable situations are at greater risk of being denied an education and compelled to work, leaving them at-risk of injury, exploitation, and trafficking,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian programs around the globe aim to combat child labor through education, prevention programs like child rights education, and through programs that directly address the needs of migrants and refugees.”

In honor of World Day Against Child Labor 2017, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that help to eliminate child labor through quality education.

COLOMBIA

Don Bosco City has been working with youth for 52 years and have saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. 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. The long rehabilitation process 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 providing 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. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12, living and receiving education at the program. Salesian Father Rafael Bejarano, director of Don Bosco City, and James Areiza, program director for child protection, along with two former child soldiers, recently visited Rome, Italy to present a documentary on former child soldiers’ journeys toward recovery and reintegration

INDIA

Close to 100,000 children have been educated about their rights through 907 special clubs and courses offered in schools across India. This education is thanks to Salesian missionaries’ child rights education programs offered through the CREAM project (Child Rights Education and Action Movement – Action Movement and Education on Rights of Children), which is sponsored by the Office of Development of the Province of Bangalore (BREADS – Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society).

During the course of its four-year history, the project has seen other success including 1,571 dropouts that have been brought back to school, 1,144 youth that have been taken from dangerous child labor working conditions, and 1,473 street children helped through social reintegration programs. The project has also prevented 172 early marriages.

The project was initiated in December 2012 in order to reach the most disadvantaged children in 10 districts in the Indian state of Karnataka, especially in high risk urban rural areas. The goal was to work with youth to build a culture of protection of children’s rights. The project also puts a strong emphasis on improving the potential of minors as well as ensuring the sustainability of activities and results. The project has launched into its second phase working to reach 150,000 youth through child rights education.

KENYA

The Salesian-run Bosco Boys program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi, Kenya and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. The program also operates two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education. The Bosco Boys program provides education and workforce development opportunities. Students in the program who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

MEXICO

Since 1987, the Salesian-run Tijuana Project has been providing services to migrants and poor youth living on the border between Mexico and the United States. The goal of the project is to create an extensive educational network in areas where poor youth are at risk of social exclusion, exploitation and child labor. The project took shape through Salesian oratories and educational centers where children grow up learning to share faith, culture and sports within their communities.

Many border towns are plagued by crime and violence such as the illegal trafficking of drugs, weapons, money and people where the consequences of social and political tensions between the two nations are felt. Salesian missionaries have been working in Mexico and in these border towns for more than 25 years and have recently increased cooperation between the Salesian Province of Mexico-Guadalajara and the Province of USA West. The goal is to work together to address the increase of violence and insecurity in the region and launch proposals for education, social integration, drug prevention and combating the effects of organized crime.

Currently, the Tijuana Project is serving more than 9,000 people in six Salesian oratories, a parish and a public dining hall which serves food to close to a thousand homeless and migrant people every day. The entire project is facilitated by six Salesian missionaries with the help of volunteers, local collaborators and benefactors in both Mexico and the United States.

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Sources

Reliefweb International Labour Organization – World Day against Child Labour 2017: “In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labour”

Don Bosco Salesian Portal – “Protecting Children from Child Labor”

ANS – “Protecting Children From Child Labor”: NO to Child Labor!

ANS PHOTO

The post WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOR: Salesian Missionaries Highlight Educational and Social Programs that Combat Child Labor first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries report though that other areas do not have the capacity to have wells dug that will be sufficient enough to help the people. Residents are attempting to collect the water in any way they can. But the rain was not without its challenges.

“There was a lot of destruction happened along with the rain. Many livestock drank the water and fell down dead because they were famished, so when they drank to become full, they died,” says Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian missionaries’ work. “When it rained, there were small dams built or dug in several areas that have water now. People and animals use that water and so the number of people searching for water have reduced. But imagine people drinking the first rain water, which has flowed through the ground which did not get rain for over a year. The Sister who oversees the Don Bosco Dispensary has reported that soon people will come with all types of stomach problems due to drinking this water.”

In early May, Salesian missionaries provided food aid kits containing five kg of maize, two kg of beans and half a liter of oil to 3,490 families. A total of 65 villages have received food in this second distribution. In addition, 110 children were provided milk in the village of Lengima. One of the biggest challenges since the drought began is the lack of food available in the market and what is available has risen in price to the point where it’s no longer affordable. The value of livestock has also decreased and many have died or are very weak.

Salesian missionaries within the Don Bosco Mission–Korr work on a daily basis to reach the 85 villages near the mission, some require missionaries to travel distances of more than 150 km to reach the villages. With the recent rains, transport and communications were interrupted and some of the villages have not been able to be reached. Missionaries are waiting for additional funding for relief supplies and then will continue their aid distribution to some of these far away villages. The goal is to support 4,805 families in total.

In early March, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco, launched an emergency fundraising effort to support missionaries assisting people affected by severe drought in Kenya. While the rain provides some water to local villages, it was still not enough to help food production and supplies available are still not enough to adequately help the local people. Salesian missionaries are relying on donations and financial support to assist with this crisis.

Salesian Missions has launched an emergency fund, the African Drought Crisis, to assist Salesian missionaries who are working to help poor youth and their families affected by this drought and food insecurity in Kenya. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Donations can be made by going to SalesianMissions.org/African-Drought.

Sources

ANS – Kenya – Finally the rain, but much more is needed!

Salesian Missions – Kenya

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Provide Food Aid and Assist with Water Collection After First Rain in More Than a Year first appeared on MissionNewswire.

There is little food available in the market and what is available has risen in price to the point where it’s no longer affordable. The value of livestock has also decreased and many have died or are very weak. Water sources are drying up and significantly impacting the lives of people in the region. Women and children are left vulnerable because many men have left to find water for their families and livestock. In some instances, women must find water themselves, leaving them vulnerable to sexual assault.

In early March, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco, launched an emergency fundraising effort to support missionaries assisting people affected by severe drought in Kenya. The government of Kenya has declared the country’s devastating drought a national disaster.

Salesian missionaries with the Don Bosco Mission in Korr, located in the north central region of Kenya, have already begun providing food relief with the limited means available. Salesian missionaries are also providing access to clean, safe water from boreholes that have been dug. With food and water supplies running out, Salesian missionaries are relying on donations and financial support to assist with this crisis.

Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian missionaries’ work at Korr, has reported that the situation of the local people is becoming more and more critical. Fr. Mulayinkal has noted that other humanitarian organizations are reluctant to come into the country to provide aid because Kenya is considered to be a developing nation. It is therefore felt that the government has the resources to deal with the drought. Salesian missionaries are already there, living and working among the people they serve and are perfectly positioned to provide aid to those most in need.

“Although not far into 2017, we are already seeing the effects of the continued drought in our community,” says Fr. Mulayinkal. “There has been no rain at Korr and many areas of Kenya are in need of food and water. At Korr, many children are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to the heat, and our medical clinic is working day and night serving the sick and the needy. International aid is critical at this time to help alleviate the suffering of the people here.”

The Don Bosco Mission Korr provides services to nomadic populations in the surrounding community and within Kakuma refugee camp. The camp was established in 1992 near the border with South Sudan as a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing civil war. Operated by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), with assistance from Salesian missionaries and several other humanitarian organizations, the camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation.

Within the surrounding community of Korr, Salesian missionaries provide five outreach locations, a medical clinic, a nursery and primary school, boarding for boys and girls, a youth center and a Catholic parish. They continue to provide these services even as they are challenged by severe food and water insecurity brought on by the drought.

Salesian Missions has launched an emergency fund, the African Drought Crisis, to assist Salesian missionaries who are working to help poor youth and their families affected by this drought and food insecurity in Kenya. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Donations can be made by going to SalesianMissions.org/African-Drought.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Kenya

Washington Post – People are walking miles for clean water in drought-struck Kenya — and finding none

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Providing Food Aid to Those Affected by Ongoing Drought first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Hundreds of people have lost everything, and there is one reported death of a woman with disabilities who couldn’t be rescued. First investigations indicate that the probable cause of the huge fire was a candle left burning. The fire quickly spread among the humble wooden houses fed by the gas cylinders that many families kept in their homes, causing enormous damage and making it impossible to put out the fire.

The Divine Mercy Church lost everything and was burned from the first stone to the aluminum foils in the roof. In addition, primary school children who come from the slums could not return to school because their school uniforms and all the books were lost. As with many emergency situations around the globe, Salesian missionaries begun acting immediately to address the needs of families and children affected.

“During the night, it was impossible to do anything to put out the fire,” report Salesian missionaries on the ground in Kuwinda. “The next morning the whole neighborhood tried to give an immediate response, especially for the children. And the gestures of solidarity and aid came quickly. The Salesian Missions office in Madrid has also already promised to ensure that Salesian missionaries are able to respond as soon as possible to the difficulties of thousands of people affected by the fire.”

For more than 30 years Salesian missionaries have been offering vocational training and social development programs for youth in Nairobi, Kenya. The Salesian-run Bosco Boys program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. The program also operates two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF notes that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

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Sources:

ANS – Kenya – Fire destroys the Kuwinda district of Nairobi, where the Salesians are working

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Respond to Need of Families Affected by Devastating Fire in Kuwinda first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries with the Don Bosco Mission in Korr—located in the north central region of Kenya— have already begun providing food relief with the limited means available. Right now, missionaries are providing milk, maize flour, wheat flour, oil and salt, which must be brought in from the community of Isiolo more than 142 miles away from Korr. Salesian missionaries are also providing access to clean, safe water from boreholes that have been dug. With food and water supplies running out, Salesian missionaries must rely on donations and financial support to assist with this crisis.

Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian missionaries’ work at Korr, has reported that as the days go by and the heat intensifies, people are becoming sick and smaller animals have begun to die. The value of farm animals has dropped so much that selling them for money to buy food is no longer a viable option. The situation of the local people is becoming more and more critical. Fr. Mulayinkal has noted that other humanitarian organizations are reluctant to come into the country to provide aid because Kenya is considered to be a developing nation and it is therefore felt that the government has the resources to deal with the drought. As Fr. Mulayinkal notes, it is the poorest of people who are suffering the most.

“Although not far into 2017, we are already seeing the effects of the continued drought in our community,” says Fr. Mulayinkal. “There has been no rain at Korr and many areas of Kenya are in need of food and water. At Korr, many children are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to the heat, and our medical clinic is working day and night serving the sick and the needy.”

The Don Bosco Mission Korr in Kenya provides services to nomadic populations in the surrounding community and within Kakuma refugee camp. The camp was established in 1992 near the border with South Sudan as a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing civil war. Operated by UNHCR, with assistance from Salesian missionaries and several other humanitarian organizations, the camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation.

Within the surrounding community of Korr, Salesian missionaries provide five outreach locations, a medical clinic, a nursery and primary school, boarding for boys and girls, a youth center and a Catholic parish. They continue to provide these services even as they are challenged by severe food and water insecurity brought on by the drought.

Kenya’s longest watercourse, the 1,000-kilometre-long Tana River, provides the capital city of Nairobi with 80 percent of its drinking water and supplies the country with 60 percent of its electricity. Today the river is merely a fifth of what it was 50 years ago and it is being drained by population growth and the government’s ambitious development plans.

The drought, particularly in Kenya’s Rift Valley, has continued to affect vegetation, agriculture production and even livestock. The situation began in 2014 and has worsened with time. Humanitarian organizations estimate that food insecurity has more than doubled—from 600,000 people from August 2015 to March 2016 to 1.3 million people from August 2016 to February 2017.

Salesian Missions has launched an emergency fund, the African Drought Crisis, to assist Salesian missionaries who are working to help poor youth and their families affected by this drought and food insecurity in Kenya. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Donations can be made by going to SalesianMissions.org/African-Drought.

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS:

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in some of the poorest places on the planet. The nearly 30,000 Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters—all dedicated to caring for poor children around the globe in more than 130 countries. The Salesians are widely considered the world’s largest private provider of vocational and technical training. Additionally, more than 1 million children attend Salesian primary schools, many of which are UNICEF-supported. Millions of vulnerable youth have received services specifically funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. Funds are also raised to assist with humanitarian emergencies created by events such as natural disasters, wars and violence. For more information, visit SalesianMissions.org.

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Sources:

IRIN – The hidden threat behind Kenya’s worsening drought

Salesian Missions – Kenya

The post KENYA: Salesian Missions Launches Fundraising Appeal to Assist Families Suffering from Drought first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Today, Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. Within Kakuma, Salesian missionaries provide eight outreach locations and a Catholic parish, and operate four technical training facilities in the camp. The main center offers technical trades as well as a literacy and math program. Another technical school offers agriculture education where 320 youth each year learn advanced farming skills. In addition, a technology-focused center provides community technology access with computer training. A new facility, opened in Jan. 2016, offers classes for adults in carpentry, welding, sewing and the English language. The technical programs in Kakuma have successfully trained thousands of youth in viable trades in order for them to earn a living and care for their families.

Within the surrounding community of Korr, Salesian missionaries provide five outreach locations, a medical clinic, a nursery and primary school, boarding for both boys and girls, and a youth center as well as a Catholic parish. Salesian missionaries provide these services as they continue to be challenged by the ongoing drought affecting regions in Kenya causing severe food and water insecurity.

A recent report from UNICEF notes that in January 2014, the government of Kenya declared an impending drought with an estimated 1.6 million people affected. The drought has continued to affect vegetation, agriculture production and even livestock. The situation continued to worsen through 2015 and 2016 and now into 2017 due to a lack of access to food and water and an increase in food prices of what is available. UNICEF notes that food insecurity has more than doubled—from 600,000 people from August 2015 to March 2016 to 1.3 million people from August 2016 to February 2017.

Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian missionaries’ work at Kakuma, has reported that as the days go by and the heat intensifies there is worry that even animals will begin to die and the situation of the local people will become even more critical. Salesian missionaries have already begun providing food relief with the limited means available. Right now, missionaries are providing milk, maize flour, wheat flour, oil and salt, which must be brought in from the community of Isiolo more than 230 kilometers (142 miles) away from Korr. Salesian missionaries are also providing access to clean, safe water from boreholes that have been dug.

“Although not far into 2017, we are already seeing the effects of the continued drought in our community,” says Fr. Mulayinkal. “There has been little to no rain at Korr and Kakuma, and many areas of Kenya are in need of food and water. At Korr, many children are suffering from vomiting and diarrhea due to the heat, and our medical clinic is working day and night serving the sick and the needy.”

Salesian missionaries will continue to assess the ongoing drought and food insecurity while meeting basic needs and providing education and social development services for youth and their families both in Korr and Kakuma refugee camp.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Humanitarian Action for Children Kenya

Salesian Missions – Kenya

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Provide Food and Water as Drought and Food Insecurity Affect Kenyan Communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries now operate four technical training facilities in the camp. The main center offers all the technical trades as well as a literacy and math program. Another technical school offers agriculture education where 320 youth each year learn advanced farming skills. In addition, a technology focused center provides community technology access with computer training. The new facility is offering classes for adults in carpentry, welding, sewing and the English language.

Over the past few years, Salesian technical programs in Kakuma have successfully trained thousands of youth in viable trade to earn a living and care for their families. In all of the Salesian technical school in 2015, 3,774 people were enrolled with 2,843 graduating by the end of the year. At the end of their studies, Salesian technical students are able to take a Kenyan government examination (NITA) where students are given their official Grade III certificates, an important certification for finding employment in the country. By 2017, Salesian missionaries are hoping to advance some of the programs to offer the higher Grade II certification training.

“Salesian missionaries provide the only formal technical training in the Kakuma refugee camp,” says Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian work at Kakuma. “There are so many who are being prepared for a livelihood and for nation building in their home countries or in the countries in which they will be settled. At the end of their year-long studies, the students receive a Kenya Government Certificate which holds much value for the refugees.”

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence. According to UNHCR, for the third year in a row, Kakuma continues to receive record numbers of refugees from South Sudan. By late December 2014, there were more than 42,000 new arrivals in Kakuma. Without a lasting ceasefire and peace and reconciliation in South Sudan, UNHCR predicts the steady influx into Kenya is likely to continue.

“Since the influx of refugees, Salesian missionaries have many needs here,” adds Fr. Mulayinkal. “We need to constantly expand our services to meet the growing demand for shelter, nutrition, education, social support and infrastructure to run our programs. Right now we do what we can for as many as we can but the demand continues to grow.”

Salesian missionaries at Kakuma also operate the Holy Cross Parish and Savio Club, which provides additional education resources for primary school students who are struggling to keep up in their classes. More than 600 students between the ages of six and 11 are currently engaged in this program accessing education in Swahili and English language, mathematics, hygiene, good manners, and catechism. Classes are typically held for about three hours each day.

Looking to expand their programs, Salesian missionaries are in the process of developing a youth center on a plot of land they have been provided. Once completed, the youth center will provide safe space for youth to study, play sports and engage with their peers.

See all articles on Kakuma >

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Sources:

(ANS PHOTO)

ANS – Kenya – Don Bosco Kakuma: the city of mercy

UNHCR – Kakuma Refugee Camp 2015

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Provided Technical Training to 3,774 Youth in 2015 first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Currently there are 283 students in the primary school. Leah is 10 years old and belongs to a Masai family. She is the second of six children and lives in a tin shed with her parents, who are both unemployed. Leah is in second grade, is getting excellent grades, and dreams of becoming a doctor. Also in second grade is Stanley. He is originally from a rural area of Kenya and moved with his parents to Nairobi in search of a better life. He lives in the slum area of Kuvinda, which houses people from different tribes. Stanley wants to become a piolet. Both Leah and Stanley are just two of the many children starting their education with Bosco Boys.

Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

“Don Bosco Technical Secondary School attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low income student population in Kenya.”

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Two-year technical training programs are offered through Bosco Boys in a wide variety of vocational skills including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

“All youth deserve a chance at a better life,” adds Fr. Hyde. “At Bosco Boys, Salesian missionaries help young people take responsibility for their own lives and train them in the skills necessary to find and retain employment in order to support themselves and improve their communities.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

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ANS – Kenya – “Bosco Boys”: 283 stories of hope and love

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Students Receive Primary and Secondary Education through Bosco Boys first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

The Bosco Boys program provides education and workforce development opportunities. Students in the program who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

“The school attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost of the training is highly subsidized to make it affordable for the low income student population in Kenya.”

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. Through counseling and other activities, the program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Two-year technical training programs are offered through Bosco Boys in a wide variety of vocational skills including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

Eric Matata, a graduate of the Bosco Boys program, recently received his law degree from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. He credits the rigorous education and support he received while at Bosco Boys for helping to achieve his educational dreams. Matata received financial assistance to pay for university from Heinz Rovelring through the offices of Don Bosco Mondo, Germany, as well as support from the Jasani Memorial Sterling Trust. Mr. Mathenge, a volunteer counselor from the Bosco Boys program, also contributed towards Matata’s tuition fees.

“All youth deserve a chance at a better life,” adds Fr. Hyde. “At Bosco Boys, Salesian missionaries help young people take responsibility for their own lives and train them in the skills necessary to find and retain employment in order to support themselves and improve their communities.”

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation or education.

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Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: Bosco Boys Programs Help Street Youth Gain an Education and Hope for the Future first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Youth who are robbed of their freedom are often aware of their rights being systematically violated but lack the resources and support to challenge and change their circumstances. While sending a minor to prison or a rehabilitation center should be the last resort, in many places it is common practice. For example, in Kenya, more than 1,800 children are detained because they are homeless and live on the streets. In addition, close to 500 are being held because they are not under the control of parents and another 600 for begging.

To bring awareness to these issues, Salesian Missions in Madrid has launched the Youth IN-Justice campaign to highlight growing concerns surrounding the juvenile justice system and the needs of incarcerated youth.

“There are alternatives to a child or a youngster entering a prison or a reformatory center,” says Ana Muñoz, spokesperson for Salesian Missions Madrid. “The great challenge is to understand that in order to end these practices, we must provide supports like education and social development programs to help youth break the cycle of poverty and incarceration.”

Salesian missionaries have a long history of working with poor youth and those who have been incarcerated. Programs focus on rehabilitation as well as education and skills training so youth are able to provide for themselves once released. At the Pademba Road Prison in Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, Don Bosco Fambul, one of the country’s leading child-welfare organizations, provides a range of services to help incarcerated youth. Prison life in Sierra Leone offers very little hope for rehabilitation or reintegration back into society once a prison term has ended. According to humanitarian watch groups, prisons in Sierra Leone face overcrowding and inadequate food as well as lack vital sanitation and health care. Inmates die from overcrowding, illness and violence.

All too often, minors are detained for petty crimes and end up falling prey to prison violence, giving them little hope for the future upon their release. The population of Pademba Road Prison, the country’s largest detention facility, was designed for 324 detainees but had over 1,300 inmates at the time of the report with the number continuing to grow.

“My life in the prison of Pademba Road was a continuous torture,” says Johnny, a former prisoner who was 14 years old at the time of his incarceration and whose only crime was being homeless and sleeping on the streets. “I was in a cell with adults who were criminals. All I would get to eat was a plate of rice and a cup of black tea without sugar. The other prisoners would take away my sandwich at breakfast and other things from my plate of rice. They would not allow me to sleep at night as I had to fan for the elder ones. In the morning, it was my turn to clean the can that we used as a toilet. But the worst thing was the sexual abuses which I was a victim of for two years. I complained against them but no one listened.”

In addition to providing legal support and working to gain early release for incarcerated youth like Johnny, Don Bosco Fambul provides education and counseling services for youth inside the prison. Through the establishment of a long-term partnership between the prison and Don Bosco Fambul, a new youth counseling center for prisoners will be staffed with two social workers and three assistants for four hours each day. The goal of the center is to give youth and their families the necessary tools for rehabilitation and reintegration upon release.

Don Bosco Fambul is also providing food and water to more than 70 inmates of Pademba Road Prison each day while offering counseling services, medical assistance and stress therapy to ensure inmates are mentally fit when their prison terms have ended.

“Incarcerated youth must see hope for the future if we expect to deter them from crime and other dangerous behavior,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “A goal of Salesian missionaries is to do everything possible to keep youth out of detention centers. For those already incarcerated, Salesian programs help them to use their time in prison constructively and, through counseling, begin to address what brought them there in order to prevent their return.”

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ANS – Spain – One million children in the world are deprived of their liberty

UN – Facts on Juvenile Justice

(Stock photo)

The post SPAIN: Campaign Launched to Highlight Struggles of Youth Unfairly Kept in Juvenile Justice Centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, June 20 marks World Refugee Day, a day that honors the plight of millions of refugees and internally displaced people around the globe. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, noted that at the end of 2014, more than 50 million people had been forced from their homes worldwide. Almost 80 percent of those displaced are women and children.

Established in 2001, World Refugee Day is coordinated by UNHRC and focuses on honoring the courage, strength and determination of men, women and children forced to flee their homes under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. Each year, the day focuses on a particular theme that highlights specific circumstances faced by refugees. This year’s theme, “Get to know a refugee – Ordinary people living through extraordinary times,” aims to bring the public closer to the human side of the refugee story.

“All around the world we are seeing families fleeing violence,” said High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in a recent statement about World Refugee Day. “The numbers are massive – but we must not forget that these are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. People who led ordinary lives before war forced them to flee. On this World Refugee Day, everyone should remember the things that connect all of us – our common humanity.”

To mark World Refugee Day 2015, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and support for refugees and internally displaced people in need that were developed by Salesian Missions and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. Salesian Missions, headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, is the U.S. Development Arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco.

COLOMBIAN REFUGEES

In recent years, more than 450,000 people have fled the violence of Colombia to neighboring Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. Salesian Missions’ New Beginnings initiative, which started in 2011, has provided more than 1,000 Colombian refugees in these four countries vocational and human development training as well as job placement services.

Many of the Colombian refugees began the program with no marketable skills. Without the prospect of a job, it was hard for them to create stability for their families and build new lives. The New Beginnings program grants each refugee 260 hours of technical training as well as 40 hours of human development workshops. The training programs, coupled with the job placement services, allowed these victims of violence and chaos to start over and build a stable, hopeful future for themselves, their families and their new communities.

SRI LANKAN REFUGEES IN INDIA

For the fifth year, Salesian Missions has received funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration to conduct its New Beginnings program for Sri Lankan Refugees in Tamil Nadu, India. To date, close to 2,500 refugees have received vocational training scholarships through the program. Since 1983, ethnic violence in Sri Lanka has forced tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils from their homeland in search of safety and a new life in Tamil Nadu, India. According to UNHCR, there are close to 140,000 Sri Lankan refugees in 65 countries, with almost 70,000 in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu.

Refugees face many challenges as they begin to make a new life in their host countries. Sri Lankan Tamils are unique in that their host population in Tamil Nadu is also ethnically Tamil. While Sri Lankan refugees share a common language and customs with their host community, they still struggle to gain marketable skills and find livable wage employment.

Since 2010, Salesian Missions has been providing its New Beginnings program for young male and female Sri Lankan refugees who have been living in refugee camps in 15 target districts in India. In 2015, Salesian missionaries are serving 550 individuals by providing vocational training through a network of nine Salesian-run Don Bosco schools spread across Southeast India. In addition, 550 women are benefiting from refugee camp-based small business incubator programs. The New Beginnings program provides market-conscious vocational and technical skills training that results in livable wage employment, allowing trainees to better support themselves and their families. Many refugees enter the program with few, if any, job prospects or with a history of low paid part-time work experience which is typically unskilled and often dangerous and exploitative.

REFUGEES IN KENYA

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence.

Kakuma is operated by UNHCR in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation. Salesian missionaries at Kakuma refugee camp operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp. Salesian missionaries are currently seeking funding to build a new school on a donated plot of land at the refugee camp in order to meet the growing demand.

Salesian missionaries at the camp also operate the Helping Children to be Children program which gathers refugee children and leads them in games, songs and classes held outdoors on the camp grounds. As part of the program, children are offered the opportunity to draw and learn to speak English. Close to 3,000 children benefit from this Salesian program which currently has no steady funding and is run primarily by refugee volunteers.

SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY

Sharing a 500-mile-long border with Syria, Southeastern Turkey has more than 1.6 million Syrian refugees, as reported by the United Nations. Salesian missionaries are providing services at three sites within Syria while also providing for Syrian refugees in Turkey. While many Syrian refugees stay in towns on the Turkey-Syrian border, many find their way to big cities like Istanbul where Salesian missionaries operate a program that currently serves close to 400 Syrian refugees.

At the Don Bosco Center in Istanbul, Salesian Father Andres Calleja Ruiz leads special programs for refugee children and youth from Syria as well as for a growing number of families fleeing ISIS persecution in Iraq. Because most refugees do not speak the local language it is difficult for children to attend school and adults to find work. At the Center, Salesian missionaries provide a school for more than 350 refugee children where they learn English language skills and traditional school subjects such as mathematics, geography and music. Students have access to sports and dance programs intended to help them connect with their peers and find enjoyment and comfort in their new surroundings. In addition, the program provides counseling both for youth and their families to help them overcome the challenges and traumas they have faced.

Technical skills training is a critical component of Salesian work in Istanbul. Many refugees leave the country’s border towns and refugee camps and make their way to Istanbul hoping to find employment and a more stable life. If they fail to find work, refugees are often left in dire circumstances. The Don Bosco Center’s technical skills training program is a critical safety net for those in need.

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World Refugee Day 2015

The post WORLD REFUGEE DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Educational Programs Assisting Refugees around the Globe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence.

Kakuma is operated by UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation. According to UNHCR, for the third year in a row, Kakuma continues to receive record numbers of refugees from South Sudan. By late December 2014, there were more than 42,000 new arrivals in Kakuma. Without a lasting ceasefire and peace and reconciliation in South Sudan, UNHCR predicts the steady influx into Kenya is likely to continue throughout 2015.

The World Food Programme distributes 9,300 metric tons of food for 500,000 refugees in northern Kenya each month at a cost of $9.6 million. Unless more than $12 million is raised, there will be a critical food gap during August and September of this year.

“We are very worried about how this cut may affect the people who rely on our assistance,” says Thomas Hansson, World Food Progammes’s acting country director for Kenya, in a statement in the Thomas Reuters Foundation article. “But our food stocks are running out, and reducing the size of rations is the only way to stretch our supplies to last longer. We hope that this is only a temporary measure and we continue to appeal to the international community to assist.”

Salesian missionaries at Kakuma operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are being trained in critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available at the training center and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp.

“Don Bosco Vocational Training Center is the only formal technical training center in the Kakuma refugee camp,” says Father Luke Mulayinkal who oversees the Salesian work at Kakuma. “There are so many who are being prepared for a livelihood and for nation building in their home countries or in the countries in which they will be settled. At the end of their year studies, the students receive a Kenya Government Certificate which holds much value for the refugees.”

In addition to the critical food shortfalls, Kakuma is running out of space. By the end of August 2014, the camp was unable to accommodate new arrivals and UNHCR sought to secure new land for its expanded operations. With the influx of refugees into the camp and a need for technical education, Salesian missionaries at Kakuma are struggling to meet the demands of students seeking training. While land has been provided to build a new facility, funding still needs to be raised to complete the project.

“Since the influx of refugees and the critical food shortages, Salesian missionaries have many needs here,” adds Fr. Mulayinkal. “We need to expand our services to meet the growing demand for shelter, nutrition, education, social support and infrastructure to run our programs. Right now we do what we can for as many as we can but the demand continues to grow.”

Headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched a donation appeal to aid Salesian missionaries at Kakuma in building a new training facility as well as funding ongoing humanitarian assistance for those displaced. As Salesian missionaries in Kenya continue to provide safety and shelter for displaced families, they are reaching out for support so they may continue to help those in need.

To give to relief efforts helping those in need throughout Africa, go to SalesianMissions.org and select “African Crisis Emergency Fund” on the donate page.

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SOURCES:

Photo: Matija Kovac/Wikimedia Commons

Thomas Reuters Foundation – Funding shortfall forces U.N. to cut refugee food rations in Kenyan camps

UNHCR – Kakuma Refugee Camp 2015

The post KENYA: World Food Program Cuts will Affect Nearly 1,000 Participating in Salesian Programs at Kakuma Refugee Camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.

For Salesian volunteer, Polona Dominik, a young Slovenian social worker, working with the Bosco Boys program fulfilled a lifelong dream. She came to Kenya in February 2012 and volunteered for two years with the organization. Today, she works at the headquarters for the Don Bosco East Africa Province.

“I always wanted to work with and for street children, first in my home country of Slovenia, then in Ethiopia with the Bosco Children program and later in Kenya,” says Dominik. “We had close to 200 former street boys in the Bosco Boys program in Langata and Kuwinda (suburbs of Nairobi) plus others who were under our sponsorship after completing the program at Bosco Boys. There were new requests daily for admissions, so as a social worker there was a great deal that I could do, and a great deal that I have learned which I could not have learned anywhere else.”

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

“I met children and their families with stories of suffering, poverty, negligence, abuse and devastation,” adds Dominik. “Every day I was meeting boys whose families were absent or unable to provide food, shelter and education so youth were forced to look after themselves by stealing or by earning a little through jobs on the street. There are countless numbers of children living like this in the slums of Nairobi and only a small percentage have the possibility of rehabilitation in a center like Bosco Boys.”

The Bosco Boys program provides education and workforce development opportunities. Students in the program who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. The program also gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, according to UNICEF, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than one US dollar a day. UNICEF also notes that Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and education.

Sources

ANS – Kenya – “There is nothing nobler or more important in the world than saving the lives of needy children”

UNICEF – Kenya

The post KENYA: Salesian-run Bosco Boys Programs Provides Education to More Than 600 Poor Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries at Kakuma operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are  being trained in critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available at the training center and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp.

“Don Bosco Vocational Training Center is the only formal technical training center in the Kakuma refugee camp,” says Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian work at Kakuma. “There are so many who are being prepared for a livelihood and for nation building in their home countries or in the countries in which they will be settled. At the end of their year studies, the students receive a Kenya Government Certificate which holds much value for the refugees.”

Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built, with more refugees arriving every day. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence. According to UNHCR, for the third year in a row, Kakuma continues to receive record numbers of refugees from South Sudan. By late August 2014 there were more than 42,000 new arrivals in Kakuma. Without a lasting ceasefire and peace and reconciliation in South Sudan, UNHCR predicts the steady influx into Kenya is likely to continue into 2015.

Kakuma is running out of space. By the end of August 2014, the camp was unable to accommodate new arrivals and UNHCR sought to secure new land for its expanded operations. With the influx of refugees into the camp and a need for technical education, Salesian missionaries at Kakuma are struggling to meet the demands of students seeking training.

Recently, A plot of land was provided for the Salesian missionaries to develop an additional vocational school to accommodate the growing numbers. While the land has been secured, it still has to be fenced off, new buildings constructed and machines and equipment purchased for the classrooms. Once the school is completed, it will offer classes for adults in carpentry, welding, sewing and the English language. Salesian missionaries are currently seeking funding to build the new vocational center and equip its workshops and classrooms.

“Since the influx of refugees, the Salesians have many needs here,” adds Fr. Mulayinkal. “We need to expand our services to meet the growing demand for shelter, nutrition, education, social support and infrastructure to run our programs. Right now we do what we can for as many as we can but the demand continues to grow.”

Headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, Salesian Missions—the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco—has launched a donation appeal to aid this project as well as ongoing humanitarian assistance for those displaced. As the Salesians in Kenya continue to provide safety and shelter for displaced families, they are reaching out for support so they may continue to help those in need.

To give to relief efforts helping those in need throughout Africa, go to SalesianMissions.org and select “African Crisis Emergency Fund” on the donate page.

Sources

ANS – Kenya – The war in South Sudan continues and the Kakuma refugee camp is overcrowded

UNHCR – Kakuma Refugee Camp 2015

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries are Building New Vocational School for Growing Refugee Population first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian job placement officers’ primary responsibility is to create and enhance relationships between employers and Don Bosco training institutions in Kenya in order to act as a bridge between graduates and employment opportunities. Job placement officers develop relationships with employers throughout the country, in both rural and urban areas, and work to place Salesian graduates in a wide variety of positions.

“One of the key challenges facing Kenyan youth is the lack of education and the skills required to find and retain stable employment in the labor market,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries provide youth access to education and training opportunities they would not have otherwise and part of the training is preparing students for the workforce. Salesian programs offer a seamless transition from the classroom into employment.”

In Kenya, even successful graduates often find it challenging to find employment. Many industries are located in urban areas and due to increased urban migration and a rise in the cost of living, many of the newly employed have been forced to seek housing in city slums. Employers also often insist upon past work experience, which many Salesian graduates do not have. In addition, despite their having the skills and qualifications for employment, many refugees in the Kakuma Refugee camp have been unable to work because of the permit required for employment.

Salesian job placement officers work to address all of these challenges. While their primary goal is to connect graduates with the best employment opportunities available, they also assist them in finding affordable housing, applying for and retaining work permits and creating resumes and cover letters that highlight the most applicable skills for specific work opportunities. Job placement officers also assist students in finding internships and apprenticeships to give them valuable work experience.

Once a graduate is placed in a job, the job placement officer provides frequent follow-up visits to assess the graduate’s progress and to help solve any problems that arise. This works to instill confidence in the employee and helps to further develop the relationship between the company and the Salesian network.

More than 75 percent of Salesian graduates accessing job placement and career center services connect with meaningful work within six months of graduation. Many graduates who do not immediately find work decide to continue their education and pursue an advanced degree or choose to start their own small business. To meet the growing demand, the center is expanding partnerships with international recruitment agencies that have already connected more than ten Salesian graduates with international employment.

According to UNICEF, despite the steady growth of Kenya’s economy, more than half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line on less than one US dollar a day. UNICEF also notes that Nairobi is home to 3 million residents, most of whom endure lives of extreme poverty in the city’s slums. The most vulnerable are families and children living in these urban slums and in areas of the country most affected by HIV/AIDS. Many do not have access to health care, nutrition, sanitation and education.

Few youth residing in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

Sources

ANS – Kenya – The DBDON: assisting young people to find jobs

UNICEF – Kenya

The post KENYA: Don Bosco Job Placement and Career Center Connects Salesian Graduates to Stable Employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Few youth residing in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

Residents in Kenya also face water and sanitation shortages with 17.5 million people lacking safe water and 31.7 million lacking access to sanitation services, according to Water.org. There is only a small percentage of the country’s land that is optimal for agriculture and the year-round climate is predominantly arid. Kenya’s water shortage results in a large population of women and children spending up to one-third of their day transporting water in the hot sun from the nearest fresh water source. In addition to exposure to the elements and risk of attack by predators, women and children are also the most susceptible to water-borne diseases.

Salesian missionaries across Kenya 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.

To address the need for clean, safe water, a water borehole project is underway at the Salesian-run Bosco Boys community in Nairobi, Kenya. The project has been made possible thanks to the generosity of donors and entails removing all the pipes and the electric pump in an existing 250 meter borehole, cleaning the pipes, replacing rotten ones and removing a massive amount of mud. The restoration project will ensure proper function of a well on the property while providing clean, safe water for students and faculty at Bosco Boys.

“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.”

The Bosco Boys program serves former street children of Nairobi, providing education for more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. In addition, the program offers two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda for young children as well as technical skills training for older youth.

Students in the program who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome any difficulties they may face in their lives. The program also gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Sources

UNICEF – Poverty in Kenya

Water.org – Kenya

The post KENYA: Water Project at Salesian Bosco Boys Ensures Clean Safe Water for Students and Faculty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Kakuma is operated by UNHCR in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, health care, clean water and sanitation. As some of the world’s most vulnerable youth, young refugees often survive devastating violence and a struggle to find food and shelter only to find themselves in refugee camps with little opportunity for education. Many arrive with few means of supporting themselves and no sustainable livelihood.

Salesian missionaries at Kakuma refugee camp operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp.

“Don Bosco Vocational Training Center is the only formal technical training center in the Kakuma refugee camp,” says Father Luke Mulayinkal, who oversees the Salesian work at Kakuma. “There are so many who are being prepared for a livelihood and for nation building in their home countries or in the countries in which they will be settled. At the end of their year studies, the students receive a Kenya Government Certificate which holds much value for the refugees.”

With a recent influx of refugees into the camp and a need for technical education, the Salesian missionaries at Kakuma are struggling to meet the demands of students seeking training. The goal, if funding can be secured, is to reopen a second technical training center which had closed in 2008 when the camp population shrunk to 20,000 as a result of many refugees being able to return to their homes. The camp started growing again in 2011, and has increased in population each year, putting a strain on programming and creating a need to reopen previously offered services. Today, students must wake very early in the morning and walk a few miles to get to the Don Bosco Center. Many others must wait until there is room in the training programs to accommodate them.

Salesian missionaries at the camp also operate the Helping Children to be Children program, which gathers refugee children and leads them in games, songs and classes held outdoors on the camp grounds. Children are also offered the opportunity to draw and learn to speak English. Close to 3,000 children benefit from this Salesian program, which currently has no steady funding and is run primarily by refugee volunteers.

At Kakuma, refugees often do not have the money to buy nutritious food or milk and many children go without milk for a very long time. On the occasions the Helping Children to be Children program gains access to funding, it purchases balls for the children’s games as well as biscuits, sweets and milk for the refugees. Recent funding allowed the Salesian programs to provide milk to the children at the camp as well as a cabbage each to 225 families.

“Since the influx of refugees, the Salesians have many needs here,” adds Fr. Mulayinkal. “We need to expand our services to meet the growing demand for shelter, nutrition, education, social support and infrastructure to run our programs. Right now we do what we can for as many as we can but the demand continues to grow.”

Recently, Salesians at Kakuma began building a new chapel for the refugees. Once completed, it will be the sixth Salesian chapel at the camp and will be used as place of prayer and social support. An additional $10,000 is need to complete the project.

Headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, Salesian Missions—the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco—has launched a donation appeal to aid this project as well as ongoing humanitarian assistance for those displaced. As the Salesians in Kenya continue to provide safety and shelter for displaced families, they are reaching out for support so they may continue to help those in need.

To give to the relief efforts helping those in need throughout Africa, go to SalesianMissions.org and select “African Crisis Emergency Fund” on the donate page.

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Sources:

UNHCR – UNHCR – 2014 Country Operations Profile – Kenya

Salesian Missions – Kenya

The post KENYA: Salesian Missionaries Provide Hope, Education and Nutrition to Youth in Kakuma Refugee Camp first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Few youth residing in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

Peter Ndung’u was raised in Kawangware, one of Nairobi’s slums. One of seven children, he grew up in poverty without access to education, proper shelter or nutritious food and with a mother addicted to alcohol causing her to be abusive and neglectful of her children. At a young age he lost one sibling to a fire that tore through the slum and another to suicide. Peter was forced to beg for food to survive.

“I was living a life of horror and fear and these circumstances eventually forced me to flee from the slums and join my friends in the streets,” explains Peter. “It is at this point that the harsh reality of life hit me hard. Life as a street boy is like living in the jungle. Survival is for the fittest and being in a gang is the cardinal rule for security and hustling for food and a place to rest at night.”

Although he always had a strong desire to learn and gain an education, the opportunity was not available to him until he met the Salesian Sisters of the Precious Blood Sisters in Riruta, Kawangware who were offering free lunch to street boys and families. The Salesian Sisters recognized Peter’s desire to learn and introduced him to Bosco Boys, Kuwinda where he joined a street youth rehabilitation program and then was chosen to become a student at St. Mary’s primary school.

The Bosco Boys program helps former street children in Nairobi, providing education and technical skills training for more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. In addition, the program offers two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Those who complete their primary education are assisted with gaining a secondary education or are advised to choose technical training at sister institutions. Secondary education can be undertaken at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, or any other school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome the difficulties they face in their lives. The program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Peter remained in Salesian schools through high school and after his graduation in 2010, Father Sebastian Chirayath, director of Bosco Boys, gave Peter an opportunity to volunteer for one year as a computer teacher and an eighth grade assistant. Father Chirayath then helped to secure a college scholarship for Peter who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a major in foreign policy and diplomacy at International University in the United States.

“I urge all the young people out there to go forward and gather a little courage to face the insurmountable mountains of problems before them and grab any opportunities to make their dreams come true,” adds Peter.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Poverty in Kenya

Don Bosco Eastern Africa Salesian Family Bulletin 1^st Quarter February 2014 – One Day I Will Tell My Story

The post KENYA: From Life in Nairobi’s Slums to College Student at International University first appeared on MissionNewswire.

After his mother left because his father was in and out of prison for selling drugs, Gichuhi and his younger siblings were left alone in Kiganjo. His father had brought them to Kiganjo to stay with relatives but instead abandoned them, leaving Gichuhi with the responsibility of taking care of his younger brothers and finding their relatives.

“I finally found people who could look after us but to my surprise they weren’t at all accepting of us,” explains Gichuhi. “There was a lot of mistreatment from my relatives. They didn’t take us in as their own and instead saw us as a burden. So my younger brother and I ran away from Nyeri and arrived in Karatina and from there, after a few days, we reached Nairobi. There we were street kids.”

“We decided to hustle, find food through begging and always slept on the street. That lasted two years,” adds Gichuhi. “We got arrested and were charged for being unlicensed parking attendants and were sent to a child reception center at Kabete. A year later, the public prosecutor saw that nobody was coming to claim us and asked me what I wanted to do. I had heard some boys in the remand center talking of a place called Don Bosco where children could go to school, get nice food and clothes, and without hesitation I said I wanted to be taken to Don Bosco.”

Gichuhi was accepted into the Salesian-run school at Kariua, Nairobi, one of the Bosco Boys program locations. There he began his studies and became part of the first group at the Salesian school that then went on to senior classes in the public school. He completed all of his education and then went on to finish an international business administration degree specializing in finance.

In Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, most of the 3 million residents endure lives of extreme poverty. Poverty is far worse for those who have low levels of education and live in urban areas. Many of Nairobi’s residents live in the slums that crowd the city where poverty is commonplace and basic health care and education is lacking.

Few youth residing in the Nairobi slums attend the later stages of school when 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school with nine out of 10 children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

The Bosco Boys program helps former street children of Nairobi. Today, the program provides education for more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. Technical skills training is also offered. In addition, the program offers two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Those who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in the sister institutions. The secondary education is provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, or any other school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome the difficulties they face in their lives. The program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

“I am sincerely grateful to the Salesians of Don Bosco for their effort and determination in assisting young people like me to transform our lives,” adds Gichuhi.

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in Kenya >

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Sources:

ANS – Patrick’s Life History: From Street to University

ANS – “Bosco Boys” Project

Salesians of Don Bosco Province of Eastern Africa– Website

UNICEF – Kenya Statistics

The post KENYA: From Street Child to Business School Graduate, a “Bosco Boy” Success Story first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Compared to Kenya’s more rural areas, fewer youth residing in the slums of Nairobi attend the later stages of school. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school with nine out of 10 children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

Gender inequalities remain severe, with women in poverty five times more likely to be unemployed than their male counterparts. In addition, the number of street children and those addicted to drugs is a growing challenge.

With its mandate to serve “the poorest of the poor,” Don Bosco Boys Town is bringing hope while making a real impact—transforming the lives of hundreds of destitute young people by providing a practical path out of poverty.

Established in the mid-1980s, Don Bosco Boys Town is a technical school located in Nairobi. The school provides technical and trade skills training to more than 300 students a year, and has long since opened its doors to girls as well. Its mission extends beyond job training and offers students the opportunity for a life of dignity and good citizenship.

“The school attracts youth that do not do well on national college exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills that can help them make a living,” said Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The tuition cost is highly subsidized to make this training affordable to the low income student population in Kenya.”

While the majority of its students are boys, both boys and girls are provided access to this two-year technical training program. The program offers training in a wide variety of vocational skills, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and welding as well as secretarial and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. As part of a well-rounded education, additional programs such as sports, music, scouting and prayer groups are also included as part of the curriculum.

After graduation more than 80 percent of the graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students are also able to move on to establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

One recent student, Luciane Kimasha, began attending when a friend encouraged her to fill out the school’s application. She had lost both of her parents within two years and was constantly on the move from the home of one neighbor or friend to another. Her future seemed bleak until she was accepted into Don Bosco Boys Town.

“I’m going to be a car mechanic. I was the only girl in the automotive program, but I never gave up. In the second year, another girl joined me, so now there are two of us,” Kimasha explains. “From the moment I set foot in here, I got very many advantages. First, I learned my automotive mechanics and I can handle any issue. But I also got spiritual nourishment in the Church and seminars on life choices.”

Kimasha, like many of her peers attending the program adds, “I have learned a lot.”

In closing Father Hyde added, “All youth deserve a chance at a better life. At Don Bosco Boys Town we help youth take responsibility for their own lives by providing them the skills to find and keep a job to support themselves and help their communities.”

To make a donation in support of programs like this, go to SalesianMissions.org/Donate.

The post KENYA: Don Bosco Boys Town is Providing a Path Out of Poverty in Nairobi first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In Kenya, Akankunda and Rio visited the Don Bosco Youth Educational Services and the Don Bosco Boys Town in Karen—located in the outskirts of Nairobi. On their tour of Don Bosco Youth Education Services, Akankunda was most impressed by the school’s media center which included print and video production units which are used to promote youth-friendly programs that teach life skills.

At Don Bosco Boys Town, the two visited vocational training programs that teach tailoring, car engineering and mechanics, carpentry, electrical work and steel soldering. The tuition cost is highly subsidized, making the training affordable to the largely low-income student population in Kenya.

This technical school attracts youth that do not do well on national college entrance exams and provides them an alternative opportunity to acquire marketable skills. Upon graduation, students become entrepreneurs and move on to establish their own businesses in Nairobi. While Don Bosco Boys Town primarily educates boys, girls also attend and have access to the same programs.

“Most impressive was a young female student learning steel soldering alongside 30 male students,” Akankunda says, “I was full of admiration for this brave young Kenyan girl.”

If funded, the Girls’ Education Challenge Project would allow Salesian Missions to further promote education for girls in Kenya. With fewer girls represented in the education system compared to their male peers, the project would target girls ages 6 to 19 years old and support enrollment, active participation, performance, retention and completion within Kenyan primary schools.

“Salesian education is teaching vulnerable children life and technical skills, enabling them to make a living as adults,” Akankunda says. “The investment in technical schools and the commitment to girls’ education attests to Salesian Missions’ dedication to giving hope to the less privileged.”

Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco—specializing in programs and services for at-risk youth in more than 130 countries. The Salesians are widely considered the world’s largest private provider of vocational and technical education.

For more information, go to www.SalesianMissions.org.

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Sources:

ANS:  Papua New Guinea – Discovering the Salesian Missions

UNICEF: Pacific region turning spotlight on achieving justice for children

The post KENYA: Salesian Missions Office for International Programs Visits Kenya to Assist with Funding for Girls’ Education Challenge Project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The campaign includes television, radio and internet ads featuring well-known actors and public figures, and will direct audiences to visit www.usaid.gov/FWD to find more information about the crisis and a listing of U.S.-funded humanitarian organizations—including Salesian Missions—working in the Horn of Africa that are accepting donations to aid in disaster relief.

The FWD campaign was developed in response to the drought and famine in the Horn of Africa. The campaign encourages Americans to do more than just donate by providing tools to spread awareness of the crisis, support the humanitarian organizations conducting the relief operations, and learn more about the solutions through President Obama’s Feed the Future initiative.

Across the eastern Horn of Africa, more than 13 million people—a number greater than the populations of Los Angeles and New York City combined—are now in need of emergency assistance to survive. The crisis is the most severe humanitarian emergency in the world today, and the worst that East Africa has seen in six decades. Crops have failed, livestock have died, and high prices in local markets prevent many people from buying what is needed to feed their families. Millions of people are affected in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, and in Somalia where tens of thousands of people have died as a result of the crisis.

Through the Feed the Future initiative, the United States Government is addressing the root causes of chronic hunger by helping foster better farming, stronger markets, and greater resilience to climate shocks.

“We know that these types of crises don’t need to happen. Through Feed the Future, we are working to end hunger around the world,” says Rajiv Shah, USAID administrator. “By partnering with governments, the private sector and smallholder farmers, we can help nations build resilient agricultural sectors and break the devastating cycle of food riots, famine and failed states.”

Despite the magnitude of the crisis, according to a national survey released today by the Ad Council, conducted online by Harris Interactive among 2,226 U.S. adults aged 18 and older in September 2011, more than half (52 percent) of the general public say that they have not seen, heard, or read anything about the drought and famine occurring in the Horn of Africa.

The campaign aims to change those numbers with television and web ads featuring Dr. Jill Biden and actors Uma Thurman, Josh Hartnett, Geena Davis and Chanel Iman. The campaign will also be engaging high-profile athletes such as Lance Armstrong and writer and television host Anthony Bourdain. In addition to the traditional ads, the campaign includes an extensive social media program via USAID’s Facebook and Twitter channels, as well as blogs and other sites.

“We are extremely proud to be among the humanitarian organizations partnering with USAID,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions headquartered in New Rochelle, NY. “We are very thankful for the Ad Council’s work on the FWD campaign and are hopeful more people will become aware of the crisis and take action to help save lives.”

Salesian Missions supports programs in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya which have all been affected by the crisis in the region. In refugee camps served by Salesians in the area, more than 80,000 people are in need of assistance, according to Brother Cesare Bullo, executive director of the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“They arrive after having walked more than 600 kilometers,” says Br. Bullo, emphasizing the urgent nature of the refugees’ needs. “We are working to distribute food outside the refugee camps while they are waiting to be registered,” he says, referring to the area of Dolo Ado in the Southern part of Somalia. “We estimate we can provide 2,000 daily rations which means 1,000 people will benefit from the daily distribution for at least three or four days before entering the camps.”

The Salesians specialize in assessing specific needs and identifying best possible emergency interventions to aid as many people as possible. Since they are already established in the communities working to help those in need, they are in a unique position to assess situations and respond. Amid the growing numbers of refugees and declining food and water supply at the Kakuma camp, the seemingly impossible is happening. Young people are receiving job training and children are attending school.

Salesian Missions calls on the public to make donations, as they are urgently needed to fulfill these essential life-saving projects. To make a donation, go to www.SalesianMissions.org, click on Donate Now and select “African Famine Fund.”

Salesian Missions is the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, which operates in more than 130 countries around the globe with a focus on providing education and opportunity to youth. Since registering with USAID as a private voluntary organization, the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs has implemented 70 projects totaling more than $50 million in financial support.

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Source: USAID | Salesian Missions

The post HORN OF AFRICA: Salesian Missions Among USAID Partners, Ad Council Launches New “FWD” Campaign first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The reality of the situation in the Horn of Africa is unimaginable, and those working in the crisis zone struggle to provide critical information to the outside world, while also trying to save lives.

The international community’s reaction to the signs of massive famine in the Horn of Africa came too late, say the Salesians of Don Bosco in Ethiopia.  Refugee camps throughout the region are filled with tens of thousands of people in desperate need. The camp locations are extremely remote, with workers reporting they feel isolated and cut off from the rest of the world. Warnings of a famine disaster began in December 2010 but “nobody was listening,” said Mattia Grandi, a local project coordinator for the Salesian relief efforts told EWTN News.

Getting up-to-date information is a challenge even for humanitarian organizations who were already established in the famine zones, says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our missionaries working in the thick of the crisis are trying their best to send reports. But as expected, they must first attend to the immediate needs of the children and adults dying of malnutrition. Every second counts.”

Photographs that have made their way out of the isolated region tell stories that words simply cannot. The images are surreal, given the severe nature of the famine and the large numbers of people in desperate need of assistance. The realities of the situation are hard for anyone to process, even those who devote their lives to helping the poor and providing emergency aid.

“Long lines stretch from our refugee camps,” says Fr. Hyde, describing scenes from such photographs from the five Salesian refugee camps in the region, where an estimated 150,000 people are living in in desperate need of food and water.

“People of all ages waiting patiently for help. There is no visible sign of panic on their faces as malnutrition has sapped their energy and their spirits. Many of the victims are so frail, it is only a matter of days or even hours before they succumb to the starvation.”

Humanitarian organizations like Salesian Missions are urging people to help even though the situation may be overwhelming or seemingly hopeless. Although, the death toll is expected to be large, donations can and do make a difference, says Fr. Hyde. “Many lives can still be saved, we must not be discouraged.”

During recent weeks, the Salesians participated in the delivery of 49 tons of food to North Horr in Kenya, consisting of 25 tons of corn, 10 tons of beans, 10 tons of fortified flour, 3 tons of rice and 1 ton of cooking fat. An additional 25 tons of food were sent to Lodwa-Turkana – including corn, beans, cooking oil, peas, flour, biscuits and powdered milk.

Currently, Salesian Missions is providing 2,000 food rations each day and 10,000 liters of water twice a day. An international campaign launched by the Salesians is aimed at helping almost 4 million people living in the region. Donations can be made by going to www.SalesianMissions.org.

The post HORN OF AFRICA: Saving Lives Amid Unimaginable Conditions, “We Must Not Be Discouraged” first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“The crisis in the Horn of Africa is a human disaster becoming a human catastrophe,” reports Anthony Lake, executive director of UNICEF, the U.N.’s children’s agency.

According to Lake, 1.4 million children are affected in Somalia alone, with an estimated 390,000 suffering from malnutrition. His agency estimates that nearly 140,000 children in south-central Somalia are currently suffering from “severe acute malnutrition” and are near death.

On July 20, the U.N. declared a famine in two regions of southern Somalia, marking the first time since the early 90s that the U.N. has declared famine in Somalia. Across the region, nearly 11 million people are at risk according to UNICEF.

Malnutrition rates in Somalia are currently the highest in the world, with peaks of 50 percent in southern areas, according to Mark Bowden, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia.

Aid agencies have struggled to reach the most desperate parts of Somalia, where Al-Shabab extremists maintain control and refuse access to essential humanitarian organizations, including the U.N. World Food Program. As a result, tens of thousands are fleeing to refugee camps in neighboring countries Ethiopia and Kenya.

The children and people of the Horn of Africa face not only a threat of death from starvation, but from diseases that spread easily in overcrowded refugee camps. Men, women and children travel hundreds of miles on foot to make it to refugee camps where, sadly, they face another deadly threat.

Water-borne diseases are also a “lethal threat to children in southern Somalia,” according to an Aug. 18 report from UNICEF, which urges that a rapid response is needed as cholera cases increase. The report cites that 75 percent of all cases of highly infectious acute watery diarrhea are among children under five.

According to UNICEF, many of the Horn of Africa’s rural and urban areas rely on shallow wells, which – unless they are protected or treated with chlorine – can become a perfect breeding ground for water-borne diseases.

Therefore, aid must not only focus on providing food, it must also include plans for access to ongoing clean water, says Brother Cesare Bullo, executive director of the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

His office has put together plans to “rehabilitate” shallow wells to make them safe as well as dig new wells.

“We have located four water points that need to be rehabilitated and strengthened through the purchase of new pumps and additional excavations to find more water,” says Br. Bullo. “The new wells will be built in four areas for local communities very much in need of water at the moment. The wells need to be capable of providing a sufficient quantity of water during the droughts.”

In order to complete these projects, and provide life-saving food aid and water distribution, the Salesians have coordinated an international fundraising initiative. Salesian Missions of New Rochelle, NY, has put out an urgent appeal to U.S. donors to help raise the project goal of $850,000 that this initial response will require. To make a donation, go to www.SalesianMissions.org.

UN Photo/Stuart Price

Sources:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=39086&Cr=Somali&Cr1=

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_59585.html

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_59241.html

The post HORN OF AFRICA: More than 300,000 Children at “Risk of Dying” from Malnutrition, Disease first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“Entire communities have nothing to eat and people, many of them children, are dying,” explained Salesian missionaries serving in the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya. More than 20,000 Somali refugees sought refuge at the camp after fleeing the political instability, hunger and overcrowding of other camps. This brings the total refugees at Kakuma to more than 50,000 with an estimated 1,000 additional Somali refugees arriving daily.

In refugee camps served by Salesians in the area, more than 80,000 people are in need of assistance, according to Brother Cesare Bullo, executive director of the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Authorities fear that this crisis could become worse than the famine of 1984-85 when more than one million people died. In response, the Salesians have organized an international fundraising initiative aimed to raise at least $850,000 to provide necessary aid for 6 months.

Projects to address the urgent needs of the drought and famine victims include the repair and maintenance of existing wells, drilling of new wells, water distribution and emergency food aid.

The repair and maintenance of four wells will provide a long-term water supply for 8,000 people. In additional, four new wells will be constructed. In total, it is estimated that at least 14,000 people will benefit from these new water sources.

“We have located four water points that need to be rehabilitated and strengthened through the purchase of new pumps and additional excavations to find more water,” says Br. Bullo. “The new wells will be built in four areas for local communities very much in need of water at the moment. The wells need to be capable of providing a sufficient quantity of water during the droughts.”

The Salesians also have a plan in the works to provide a water tracking service for water distribution in the area around Jijiga, to aid the pastoralist communities. The goal is to distribute 10-12,000 liters of water twice daily.

With 1,000 new refugees arriving daily in Ethiopia from Somalia, Br. Bullo says it takes three to four days for them to register with UNHCR and enter the camp to receive aid.

“They arrive after having walked more than 600 kilometers,” says Br. Bullo, emphasizing the urgent nature of the refugees’ needs.

“We are working to distribute food outside the refugee camps while they are waiting to be registered,” he says, referring to the area of Dolo Ado in the Southern part of Somalia. “We estimate we can provide 2,000 daily rations which means 1,000 people will benefit from the daily distribution for at least three or four days before entering the camps.”

Br. Bullo estimates they will help at least 10,000 people outside the camps in the first month.

Salesian Missions calls on the public to make donations, as they are urgently needed to fulfill these essential life-saving projects.

“So far, we have raised about a third of the needed funds and are hopeful that the remaining amount will follow as caring friends and donors learn of the crisis,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions in New Rochelle, NY.

To make a donation, go to www.SalesianMissions.org, click on Donate Now and select “African Famine Fund.”

The Salesians specialize in assessing specific needs and identifying best possible emergency interventions to aid as many people as possible. Since they are already established in the communities working to help those in need, they are in a unique position to assess situations and respond.

For example, in Ethiopia the Salesians operate in 14 towns, providing schools, feeding programs, housing for orphans, and HIV/AIDS intervention programs. In Kenya, the Salesians bring classrooms to refugee camps, protect youth from disease, teach agriculture skills, feed hungry children and families, and much more.

PHOTO: ROBERTO SCHMIDT (AFP/Getty)

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An innovative vocational education program targets refugee youth for job skills training to enhance their livelihoods and achieve self-sustainability. The Salesian Missions program, “New Beginnings,” is financed by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

“Refugee youth are some of the world’s most vulnerable youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “They often have survived incredible violence, struggled to find food and shelter in the refugee camps, and then find that there is little opportunity for education.  We are working to change that.”

This month, the “New Beginnings” program begins in Kenya, focusing on youth at the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Kenya is home to 340,000 refugees, and hosts the largest refugee population in eastern Africa. Kakuma Refugee Camp currently houses approximately 70,000 refugees from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and several other countries in East Africa. Refugees continue to arrive without a sustainable income. The program will target 900 youth ages 15-30 with an emphasis on those who are the primary wage earners for their families. A particular goal is to recruit women, and empower them with the skills and confidence to enter the workforce.

“It is critical that students receive training where there is a demand for workers,” explains Fr. Hyde. He adds that training will include three month and 12-month certificate programs which will be offered in market-driven courses such as carpentry, computers, dress-making, electrical installation, auto mechanics and agriculture. English will be taught, as well as classes in gender-based violence awareness and prevention.

The program will assist students interested in starting small businesses or cooperatives after completing their courses. It will include support for business management questions, additional training if needed to keep up with the market, and assistance in the job placement process.

“We’ll provide micro-grants, or capital such as tools or equipment, to students who develop effective business plans,” says Fr. Hyde. “We believe that once a student, always a student.”

Salesian Missions’ first U.S. Department of State funded “New Beginnings” program was launched in 2005 in Colombia, with a focus on providing vocational training, job placement, and healthcare assistance to persons displaced by the country’s ongoing civil conflict. Last year an additional New Beginnings project commenced in Tamil Nadu, India, providing vocational skills, human development, and job placement assistance to Sri Lankan refugees. In both India and Colombia, students received and continue to receive training in skill areas ranging from video production to carpentry to wind turbine repair and maintenance.

Salesians around the world operate an extensive network of schools: more than 1,316 elementary; 1,400 intermediary and secondary; 32 colleges and universities; 300 industrial skills trade/vocational; 90 agricultural; 860 nurseries; 220 clinics and hospitals; and 1,670 social assistance centers and programs for orphans and street children.

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Photo: Matija Kovac/Wikimedia Commons

Sources: International Labour Organization , UN International Year of the Youth

The post KENYA: Refugee Youth Find “New Beginnings” with Job Training first appeared on MissionNewswire.