ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Makululu, located in the city of Kabwe, Zambia, is rescuing boys, aged 7-18 years old, from a life on the streets. Some of the children and youth are orphans while others come from families marked by violence, addiction and extreme poverty.

A Salesian said, “A telephone booth is not a home. Yet for many street children, it becomes one, even if only for a night. When darkness falls, the narrow space, exposed to cold and shadow, becomes the only refuge that allows them to survive until dawn. It offers neither warmth nor safety, only the illusion of shelter from noise, fear, and loneliness. Here, children learn vigilance instead of trust and silence instead of cries for help.”

Ciloto, part of Don Bosco Makululu, is the first step, which offers youth a process of formation and education that gradually prepares them for return to their families or reintegration into the community. Salesians, together with lay collaborators, provide a safe place to live, regular meals, access to clean water, and basic medical care. Once boys are able to access this stability, they study, have shared responsibilities, work, play sports and rest.

The Salesian noted, “The most powerful educational tool is the steady and coherent presence of a caring adult. Many boys struggle with addiction, often to glue. Here, addiction is not an identity but a wound to be healed. Recovery includes medical care, constant guidance and a structured routine that helps restore self-control. There are relapses and returns to the street, yet experience shows that once a child has known the safety of a true home and the faithfulness of adults, the memory of that goodness remains within him.”

In addition, Ciloto 2 was created to serve as a rehabilitation and support facility for those requiring specialized care. Educators, along with professional psychological support, serve youth with more complex needs.

The Salesian added, “Closely connected to this newer home is a farm that has become not only a workplace but also a place of inner renewal. Its aim is self-sufficiency and care for creation, using solar energy and biogas while teaching responsible stewardship. The farm includes pig breeding, food production, and fishponds serving both the house and the local community. The farm also has fields of corn, soybeans and sunflowers, as well as an orchard and an area for laying hens. Even small participation in farm work is part of the rehabilitation process.”

Whenever possible, Salesians search for families, often in remote areas of Zambia, to help youth safely return home. Reintegration into the family or local community is among the most meaningful outcomes of this mission. More than 240 boys have received support, and 142 have returned to their families or communities.

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Ciloto-Saved from the Streets

Don Bosco Makululu

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have constructed a new chapel in the village of Kapesa, Kazembe, Zambia, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding supported clearing the land, digging the foundation, creating the entire structure, painting inside and fixing the drainage system.

People in Kapesa depend on crop farming and fishing to make their living. During the rainy season they farm and wait for the dry season to sell their dried maize and cassava. Fishing provides for daily meals, but is not enough for sale at the markets.

A Salesian noted, “The Catholic community in Kapesa is happy with the new chapel and has remained grateful to the donors for being there for them when they had no place of worship. For years, they prayed from a neighboring school classroom. Having a church of their own has brought a deep sense of Catholic pride in their freedom of worship.”

The newly appointed parish priest, Father Tresphord Chisanga, opened the chapel in December 2025. He thanked Salesian Missions for the support and encouraged the congregants to take good care of the church to work toward the growth of faith in the community.

Benedict Chitundu, aged 76, was one of the first pioneers of the Kapesa Catholic community. He said, “In the beginning, we had no properly established church. The late Father Gotter, a Polish missionary, had established a center in 2005 without a proper structure. For a long time, we wished to have a place of worship of our own. We faced challenges praying in other places. The classroom we used on Sundays was not always accessible. Now, we are proud and grateful for this beautiful house of God, a place of worship and a place of refuge in times of distress.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Sacred Heart community, located in Makeni, Lusaka, Zambia, celebrated the opening ceremony and blessing of the Don Bosco Higher Institute. This new educational center is dedicated to the education and support of local youth who are marginalized.

Presiding over the event were Father Innocent Bizimanathe, councilor for the East and Southern Africa Region, and Father Michael Mbandama, superior of the ZMB Province. Both expressed their deep gratitude to all those who made this dream possible, especially the donors whose generosity continues to support the Salesians.

In his speech, Fr. Mbandama thanked Fr. Bizimana for his dedication and guidance. Fr. Mbandama said, “Let us pray that this may truly be a center of education and hope for young people.”

Fr. Mbandama further noted the Salesian commitment to helping youth cultivate not only skills and knowledge, but also faith, values, and dignity. The meeting was also an invitation to pray for donors, past and present, who often support the mission behind the scenes.

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy, productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zambia – A new education centre for young people in the ZMB Province

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Lusaka, Zambia, are helping girls and young women continue their education. A project helps young women who are forced to miss school periodically due to poverty and taboos surrounding menstrual hygiene. Through a series of targeted activities, the project aims to reduce school dropout rates, increase girls’ self-esteem, and promote lasting cultural change by supporting the production and distribution of reusable sanitary pads, accompanied by education and awareness courses.

Through the work of the Her and His Gift Foundation, set up by a group of girls and young women who attend the Don Bosco Youth Center in Lusaka, around 7,200 reusable sanitary pads have been produced and distributed, thereby also strengthening local skills and micro-entrepreneurship opportunities. The young women then attended courses on practical skills and personal hygiene.

Twenty workshops were also held in the cities of Lusaka, Kabwe, Chingola and Mansa, involving more than 8,000 students. In addition, awareness and community engagement campaigns were designed through school events, community meetings and social media activities to involve as many girls as possible.

A Salesian noted, “Thanks to the support of many benefactors, the project has succeeded in helping to improve school attendance, self-esteem and gender equality, as well as awareness of the impact of disposable products. Parents and teachers openly recognized that menstruation is one of the main causes of absenteeism and welcomed the proposal for reusable sanitary pads.”

Community schools proved to be the most effective way to reach the girls who are most vulnerable. Involving parents, educators, and community leaders at an early state is essential to reduce stigma and promote acceptance of the proposed solutions.

The project launched with the Her and His Gift Foundation demonstrates that simple, sustainable and youth-led solutions can bring about real and lasting change. It is not just about distributing a product, it is an intervention that restores dignity, protects the right to education and nurtures environmental awareness in the younger generation.

The Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, highlighted that this project began in May 2025 and has made significant progress, thanks to the generosity of donors. They report, “With further support and a shared commitment between schools, families and communities, the experience gained in Zambia can become a model that can be replicated in other vulnerable communities. We are grateful for the donors who have supported this initiative.”

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zambia – Restoring dignity and protecting the future of girls

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Girls and young women continue their education with support of new project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Garden Open Community School, located in Thorn Park, a neighborhood in Lusaka, Zambia, has solar panels and newly painted classrooms in the primary section thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The improvements to the school aid the learning environment for the students in vulnerable situations who attend. The enrollment keeps growing as the government schools are crowded with sometimes more than 100 students to a classroom. The Salesian sisters who run the school provide smaller class sizes and a good education.

The school serves primary and secondary students as well as adults who take trade education in computer studies, hospitality and cooking. Nine of the classrooms were constructed in 1993, and the project helped improve those outdated classrooms.

A Salesian sister said, “This was an important project to help the school improve the learning environment for students. The solar panels have allowed us to save on the cost of diesel for the school. This funding can be used now to help make improvements in the school for the students.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy, productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has been able to support nutritional needs of youth in Zambia thanks to an ongoing partnership with Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” In 2025, five shipments were sent to feed children in Salesian programs.

Meals have already been distributed at Don Bosco Primary and Secondary School, located in Luwingu. The Salesian sisters, who operate the school, noted that more than 5,000 children benefit from food shipments like this.

Salesian sisters with Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have been working in the town of Luwingu since 1984. The town is small and for a long time was isolated from the rest of the country because there were almost no roadways to and from the town. As a result, the population could only rely on subsistence agriculture and hunting as the main sources of food, which was inadequate in terms of both quality and quantity.

At first, the Salesian sisters started a youth center and literacy classes. Later, they opened Don Bosco Primary School that today is one of the best schools in the district. The Salesian nuns also provide vocational education to give the local community opportunities to find employment.

Recently, Salesian sisters in Zambia hosted J.J. Slag, CEO of Feed My Starving Children. Slag said, “I was so very impressed with the Salesian sisters’ work in Zambia. As someone who visits schools, orphanages, feeding sites and care points around the world, I can honestly say that the Salesians are running a first-rate mission here.”

The needs of the Salesian sisters are vast. Slag said, “The Sisters in Lusaka seem to be making the highest possible impact with their limited resources. I can see that more financial and food resources would be used to increase their impact.”

The ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children has resulted in 40-foot containers of fortified rice-meals being shipped to Salesian sites around the globe. Feed My Starving Children provides the food and Salesian Missions takes care of the cost and logistics of shipping each container from Feed My Starving Children warehouses to the destination country. Salesian Missions also works to help identify where the greatest needs are at any given time. The partnership began in early 2006 when the first container was donated to and shipped by Salesian Missions for programs in Sri Lanka.

Slag said, “The Salesians have proven that they are able to take the food donated from Feed My Starving Children and use it in a way that makes the highest impact for the kids that they serve. We are thankful for their impact and are excited to see how much more can be done through this partnership with Salesian Missions in the years to come.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Kapesa, located in the Kazembe Mission in Zambia, have completed a new chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Work included clearing the land and construction of the building, which is also equipped with a new water system.

The Catholic community of Kapesa is happy with the new chapel. For years, people had been praying in a neighboring school classroom. Having a church of their own has brought a deep sense of pride in their freedom of worship.

One of the elders in the community, Benedict Chitundu, said, “In the beginning we did not have a proper established church. The late Father Gotter, a Polish missionary, had established this center in 2005 without a proper structure. For so long, we had wished to have a place of worship of our own. Our former parish priest, Father Gabriel Mwenya, saw that our situation was not conducive for prayer. We had to use a classroom on Sundays, and sometimes the head teacher would refuse to give us the keys. This left us without a place. We people are very proud and grateful for this great gesture, recognizing us with a beautiful house of God, a place of worship and a place of refuge in terms of distress.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy, productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Community in Kapesa has new chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco High School, located in Nkhotakota, Malawi, has improved living conditions for 80 young girls thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project funding was used to purchase five buildings as well as the adjacent land. The new area was also fenced for safety.

Three houses were renovated and adequately equipped. One house and another building were taken down because they were not in good condition. Seven toilets and 14 showers were constructed, as well as a stand for two 5,000-liter water tanks. Water and electricity were also connected.

A Salesian explained, “The main objective of the project was to create better safety and living conditions for the school girls. This was achieved, and as a result, the girls punctuality improved because of the availability of more showers, toilets and available water.”

Jenallah Mkandawire is a teacher at the school. Before the project, she noted that the living conditions were not adequate for the girls. She explained, “Now the girls are on time and have adequate water for washing their clothes and sanitary needs. Since they have more places to wash themselves and to wash their clothes, the general hygiene of school has improved.”

Mkandawire said that many of the girls have better living conditions at the school now than they have at their homes.

She added, “We broke for holidays and were surprised to see the changes in our campus after the holidays. All of us appreciate the donors who helped make this dream a reality.”

In Malawi, more than 50% of the population lives in poverty and the majority of households have women as the head of the household, according to the World Bank. Agriculture is a central part of Malawi’s economy, but land distribution is unequal and crops are highly vulnerable to the region’s frequent droughts. Few houses have piped water and less than one in 10 Malawians has access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams, and most people cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

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(MissionNewswire)  The Don Bosco Higher Education Institute (Instituto Superior Don Bosco) is focusing on the environment with several recent initiatives. Students from the Environmental Club recently took a workshop, using paper, water and charcoal powder to produce eco-friendly charcoal with low calorific value, which is a less polluting option suitable. The process involved preparing the mixture, molding and drying the product.

A Salesian noted, “The initiative allowed students to understand the value of recycling and the importance of environmental innovation, reinforcing the Environmental Club’s commitment to reducing waste and promoting ecological alternatives within the institution.”

Students at another Salesian-run education center, the São José de Lhanguene Training Center, is also having their students in the electrical installation course raise awareness about the importance of environmental preservation and proper waste management. Thirty-two students created posters with educational messages such as “Don’t litter” and “Stop waste.”

The Salesian added, “The initiative promoted teamwork, creativity, and civic spirit, reinforcing the trainees’ commitment to environmental protection. The activity showed that environmental education combined with art is an effective tool for raising awareness and ecological responsibility among young people.”

Poverty surged in Mozambique from 48.4% to 62.9% between 2014 and 2022. According to the World Bank, this rise is attributed to the hidden debt crisis, COVID-19, and natural disasters. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

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Photo credit

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Paper Charcoal Production Workshop at ISDB, Mozambique

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Creative Workshop at ISDB, Mozambique

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

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(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, has spearheaded the Salesian Hydroponics Eco-Ubuntu Project in South Africa and other countries. The project is facilitating training for youth in hydroponics and solar power and ensuring they have the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving green economy.

One of the project’s standout achievements is the integration of hydroponics into education and employment pathways for disadvantaged youth. Under the institute’s NEETs Youth Employability Program, the project participants are actively involved in the rollout and implementation of hydroponics projects in their communities. By engaging these youth in meaningful work, the project not only addresses unemployment but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride in environmental conservation efforts.

The Eco-Ubuntu project extends its reach into the institute’s Learn to Live program, offering students hands-on experience in hydroponic farming. By cultivating produce using hydroponic systems, these students not only learn practical skills but also develop a deeper appreciation for sustainable agriculture.

A Salesian noted, “Through a multifaceted approach encompassing renewable energy, water access, waste management, hydroponics, and sustainable cultivation, the Salesian Hydroponics Eco-Ubuntu Project aims to create a greener future for all.”

Launched by the Salesian Provincial Office in Johannesburg in January 2024, the Eco-Ubuntu project is a testament to the Salesians’ commitment to holistic development. It is currently operating in three countries, South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini. Within these countries, seven cities are engaged, casting a wide net for impacting youth and the communities in which they live.

The Salesian added, “At its core, the Eco-Ubuntu project seeks to instill a ‘green mindset’ within communities by facilitating accessible and practical green interventions. From hydroponic systems, solar installation training to borehole installations, the project empowers individuals to embrace sustainable practices in their daily lives.”

Since 1910, Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping youth who are homeless, unemployed or poor in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Salesians provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

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Photo credit: Eco-Ubuntu Green Project – Salesian Youth

Salesian Institute Youth Projects – Eco-Ubuntu Green Project

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Youth learn hydroponics and solar power through Salesian Hydroponics Eco-Ubuntu Project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

Solar power system enables community activities

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Community in Mansa, Zambia, recently installed a solar power system thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Salesians were able to install 12 solar panels, lithium batteries and inverters, allowing the system to provide stable and consistent electricity to the main priest’s house and adjacent volunteer house. Additionally, the new system ensures that nearby water pumps are powered.

The Don Bosco Community is home to five Salesians, two volunteers and two lay staff. There are also four Salesian sisters who come for eucharist celebrations as well as parishioners, teachers and students who depend on a well-functioning Salesian community.

Zambia is currently grappling with a serious energy crisis caused primarily by its overdependence on hydropower. This energy source constitutes over 85% of the country’s electricity generation capacity, but generation has dropped significantly thanks to persistent and extreme dry seasons.

As of early 2025, the Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation announced load-shedding schedules in most parts of the country due to a generation deficit. This shortfall has affected both urban and rural areas, including strategic communities such as the Don Bosco Community in Mansa.

In Mansa, like many other districts in Luapula Province, the situation is exacerbated by limited grid investment and poor maintenance of transmission infrastructure. Power blackouts are frequent, unpredictable and prolonged. For the Don Bosco Community, this energy instability severely disrupts religious, administrative and community-outreach activities.

The Don Bosco priest’s house in the community is not only a residence but also a spiritual and logistical hub for pastoral care, youth ministry, education planning and hospitality. Without consistent power supply, critical functions like lighting, refrigeration, communication systems and security lights and alarms are constantly interrupted.

A Salesian explained, “We had been using diesel generators to help when the main power supply was out, but that was both costly and unsustainable in the long term given rising fuel prices and environmental concerns. Having an alternative, reliable and clean energy source that supports the essential services carried out by the priests has been a pressing need. The installation of the solar power addresses this while also contributing to Zambia’s national vision of integrating renewable energy into its development agenda.”

Father Francis Ndoda, a new member in the community, is one of the priests impacted by the donation. He is in charge of administration and the youth center. His passion for youth ministry in the community was challenged by lack of electric power in the community that affected prayer and community life. When the project was approved, he and the community were anxious to see this dream come true.

A Salesian added, “We all hoped that the system would meet the energy needs of the community and be able to restore community life. After the project implementation, we are able to do all the activities of the mission without fear of losing electricity and having constant interruptions.”

Looking forward, the community would like to improve the power supply to the school with a small solar power system. The goal is to power the computer lab in the school with a bigger backup system in order to enhance learning of technology.

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Salesians in Mansa have new solar power thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) St. John Bosco Church in Kazembe, Zambia, has completed construction and repairs of a grotto thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The work included roofing, plaster work and painting. Funds also provided for the installation of a PVC ceiling.

The Salesian parish is vast with 13 small churches, and parishioners may visit the main St. John Bosco Parish for special feasts and celebrations. With close to 6,700 people across the 13 locations and 570 people attending the St. John Bosco church, the structure needed improvements to accommodate everyone. The grotto will also help many Catholics to grow in their devotion to Mother Mary.

The whole community came together to help support the construction. Salesians report that parishioners came out to feed the bricklayers and those working to fix the ceiling. People have also stepped forward to offer volunteer services to help with maintenance.

Parishioner Martin Mulenga said, “Once the church was completed in 2004, it was left without the ceiling, and this brought a lot of challenges to the congregants due to overheating and rain. This project has resolved these challenges and parishioners can pray in a very conducive environment.”

He added, “The ceiling has also contributed to the beauty of the sacred Church, and many people who visit are very impressed with it. We thank the donors for the great support.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries completed construction of a new multipurpose hall at the Don Bosco Secondary School in Nkhotakota, Malawi, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is enhancing the educational environment and activities at the school.

The new hall will impact 420 students and all those who use the St. Paul’s parish, as well as youth from the local oratory. In addition, Salesians created a school library for the students.

A Salesian noted, “Thanks to this project, the school will benefit from the library and now have a place for assemblies, eating meals, playing games, sharing talents, socializing, studying and more. We are grateful for the support that was provided to us.”

With the funds, construction included leveling the ground around the hall structure to put in a slab. The building was constructed with room for 300 plastic chairs and 200 stools.

One of the beneficiaries is Kruza, who became the prefect of the library. With access to books and hours spent in the library, she has improved her grades, especially in science where she struggled the most. Her teacher was surprised that she improved from being a C to B student.

In addition, the results of the Junior National Certificate for 2025 show 100% of the school’s students passing.

The Salesian added, “The access to basic text books has been crucial to obtain such results. We also hope that thanks to the library the graduating class will also have a very high percentage of those who pass the Malawi School Certificate of Education.”

In Malawi, more than 50% of the population lives in poverty and the majority of households have women as the head of the household, according to the World Bank. Agriculture is a central part of Malawi’s economy, but land distribution is unequal and crops are highly vulnerable to the region’s frequent droughts. Few houses have piped water and less than one in 10 Malawians has access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams, and most people cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Rundu, Namibia, completed phase three of a construction project for the new St. John Bosco Church thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project will benefit more than 6,500 Catholics in the community.

With the funding, Salesians were able to buy roofing sheets to finish roofing the parts that remained from the previous phase of the project. They were also able to buy the steel for truces and weld them on the roof, finish brick work, and plaster the inside and outside of the entire church.

A Salesian noted, “The project has been a long time in the making. In 2018, the Catholic bishop took over the Cathedral Parish and asked Salesians to develop a parish with the outskirts of Rundu. In 2019, on the feast of St. John Bosco, a new parish was opened by the bishop and entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco to run it in perpetuity. The parish was dedicated to St. John Bosco. Since then, Salesians have been working to develop the parish and make it a home for the youth and the parish community.”

St. John Bosco community is one of 15 Salesian communities in Rundu. Within three years of its development, Salesians were able to build two community houses, a school, parish offices and a parish hall, which had been used as the church prior to the new one being built. The new space provides more comfort and better accessibility to all who worship there.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

The post NAMIBIA: Salesians continue work on new St. John Bosco Church thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the School of Agriculture and Rural Volunteering, located in Moxico Velho, Luena, Angola, were able to complete construction projects thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. With the funding, Salesians rehabilitated the kitchen and created a school dining room for the students.

“This construction project will make significant improvements to the school and allow us to have a dedicated space to feed our students,” said a Salesian missionary. “We appreciate the donors who support this project. Our school primarily serves students in conditions of poverty and these changes will have a positive impact on them.”

This project directly impacted 36 youth, aged 17-23, who are undergoing volunteer training, with some preparing for the seminary. Two thousand villagers who rely on subsistence farming will also be able to use the new facilities.

The school works to develop volunteers experienced in agriculture, the general culture of the area, social development and seminary studies. Salesians will look at new educational initiatives in forestry and beekeeping.

In Angola more than a third of the population could be living on less than 2.15 dollars per day, according to the World Bank. Although the country’s recession ended in 2021, economic growth has lagged behind population growth, resulting in negative per capita growth for nine years. Unemployment has remained high, impacted women disproportionately, experiencing an unemployment rate of over 33% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to about 31 percent for men.

Salesian missionaries continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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Sources:

Photo (from video) courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Angola

World Bank – Angola

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, South Africa, has graduated 175 youth from its NEET (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) Employability Program, designed to equip youth with critical skills and opportunities for economic independence. These youth have gained SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority) accredited certificates in different sectors such as wholesale and retail sales, business start-up, and solar installation.

The NEET Program is a dynamic vehicle for youth empowerment, serving youth aged 18-27 who are not taking part in employment, education or training. These youth face significant barriers to self-sufficiency and sustainable livelihoods. To address these needs, the institute offers life skills training combined with vocational skills training and project-based learning.

A Salesian explained, “This innovative framework not only reintroduces disengaged youth to education but also nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and provides exposure to real-world work environments. The program targets disadvantaged communities in the greater Cape Town area, fostering social transformation by equipping youth with skills that drive both individual and community-level economic growth.”

The program offers two specialized training streams. The New Venture Creation program is an accredited course that spans 12 months and culminates in a Further Education and Training Certificate. The curriculum provides entrepreneurial skills, business acumen and hands-on workplace experience, enabling youth to launch their own businesses or enter the job market with confidence.

The Solar Photovoltaic Installer/Mounter course recognizes the growing demand for skilled professionals in the renewable energy sector. This accredited course is offered as a six- or 12-month program. Participants are required to have finished at least grade 11. They gain both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in installing and maintaining solar photovoltaic systems.

Father François Dufour, director, explained, “The program is about restoring dignity and hope. We believe in the resilience and potential of every young person who crosses our threshold. These graduates are now equipped with the skills needed to create opportunities, not only for themselves, but also for the whole community.”

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for youth who are vulnerable or at risk in Cape Town since 1910. It has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – 175 NEETs specialise in different job sectors

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Kabwe, Zambia, had the funding for pastoral programs for young adults thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Salesians reached more than 2,000 youth and young adults, aged 15-35 who are from poor rural communities, through this project.

With the funding, Salesians conducted retreats and educational programs in Salesian spirituality and Marian devotion, including a Marian pilgrimage. There were also sessions on child protection and safeguarding, observing ecclesiastical and Zambian laws. Additional workshops were held on care for the environment and human development.

Four youth who took part in the training were Daniel, aged 23, Charity, aged 20, Phostina, aged 21, and Mirriam, aged 24. When asked about the lessons they learned from the sessions, they said that they were impressed with the child protection and safeguarding program. They believe the lessons learned are ones they will be able to teach young children in their care. They also mentioned interactions among youth, singing, and retreat and prayer sessions, including a rally, as some of the most enjoyable programs.

Phostina said, “As animators, we are very happy.” Mirriam noted, “We thank Salesian Missions for their support.” All the stakeholders who took part in the educational program expressed satisfaction and will educate other youth with all that they have learned.

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Salesian missionaries host pastoral education for 2,000 young adults thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries were able to improve and furnish the chapel at Don Bosco in the Sacred Heart of Jesus post-novitiate community in Zambia thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. With significant growth in the post-novitiate community over the last several years, the previous infrastructure was no longer serving the community.

With donor funding, Salesians expanded the sacristy and other related rooms in the chapel, installed new electrical lighting, and remodeled the design of the windows and doors to complement the overall architecture of the chapel. Salesians also installed items to enhance the spiritual ambiance, including religious icons, wall art, and color schemes to reflect the cultural and religious significance of the chapel. To make the space more comfortable, Salesians purchased furniture in line with the design of the altar and overall aesthetic of the chapel.

A Salesian explained, “The chapel is benefiting more than 50 Salesians and over 200 youth that use the chapel during pastoral moments with the Salesian seminarians. With these changes, we have an overall environment that encourages reflection and spiritual growth.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Bosco Carpentry School in Kazembe, Zambia, purchased a new car thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The school provides courses in carpentry and brick laying. The school has plans to expand to teach electrician skills and metal fabrication, transforming its facilities into a skills training center for 120 students.

A Salesian explained, “The car will be used by the carpentry school. Having reliable transportation is important for our school staff to be able to effectively do their jobs. We are grateful for the donor support from Salesian Missions.”

Many students will benefit from the school having reliable transportation. One of the students at the school is Sylvester. Just a few years ago he was living on the streets of Kabwe. He came to Don Bosco Makululu, a center for boys. Despite his complicated history and challenges with earlier education, Sylvester is in his second year at the carpentry school and progressing toward final exams in December.

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, South Africa, has graduated 16 students in its accredited tailor’s program. The Stitch Ahead Sewing program aims to provide youth with marketable skills for sustainable employment in the textile and manufacturing sectors.

The program teaches students hand-sewing and machine-sewing techniques. The course starts with two weeks of life skills training followed by the three-month sewing course that enables participants to sew basic garments for their use or to generate income through a home-based business. Students proudly presented their completed sewing projects at the graduation.

A Salesian said, “The students graduated after completing four months of intensive training, practical assessments and creative projects. The exhibition is not just a point of arrival, but rather a new beginning for the youth. Many any of the new graduates are already exploring job opportunities or considering starting their own micro-enterprises in the textile and clothing sector.”

Since 1910, Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping youth who are homeless, unemployed or poor in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Salesians provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been highly affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – Celebration of an important milestone: the first class of SETA-qualified tailors

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Students graduate from accredited tailoring program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Representatives from the Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation in Milan, Italy, joined volunteers from International Volunteering for Development (VIS) to visit Salesian programs in Angola. The visit, which included Michela Vallarino, president of VIS, and Stefano Arosio, coordinator of the foundation, aimed to enhance the commitment of the teams supporting Salesian centers.

The delegation visited some of the main reception centers for children who have been living on the street, such as Casa Magone, the first reception center the Salesian opened in Angola, and Casa Margarida, a residential facility dedicated to the care and protection of the most vulnerable children. The delegation also visited the mother and child health center at the Divina Providencia Hospital in Luanda and the Nutriacção project, now in its second year of activity and aimed at improving nutritional conditions in vulnerable communities.

Arosio said, “The mission shared with VIS consolidates and further strengthens a collaboration that began some time ago. The trip was intense, visiting various Salesian multi-purpose centers and discovering how much work the Salesians do together with the VIS Angola Delegation, especially for street children.”

Vallarino also recounted her experience. She recalled, “Seeing the reality of these children up close means looking into their eyes and seeing their denied rights, immersing oneself in their resilience, their desire to live and dream. It means understanding how little it takes to make them feel loved and how we can work together to protect and promote their rights in a glimpse of future and hope.”

With this trip, the teams from two Salesian organizations reaffirm their shared commitment to human development, promoting inclusion, equity and sustainability in the poorest places around the globe.

Salesian missionaries in Angola also continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Angola – Fondazione Opera Don Bosco Onlus together with VIS on a mission to strengthen commitment to local communities

Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

The post ANGOLA: Salesian representatives from Italy visit centers for vulnerable youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries were able to add benches for three out-station churches that are part of the St. Mary’s Parish in Zambia, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. St. Mary’s Parish has out-stations that serve approximately 3,500 people. The churches did not have proper seating for the people. Donor funding provided for 50 benches in Nambe, Kamakuti and Kawama.

A Salesian noted, “It was a challenge for our congregants to concentrate and attend Mass and other meetings in the churches with dignity without good benches. Sometimes we use plastic chairs but most of them break because of the movements. This project has enabled us to provide the property seating to give people more dignity and comfort.”

One of those impacted by the donation is Paul Shakambwa, chair of the St. Jude out-station. He said, “The community here is mainly retired people from the mines who have now settled into the farming area. Before the benches it was difficult for the elderly to attend Mass and other community events. With these benches now we can seat people comfortably during prayers. It will make it possible for us to invite more people in and have a strong Catholic community.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Salesian out-station churches install benches thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Social-Sports School of the Real Madrid Foundation in Maputo, Mozambique, serves as a safe haven for children from the Chamanculo and Luís Cabral neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. Youth at the school come from families with low incomes, many of whom rely on informal, unregulated work and face limited access to basic necessities such as water, food, hygiene, and sanitation.

The Salesian socio-educational initiative, supported by the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, positively shapes the behavior and personal development of the 100 children aged 5-18 who attend the school. More than just academics, it seeks to nurture their overall growth and help them find direction in life.

The Don Bosco Social-Sports School is part of the Real Madrid Foundation’s global network of social-sports schools that have the motto “They play, we educate.” These schools promote a model of education that goes beyond the classroom, blending academic learning with athletic training. This holistic approach supports mental and physical development, encouraging youth to have a healthy balance between study and physical activity.

Ildo, age 14, shared how the school has impacted his life. “The Real Madrid Foundation project brought many positive changes to my life — both in school and in sports. It also improved how I relate to my classmates and my family.” Ildo highlighted the values the program teaches — teamwork, perseverance, respect and solidarity — as vital not only for personal growth but also for preparing to face life’s challenges both in and out of school.

Numerous studies show that children involved in sports and extracurricular activities tend to perform better academically. The Don Bosco School also offers tutoring and academic support, helping students to strengthen their skills and open doors to better educational and career opportunities in the future.

A central pillar of the program is social inclusion. The school provides a safe, respectful environment where youth from diverse backgrounds learn and grow together. This interaction helps reduce social barriers, strengthen community bonds, and foster a culture of peace and unity.

All participants in the program face some form of social exclusion. Many live in violent neighborhoods with high crime rates, experience family difficulties, or lack access to food and other essential resources. A youth worker at the school said, “Taking part in the project builds their self-confidence and self-esteem, and helps them develop social skills.”

The program also offers nutritional support, educational workshops, academic reinforcement classes and extracurricular activities. Youth participate in internal soccer and basketball tournaments, with four and a half hours of weekly training. They also attend motivational talks and sessions on the dangers of drug and alcohol use, join reading clubs, go on excursions, and receive regular medical check-ups.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50% of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Mozambique – The Power of Solidarity at the “Don Bosco” Social-Sports School of the Real Madrid Foundation

Real Madrid Foundation

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: School provides education, sports for youth from low-income families first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, is offering a beacon of hope for youth facing unemployment in South Africa. Its programs include the NEETs (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) Employability Program, designed to equip youth with critical skills and opportunities for economic independence.

NEET serves youth aged 18-27 who are not taking part in employment, education or training. These youth face significant barriers to self-sufficiency and sustainable livelihoods. To address these needs, the institute offers life skills training combined with vocation skills training and project-based learning.

A Salesian explained, “This innovative framework not only reintroduces disengaged youth to education but also nurtures entrepreneurial thinking and provides exposure to real-world work environments. The program targets disadvantaged communities in the greater Cape Town area, fostering social transformation by equipping youth with skills that drive both individual and community-level economic growth.”

The program offers two specialized training streams. The New Venture Creation program is an accredited course that spans 12 months and culminates in a Further Education and Training Certificate. The curriculum provides entrepreneurial skills, business acumen, and hands-on workplace experience, enabling youth to launch their own businesses or enter the job market with confidence.

The Solar Photovoltaic Installer/Mounter course recognizes the growing demand for skilled professionals in the renewable energy sector. This accredited course is offered as a six- or 12-month program. Participants are required to have finished at least grade 11. They gain both theoretical knowledge and practical expertise in installing and maintaining solar photovoltaic systems.

“These experiences give young professionals the chance to apply their skills and gain real-world experience. By supporting this initiative, Cape Town’s public and private sectors can actively drive social change, reduce unemployment and create a better trained, more skilled workforce,” said the Salesian.

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for youth who are vulnerable or at risk in Cape Town since 1910. It has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – Empowering South Africa’s NEET Youth Through Skills Development and Employment Pathways

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries provided clean water access in the Salesian St. Philip Rinaldi Community, Malawi, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project was funded by the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” and impacted staff and students of the Salesian pre-novitiate and the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Lilongwe.

With the funding, Salesians first had work done to clean and re-drill a borehole. The first hybrid pump was also installed and connected to the tanks in the girls’ hostel. Pipes and power cable were connected to the main electricity grid. Additionally, solar panels were installed. The system now works to provide a sufficient amount of water for the Don Bosco Technical Institute.

Funding also supported drilling of a new main borehole, which is 130 yards deep. After 10 days of work, water was found. A new hybrid pump that operates on solar and a main electrical supply was also installed along with tower tanks. There is now enough water for the Salesian community.

Brother Emmanuel Chana said, “For a long time the community suffered with not enough water, which impacted daily activities and community well-being. Through this kind assistance, water has been restored, bringing great relief and joy to the community. The support not only provided us a great resource but strengthened our mission in the community.”

In Malawi, more than 50% of the population lives in poverty and the majority of households have women as the head of the household, according to the World Bank. Agriculture is a central part of Malawi’s economy, but land distribution is unequal and crops are highly vulnerable to the region’s frequent droughts. Few houses have piped water and less than one in 10 Malawians has access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams, and most people cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis.

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

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the St. John Bosco Community, located in Lusaka, Zambia, created the Don Bosco Farm to enhance learning experiences for students thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The farm will also provide nutritional support for students and Salesians.

Salesian missionaries operate three agriculture schools in the region. Students receive classroom instruction and spend three months honing their skills on a working farm. Finding enough farms willing to take students has been a challenge. Establishing the Don Bosco Farm ensures students have the hands-on working time they need.

With the donor funding, Salesians purchased layer chickens, pigs and cattle, as well as feed. They also paid for farm maintenance and wages. The project beneficiaries include 40 students and educators in Makeni, 28 Salesian novices in Kabwe, and 50 Salesians and lay people attending activities at the provincial house.

The farm will remain sustainable with several activities, said a Salesian. He explained, “The farm will generate income through the sale of agricultural products, such as livestock and meat for local markets. Income can also be generated through agro activities, such as farm visits and educational tours. Salesians want to develop an integrated farming system by developing fish ponds which will also be a source of revenue to support the running of the farm. This project has been essential in ensuring students have access to the hands-on education they need while the farm products will feed our Salesians and students.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Makeni Post Novitiate House, within the Salesian Sacred Heart Community in Lusaka, Zambia, was able to purchase library books and computer equipment to enhance student learning thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Through this funding, the seminarians preparing for the priesthood now have access to a broad spectrum of books, including more than 300 copies of educational books, computers, and a printer. The students will directly benefit from having a well-equipped library with needed computer equipment. Additionally, faculty members and staff of the seminary will benefit as they will have access to a wider range of resources to support their teaching and research activities.

A Salesian said, “This project brought joy to the dean of studies and the students who are now able to access the educational materials they need in the library and use the computers to browse the internet for more information that cannot be easily found in books.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Makeni Post Novitiate House has new library books and computers thanks to funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Makeni Post Novitiate House, within the Salesian Sacred Heart Community in Lusaka, Zambia, was able to add new security and a solar lighting system at the formation house thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project helps Salesian students and lay collaborators working at the post novitiate.

With the funding, Salesians installed security aluminum windows, burglar bars and a back-up solar lighting system for alternative energy. Prior to the new security features, Salesians were facing thefts of bicycles and computers. Without the security features or video surveillance on the property, Salesians were not able to catch the thieves or find their property.

A Salesian noted, “The project has brought joy to all the Salesians, both teachers and students, as the new solar system has helped to mitigate the impact of energy shortages. The other security features have reduced the worries of theft. The rooms are also finished and students have a comfortable sleeping place.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid youth who are poor and at risk so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Post Novitiate House has new security thanks to funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical College, located in Hwange, Zimbabwe*, is aiding the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services by offering vocational training courses to inmates, according to a recent article in the Chronicle in Zimbabwe. The goal is for inmates to learn a skill so they can be productive members of society once they are released.

Father Simba Muza, principal of the college, said in the article, “We have established a collaboration where selected inmates come to our college to receive free training in various skills. Courses offered include bricklaying, dressmaking and other technical skills that empower them for a better future.”

Upon graduation, inmates are provided with starter tools for their profession, which will allow them to begin a small business or seek employment once they have been released. The program trains 10 inmates each cycle.

“This initiative not only emphasizes skill development but also fosters hope and self-reliance among inmates,” said Fr. Muza. “With continued support from institutions like Don Bosco, inmates can aspire to lead productive lives beyond prison walls.”

One of the objectives of the program is to change the narrative around incarceration, showing the potential for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Simbarashe Sibanda, an inmate at Hwange Prison, said in the article that he was thankful for the life-changing opportunity. Sibanda noted, “I have only a few months left in prison, and the college has offered me a diploma in bricklaying. When I started my sentence, I never thought I would come out with such skills.”

Don Bosco Technical College is also affiliated with the Higher Education Examination Council, ensuring that the qualifications offered are recognized in the job market.

According to the United Nations, poverty has reached unprecedented levels with more than 70% of Zimbabwean children in rural areas living in poverty. Humanitarian organizations have warned that if nothing is done to address food security issues, child poverty will only grow. Across the country, the poverty rate in Zimbabwe was estimated at 38.7% in 2023.

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Sources:

Chronicle – Catholic college offers vocational training for prisoners

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Zimbabwe

*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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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Rundu, Namibia have a new parish church thanks in part to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. With the funding Salesians were able to complete brick work, finish the slab, add walls and a roof, and finish windows, door frames, and doors. Today, there are 1,326 members of the church and 410 youth. The church will benefit more than 13,000 in the local community indirectly.

A Salesian noted, “The project has been a long time in the making. In 2018, the Catholic Bishop took over the Cathedral Parish and asked Salesians to develop a parish with the outskirts of Rundu. In 2019, on the feast of St. John Bosco, a new parish was opened by the Bishop and entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco to run it in perpetuity. The parish was dedicated to St. John Bosco. Since then, Salesians have been working to develop the parish and make it a home for the youth and the parish community.”

St. John Bosco community is one of 15 Salesian communities in Rundu. Within three years of its development, Salesians were able to build two community houses, a school, parish offices and a parish hall, which had been used as the church prior to the new one being built. The new space provides more comfort and better accessibility to all who worship there.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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TANZANIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Oysterbay Vocational Training Center in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania organized a career fair for students to explore different career opportunities. The theme of the event was “Unlock Your Future”, which emphasized empowerment, self-discovery and preparation for the professional world. The goal for Salesian graduates is a smooth transition from training to rewarding careers.

The fair provided students the opportunity to network with industry leaders and learn about the latest advances in new technologies. During the event the students presented five projects, entirely designed and developed by them. In addition, Tooku Garments Tanzania Ltd and Toyota Tanzania Ltd, who deal with the export of fabrics and mechanics of motor vehicles, presented the technologies they use.

A Salesian said, “This was a very important day for youth to learn and discover their future in the world of technology. We want to ensure that students are able to find and retain employment after they graduate. The school also aims to provide training programs that fit the needs of the community to offer industry a skilled workforce.”

The center looks to professional industries to help support their work for youth. In 2023, the center launched a partnership with Daikin to officially launch a new Air Conditioning Center of Excellence.

The center is equipped with modern machines used to train students in the latest air conditioning technology. This initiative benefits 150 students. Rising temperatures due to climate change have led many people to install air conditioning systems in their homes and offices. There is a growing need for highly qualified skilled technicians in this sector.

In Tanzania, 67.9% of the population lives below the poverty line. While the country has seen some economic growth in tourism, mining, trade and communication, the number of Tanzanians living below the poverty line has marginally increased due to rapid population growth. In some regions, up to half of the population struggles to meet the cost of essential food and shelter and other basic necessities like clothing, health care and education.

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

ANS – Tanzania – A large job fair at Don Bosco Oysterbay

Don Bosco Oysterbay

Salesian Missions – Tanzania

UNICEF – Tanzania

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects is offering a beacon of hope through maritime skills training for youth facing unemployment in South Africa. To address the critical national need for employment and skills training, the Waves of Change Maritime Program specifically targets young people, ages 18 to 35, who come from disadvantaged backgrounds in and around Cape Town. Many of these youth struggle to support their families and build promising futures because of a lack of educational opportunities.

Youth unemployment in Cape Town remains one of the city’s most pressing challenges. Young people also face the temptation of gangs and drugs, with many risking homelessness as well as cycles of violence and dependency.

“Salesian Institute Youth Projects offers a crucial alternative,” said Abraham Lottering, Waves of Change Maritime Program manager. “Through structured, transformative programs, we guide youth toward sustainable employment and skills development.”

Salesian Institute Youth Projects is situated close to the Cape Town harbor and has strategically partnered with leading sea fishing companies and accredited maritime training institutions approved by the South African Maritime Safety Authority. Together, they provide rigorous training that empowers participants to embark on careers at sea, whether on local fishing vessels or through cruise lines which allow youth to travel and see the world.

The program begins with a three-day orientation session, followed by a 10-day life skills program, and preparing participants for the challenges and responsibilities of maritime work. The program then provides formal maritime training required to enter the industry, including safety protocols and technical skills. By the end, participants gain the key qualifications of South African Maritime Safety Authority Medical Certificates, seafarer’s logbooks and certificates of discharge.

“The Waves of Change Maritime Program isn’t just about providing training. It’s about creating a pathway to stability and self-sufficiency for youth who may otherwise have no access to such opportunities,” explained Father Francois Dufour, CEO of the Salesian Institute Youth Projects. “We’re not only giving them skills. We’re instilling hope and enabling them to change their lives and positively impact their communities.”

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town since 1910. It has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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

ANS – South Africa – Empowering Cape Town’s Youth Without Hope: Salesian Institute Youth Projects Opens Doors to the Maritime Industry

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

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Salesian Institute Youth Projects Waves of Change

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, South Africa, provides skills training and education for youth, along with psychosocial support to help ensure youth finish school. Through this approach, every young person attending Salesian programs receives the support needed to overcome and cope with challenges, whether they stem from socio-economic hardships or psychosocial struggles.

A Salesian explained, “The last couple of years have vividly illustrated the need for increased psychosocial support for students as most of them have faced significant disruptions to their education and personal lives, creating barriers to their future aspirations. Recognizing this, we have made a concerted effort to ensure that students not only continue their education and training but also build the social and emotional resilience necessary for success in both the classroom and the workplace.”

In 2023, Salesian Institute Youth Projects made a significant advancement by launching a Wellness Center that is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals. Through strategic partnerships with institutions like the South African College of Applied Psychology and the University of Cape Town, the school provides hands-on experience for final-year students in occupational therapy, social studies, and psychology. These students complete part of their practical training at the center while offering personalized support to other students.

The Wellness Center offers a range of services, including one-on-one counseling and psychosocial workshops. The center benefits from on-site, full-time qualified registered counselors, occupational therapists and a social worker as part of its team.

Gabriel Hamuy, head of the center, explained “The impact of the Wellness Center on our students has been immeasurable. By offering work readiness and integration programs, as well as psychosocial support, the center helps young people build the necessary social skills to navigate both academic settings and professional environments with more confidence. These services ensure that they are not just surviving but thriving, equipped with the tools to manage stress, build positive relationships and maintain a hopeful outlook on their futures. We believe that by addressing the psychosocial needs of our youth, we empower them to unlock their potential and achieve sustainable success in all areas of life.”

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town since 1910. The institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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

ANS – South Africa – Supporting Mental Well-Being: The Role of Psycho-Social Support at Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian sisters in Thorn Park, Lusaka, Zambia, had the funding to start construction on a new school for orphans and vulnerable youth thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The Garden Open Community School will educate youth ages 6-18.

Much of the building work is already completed. The funding helped support brick and block work, electrical installation, and roofing and framing for the building, doors and windows. The project is continuing with additional funding to finalize the structure and have it ready for students.

The construction project is also helping older youth who are honing their skills as they work on the construction of the building. Sister Ireen Kapisha explained, “One of the workers expressed joy working on the project. He has not only gained skills in learning bricklaying, but he’s been able to financially support his family because the cost of living in Zambia has increased with many costs doubling.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian provincial office in Johannesburg, South Africa, has initiated an environmental project, Eco-Ubuntu, aimed at 15,000 youth from Salesian schools. The project will also target their families and broader community. Salesians have come together with lay partners, Salesian sisters from Mary Help of Christians, Don Bosco Past Pupils and Salesian cooperators.

The initial planning for the project took place in 2022-2023 and then launched with a workshop in January 2024 to bring together 40 delegates from eSwatini, Lesotho and South Africa. Workshop participants were school leaders, teachers and experts representing the five green pillars of the project: renewable energy (solar technology), water access, waste management, hydroponics and sustainable cultivation. The goal of the project is to increase green skills training, interventions and capacity building.

Six months after the launch, more than 4,800 youth from seven communities have been equipped with green life skills and have shown tangible behavior change toward a more sustainable lifestyle. The project has developed a comprehensive curriculum for primary and secondary school education on the environment based on the Green Life Skills Guide. University professors coached the delegates from Salesian schools, parishes, and technical and vocational training centers, and social programs who in turn are leading youth in this transformation.

Climate change information was also disseminated through the Eco-Sports Day, Green Youth Day, Eco-School debates and gardening competitions. Eco Ubuntu Youth Day-Youth Synod was also held in Johannesburg on August 30.

In addition, solar technology workshops and 6- to 12-month courses have started or are in the developing phase, beginning at Manzini Youth Care in eSwatini, Salesian Institute of Youth Projects in Cape Town and Declan Skills Center in Ennerdale, South Africa.

Sustainable farming practices, hydroponics and waste management initiatives were also launched in several Salesian schools in eSwatini and Lesotho. Further, two borehole projects have already been completed in water-challenged areas in rural schools in eSwatini and Bosco Youth Agricultural Center on the outskirts of Manzini.

In an article he wrote about the project, Father Klement Vaclav, superior of the Southern Africa Vice-Province, noted, “The local wider society has been impacted, especially in primary schools in Delft and Cape Town, with a particular engagement of the community around the Salesian schools in Lesotho, both in Maseru and Maputsoe. Salesian missionaries believe that through education we can transform our society, by means of a consistent process, day by day, and little by little, especially in the care of our common home, so close to the hearts of our young generation.”

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Eco-Ubuntu Program

Don Bosco Green Alliance – 15,000 Youths and Their Mentors Show Enthusiasm For The Eco- Ubuntu Project

Eco-Ubuntu Program

Salesian Missions – South Africa

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth living at Don Bosco Makululu and students attending the Salesian primary and secondary school have access to clean water thanks to a project funded in Zambia by the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

More than 1,500 youth are benefiting from this project at Don Bosco Makululu, a home for street children from poor areas who have nowhere else to live. Salesians ensure youth have their basic needs met and are able to access education.

The project included drilling a new borehole and the steel needed for a new water stand. A new water tank is connected to the existing water system so that even when the power is out, which can be up to 16 hours a day, Salesians can utilize the water pump and the solar power to ensure clean water access.

The entire area where the Salesian center is located suffers from poor sanitary conditions, including an inadequate water supply, bad drainage and poor air quality. This area of Zambia has also been experiencing frequent droughts. The new water resource is enabling Salesians to ensure that youth in their programs and schools have the water they need.

One youth who is benefiting from the project is John Chilufya, age 11, who started living on the streets in 2020 when he was just 8. Chilufya and his siblings had a rough life. His mother passed away and he was forced to live with his father who did not properly care for him. He ended up on the streets to find food and comfort with his friends.

Chilufya explained, “The time I was on the street I was engaged in harmful activities. I was sniffing glue and eating from the dust bins as well as begging for food. We also used to sleep in the drainage and corridors, and we were sleeping without anything to cover ourselves. When the rain came during the rainy season, it was difficult for us to sleep because the drainage was full of water and the boxes we used to sleep were too wet.”

He was guided to seek help from the Salesians, leaving once, but returning to the Salesian program when he was starving and had no other place to seek for help. Today, Chilufya remains at the Salesian center. He said, “I’m happy to be finally in school for the first time in my life. I have a place to sleep, food to eat and the clothes that I need. I am receiving rehabilitation from the staff that are here and I am very happy.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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 – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The City of Hope, run by the Salesian sisters, is giving young women a chance at a better life in Zambia. Rejoice Banda, from Chibolya, has gained an education through the organization, according to a recent article in Global Sisters Report. 

Chibolya is known as a hub for drug trafficking, alcohol abuse and burglary, among other dangerous activities. At age 28, Banda was binge drinking and had been smoking marijuana since the eighth grade. A social welfare program led her to the St. John Bosco’s Home for Girls at Risk, part of the City of Hope.  

According to the article, Banda is now studying hotel management at the Salesian Auxilium Skills Training Center, in the Lusaka suburb of Makeni. She told Global Sisters Report, “I am blessed to be among the youths awarded a bursary through the Constituency Development Fund, [a scholarship] to enable me to acquire a skill at this training center.”  

She added, “The sisters’ mentorship has transformed me. I can’t wait to establish my own restaurant once I graduate. Thanks to school management and tutors for reshaping my life.”  

Banda is among 150 young women supported by City of Hope. The organization was founded in 1987 and offers the Home for Girls at Risk, the Auxilium Skills Training Center and the Open Community School.  

The training center targets a broad range of youth, including both men and women, and is not just for those in residency at the Salesian home. Youth can take courses in hospitality, information and communication technologies, hotel management, tailoring, and general agriculture, among other course work. Salesian sisters also offer counseling support about sexual exploitation and gender-based violence. 

According to the article, the Auxilium Skills Training Center is rated among the best in the country by Zambia’s Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority. The center collaborates with the government and community and development organizations to address poverty, lack of skills training and high unemployment. Hundreds of youth graduate from the center each year and go on to become self-employed or work in restaurants, hotels and lodges. The center is also well-known for the support provided to women through counseling and business development opportunities.  

Ruth Mukuma, age 24, is another student at the center. She is studying to become a fashion designer and is in the tailoring course. She told Global Sisters Report, “I can’t wait to finish my course because my passion has always been to become a fashion designer. Thank you to this institution for adding value to what I want to become, as I can’t wait to live my dream and lift myself out of poverty.”  

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education. 

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care. 

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Photo by Derrick Silimina. Photo used with permission of Global Sisters Report – Girls at risk in Zambia find residency, skills training with Salesian sisters 

Global Sisters Report – Girls at risk in Zambia find residency, skills training with Salesian sisters 

City of Hope  

Salesian Missions – Zambia 

UNICEF – Zambia 

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects in South Africa hosted an event on Mandela Day, which falls on July 18, with the support of the well-known chef Jenny Morris and her Soul Food Kitchen. The event had a significant impact on the most disadvantaged youth and communities. Proceeds from the event will cover expenses for students, including three cooked meals a day to support their educational development. 

Thanks to the help of sponsors, such as Blue Ribbon, the event served more than 9,000 sandwiches in at-risk communities in Cape Town. The event was also attended by private citizens and local companies that provided products to prepare meals, including almost 700 gallons of soup. 

Youth in the NEET program for young people not engaged in study, work or training, along with youth from the Stitch Ahead tailoring training project, distributed other resources in targeted areas of Cape Town. 

In addition, Coca Cola provided tables and gazebos and organized entertainment, ensuring a lively and fun atmosphere for all participants. The Salesian Institute’s Learn to Live Marimba Band and the choir performed music for the event. Many youth were given the opportunity to experience a trip aboard an open-top tourist bus. They traveled from the Century City district to the center of Cape Town. 

A Salesian said, “We appreciate Jenny Morris and all the companies that contributed. We extend our deepest gratitude to all those who, braving the rain and cold, wanted to help the most disadvantaged.”  

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town since 1910. The institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market. 

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty. 

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

ANS – South Africa – “Mandela Day” a great success: more than 10,000 meals served to disadvantaged communities in Cape Town 

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Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook 

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UNICEF – South Africa 

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Educational Projects, located in Ennerdale, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, recently held graduation for students finishing intensive courses in electricity, construction and merchandising. During the principal’s address, he urged students to help build their communities with their newly acquired skills. He also said that it was a real joy to educate youth and encouraged them to be grateful to their parents for the sacrifices they made to help them achieve their dreams. 

While educating all students, the school also has a focus on empowering women who are studying in male–dominated fields. One teacher, Vilakazi, is also a woman welder. 

Vilakazi loves her working environment at the Don Bosco school and enjoys encouraging her students. She explained, “I learn to appreciate these young people because they come from backgrounds that are tough and challenging. I learn to appreciate their talents and skills..” 

In all of the work the Vilakazi does, at the heart is challenging her students to always do better and aim higher. She is proud of the work she has done in and out of the classroom. As a welder, she was involved in the construction of the 2010 World Cup Stadium and the construction of the famous Medupi Power Station. 

Vilakazi has faced her share of discrimination and notes she is more prone to exploitation. She has had employers look at her resume and think because she is a woman, she can’t work as fast as a man or as hard as a man. She counters that argument by saying, “In actual truth, women are far better welders than men because it is a very delicate skill that requires precision. We live in a very superficial time where everyone wants to look pretty, have our nice nails and then you get girls like me who are welders.” 

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit in the world by the HIV/AIDS crisis. 

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

ANS – South Africa – Diploma Ceremony for students at the Don Bosco Educational Projects in Ennerdale 

SOUTH AFRICA: A female welding teacher at Don Bosco Educational Projects empowers students to aim high in life 

Salesian Missions – South Africa 

UNICEF – South Africa 

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing education and social development services for poor youth in Lesotho for the past 44 years. Lesotho is one of the smallest countries in Africa and is classified as one of the least developed nations in the world by the United Nations Development Program. Salesian work in the country began with Father Matteo Agostinelli in 1980.

The two Salesian missions in the country offer parishes that are home to 12,000 people and seven Salesian primary and secondary schools with almost 5,000 students. These schools are run by various Salesian groups including Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians, Salesian Cooperators and Past Pupils of Don Bosco.

As a Salesian explained, “Most of the lay collaborators are Catholics and the only daily oratory is in Maputsoe. It welcomes hundreds of youth, including those of other religions and Christian denominations.”

There are four Salesian missionaries in the country including three priests and a Salesian brother. The reach is expanding with a pre-novice and an aspirant originally from Lesotho, which shows the potential for growth among the people. More Salesians are needed to address the increasing needs of youth who struggle with problems caused by drugs, unemployment and other social issues.

According to UNICEF, Lesotho has faced substantial economic challenges, stemming from long-term repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine, alongside enduring structural issues within the country. The country is also vulnerable to climate-related challenges that exacerbate the poor economic conditions in the country.

The World Bank has indicated that poverty in the country remains relatively high for a lower middle-income country with about 33.9% of the population estimated to live below the $2.15/day international poverty line in 2023.

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

ANS – Lesotho – The Salesian presence in Lesotho: a great hope among thousands of young people

UNICEF – Lesotho

World Bank – Lesotho

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Missions provincial office in Johannesburg launched the Hydroponics Eco-Ubuntu project to instill a green mindset within communities in South Africa by facilitating accessible and practical green interventions. The promotion of hydroponics, a soil-less farming technique that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes environmental impact, is an important part of the project.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, serves as a hub for the implementation of the project’s initiatives. Through hydroponics and solar training programs, youth are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving green economy.

One of the project’s achievements is the integration of hydroponics into education and employment pathways for disadvantaged youth. Under the Salesian Institute Youth Projects NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Youth Employability Program, youth are actively involved in the roll out and implementation of hydroponics projects in their communities. By engaging youth in meaningful work, the project not only addresses unemployment but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride in environmental conservation efforts.

The project extends its reach to the Learn to Live School of Skills learners, offering them invaluable hands-on experience in hydroponic farming. By cultivating produce using hydroponic systems, these students learn practical skills while also developing a deeper appreciation for sustainable agriculture.

Gabriel Hamuy, NEETs program manager, said, “As we continue to champion the cause of environmental sustainability, the impact of the project reverberates far beyond its immediate communities. It serves as a model for grassroots initiatives that harness the power of education, innovation, and collaboration to create a greener, more inclusive world.”

A Salesian said, “The Salesian Hydroponics Eco-Ubuntu project is more than just a cultivation of plants. It is a cultivation of hope, resilience and unity in the face of environmental challenges. By nurturing both the land and the people who tend to it, the project paves the way for a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.”

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth in Cape Town, the second-most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Through the organization’s programs, Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit in the world by the HIV/AIDS crisis.

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

ANS – South Africa – Cultivating Sustainability: The Salesian Hydroponics Eco Ubuntu Project

Salesian Missions Southern Africa

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

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UNICEF – South Africa

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries had the funding to build a house for volunteers in Kazembe, Zambia, thanks to donor support from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The building can accommodate the 10 volunteers along with guests who stay at the Salesian community. In the summer months, the community will also house five seminarians. The community supports more than 100 children and more than 50 youth in the oratory.

Prior to the construction of the house, volunteers and guests needed to find space either at the main Salesian house or in an orphanage belonging to another organization. Neither of these situations were ideal as most of the volunteers are young women who need separate accommodations.

The new building has three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen connected with the living room and a space for an office. In addition to the construction of the building, the funding provided the necessary financial support for drilling a borehole for water, installing a water stand and building an underground septic tank. The building was then equipped with water, sewage and electricity. Funding was utilized for furniture and necessary items including an oven, refrigerator, pots, plates, and kitchen utensils.

A Salesian noted, “One of the people impacted by this donation was Kelvin. He joined us in May 2023 as a helper on the building site. After three months, we realized that he was skilled and hard working. In November, he started to work as brick layer. He improved his skills so much that now he is working for us on a daily basis as a top bricklayer in our whole mission. We are planning to provide him with a skills course in bricklaying and a certificate of completion. That will help him in the future life.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: New volunteer house built through Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects’ Waves of Change Maritime Training Program is having a big impact for youth interested in commercial fishing. Salesians recognized that sea fishing is a significant industry in South Africa, particularly along the Western Cape coastline. The industry is always in need of qualified workers. At the same time, youth in Cape Town have access to limited education and opportunities. The program was a perfect fit to meet both needs at once.

A Salesian missionary explained, “More than 60% of South Africa’s total population is under the age of 34 years, and many are struggling to gain access to quality education. Inexperienced individuals, especially those who are desperate for employment, are at risk of falling into the vicious cycle of unemployment and a bleak future.”

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects is in close proximity to the Cape Town Harbor. Salesian missionaries were able to establish partnerships with prominent sea fishing companies within the sector, as well as various accredited training institutions approved by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

The Salesian noted, “Together, we provide training facilitation through the Waves of Change Maritime Program to young men and women between the ages of 18-35 coming from disadvantaged backgrounds in and around Cape Town, meeting the industry need for skilled labor and the need for youth to have stable employment opportunities.”

The program begins with a three-day orientation session followed by a 10-day Life Skills Program, equipping students with essential life skills. Those who succeed proceed to the required maritime training courses to ultimately work at sea. These courses culminate in vital SAMSA medical certificates, seafarer’s logbooks and certificates of discharge, all of which are prerequisites for a career in seafaring.

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town since 1910. The institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Waves of Change

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Private School in Namibia received classroom furniture thanks to a donation from Furniture Reuse Solutions secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Furniture Reuse Solutions has a commitment to sustainability and societal benefit. The company provides charities and nonprofits with gifts-in-kind donations that aid in their humanitarian missions.

The furniture is being used in the classrooms, computer lab, staff room and small school hall. All of these locations lacked furniture before this donation arrived. The donation has impacted 230 students, 16 teaching staff and indirectly more than 500 parents who are happy with the resources for their children.

Wooden tables have been added to the staff room, where meetings are held and teachers do their lesson preparations. Previously, some teachers did not have teacher tables in their classrooms, so this has improved the environment and made their work easier to accomplish.

The combination of desks and chairs for students is the first of its kind at Don Bosco Private School. Salesians report that the furniture has made the learning environment more relaxing for the students, who would have otherwise been disadvantaged because of the lack of desks and chairs. The new desks and chairs also create neatness in the class and with more space for movement among the rows and for class activities. Both students and teachers appreciate the new classroom set-up. The school plans to add more classrooms in order to better serve the local population.

One of the students who benefited from the donation is Naita Cesilia Haure, age 11 and in fourth grade. She lives in Ndama, where most houses are made from pieces of corrugated iron with a tarp covering the outdoor cooking area. Ndama area is one of the most populated informal areas, with more than 76,000 people. It is also close to a garbage dump and has no running water or electricity for the majority of homes.

Haure is another beneficiary. She is the youngest of five children and lives in a two-room house with her single mother, who is a cleaner at the hospital. Every day, Haure wakes up early to walk about a mile in the dark with her mom to get to school. Haure participates in sports, plays, cultural dances and singing.

A Salesian said, “Being part of Don Bosco Private School has shaped her mindset to love life, to love learning and to aim for her dream of becoming a doctor one day. The donated furniture has helped to create a different world view and environment for Haure apart from her living conditions. It allows her to forget the struggles that she encounters every day to get to her happy place, the school, and sit on a comfortable chair with a desk to write on.”

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth from Zambia, Zimbabwe*, Malawi and Namibia came together at the Salesian Youth Center in Bauleni, Lusaka, Zambia, for a first-of-its-kind Salesian mobile journalism workshop nicknamed “Sal-MoJo.”

The workshop was led by Father Maciej Makula and his colleague Aleksandra Stankiewicz, a young journalist from Poland. Fr. Makula had a long career in Polish television and had traveled to Africa extensively. The pair wanted to teach youth a skill but were also interested in highlighting positive aspects of life in Africa, including the joy, music and the openhearted nature of the people.

The four-day workshop gave youth the skills to report in real time the happenings in their Salesian centers and communities. A key aspect of the workshop was to get youth up-to-date with the current trends in journalism. Fr. Makula said, “By making use of content creation, young people will be able to tell stories through their videos in real time, that is the way to go.”

He added, “Throughout the experience young people have also begun to tap into their creativity by bringing life to seemingly uninteresting happenings through the power of video. In one of the exercises, youth captured ants, flowers and buildings and gave them meaning through the use of the numerous techniques taught in the workshop.”

Although youth lack access to professional equipment, they experienced joy in learning a new skill and excitement about what the future holds for them.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zambia – Salesian Mobile Journalism workshop

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians in Rundu, Namibia, have a new house thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The house will directly benefit 11 Salesians, five of whom will be there full-time. The house will also benefit more than 5,000 people in the community who will be accessing youth programs and the parish.

A Salesian said, “The Salesian community in Rundu is grateful to be able to have a Salesian house, where the growing number of Catholics in Rundu can find spiritual assistance and counseling as needs arise.”

The Don Bosco Parish opened in 2019. At the time, local business people and the community constructed a hall to be used as a church. Over the years, administration space was added. Priests were driving to the church daily for Masses and other pastoral activities, which was expensive for the parish. Salesians needed a local house where they could live and rest after providing for members of the community. The house also reduces overcrowding where the Salesians had been staying.

The most recent phase of construction began in April 2023. It included finalizing internal parts of the home, including six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a sitting area, an entertainment area, a dining room, a kitchen, a storeroom, an office and a waiting room. Salesians also finished the roof, walls and installation of windows in the chapel, and the sacristy. In addition, plumbing and electrical work was completed.

The Salesian added, “The house that has been constructed with the funding from Salesian Missions will make the pastoral activities of the Salesians easier, especially allowing them to be near the youth who come to the parish for meetings, counseling and sporting activities.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper-middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32% with an unemployment rate of 29.6%. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9%.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the AFM Vice-Province of Blessed Michael Rua in South Africa held a workshop for 39 delegates and leaders from the Eco Ubuntu project in Johannesburg. The three-year Eco Ubuntu project was inspired by Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which had as its theme “Good Christians and Upright Citizens.” Pope Francis underlined the importance of education and training to help youth foster environmental responsibility.

The green project involves most of the 18 Salesian school networks in Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa. Salesians will educate more than 15,000 youth about environmental protection through eco camps, debates and festivals. Once youth have the knowledge, the goal is for them to help educate their communities and the broader society about enacting green interventions such as solar energy, borehole installations, hydroponics sites and sustainable gardens.

The workshop brought together Eco Ubuntu project stakeholders including leadership from schools, green delegates (mainly school teachers), and experts in solar technology, water access, waste management, hydroponics and sustainable cultivation. There were educational sessions, time for questions and an open forum.

One Salesian said, “This was a successful kick-off workshop where experts were able to share best practices and the teachers who are our delegates provided creative input and asked questions about the project and how best to educate youth on the subject.”

Salesian programs in South Africa provide a range of educational and social programs to help poor youth and their families have hope for a better future. The environmental education provided by this project is a recent addition to Salesian education. Similar Salesian initiatives are happening in centers and schools around the globe.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – 15,000 Young people involved in Eco Ubuntu Project

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Makululu, within the city of Kabwe, Zambia, reach out and assist vulnerable street children through a project started in 2016. Makululu is a disadvantaged area, characterized by lack of employment, high mortality because of HIV/AIDS infections, a high percentage of separated families, heavy alcohol abuse and extreme poverty. As a result of these issues, many children and older youth are forced to live on the streets.

To provide support, Salesians started a community school for street children and school dropouts. Over the years, Salesians increased their support by adding new educational activities and developing new infrastructure, including a specific center for street children and children at risk.

The center offers shelter, rehabilitation and reintegrating programs for 92 boys, ages 7 to 14. The process of rehabilitation and reintegration depends on the situation of each child and the condition of the parents or guardians. Some of the children can be reintegrated with their families after a few months and continue education at the Salesian school or another school. Others may leave the center to start independent life.

A Salesian missionary said, “Salesians work closely with the families through regular home visits, counseling and offering transformative programs. The goal is always for youth to remain with their families when it’s possible.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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

ANS – Zambia – Supporting Vulnerable Children in Makululu

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Street children find hope at center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missionary Foundation recently released the new documentary short film “Rescued from the Street” about the work of Salesians with street children in Kabwe, Makululu, Zambia. The focus is on children who are surviving on the streets, forced to beg for food, and sleeping in unsafe environments, and the Salesians who intervene, bringing them to safety at the Don Bosco Children’s Home.

Currently, there are six Salesians working with the Don Bosco Children’s Home, which has upwards of 80 children. There is also a parish, 10 outstations and more than 1,250 youth in primary and secondary school in the Makululu compound, which is the largest and poorest settlement in southern Africa. The home was constructed in 2017.

The children’s lives have been difficult. Volunteer Agata Januszewska explained, “The boys who end up living in the streets are often boys who for some reason or another have been thrown out of their home to beg for their livelihood to bring money back home or because they are not accepted by the family. For example, a mother has a new partner and the partner does not accept children from her first marriage.”

The youngest boy at the home is just 7 years old. He was living on the street like other boys who are begging for money, stealing or using stimulants. Many of the boys get hooked on a glue compound that gives them a high so they can block out their current situation. Drug dealers often prey on the children and make them go earn money.

Jacob Mano, a young boy at the Don Bosco Children’s Home, said, “Life on the streets is hard. Begging for money or something to eat is dangerous. It’s cold and we are hungry. Sometimes we try to light a fire, and the glue helps us not to feel so cold.”

When boys first come to the Don Bosco Children’s Home they are able to eat, wash and receive new clothes. They are also given support, access to counseling, medical care and help to get off the drugs as they prepare to lead a new life.

Structure is one of the hallmarks of the Don Bosco Children’s Home. In the morning, the boys attend Mass, have breakfast and do chores before they attend school. After school, the boys study and are assigned chores such as cleaning their rooms and common areas of the home. Some work in the gardens and others take care of the animals. Their schedules are intense but it teaches them a work ethic, how to get along with others and be a productive part of their community.

Father Irvin Lumano, school principal, said, “There are challenges when boys first start school, especially if this is their first time going to school. We have to get them to level up to the other students. It’s thanks to God and the dedication of the teachers who ensure they get basic reading skills and then assess what level they can join before they are enrolled into the normal class. Sometimes they are assigned to a special class to catch up with the regular students.”

Father Michael Wzietek, rector of the Salesian community and director of the Don Boco Children’s Home, said, “In addition to the primary and secondary school, we also have a professional school where we offer training in culinary arts, computer studies, and welding and brick laying. There are many services available to the boys to help them have hope for the future. There are also times when we are able to reintegrate them back with their families.”

Fr. Wzietek added, “Our plans and dreams are big but they have to be when you see so many children in the streets. We have plans to expand our work in Makululu and the other compound in Cabo so it can become a rehabilitation center and we can rescue even more children.”

Salesians in Zambia provide a range of social development programs and education to aid poor and at-risk youth so they can have a healthy productive life. Early education helps youth gain a foundation to allow them to later advance to skills training for employment. Basic needs are met along the way ensuring youth focus on their education.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Salesians launch film about support for street children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects, located in Cape Town, South Africa, is taking a pivotal role in developing programming for youth ages 18 to 26 who are neither employed, engaged in education, nor receiving training. Salesians empower youth by reintroducing them to learning, nurturing entrepreneurial skills, and providing valuable exposure to real workplace experiences.

The NEETs program combines essential life skills training with vocational skill training. Youth are selected from specific disadvantaged communities within the greater Cape Town area. This strategic choice is intended to foster social change within these communities, creating a ripple effect.

Youth are in the program for 12 months covering three learning modules of life skills and fundamentals such as language and math, an internship in social enterprises, and workplace learning within a partner organization, allowing them to gain practical experience in their field.

“Our aim with the NEETs program is to build on industry partners who will take these students in to provide them with job shadowing opportunities and or potential future employment,” said Gabriel Hamuy, NEETs youth employability program manager. “We call on local Cape Town businesses to work with us in providing these young people with the potential of a career.”

In 2023, 86 students are well underway in completing the “New Venture Creation and Wholesale and Retail Curriculum”, which focuses on hydroponics. This large-scale hydroponics community project involves workshops with students, their families, and community members, as well as the production and distribution of home hydroponics kits and the commercialization of produce.

Since 1910, Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Salesians provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – Salesian Institute Youth Projects (SIYP) Leading the Way in Empowering NEET Youth in Cape Town

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Youth empowered by skills program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Waves of Change Maritime Training program with Salesian Institute Youth Projects graduated 242 students from life skills training, leading to 200 letters of intent for employment. One of the graduates from earlier this year has landed his dream job with MSC Cruises and is on his first journey to Istanbul.

Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town, South Africa, since 1910. The institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of at-risk and vulnerable youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market.

One Salesian said, “More than 60% percent of South Africa’s total population is under the age of 34 years, and many are struggling to gain access to quality education. Inexperienced individuals, especially those who are desperate for employment, are at risk of falling into the vicious cycle of unemployment and a bleak future.”

The Waves of Change program includes a compulsory five-day life skills course. Students who successfully complete the course are awarded financial assistance toward obtaining the required certification for work in the fishing industry through the South African Maritime Safety Authority.

Salesian missionaries who oversee the project have been able to establish partnerships with training providers such as STC Table Bay, the Academy of Maritime Medicine and Pulse College, all of which offer free training and assistance to Salesian students. In addition, missionaries have continued to nurture long-standing partnerships with Sea Harvest, Premier Fishing, the Oceana Group and others that hire graduates of the project.

The Waves of Change program now includes the Stitch Ahead program, which caters to young women who want to learn how to sew.

The institute also offers additional programs. The “Learn to Live School of Skills” program caters to youth ages 14 to 18, who are no longer part of mainstream schooling. The four-year program provides basic education and vocational skills training. The “Porsche Mechatronics Program” enables youth to work in the automotive sector, and the “NEETs Youth Employability Program” offers a national certificate in small venture creation for youth interested in entrepreneurship. Life skills training is an integral part of the training programs.

All programs are designed to provide a positive alternative to drugs, alcohol, and violence, and they allow youth to learn the skills necessary for employment. After graduating many youth work as entrepreneurs and strive to employ others from their neighborhoods.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Institute Youth Projects September Newsletter

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Students graduate with life skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Children’s Home, located in Kabwe, Makululu, Zambia, has a new vehicle to provide services thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. More than 1,250 youth in primary and secondary school in the Makululu compound, which is the largest and poorest settlement in southern Africa, will benefit from this donation.

There are six Salesians working with the Don Bosco Children’s Home, which has upwards of 80 children in the home for street children. There is also a parish and 10 outstations.

With the new vehicle, Salesians are able to travel to meet with families and provide services. It will also support the development of a new farm that will grow food to help the community become self-sufficient. Due to the need, the Don Bosco Children’s Home is still expanding. A new center is nearly ready to take in additional homeless children for initial therapeutic support.

Father Michael Wzietek, rector of the Salesian community, said, “The vehicle is necessary for daily use and the frequent visits to the streets of Kabwe where we try to monitor youth and help them. We try to react quickly when some youth need to be taken off the street immediately. It is impossible to take all of them, but we try to be in frequent contact with them. Once they stay with us for some time, we try to reintegrate them with their extended family and it means often traveling a long distance to different parts of the country in order to make sure they are safely reintegrated with their families. It is a great joy once someone is taken off the street, gets off the drugs, starts their education and is finally reintegrated in the family. They are not only able to lead a good life, but also help the family.”

Bright Phiri, one of the beneficiaries, lived with his mother, who passed away in February 2023, and his grandmother, who is an alcoholic. He was abused by his uncle and fled to the street where he had to beg for food. When Salesians found him, he was eager to start school and have hope for a better life. Phiri stills needs time to overcome the trauma but he is well on his way with Salesian care.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects’ “Stitch Ahead” program, located in Cape Town, South Africa, recently graduated 15 women who completed the three-month sewing course, according to an article in The Southern Cross. Graduates will go on to start careers or their own entrepreneurial endeavors. At graduation, each participant received a kit that included fabrics and haberdashery items. The goal is to provide them with the necessary items to start a business.

The program, supported by the National Development Agency (NDA), empowers women, ages 18 to 35, to learn machine sewing to make a variety of products. As noted in the article, the training also includes learning to sew reusable sanitary pads, which is a pivotal step in addressing period poverty, an issue that impacts many women in South Africa.

In The Southern Cross article, Ardiel Soeker, NDA’s Western Cape provincial manager, said, “Persistent statistics underscore the alarming rates of youth unemployment across our nation. It is within this concerning context that the NDA ardently champions economic growth and the creation of job prospects for our young population. Our aim is to empower them to enhance not only their own lives but also uplift the communities they call home. As we extend our warmest wishes to these young women on their journey, we are committed, in partnership with the Salesian Institute Youth Projects, to diligently track their progress.”

The program, which started in 2022, also offers business development where students learn brand creation, logo design, letterhead development and digital business card creation. Students also learn digital platforms that enable them to market and operate small businesses successfully. These skills were taught for free by Company Partners, a company specializing in providing compliance services to a multitude of startup businesses.

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth. Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services in an effort to meet the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects provides five main programs: an outreach program, a hostel for homeless youth, a learn-to-live education program and two workforce development programs. The programs are managed by a diverse group of individuals, and some live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

The Southern Cross – Salesian Institute Stitch Ahead Programme Empowers 15 Phenomenal Women

UNICEF – South Africa

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects in South Africa recently launched a Smart Work Center to ensure youth have the digital skills needed to compete in the current marketplace, according to an article in The Southern Cross. The center is in the institute’s old computer lab and was supported by the Rotary Club Waterfront and carried out in collaboration with Computers4Kids.

Providing digital literacy across all of the institute’s programs can be challenging given the varied literacy and writing abilities of the students. Salesians have brought on volunteers to assist with literacy programs at the institute’s Learn to Live School of Skills, which is a school designed specifically for vulnerable and at-risk youth. For a variety of socio-economic reasons, these youth are not able to succeed in mainstream schools.

According to the article, Salesians have also partnered with the Ulektz platform so youth can create an online profile highlighting their strengths and interests for potential employers to increase their chances of finding employment. Leveraging its extensive network of industry partners, Salesian Institute Youth Projects ensures that the Smart Work Center provides youth with the digital skills needed for employment and then works to create the bridge between education and industry.

The Smart Work Center has already made a significant impact by educating 215 youth. These students use the center at least twice a week to enhance their digital literacy and academic skills. The Computers4Kids and Reading Eggs programs that are integrated into the curriculum have proved instrumental in improving literacy rates.

“Our mission is to foster lifelong learning and cultivate a reservoir of skilled youth ready to contribute to the thriving Cape Town’s economy,” said Father Francois Dufour, CEO of the Salesian Institute Youth Projects, in The Southern Cross article.

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Salesians provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

The Southern Cross – Salesian Youth Projects empower at-risk youth with digital skills

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: 215 students learn digital literacy skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Lilongwe, Zambia, had the funding they needed to support day-to-day living thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Donor funding was used to provide food, help maintain the house and pay for utilities, while also supporting the repair of a damaged borehole that provides clean water to the community.

Father Joseph Czerwinski, superior of the community, said, “The Salesian community includes a technical school and the pre-novitiate house, where three pre-novitiates are preparing for the next phase of Salesian training. There are 25 people who live in the community and we really appreciate the donor support we received from Salesian Missions.”

Salesian missionaries came to Lilongwe in 1995 and began to work in the densely populated part of Lilongwe called Area 23. In 1996, the Don Bosco Parish was officially opened by the Archbishop of Lilongwe. Today, the parish serves 16,000 to 18,000 Christians.

In 2000, the Don Bosco Technical School started providing technical instruction to 150 youth. Students could take courses in auto mechanics, carpentry, accounting and tailoring. Today, the school has developed into a large technical college with more than 1,000 students in more than 12 departments. It is one of the biggest Salesian schools in southern Africa.

In 2016, the pre-novitiate was started and there are 18 pre-novices from three countries preparing for their novitiate. Additionally, the community has youth from the Salesian South African Province and Asian provinces.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Donor funding helps support Salesian community first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians in Angola facilitate a program for youth in conflict with the law known as “A new beginning.” The program offers education courses, including professional skills training and psychological counseling, for the reintegration into a healthy family environment. Last year, 209 youth (186 boys and 23 girls) benefited from the project with support from the European Union, the Angolan government and UNICEF.

Angola has no facilities for youth who have broken the law. Some youth are sent to detoxification centers, and others are supported by social services. Many return to the streets, and after a short time they make the same mistakes. The Salesian program actively involves families, offering parents psychological support and the possibility of attending professional skill-building courses.

Francisco, age 16, is part of the program. He was involved in a brawl with a group of teens and stabbed another young man, who was injured and nearly died. The judge granted Francisco six months of probation and he served the sentence in the Salesian center.

Francisco explained, “When I came to the Salesians, I immediately liked the educators and the conversation they had with me about my friends, about quitting smoking and drinking, so much so that I even brought a friend with me to follow the course.” Francisco participated in the painting and drawing workshop.

The aim of all the courses is to strengthen self-esteem and social responsibility. Courses also contribute significantly to the construction and strengthening of the participants’ identity.

Program managers assist families and help guide the processes of behavioral change. In addition, they provide health support, education and opportunities for youth development, including access to cultural activities, sports and leisure time. All of these activities help youth reintegrate into society and live with a sense of fulfillment.

“My family was very happy to see me take these courses and participate in these activities. With the help of the project educators and my family, who supported me from the beginning, I really decided to start my life anew,” said Francisco.

Marquinha Pires is the mother of one of the beneficiaries. She said, “My son has been here for nine months. He is a new person and he behaves well. I thank the Salesians for the work they have done with us and with our children who have ended up before the juvenile judge. The program has helped us a lot in the re-education process.”

Pires attended one of the parenting courses offered. She said it has been useful for families with children who have broken the law because it helps parents to re-educate their children through various topics, such as assertive and positive communication, recovery and reintegration into society, and psychological and medical assistance.

She added, “The impossible became possible because we thought that the COVID-19 pandemic would stop the vocational courses provided by the program. But to our great joy this did not happen.”

Salesian missionaries in Angola also continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Angola – “A new beginning” gives a second chance to more than 200 young people in conflict with the law

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa. Salesians provide shelter, education and workforce development services, meeting the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

A Salesian missionary explained, “The Salesian Institute Youth Projects has five main projects — an outreach program, the Center of Hope for homeless youth, the Learn to Live School of Skills education program and two workforce development programs. The projects are managed by a diverse team, some of whom live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.”

The Learn to Live School of Skills education program is a school designed specifically for vulnerable and at-risk youth. Recognized as an independent school by the Western Cape Education Department, the program provides basic education and skills training for youth who, for a variety of socio-economic reasons, are not able to succeed in mainstream schools.

The school offers various levels of education for students ages 13-19. There are 26 to 36 students per class, with 14 to 20 students per workshop lesson. Students over the age of 16 take technical skills training workshops to learn basic skills in subjects like hairdressing, hospitality, electrical work and woodworking.

All the students in the program also form part of a literacy program. This program helps students learn to read and overcome reading difficulties, all resulting in the student being able to read independently and be prepared for the workforce.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects’ Waves of Change program, located in Cape Town, South Africa, provides education to at least 200 youth each year. The program recently added a “Stitching Ahead” course to teach young women hand-sewing and machine-sewing techniques.

A Salesian missionary explained, “The course starts with two weeks of life skills training followed by the three-month sewing course that will enable participants to sew basic garments for their use or to generate income through a home-based business. The goal is to help young women in Cape Town and surrounding areas gain the skills for employment.”

The Waves of Change program started as a program focused on sea fishing, which is a large industry along the Western Cape coastline in South Africa. The Salesian Institute is close to the Cape Town harbor, which provides an opportunity to train youth interested in fishing. This also ensures a steady labor force for the industry.

The program requires minimal levels of education, but jobs in the fishing industry can provide a significant income and a stable career path. The program is currently training young adults between the ages of 18 and 35.

All participants complete a 10-day life skills program. They then go on to complete safety and familiarization courses, obtain their medical certificates, and meet other requirements. Once all training and document requirements have been completed, youth can be legally employed by a fishing company.

Salesian missionaries have been able to establish partnerships with training providers such as STC Table Bay, the Academy of Maritime Medicine and Pulse College, all of which offer free training and assistance to Salesian students. In addition, missionaries have continued to nurture long-standing partnerships with Sea Harvest, Premier Fishing, the Oceana Group and others that hire graduates of the project.

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth. Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services in an effort to meet the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects provides five main programs that help youth in the region. Programs include an outreach program, a hostel for homeless youth, a learn-to-live education program and two workforce development programs. The programs are managed by a diverse group of individuals, and some live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls, and it has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Youth Institute Waves of Change

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: New stitching course empowers young women first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe, Malawi, and Don Bosco Centers in Maputo and Inharrime, Mozambique, have partnered with Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. An announcement made in Engineering News explained that Schneider Electric, under the auspices of the Schneider Electric Foundation, will provide didactic benches for training purposes.

Don Bosco Malawi and Don Bosco Mozambique have already received shipments of the benches, and training is underway. Schneider Electric and education equipment manufacturing partner, Amtec Techniquip, will also provide training to the lecturers, according to the article.

The partnership aims to support education for students who are pursuing careers in the electrical industry by providing up-to-date vocational training that meets global standards. In the article, Avin Ramjeeth, projects and offer manager at Schneider Electric Academy, explained, “Training on didactic benches offers real-world and practical scenarios and problem solving that are invaluable when pursuing a career in the electrical industry. Our didactic benches meet the highest global standards and will ensure that these students are well on their way to successful careers in this all-important field.”

Father Martin Nguyen, principal for Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Malawi, expressed gratitude for the new equipment and the training. He said, “Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute management, staff and students are excited about the newly installed training equipment in the electrical installation and electronics workshop. The institute foresees high-quality training and an increased number of learners with hands-on experience in the field.”

Salesian missionaries are considered the largest private provider of vocational and technical training in the world. Programs focus on helping vulnerable youth by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs. Salesian vocational and technical schools help ensure youth have the skills needed for employment. Partnerships, like this with Schneider Electric, help youth to be trained in the most up-to-date resources in the field and ensure a smooth school to work transition.

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Sources:

Engineering News – Schneider Electric and Don Bosco Malawi and Mozambique accelerate electrical training

Salesian Missions – Malawi

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

The post MALAWI/MOZAMBIQUE: New equipment enhances student skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects is working to address South Africa‘s persistent youth unemployment crisis. The organization recently announced in an article in the BizCommunity that it redeveloped an older computer lab into a Smart Work Center, which launched in February 2023.

The new center has been used by the institute’s “Learn to Live School of Skills” program that caters to youth, ages 14-18, who are no longer part of mainstream schooling. The four-year program provides basic education and vocational skills training. Salesians are supporting 215 learners who use the new Smart Work Center at least twice a week to improve their digital literacy and academic skills.

The teaching staff has integrated the Computers4Kids and Reading Eggs programs into their curriculum. These programs are increasing literacy for learners, especially those struggling to read and write. Through the new center, youth are also showing improvement in learning and their enthusiasm to work on the computers. The Salesian Institute’s NEETs Youth Employability Program is also offering an “NQF3 End User Computer” course for students, ensuring they are prepared in the digital world.

According to the article, the Rotary Club of Waterfront was able to develop a collaboration with the IT Academy based at Cape Peninsula University of Technology to bring on a senior student as part of an internship. By leveraging industry partners, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects is ensuring that the Smart Work Center provides youth with real-world exposure and access to employment opportunities.

“Our mission is to foster lifelong learning and cultivate a reservoir of skilled youth ready to contribute to the thriving Cape Town’s economy,” said Father Francois Dufour, CEO of the Salesian Institute Youth Projects, in the article. “A collaborative approach not only bridges the gap between education and industry but also instills a sense of confidence and self-belief in youth, empowering them to pursue meaningful careers and contribute to the country’s economic growth.”

Over its history, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market. These youth had been homeless, unemployed and impoverished, but they had access to the education that helped them gain employment.

Committed to making a difference for those who need it the most, the institute’s skills development model focuses on providing opportunities for youth who may not have completed their mainstream schooling or access to skills training.

In addition to the “Learn to Live School of Skills” program there are three other educational programs. The “Waves of Change Maritime Program” is for youth or adults up to age 35 who want to work at sea in the fishing and maritime industry. The “Porsche Mechatronics Program” enables youth to work in the automotive sector, and the “NEETs Youth Employability Program” offers a national certificate in small venture creation for youth interested in entrepreneurship. Life skills training is also an integral part of the training programs.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63% of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

BizCommunity – Addressing the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa: A call to action

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Agriculture Training Center, located in Lufubu, Zambia, has access to clean water thanks to donor funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The 2023 water project brought clean water for more than 90 students and teaching staff and will be used on four hectares of land for farming.

Lufubu experiences a harsh dry season from April until the end of October, when the first rainfall cools down the land. The new water resource will give students and students enough water during this time, while also allowing cattle and fields to thrive.

The project provided the funding for the construction of a water stand with capacity for eight large tanks to store 10,600 gallons of water, a solar pump, solar panels, pipes, connectors, garden taps and labor costs. Funding was also used to purchase seeds and gardening tools. The water and seeds are enabling second-year students to start cultivating small fields as part of their training.

While there are currently 90 students in the school, the number of students is expected to rise to 150 by 2024. Delgracious Chanda is one of the second-year students who has been cultivating tomatoes and has benefited from the new water supply.

A Salesian missionary said, “Chanda is the oldest of six children and is being sponsored by the local government. He will complete his studies at the end of November and go back to his village to share his knowledge of agriculture. His field is doing very well. He’s invested around $50 and his tomato harvest is worth well over $300, which will help him with personal upkeep. We are grateful for the funding to complete this water project.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending St. Mary Mazzarello School and City of Hope Community School in Zambia had access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.”

The 2022 shipment of rice-meals fed more than 2,300 students at each school. City of Hope Community School starts at preschool and goes up to grade 12. It also has a skills-training center for older youth. St. Mary Mazzarello School is a primary and secondary school.

A Salesian sister noted, “The children are so grateful for the food. Many ask if they can take anything home. The donation has increased performance of both the teachers and learners. The children are more active and healthier because of the well-balanced diet they receive. Most students are now able to attend classes and engage with class content unlike in the past when they used to come to school on empty stomachs. It was difficult for them to concentrate and stay long hours in school as required by the curriculum.”

The rice-meals also helped feed close to 3,000 people in the community, where many people live below the poverty line. The Salesians are overwhelmed by the number of people who cannot meet their basic needs.

Michael, age 14 and in grade seven, benefits from the rice-meals. Michael and his family live near the Salesian sisters’ convent. The family is poor and often struggles to buy food for everyone in the household. Whenever the family lacks food, he comes to collect two boxes of rice.

The Salesian sister explained, “Michael is a studious young boy who has performed exceptionally well in school so far. He completed his studies in 2022 with good merit and has gone on to join another school this year. Although Michael is no longer formally part of the school, he often comes back eager to ask about the rice-meals that I had told him were on the way. Michael has expressed his dreams of becoming an engineer once he completes his schooling. I have no doubt that he will achieve his dreams.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Sisters City of Hope

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth with the City of Hope in Lusaka, Zambia, have soap and furniture thanks to donations received by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The soap donation was provided by Eco-Soap Bank, a humanitarian nonprofit organization working to save, sanitize and supply recycled soap with hygiene education for the developing world. The furniture donation was provided by IRN (the Reuse Network), which matches surplus items with organizations and people who need them. Salesian sisters operate the City of Hope and received the donations in 2022.

Sister Mary John, who is in charge of City of Hope, said, “We received the donation of soap and then distributed it to the sisters, pupils, workers, teachers, women, youth, different congregations and those around the Salesian community. The furniture we shared with our Salesian schools in our community.”

She added, “The donations of soap and furniture have been very useful, and the quality of donations is excellent. Hygiene will always be a priority matter, and the furniture helps us further enhance our learning environment and facilities used by our staff and students. The children are so pleased and excited to use the new furniture and felt very special. We would like to express our sincerest gratitude for the donations.”

One of the recipients of the donation was Michel. His family is poor and he takes additional soap home so his whole family can benefit. He shared with Sr. John how grateful he is for the soap.

Sr. John explained, “Michel is a very intelligent and promising boy, who is a very talented artist. He completed his grade seven in 2022 and he went to another school. However, he still lives in the neighborhood and asks to receive some of the donated items. We are happy to share with him as the Salesian family doesn’t end when the students are no longer attending our schools.”

The City of Hope was established to meet the needs of youth and their families living in the most severe poverty in Lusaka. The vast majority of children attending City of Hope programs are those who have been abused, live on the streets or are victims of child trafficking.

The City of Hope’s Open Community School serves those suffering from malnutrition, lack of education and family deprivation. Basic education is offered to youth between the ages of 9 and 17. Primary school classes make up the first four years after which students take the government’s grade seven examinations. Most City of Hope students do not have the opportunity to attend other schools because of a lack of financial means.

The City of Hope also offers a shelter that is home to at-risk girls referred through the social welfare system, the police, and other institutions and organizations. Many have been orphaned and have nowhere else to go. There are currently 36 girls who live at the shelter between the ages of 7 to 22. The shelter is not an orphanage but rather a safe place for girls to stay while they gain an education and make the transition either to living with other family or to a more independent life. To date, more than 150 girls have received services through the City of Hope’s shelter.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Eco-Soap Bank

Salesian Sisters City of Hope

Salesian Missions – Zambia

The Reuse Network

UNICEF – Zambia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Sixty-three youth who attend the Don Bosco Center in Rundu, Namibia, had a healthy breakfast before school thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The youth ranged in age from 7-15 and were from poor families. This food helped to ensure they had at least one healthy meal a day.

“One of the youth who benefited from this donation is an abandoned young boy who always thanks and prays for the people who donate to us,” said Father Louis Malama, the Salesian parish priest who oversaw the project. “This breakfast program means a lot to the youth and families we serve. We appreciate the donors who help support our work.”

Don Bosco Youth Center, opened in 2002, provides shelter and services for homeless youth. The center offers computer classes for 65 students, preschool for 70 children and school for 104 students who have dropped out of formal education. In addition, more than 80 youth attend the daily oratory activities, including sports programming.

According to the World Bank, Namibia is one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper-middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32% with an unemployment rate of 29.6%. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9%.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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ESWATINI

(MissionNewswire) More than 1,400 youth participating in three Salesian programs in Eswatini are benefiting from furniture thanks to a donation secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The furniture was provided by Furniture Reuse Solutions, which has a commitment to sustainability and societal benefit. The company provides charities and nonprofits with gifts-in-kind donations that aid in their humanitarian missions.

The furniture was provided to the Salesian-run Manzini Youth Care in 2022 and distributed to Bosco Study Center, Bosco Youth Agricultural Center, and the Enjabulweni Residential Care Home. Manzini Youth Care was established in the 1970s and provides services to marginalized youth. The services include free primary school for children who have dropped out of school due to poverty, two vocational training centers for older youth, residential care for former street children and a drop-in school for street children when they first come in off the streets.

At the Bosco Study Center, Salesians replaced the furniture in the library and the staff room, allowing both students and teachers to do their work comfortably. The donation also provided comfortable and durable furniture for the study rooms and dining hall at the Enjabulweni Residential Care Home.

The offices at Manzini Youth Care also benefited from the donation. Salesians were able to replace the old office chairs and the tables, enhance the learning facilities, and improve the working, learning and study conditions.

One of the beneficiaries, Lucky, attends the Salesian High School and is currently living in the residential care home. He expressed his gratitude for the furniture donation and said it has helped him and his brother, especially when they are studying.

Lucky said, “Each person now has his own chair and table to study peacefully which is very exciting. This furniture has enhanced our living and study environment.” The brothers also said the shelves have helped to better organize their schoolbooks and textbooks. “It is no longer untidy in our living room and study room. Everything is perfect.”

Lucky finds the beds to be extremely comfortable and is grateful for the donation. He no longer shares his bed with his siblings and feels privileged to have a bed of his own. He expressed his appreciation by promising that he and other youth living in the residential home will carefully take care of the furniture as it will be of great use to others who will come after them.

The people of Eswatini face immense challenges including poverty, chronic food insecurity, HIV/AIDS and a climate that is often unpredictable. According to the World Bank, an estimated 63% of the population lives below the poverty line, and about 29% lives below the extreme poverty line. The HIV/AIDS prevalence of 31% of the population is among the highest in the world and life expectancy has fallen to approximately 49 years.

Salesian missionaries work to meet the most basic needs while providing education to youth in need. With education, youth can find and retain employment and in turn give back to their families and communities.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Furniture Reuse Solutions

Manzini Youth Care Facebook

Salesian Missions – Eswatini

World Bank – Eswatini

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Makululu Center, located near the town of Kabwe, Zambia, provides for youth whose families cannot meet their educational and basic needs because of extreme poverty. Alcohol abuse, prostitution and high mortality caused by diseases such as HIV/AIDS are the most widespread problems affecting this region. These problems are often why youth run away from their families or are abandoned on the streets.

In 2022, the Salesian Missions Office in Turin, Italy, launched a project to provide food, hospitality, medical care and psychological support to an additional 90 children at the Don Bosco Center. They attended literacy and educational training, and, when conditions allowed, they were placed on a family reunification path.

With the added support, Salesians were also able to cover the expenses of their staff including a social worker, two janitors, an outreach worker, a cook and a driver who took care of all of the supplies.

In addition to providing for youth at the center, Salesians provide outreach twice a week to make initial contact with youth living on the streets. Salesians try to educate youth about the dangers they are facing and convince them to seek shelter at the center. Once at the center, Salesians can assess their situation and provide services including family reunification.

According to the Salesians, about 50 children are sleeping on the streets of Kabwe, and nearly 100 regularly visit the town to beg and perform small jobs such as collecting and reselling bottles and trading plastic or food products.

“The children who have successfully completed the family reunification process fall into a further path,” said Father Michael Wzietek, a Polish Salesian missionary and director and economer of the Makululu Salesian community. “They are visited regularly, and during this period we provide the parents with a kind of counseling to make them aware of the importance of parenting and the dangers of children living on the streets. We do everything to prevent the child from leaving the family and home again.”

Family reintegration comes with many challenges. Some families do not accept their children while other children are unable to be with their parents for reasons such as alcohol abuse or lack of attention.

Fr. Wzietek added, “We will continue to carry out the many activities to support the most vulnerable children, and we are happy with the results so far. Thank you to everyone who has supported us.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zambia – In Makululu, thanks to Salesians, there is hope for many children

Salesian Mission Office Italy

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Project provides support, family reunification first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Chingola, Zambia, have converted an older technical training institute into a full Don Bosco Technical Secondary School thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding was used for construction projects to build new classrooms and repair bathrooms and other spaces.

The new school offers a home economics lab, science labs, a library and a new four-pillar car lift for the automotive department. Funding was also used to furnish the rooms with necessary items. The science lab has concrete workstations and a water system with taps and lab sinks, while the home economics lab was able to add a refrigerator and other items.

The Don Bosco Technical Secondary School has had a dramatic increase in the number of youth getting an education. Salesians report that previously there were an average of 47 students at the college each year. Enrollment is now up and 1,094 students are gaining their education — 432 students in the college and 662 students in the technical secondary education school. In December 2022, 100% of students passed their grade nine government exams, making Don Bosco Chingola the top school in the district out of 147 secondary schools.

Deborah Chibusha, a first-year student and the only female student in her automotive class, had a message for donors. She said, “I appreciate the good works you have done for me and many others here in Don Bosco Chingola. You have not just imparted me with a skill but also have changed my life and given it a new meaning. Honestly, I was struggling financially being a young mother of two children without a skill and dependent on a husband who is not supportive was a huge burden for me, but I thank God and you the Salesians who have helped to transform my life.”

Technical secondary education is particularly important in the Chingola district because it is a mining town rich with copper and other mining materials. It has one of the biggest open pit mines in Africa. However, after the mine changed hands and a new investor took over, the mine closed and left many people unemployed. This has greatly impacted the entire area and youth saw little hope for the future. Many dropped out of school and started exploring the mines illegally, which is dangerous and has caused a number of deaths. This illegal mining is increasing the rate of juvenile delinquency in the area. The new school is working to curb the rising crime and give youth new purpose.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: Salesians develop Don Bosco Technical Secondary School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Youth Center in Kazembe, Zambia, has launched a goat-rearing project thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding provided 28 young goats and the construction of a small barn to shelter them.

Don Bosco Youth Center has a large parish with 6,000 parishioners with 30 outstations, as well as a carpentry school with a boarding house for 20 students. More than 1,000 youth attend programs at the youth center each day. The center is located on a large piece of land with a volleyball court, areas for soccer and basketball, a hall with two offices and three storage rooms, and an outdoor stage.

With the funding, Salesians were able to construct the barn behind the stage and connect their water source to the structure to supply the goats. They are hiring a local worker to look after the goats.

Father Jacek Garus, rector of the Salesian community, explained, “The goats will be used as a food source for the children at the youth center. We aim to become self-sufficient. Instead of buying meat in the market, we can produce it here at our facilities. It can also become a source of income for us as goat meat is very popular here.”

In addition to daily activities at the Don Boco Youth Center, Salesians provide lunch on Saturdays for 70 youth who are part of the distance adoption program where donors help sponsor children to go to school. Twice a year Salesians organize a summer camp for more than 100 youth. During the camp, Salesians provide breakfast and lunch.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have provided 150 families with corn seeds and fertilizer as part of the “The Mwenho Usupoka ‒ Life in Abundance” agriculture project taking place in Munda, Huambo, Angola.  The initiative was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Angolan company I.E.P. With this project, families will be able to increase the production of their farms to better be able to feed their families as well as sell the yield for additional income.

“Providing seeds and fertilizer helps farmers to expand their farms and have a better yield from their crops,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Along with providing the supplies directly, Salesians also help to show farmers better ways to tend to their farms for the greatest production of food for their families and community.”

In Angola, Salesian missionaries began work with street children during the 1990s when groups of children fleeing the war flowed into the capital. Today, long after the war has ended, children are still fleeing their homes for a variety of reasons. Many run away from home because of parent neglect, some as a result of abuse and others because they are thought to be sorcerers or witches who bring misfortune to their families.

“The educational opportunities provided by Salesian programs can be truly life-changing for children,” added Fr. Baek. “Through educational programs, both youth and adults have an opportunity to learn and develop the skills to become self-sufficient, supporting their families and communities.”

Salesian missionaries in Angola also continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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ANS – Angola – Salesian agricultural project helps over 150 families increase their productive capacity

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

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MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) More than 2,000 people in the Salesian São João Baptista de Moatize Mission, located in Ntsungo, Mozambique, have clean water access thanks to funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The region, which is home to more than 8,000 people, lacks access to health services and clean water. It only has one primary school. Among the beneficiaries, 60 percent are women and 40 percent are men. Most of the communities have many children and older youth.

With the funding, Salesians were able to drill a borewell, install solar powered pumps and create a water system with three plastic tanks with a capacity of 5,000 liters each. Water is channeled to the communities and to the primary school. Water fountains were also set up in the communities so that people could access the water.

“Salesian Missions has made clean water projects a priority for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “This community had little access to clean water prior to this project. Now people can access water in the communities and right at the primary school, helping to ensure safe drinking water and proper sanitation.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975, but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being their only education.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

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(MissionNewswire) Residents of the Ruurumwe village, located outside of Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borewell, water tank and pump.

NAMIBIA

The 550 people living in the village are poor and survive on small-scale farming and government grants. The water supply from a small seasonal river is erratic and too often not enough. During the summer, residents survive on water from holes and small wells, but this water is not safe for human consumption. The new borewell and 5,000-liter water storage tank will supply fresh, clean water for the entire village and allow people to grow food for the community.

One of the beneficiaries, Ethel Hamutenya, has had a difficult life. She had to stop school at grade 9 after she became pregnant, and she has not been able to go back. Hamutenya struggles to find work to earn money to feed herself and her child. She is grateful for the new water supply.

Hamutenya said, “Today I have a small garden that has given me hope in my life. I have planted some vegetables and my life has changed because of this water. If I work hard, after next year, I will have enough money to go back to school.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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

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Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) More than 300 residents of the Kamakuti village in Kabwe, Zambia, have clean, fresh water thanks to the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The project provided funding for a new borewell, water tank and pump in the village, which hosts one of the Salesian St. Mary’s Parish village chapels. Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

St. Mary’s Parish has four village chapels where priests meet people on a weekly basis for catechesis, prayers and sacraments. During the weekdays, the Salesian community utilizes these chapels for daily meetings and fellowship. Local women also use the chapels as meeting places and children’s preschools.

The villages lack basic services including water, proper sanitation and transportation. There is also a lack of education facilities for children, and people travel long distances to access a health center.

This is the first time this community has clean fresh water. Women and children will no longer have to travel a distance to bring back water to the village. Mr. Kasongo, a long-time village resident, could not believe that running water was now available. Another woman shouted, “Our children will live!” Children are often given the only water available from unsafe shallow wells, which can cause health complications that impede their growth.

“We appreciate our donors who have supported this water project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Water projects in Zambia and around the globe ensure people coming to Salesian parishes, schools, and centers have access to the water they need. This brings a sense of hope and dignity to the people Salesians serve.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) City of Hope, run by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in Lusaka, Zambia, received a donation of furniture from IRN (The Reuse Network), which matches surplus items with organizations and people who need them. The 2021 shipment was made possible thanks to the ongoing partnership Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has with IRN.

The furniture will be used to outfit the current school and other outbuildings where educational opportunities are provided to the local community. Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, said, “We appreciate this donation, which allows Salesian students to be educated in an environment conducive to learning. Having school furniture provides a structured environment and enables students to sit comfortably and focus.”

City of Hope was established to meet the needs of youth and their families living in the most severe poverty in Lusaka. The vast majority of children attending City of Hope programs are those who have been abused, live on the streets or are victims of child trafficking.

The City of Hope’s Open Community School serves those suffering from malnutrition, lack of education and family deprivation. Basic education is offered to youth between the ages of 9-17. Primary school classes make up the first four years, after which students take the government’s grade seven examinations. Most City of Hope students do not have the opportunity to attend other schools because of a lack of financial means.

City of Hope also offers a shelter that is home to at-risk girls referred through the social welfare system, the police, and other institutions and organizations. Many have been orphaned and have nowhere else to go. There are currently 36 girls who live at the shelter who are between the ages of 7-22. The shelter is not an orphanage but rather a safe place for girls to stay while they gain an education and make the transition either to living with other family or to a more independent life. To date, more than 150 girls have received services through the City of Hope’s shelter.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

IRN

Salesian Sisters City of Hope

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run “A New Beginning” program, in Luanda, Angola, protects and promotes the rights of children in conflict with the law. It is co-funded by the European Union and involves the collaboration of several organizations and institutions, both national and international. The program currently works with 208 youth, with 58 youth on probation, 83 taking part in community service, 28 with social protection measures and 39 awaiting a court decision.

Among the many activities involved in the project, youth and their families participate in workshops where youth tell personal stories of resilience and new beginnings. There is a focus on personal development, drawing and parenting skills. The goals of the program are family reintegration and the start of a new life through training and social skills.

One of the success stories of the program is Paulo Cayeye, who started having trouble with the law when he was 10 years old. His family was saddened because he spent most of his days on the streets, hanging out with people who introduced him to drugs, and committing crimes. Cayeye spent nearly two years in a detoxification center and saw a friend killed during a robbery.

His life changed thanks to the Salesian program. Today he is a role model for many youth and their families. Of his early life, Cayeye said, “I had a very turbulent and dangerous life because of what I was doing. We caused a lot of sadness and pain. We were five friends and no one could stop us. When I was in a rehab center, one of my friends tried to rob a store and the security guard shot him. I spent almost two years in that center, and when I got out, I decided to change my life and listen to my parents.”

Cayeye also has a message for parents of difficult children. He encouraged parents not to abandon their children when they are in trouble and to help them change their behavior. He said, “I am an example of this change, thanks to the ‘A New Beginning’ program and the Salesians. I have gone back to school and am taking a technical course in mechanics, which is one of my dreams with which I hope to help my parents.”

Cayeye concluded, “The program has provided me with medical and psychological care, as well as technical and practical courses, which have contributed greatly to my recovery with the full support of my family. Thanks to the Salesians, I am now a new person, ready to help other young people.”

According to UNICEF, more than 36 percent of the population of Angola lives in poverty. In addition, more than one in 10 children under the age of 14 has lost one or both parents and 43,000 are separated from their families. As a result, nearly a third of these children are working and child trafficking has become an emerging problem in the country.

In Luanda, Salesian missionaries provide education, shelter for homeless children and at-risk girls, and support for youth through social development programs. Salesian missionaries began their work with street children in Angola during the 1990s when groups of children fleeing the war flowed into the capital.

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

ANS – Angola – Paulo Cayeye, an example of resilience and regeneration, thanks to “A New Beginning” program

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Zambia have invited filmmaking experts from India to train youth who are passionate about filmmaking. The intensive course is being held at the Salesian center in Bauleni, Lusaka, Zambia. The 40 students from Zambia, Zimbabwe* and Namibia are receiving training in film directing, script writing, sound designing and sound editing, as well as interpersonal skills.

During the inauguration ceremony, Father Christopher Kunda, one of the Salesians who launched the project, explained the aim to the students, filmmakers, directors, celebrities and government officials who were invited. Jaikumar and Leeju, from Enso pictures in India, will be facilitating the training for youth. Owas Ray Mwape, a film director from the Oram Film Academy, is also facilitating the training.

The ceremony was also attended by the Zambia Arts Council president, delegates from the Zambia Environmental and Climate Change Institute and many more. A Tonga dance group entertained everyone at the event.

“Training like this is important for youth who are passionate about a field of study,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Giving youth the opportunity to learn directly from experts in the field is a great way to ignite their passions and help them learn the skills needed for future employment in their chosen field.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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

ANS – Zambia – Collaboration between India and Zambia to initiate young people into filmmaking

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

*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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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been providing education, emotional support and skills development training for at-risk youth in Cape Town, South Africa since 1910. Over its history, the institute has been instrumental in changing the lives of hundreds of youth who would otherwise not have been able to access the job market. These youth had been homeless, unemployed and impoverished, but they had access to the education that helped them gain employment.

One Salesian said, “More than 60 percent of South Africa’s total population is under the age of 34 years, and many are struggling to gain access to quality education. Inexperienced individuals, especially those who are desperate for employment, are at risk of falling into the vicious cycle of unemployment and a bleak future.”

Committed to making a difference for those who need it the most, the institute’s skills development model focuses on providing opportunities for youth who may not have completed their mainstream schooling or access to skills training.

There are four main educational tracks youth. The “Learn to Live School of Skills” program caters to youth ages 14 to 18, who are no longer part of mainstream schooling. The four-year program provides basic education and vocational skills training. The “Waves of Change Maritime Program” is for youth or adults up to age 35 who want to work at sea in the fishing and maritime industry. The “Porsche Mechatronics Program” enables youth to work in the automotive sector, and the “NEETs Youth Employability Program” offers a national certificate in small venture creation for youth interested in entrepreneurship. Life skills training is also an integral part of the all the training programs.

Yumnah Baradien, a graduate of Salesian Institute Youth Projects, said, “I learned everything here. Not only entrepreneurship but self-esteem, how to start your own business, where to go, who to talk to and how to ask for help when you need it. I learned many things that I thought I would have to go elsewhere for.”

All of the programs are designed to provide a positive alternative to drugs, alcohol, and violence, and they allow youth to learn the skills necessary for employment. After graduating many youth work as entrepreneurs and strive to employ others from their neighborhoods while others join industries and move forward in changing the dynamics of the workforce.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63 percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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

ANS – South Africa – With relevant skills, youth can accelerate country’s progress

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) During the last week of June, Salesians in Luanda, Angola, hosted a meeting of the SAAM project, an acronym for the “Supporting Alliance for African Mobility” project. The project, launched in 2020, is creating a vocational education and training network based on peer-to-peer connections among vocational training centers in Africa and Europe. The project is funded by the European Union under Erasmus+, the European Union’s program to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

The project has brought together two Salesian networks from Europe — CNOS-FAP (National Salesian Center for Vocational Training and Ongoing Education) in Italy and Tech Don Bosco in Spain — as well as 14 centers that belong to the Don Bosco Tech Africa network. Don Bosco International, the Brussels-based liaison office representing the Salesians of Don Bosco at the European Institutions, is part of the project’s steering committee.

“Sharing information and networking in this way allows Salesian centers in Europe and Africa to share best practices and learn from one another,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This kind of sharing of information and expertise only bolsters the education experience for youth in Salesian vocational training centers.”

The first project meeting took place in Brussels before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Over the last two years, despite the challenges of travel restrictions, 27 vocational training experts have traveled from European countries to African countries to visit vocational training centers. In addition, 39 teachers from Africa have traveled to European centers while 34 European teachers have visited centers in Africa.

The next phase of project, to start in the fall of 2022, will have African students visiting European centers and taking part in internships in centers’ partner companies. The goal is to provide real-life work experience so students can apply what they learned in the classroom in the workforce.

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

ANS – Angola – SAAM: 2 more years of mobilities in Vocational Education and Training between Africa and Europe

CNOS-FAP

Don Bosco Tech Africa

Salesian Missions

Tech Don Bosco Spain

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) People living in the village of Katongo, Zambia received better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” A rice-meal shipment was received in November 2021 and provided meals for more than 700 people.

Among the recipients of the donation was the Salesian-run Mornese Mission which educates more than 200 students in primary and secondary school. Children received the rice-meals three times a week at school, which supplements food that is procured locally. With the feeding program, there was an increase in the number of children attending school and class participation on the days the food is provided. This demonstrates the strong link between nourishing food and positive educational and social outcomes.

A Salesian missionary noted, “Mornese Mission is located in an area where early marriage is common. Because of this practice, many boys prefer to drop out of school and start work to earn money. However, without finishing their education, their lifelong earning potential is severely hampered. Mornese Mission seeks to reverse this trend, and the food provided by Feed My Starving Children helps keep students in school.”

Other recipients of the donation included children, women and the elderly in the Katongo village. In the village, women work hard to provide food for their children, and even some of the elderly adults are still working to provide for their grandchildren.

Precedence Chama is one of the recipients. She is a tenth-grade student and lives in Brown village with her mother. Because of their financial situation, they only eat once a day and sometimes it is hard to afford even that. Chama has been receiving the rice-meals at school and since that time she has gained weight and become more active. She likes reading, playing netball and visiting different places. She hopes to be able to travel around the world.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending Don Bosco Youth Center, in Rundu, Namibia, received nutritional support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding provided breakfast and lunch to poor children ages 3-11 who attend local Salesian schools.

Hunger has been declared a national disaster in this drought-ridden country. Salesians running Don Bosco Youth Center were able to provide 200 children with two meals a day to help ensure healthy nutrition and give them the energy they need to be able to focus in school.

Emily Liyando, age 5, is one young recipient. Her mother died during childbirth, and she has never met her father. Liyando said, “I am cared for by my grandmother. I go to Don Bosco School in the morning and come home in the evening. We have nothing at home to eat so what I receive at Don Bosco is all that I have. I bring some home to share with my grandmother.”

Don Bosco Youth Center, opened in 2002, provides shelter and services for homeless youth. The center offers computer classes for 65 students, preschool for 70 children and school for 104 students who have dropped out of formal education. In addition, more than 80 youth attend the daily oratory activities including sports programming.

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Students have four new classrooms at the Salesian secondary school in the Zatti community in Kabwe, Zambia, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. In addition to the classrooms, the project also installed new toilets for the classrooms.

Salesians were able to construct the foundation, roofing, walls, windows and doors of the classrooms, as well as install electrical and plumbing. They also furnished the classrooms. About 150 male students and 200 female students directly benefit from the new classrooms.

The majority of the households around the Salesian community are vulnerable, and education is needed so youth can learn the skills for employment. Kabwe previously had mining jobs that the local population relied on. Those jobs have left the area due to privatized mines, leaving a large percentage of the population unemployed. Young girls are especially at risk because they often cannot get an education and find themselves on the streets facing exploitation. Many youth in the region are forced to beg for money or engage in drug abuse and criminal activities.

Salesians started the primary and secondary school in Kabwe in partnership with other education organizations and the agreement of the government. The community where the school is based has many youth living in the area, and the other schools could not meet the demand for education, particularly grades 8-12. The Salesian secondary school filled the gap for poor youth who could not afford other schools. The goal is to provide training to equip them with the skills and the knowledge so they can live a self-sustainable life.

“We appreciate the donors who were able to help this Salesian secondary school build more classrooms to meet the growing demand for education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Gaining an education with the skills needed for employment enables youth to take care of themselves and their families, improving their lives and their communities.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

The post ZAMBIA: 4 new classrooms benefit students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Youth Projects’ Waves of Change program, located in Cape Town, South Africa, provides education to at least 200 youth each year. Sea fishing is a large industry in South Africa, especially along the Western Cape coastline. The Cape Town harbor is close by the Salesian Institute providing the opportunity to train youth interested in fishing along with a steady labor force for the industry.

Requiring minimal levels of education, jobs in the fishing industry can provide a significant income and a stable career path. The program is currently training young adults between the ages of 18 and 35.

All 200 participants complete a 10-day life skills program. They then go on to complete safety and familiarization courses, obtain their medical certificates, and meet other requirements to become seafarers. Once all training and document requirements have been completed, youth can be legally employed by a reputable fishing company.

Salesian missionaries who oversee the project have been able to establish partnerships with training providers such as STC Table Bay, the Academy of Maritime Medicine and Pulse College, all of which offer free training and assistance to Salesian students. In addition, missionaries have continued to nurture long-standing partnerships with Sea Harvest, Premier Fishing, the Oceana Group and others that hire graduates of the project.

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth. Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services in an effort to meet the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects provides five main programs that help youth in the region. Programs include an outreach program, a hostel for homeless youth, a learn-to-live education program and two workforce development programs. The programs are managed by a diverse group of individuals, and some live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.

“Salesian Institute Youth Projects offers poor and at-risk youth the opportunity to gain an education in fields they might not otherwise have access to,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The courses offer high-quality employees to industries that are hiring while providing students meaningful employment.”

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63 percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Youth Institute Waves of Change

Salesian Youth Institute Waves of Change

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Youth gain job skills for fishing industry first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing education and social development programs for poor youth and their families in Zimbabwe since 1995. Salesians started in the capital city of Harare and then began in 2001 in Hwange. Between the locations, there are two Salesian church parishes, a youth center, a secondary school and a technical school.

Salesian missionaries are working to grow their educational presence in the communities. During a recent trip to Hwange, Rector Major Ángel Fernández Artime blessed the foundation stone for a new Salesian Technical Secondary School. Students from the Don Bosco Secondary School attended the blessing and greeted the rector major with great joy.

The Don Bosco Secondary School opened in 2021 with 90 students for grade 8. Both boys and girls, mostly from poor mining families, are attending the school. The Don Bosco Technical School has a long history in the region and is growing with the help of 40 lay mission partners that assist with education, legal, financial, engineering and coordinating teams. In Harare, Salesians are also working to open a Salesian Youth Spirituality Animation Center within the complex of the main parish center.

“We congratulate Salesians in Zimbabwe for the addition of these schools,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always our primary focus, and we are happy to know that youth in these communities are going to have a chance to learn skills for future employment. This will enable youth to give back to their family and community.”

According to the United Nations, poverty has reached unprecedented levels with more than 70 percent of Zimbabwean children in rural areas living in poverty. A report, compiled by UNICEF and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, shows high levels of poverty in rural regions and more than half of children do not have enough to eat. Humanitarian organizations have warned that if nothing is done to address food security issues, child poverty will only grow.

The World Bank estimates that extreme poverty in Zimbabwe has risen from 29 percent in 2018 to 34 percent in 2019 and continued to rise into 2020 and 2021. The rise in poverty has been attributed to acute food shortages that are the result of the country’s current economic crisis and the effects of drought on agricultural productivity. Close to 5.5 million people in rural Zimbabwe face starvation.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zimbabwe – Blessing of the Foundation Stone for the School at Hwange by Fr. Angel

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Zimbabwe

The post ZIMBABWE: Educational opportunities expand first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run St. Mary’s Parish, located in the village of Nambe in Zambia, has a newly reconstructed chapel thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The old chapel structure was in a dilapidated state and was too small to accommodate all the people who wanted to attend services.

The new structure has two rooms and can hold 200 people. About 100 families gather on Sundays for prayers and celebration of Mass. Several neighborhood families also come together at least once per week for prayers, work and sharing. The church has several lay groups dedicated to specific saints who meet for devotions. There are also choirs for children, older youth and adults. During the week, there are meetings for women and youth in the chapel since no other structures in the area can accommodate them.

The majority of the people in Nambe are farmworkers with very low incomes. They live in structures which usually lack electricity or running water. A military camp in the area provides most of the leadership at the church and some income. The government has a primary school nearby. The Salesian Catholic community plans to start a kindergarten for children at the church since children under age 6 cannot enter primary school.

“The beautiful church, though not yet furnished with the benches, is now the envy of the village and has renewed the spirit of the Catholic community who feel the sense of pride now,” said Father Ignatius Musenge, parish priest. “To ensure maintenance, the community has a caretaker living in a small constructed house on the church grounds. Our village chapel has also become the source of clean drinking water for many families and thanks to the donation received, we can drill a borehole and put up a tank which is filled by a solar pump.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with upwards of 60 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises sharply according to the World Bank. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily, and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

World Bank – Zambia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Students at the Don Bosco Center and Don Bosco Primary School in Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new water tank and pump to supply fresh drinking water.

The water supply at the newly opened school has been limited due to water interruptions in the town of Rundu, which has created a challenging situation. The Don Bosco Center, which includes the primary school, administration, computer training center, chapel and other youth facilities, welcomes more than 600 people each day. The Don Bosco Primary School teaches children ages 2-10 who come from conditions of poverty in their home lives. The lack of water often cancelled classes and other programs at the Don Bosco Center.

To address this crisis, funding was provided for a 10,000-liter (2,641 gallon) water tank to avoid water interruptions that often last up to two weeks. The water tank, which has a lifespan of up to 15 years and can hold two weeks’ worth of water, was constructed at the center and connects to the school’s water supply line. A new water pump is helping the school to automatically pump water in the tank, improve water pressure, and save money, time, and energy.

“This new water tank and pump relieve the school management from the burden of going down to the river that is about 50 minutes away from the center to get water or suspend learning for such a lengthy period,” said Father Louis Malama, the Salesian parish priest who oversaw the project. “It saves the school time, money, and energy to ensure that a learning environment is maintained and is continuous for the children attending the school and others attending the center’s programs.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) People living in the Ngwa-ngwa village, close to Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borewell and water tank to supply fresh drinking water.

In Namibia, over one quarter of the population lacks access to clean water and more than half lack access to proper sanitation facilities. Inadequate water and sanitation are major causes of disease, and reduce a community’s ability to thrive.

Ngwa-ngwa is a small village of 250 people. Most of the people living there are poor and survive on small-scale farming and government grants. The village has erratic shortages of water. The only water source is a small river that runs during the rainy season and dries up in summer. During summer, people survive on water from unsafe holes and small wells, causing many to become sick. The COVID-19 pandemic has also created a demand for improved hygiene.

In order to address these water challenges, donor funding was used for a solar-powered borewell and a 10,000-liter tank (2,641 gallons). The tank was mounted three meters (3.2 yards) up from the ground to ensure stronger water pressure. Solar power was used as an alternative green energy. Two water taps have also been installed to allow people to collect water without difficulty.

“People in this village have struggled a lot and suffer so much due to lack of water,” said Father Louis Malama, the parish priest who oversaw the project. “Access to safe drinking water is vital for social well-being. The new water supply will alleviate unnecessary sicknesses and will help the start of a vegetable garden that will reduce poverty in the village.”

This new water source also provided clean water access at Don Bosco Youth Primary School in the village. Clean water will help prevent illness caused by waterborne disease and increase the number of children coming to school to learn.

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

The post NAMIBIA: Village receives vital access to clean water first appeared on MissionNewswire.

SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the Salesian Institute Youth Projects in Cape Town, South Africa, welcomed a visit by Lindiwe Zulu, minister of social development of South Africa. Zulu visited community organizations in Cape Town that provide education, vocational training and job placement for youth who are affected by the high levels of unemployment in the country.

While at the Salesian Institute Youth Projects, Zulu visited the Learn to Live Skill School, Porsche Mechatronics, Waves of Change Maritime Training, and Youth Work Preparation Program.

Zulu said she was struck by the enthusiasm of the Salesian alternatives offered to unemployed youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. She highlighted that her brothers attended Salesian schools in Eswatini (Swaziland) and noted that she also attended Catholic school.

Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth. Through various programs, Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services in an effort to meet the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects provides five main programs that help youth in the region. Programs are an outreach program, a hostel for homeless youth, a learn-to-live education program and two workforce development programs. The programs are managed by a diverse group of individuals, and some live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.

“Salesian Institute Youth Projects offers poor and at-risk youth the opportunity to gain an education in fields they might not otherwise have access to,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The courses offer high-quality employees to industries that are hiring while providing students meaningful employment.”

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63 percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – Minister of Social Development of South Africa visits “Salesian Institute Youth Projects”

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Minister of social development visits Salesian project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) St. James Parish in Chimese, a village in Zambia, has clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borehole, 22-foot-high tank stand, solar pump and water reticulation network within the parish premises.

Chimese is a large village of approximately 6,500 people. Most families own a shallow well that dries up each October to January. The new water project drilled a hole deep enough to provide water year-round.

St. James Parish is made up of people in Chimese and 15 other surrounding villages who will utilize water from the new water pump. More than 500 people come to the parish on Sundays and can use the water facilities. There are also more than 200 children who attend St. James Pre-School, most of whom are orphaned or children of single mothers.

In Chimese and the surrounding villages, women and children are responsible for fetching water for their families. Musonda Chishala is an orphaned child who had to walk almost half a mile daily to fetch water, causing him to miss time in school. Chishala now draws water from St. James Parish and is able to use the rest of his free time for studies and recreation. Along with Chishala, children at the pre-school can now use the toilets and drink water during the morning break rather than using pit latrines and drinking water from shallow wells and buckets. Hygiene has improved at the pre-school as a result.

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

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with upwards of 60 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises sharply according to the World Bank. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

World Bank – Zambia

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MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe, Malawi, has signed a one-year agreement with the Film Association of Malawi to train 2,000 people in different aspects of filmmaking, according to a news article in Malawi 24. Students will take courses in acting, camera operating, film editing, film producing and directing.

As stated in the Malawi 24 article, at the signing of the agreement, Gift Sukez Sukali, president of the Film Association of Malawi, said, “In Malawi we don’t have film schools, we don’t have places where people can learn this kind of technical skills, and we thought it is wise to partner with Don Bosco because it will be a great way of achieving job creation of skilled people in production and acting.”

Sukali added, “We have skilled people who can teach others the skills which they have learned over the years. So as an association what we are bringing to the table are the facilitators to facilitate these trainings. Don Bosco Institute is bringing in the venue as well as the equipment to be used, so it’s a partnership, which is bringing good things because as you are aware, we need a platform, we need computers, we need a lot of things and Don Bosco is coming in to help the association.”

As one way of promoting participation by young women to in this male-dominated industry, the Film Association and Don Bosco Institute have agreed to offer a 50 percent discount to all young women who wish to take part in this program.

According to the article, Precious Chilupsya, principal of Don Bosco Institute, explained that the initiative is not only important to the school but to the whole nation as it will help to create jobs for youth who have the talent and now the means to excel with this opportunity.

Chilupsya said, “This is a great initiative to our country, to many younger people who are left out perhaps of the traditional skills that we normally train here at Don Bosco because we didn’t concentrate much in this other area of art. I also appeal to female participants in this initiative, if we are to develop the young people in the country then a girl child has to be the first one in whatever we are involved in. So, we want more females to come and join these trainings so that they are empowered in this.”

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

Agriculture is a central part of Malawi’s economy, but land distribution is unequal and crops are highly vulnerable to the region’s frequent droughts. Few houses have piped water and less than one in 10 Malawians has access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams, and most people cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis.

According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, 45 percent of the country’s children under age 5 are stunted due to a lack of adequate nutrition. Many children also lack educational opportunities and have few options for improving their circumstances.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute

Malawi 24 – FAMA and Don Bosco to train youths in video and filmmaking

Salesian Missions – Malawi

USAID – Malawi

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries launched a new mission on the outskirts of Huambo, approximately 373 miles (600 km) from Angola’s capital city of Luanda. Invited by the local archbishop, three missionaries began their work in August 2021. Supported by seven volunteers, Salesians have started local pastoral care open to the more than 100,000 people who live in 15 villages within the parish.

The goal is to support local youth and women through education opportunities, particularly foundational learning and technical education in the agriculture and livestock sectors, which are main sources of business locally. Salesians also aim to open a primary school, literacy courses for about 2,000 women, and a network of oratories where more than 5,000 children from various villages can play and find a welcoming environment.

The small Salesian community, led by Father Santiago Christofersen and in close contact with the Superior of the Vice Province of Angola Father Martín Lasarte, has started manageable projects to help support the community. The first was the preparation of a small vegetable garden with an adjoining chicken farm.

Salesian missionaries began their work with street children in Angola during the 1990s when groups of children fleeing the war flowed into the capital. Today, long after the war has ended, children are still fleeing their homes for a variety of reasons. Many run away from home because of parent neglect, some as a result of abuse and others because they are thought to be sorcerers or witches who bring misfortune to their families.

In Luanda, there are eight Salesian programs including parishes, oratories and shelters. Not all the poor vulnerable youth flock to the city.  In Angola’s rural areas, many people live off subsistence farming, daily wage jobs, and small businesses, and they struggle to make even a meager wage.

“The educational opportunities provided by Salesian programs can be truly life-changing for children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through educational programs, both youth and adults have an opportunity to learn and develop the skills to become self-sufficient, supporting their families and communities.”

Salesian missionaries in Angola also continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Angola – A new Salesian mission is being born in Huambo

Mission Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

The post ANGOLA: Youth and women to gain education opportunities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Eswatini (Swaziland)

(MissionNewswire) Youth taking part in Manzini Youth Care programs, located in the city of Manzini in Eswatini (Swaziland), have better nutrition thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life-saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable. During 2020, the rice-meals were provided to a Salesian vocational training center, a primary school, two soup kitchens, two orphanages, and communities around Manzini.

The meals helped ensure all those taking part in Salesian programs had the proper nutrition to enable them to fully take part in the programs and improve their health. The Salesian organization distributed meals to 720 beneficiaries. Salesians had hoped to reach 800 beneficiaries but due to challenges such as school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, trouble with transportation bringing food into the villages, and youth who had relocated, they fell short of their goal.

Poverty in the area has impacted many families who depend on Rise Against Hunger meals for survival. The unemployment rate is high and has become worse during the pandemic. People have lost their jobs while food prices have increased drastically.

Recipients of the rice-meals had a significant impact on their health. Mzwandile Sihlongonyane, an 18-year-old young man from Ticancweni township on the outskirts of Manzini, is one of those who received the donation.

Sihlongonyane said, “My goal is to become a teacher one day so that I can work with young people and nurture them to become better people and also develop themselves. Before I received Rise Against Hunger meals, I used to eat pap (porridge), spinach and okra. We usually ate once or twice with my family. Since I began receiving the meals, I am feeling lively because I believe the nutrients from the meals are contributing to that. It is important for me to receive Rise Against Hunger meals because they are a balanced diet and sometimes the only meal I have in a day.”

Cyprian Shabangu, a social worker at Manzini Youth Care, provides holistic care and support to communities around Manzini. He said the distribution of Rise Against Hunger meals helps the organization because while distributing the meals, he is able to communicate directly with the different stakeholders and beneficiaries themselves.

Shabangu said, “Ever since Manzini Youth Care started distributing Rise Against Hunger meals, we haven’t heard of any hunger-related illnesses from children in this community.” He also noted that his favorite part of serving meals in this community is that when he delivers the food, he sees the lovely smiles of the beneficiaries and they show that they appreciate the support.

Manzini Youth Care was established in the 1970s and provides services to marginalized youth including free primary school for children who have dropped out of school due to poverty, two vocational training centers for older youth, residential care for former street children and a drop-in school for street children when they first come in off the streets. Manzini Youth Care also serves the communities surrounding Manzini to help residents improve their living standards, sanitation and food security.

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Sources:

Photos courtesy of Manzini Youth Care

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions – Swaziland

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Work has begun on a new chapel for St. Mary’s Parish, located in the village of Nambe in Kabwe, Zambia, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The previous chapel was in dire need of repair because of its thatched roof and rotting, hazardous asbestos tiles from the original construction. The older structure was also too small for the growing Catholic community.

St. Mary’s Parish has four village chapels where priests meet people on weekly basis for catechesis, prayers and sacraments. During the weekdays, the Salesian community utilizes these chapels for daily meetings and fellowship. Local women also use the chapels as meeting places and children’s pre-schools.

The villages lack basic services including water, proper sanitation and transportation. There is also a lack of education facilities for children, and people travel long distances to access a health center.

The copper mines that were once in the town of Kabwe have been shut down for more than two decades leaving many people unemployed. The current source of livelihood is subsistence farming, which does not pay much. Salesians are unable to address all of these social-economic challenges but do provide a source of support and assistance when possible.

Once the chapel is repaired and enlarged, more people will be able to attend services and meet as a community. Children will be able to use it as a community school, and older youth will be able to take classes in the space. The local community has sprung to action to help with the construction by digging the foundation, drawing water for construction and engaging in labor jobs.

“We appreciate our donors who have been able to help Salesians in Kabwe with this chapel project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “The chapels in these villages are a central part of these communities for people to learn, find spiritual guidance and support one another.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries working in the Makululu settlement in Kabwe, Zambia, were able to purchase land to develop a farm thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Salesians developed the farm near the Don Bosco Children Home so that the food grown is a source of nutrition for the children and the local community. The farm is also utilized as an agricultural training center. The Don Bosco Children Home transforms the lives of street children by providing shelter, education, and agricultural training to help break the cycle of poverty and provide opportunities for financial independence.

During the last rainy season, from November 2020 to April 2021, Salesians cultivated maize, beans, soya beans and sweet potatoes. The harvest was good and provided nutrition for the children at the center. During the upcoming rainy season, Salesians will increase the crop cultivation and are hoping to be able to start raising animals including poultry, goats, pigs and rabbits. Since the project launched in 2018, Salesian missionaries purchased the land, put up wire fencing around the farm and created an entry gate.

On the farm in Zambia, Salesians will increase crop cultivation and hope to start raising animals including poultry, goats, pigs and rabbits.

“The new farm is also a source of education for the young students,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “We appreciate our donors helping to support this initiative as it means a great deal to the community. The children are fed from this farm and are having a chance to learn skills they might not otherwise, which is helping them prepare for the future and an independent life.”

More than 40 percent of children between the ages of 7-14 do not attend school in Makululu. The area once had no formal education. Many of the local families rely on basic trades to earn a meager living and to feed their families. They set up stalls with vegetables, fish, fruit, stone slabs, furniture and products from China. There is great poverty in the community with many residents lacking electricity, enough food or enough money to buy needed clothing.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Sources:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Youth Center in Rundu, Namibia, has a renovated a children’s playground thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Prior to the renovations, the playground was in a dilapidated state and dangerous, leaving children without a place to play and connect with their peers.

With the donor funding, Salesians were able to buy renovation materials and paint. The children who attend the youth center come very poor families and some of them have been abandoned. Since the launch of the primary school, close to 120 children use the playground each morning before school. On the weekends, 180 youth attending programs at the youth center utilize the playground. To safeguard the playground, Salesians have asked the school to contribute a small amount of money toward the maintenance.

“Youth at the center would like to extend their thanks to donors who gave so generously to help renovate the playground,” said Martha Kalilomba, who attends activities at Don Bosco Youth Center. “The youth center has become more appealing since the renovation and we cannot express enough how much that means to us.”

Don Bosco Youth Center was opened in 2002, and provides shelter and services for homeless youth. The center offers computer classes for 65 students, pre-school for 70 children and school for 104 students who have dropped out of formal education. In addition, more than 80 youth attend the daily oratory activities including sports programming.

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty is 26.9 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Rundu, Namibia, were able to feed vulnerable children who are part of the Don Bosco pre-school and parents thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.  They also provided hand sanitizer for the prevention of COVID-19 and bought blankets. The project benefited 123 children ages 3-11 who are from poor families, orphans and from families headed by children.

“The funding provided from Salesian Missions enabled us to feed vulnerable children who are part of the Don Bosco Center’s pre-school. This is especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic when children are more at risk of malnutrition,” said Father Louis Malawa, project manager at the Don Bosco Center. “We supported some families that are struggling during this time, and the food and other supplies were greatly appreciated.”

Rundu is the second largest city in Namibia and is 435 miles away from the capital city of Windhoek. Rundu has two regions, Kavango West and Kavango East, and lies on the borders of Angola, Zambia and Botswana. It is a desert area and cultivation of food is very difficult, leaving the population of close to 110,000 people in abject poverty.

The Don Bosco Youth Center was opened in 2002, and provides shelter and services for homeless youth. The center offers computer classes for 65 students, pre-school for 70 children and school for 104 students who have dropped out of formal education. In addition, more than 80 youth attend the daily oratory activities including sports programming. The aim of the feeding project is to provide food for children who are now going through difficulties due to the hunger that has stricken the country.

Veronica, one of the recipients of the donation, said, “I am an orphan and have benefited so much from the help. Before the food that was provided, I was looking for food in bins and having to beg. Now I have food and clothes and feel very happy.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty is 26.9 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Namibia

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MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) At the end of July, teachers in Maputo, Mozambique, attended technical training as part of the “Technical Volunteering” project that is a collaborative effort between Salesians in Maputo and Pamplona, Spain. The training normally takes place every year in person, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it has been done remotely online for the last two summers.

At the end of 1992, Mozambique was ravaged by civil war. The peace agreements signed in Rome put an end to 17 years of clashes, but the population faced hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of people who had been displaced, some having left the country as refugees who would never return. Many children lost years of schooling in the process.

In 1994, two Salesians in Pamplona reached out to Salesians in Mozambique, as well as state and local authorities and international organizations, to start talks about launching vocational training to help educate, and in some instances, re-educate a whole generation of youth. Initially, 12 members of the Salesian community in Pamplona traveled to Maputo to provide teacher training and help set up technical training centers for youth.

Five technical and vocational training centers have since been developed. The Don Bosco Higher Institute in Maputo has also developed a university center dedicated to the preparation of technical and vocational teachers. The Don Bosco Higher Institute is the only professional teacher training program in the country and provides training to more than 600 students each year. Partially funded by the Spanish Cooperation, it is also the only teacher training center in Mozambique recognized by the Ministry of Education for the training of teachers of professional schools.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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

ANS – Mozambique – The question from the very start: “What can we do for these young people?”. A history of international technical volunteering

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

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NAMIBIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending the St. John Bosco Parish, which is part of the Don Bosco Youth Center in Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean, safe water through the installation of a new water tank thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” is impacting more than 7,300 people who are part of the church community.

In Namibia, more than one quarter of the population lacks access to clean water and more than half lacks access to proper sanitation facilities. Inadequate water and sanitation are major causes of disease, reducing a community’s ability to thrive. Prior to the new water tank, the church had no running water or proper sanitation. As a result, no one could use the church facilities and often programs at the youth center were cancelled.

Salesian missionaries now report that the water situation has improved, church services can start and they are compliant with COVID-19 requirements. Salesians are able to help prevent waterborne illness, and there are increased numbers of youth attending programs.

“The water project at St. John Bosco Parish was met with great success,” said Father Louis Malama, project manager at Don Bosco Youth Center. “The new water tank has improved and provided sufficient clean and safe water for youth who come for various programs and church services. We are thankful to our donors and to Salesian Missions.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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

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Salesian Missions

World Bank – Namibia

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing education and social development programs for poor youth and their families in Zimbabwe since 1995. Salesians, part of the ZMB Salesian Vice Province, started in the capital city of Harare and then in 2001 in Hwange. Between the locations there are two growing Salesian church parishes, a youth center, a secondary school and a technical school.

Recently, Don Bosco Hwange welcomed its first 90 students for grade 8 at the newly opened Don Bosco Secondary School. Both boys and girls, mostly from poor mining families, are attending the school.

The Don Bosco Hwange community is located within a large 28-hectare compound. On the compound is the fast-growing multicultural parish of St. Theresa in Empumalanga. The parish community has grown from four families when it started to 316 families in 2021. In Harare, Salesians are also working to open a Salesian Youth Spirituality Animation Center within the complex of the main parish center. The Don Bosco Technical School has a long history in the region and is growing with the help of 40 lay mission partners that assist with education, legal, financial, engineering and coordinating teams.

“We congratulate the ZMB Vice Province for their steadfast development and work for poor youth in this beautiful and also very challenged country where many young people are waiting to meet Don Bosco on their life and faith journey,” said Father Václav Klement, a Salesian missionary.

According to the United Nations, poverty has reached unprecedented levels with more than 70 percent of Zimbabwean children in rural areas living in poverty. A report, compiled by UNICEF and the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, shows high levels of poverty in rural regions and more than half of children do not have enough to eat. Humanitarian organizations have warned that if nothing is done to address food security issues, child poverty will only grow.

The World Bank estimates that extreme poverty in Zimbabwe has risen from 29 percent in 2018 to 34 percent in 2019 and continued to rise into 2020 and 2021. The rise in poverty has been attributed to acute food shortages that are the result of the country’s current economic crisis and the effects of drought on agricultural productivity. Close to 5.5 million people in rural Zimbabwe face starvation.

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

ANS – Zimbabwe – Don Bosco journey with Zimbabwe youth

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Zimbabwe

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MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) Students and staff at the Salesian College in Maputo, Mozambique, will have clean water access thanks to funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The project provided a new borewell and water tank with a distribution system on the Salesian grounds, which houses the college and a Salesian coordination house. More than 700 people were directly impacted by this project and another 200 families from the local community will also be able to access the new water source.

The Salesian College is a higher education institution dedicated to teacher training for professional, technical and vocational schools. The institution has close to 600 students attending and offers courses in hospitably and tourism, mechanics and electricity, information and communication technologies, and administration sciences. On the same grounds is the Salesian coordination house, which is the headquarters of the Salesians of Don Bosco for the entire country of Mozambique. The coordination team works and lives there.

The borewell and new water source were needed because of the high cost of water supplied by the national network FIPAG (Investment Fund and Heritage of Water Supply). FIPAG also faces water supply capacity problems and has not been able to meet the demand for water. There are several restrictions and breaks in the supply that sometimes last a week. This makes it extremely difficult to run an educational institution with many students.

The project will ensure that the Salesian community has access to the water supply it needs, keep costs low, and ensure the quality of water provided to Salesian staff and students. This project is the first phase. Additional funding is needed for an electrical pump and switchboard and other activities for clean water access.

“Salesian Missions has made clean water projects a priority for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Improving water access ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975, but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being their only education.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

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SOUTH AFRICA

(MissionNewswire) Since 1910, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects in Cape Town, the second most populous city and legislative capital of South Africa, has been helping homeless, unemployed and impoverished youth. Through the Institute’s Youth Projects program, Salesian missionaries provide shelter, education and workforce development services in an effort to meet the basic needs of the youth they serve while helping them break the cycle of poverty.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects’ Waves of Change has been assisting unemployed youth and young adults in finding work in the fishing industry. Requiring minimal levels of education, jobs in the fishing industry can provide a significant income, a stable career path and extensive travel opportunities. The project is currently training 200 at-risk youth and young adults between the ages of 18 and 35.

“The fishing industry offers poor and at-risk youth the opportunity to gain an education in a field they might not otherwise have access to,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The Waves of Change project is able to offer high-quality employees to the fishing industry while providing its students meaningful employment.”

The Waves of Change project also offers a compulsory five-day life skills course. Students who successfully complete the course are awarded financial assistance toward obtaining the required certification for work in the fishing industry through the South African Maritime Safety Authority.

Salesian missionaries who oversee the project have been able to establish partnerships with training providers such as STC Table Bay, the Academy of Maritime Medicine and Pulse College, all of which offer free training and assistance to Salesian students. In addition, missionaries have continued to nurture long-standing partnerships with Sea Harvest, Premier Fishing, the Oceana Group and others that hire graduates of the project.

The Salesian Institute Youth Projects provides five main projects that help youth in the region. There is an outreach program, a hostel for homeless youth, a learn-to-live education program and two workforce development programs. The projects are managed by a diverse group of individuals, some of whom live on the premises to support youth in the hostel and outreach programs.

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than half the population and more than 63 percent of children living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than $1 a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – South Africa – “Waves of Change”: Salesians for redemption of young people in difficult situations

Salesian Institute Youth Projects

Salesian Institute Youth Projects Facebook

Salesian Missions – South Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Jorge Fernandes, born in Portugal, is passionate about facing new challenges and adventures. He studied computer engineering and project management. After three years working in the Czech Republic as a software developer, he decided to go to Luanda, Angola, for one year as a Salesian missionary volunteer.

Being a Salesian missionary volunteer meant facing a lot of unknowns for Fernandes, but it was something that he enjoyed. He explained, “This experience allowed me to live a completely different sort of life. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was going to do. I wanted to understand better the purpose of my existence in this world. Before I went, I told myself that I would do ‘whatever it takes.’”

In Luanda, Salesian missionaries provide education, shelter for homeless children and at-risk girls, and support for youth through social development programs. Salesian missionaries began their work with street children in Angola during the 1990s when groups of children fleeing the war flowed into the capital. Today, long after the war has ended, children are still fleeing their homes for a variety of reasons. Many run away from home because of parent neglect, some as a result of abuse, and others because they are thought to be sorcerers or witches who bring misfortune to their families.

“I lived in one of the most dangerous slums in Angola,” explained Fernandes. “I tasted the difficulties, needs and joys of people. I went to a school to teach street children. This made me see life from a completely different perspective.”

Today, after his year with the Salesians, Fernandes is a teacher back in his hometown in Portugal. He credits his year in Angola in helping him to be a better teacher. Fernandes added, “I understand now that each of my students has a life story that deserves to have its space; that school is not just a place to learn things, but to learn to be. This new post-mission perspective makes me as open to those entrusted to me today in my work in Portugal as I had to be to those with whom I was in Angola as a missionary.”

Salesian missionaries in Angola have also been rebuilding infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

During the civil war, educational disparities were widespread but recent reforms have paved the way for more youth to have better access to education and social equality. According to UNICEF, more than 36 percent of the population lives in poverty. In addition, more than one in 10 children under the age of 14 has lost one or both parents and 43,000 are separated from their families. As a result, nearly a third of these children are working and child trafficking has become an emerging problem in the country.

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

ANS – Angola – Salesian missionary volunteering: discovering oneself in depth

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

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