(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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Sources:

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) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, provided funding for food relief to Salesian missionaries, with the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Johannesburg, South Africa. Salesian missionaries were able to provide food support to Salesian sites in Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho and South Africa as part of COVID-19 relief efforts in these countries.

In order to reach people who most desperately needed help, Salesian missionaries worked with Don Bosco Educational Projects in Johannesburg, Salesian Institute of Youth Projects and Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Cape Town, Manzini Youth Center in Eswatini, and St Luke’s Oratory in Lesotho. These local Salesian organizations identified the most vulnerable in their communities and distributed the food aid to them.

In total,1,030 households, impacting 6,592 people, received the aid over three months. Each household received one food package per month to assist in sustaining the family. The contents of food packages varied with each Salesian location and were determined by community needs.

In Cape Town, Linda has two adults and five children in her household. Prior to the national lockdown her husband worked part-time as a gardener. Even at that time, food was scarce. Linda often found herself going from soup kitchen to soup kitchen gathering enough food to feed her family. More often than she wishes to remember, her family survived on dry bread and black tea.

When she received the food aid, Linda said, “The food parcel made a big impact in our daily lives. I could offer my family a cooked meal and save my few cents to buy bread for them. Thank you for your kindness and remembering us, the poor.”

In Eswatini, Tengetile lives in a rural community and is currently in her 11th year in high school. She lives with her grandparents because her father passed away and her mother left to get married and start a new family. Her grandparents are unable to work and survive on a token government pension. Their main food for all meals is pap (a semolina-type porridge made from refined corn) and sometimes they’re able to find edible green leaves in the fields.

Tengetile said, “The food package is a great gift from God and it reminds me of God’s love and care. I am thankful for the food as it relieves stress from my grandparents and will also help me to improve in my studies at school.”

This food aid was not initially intended an ongoing project, but due to lockdown measures, Salesian missionaries were able to secure funding to continue the aid until early 2021, when it is hoped that there will be less severe disruptions in the job market and people might be back to work.

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:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – South Africa

Salesians of Southern Africa

UNICEF – South Africa

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The child is the second born in a family of three siblings. Her older sister, who is 13, attends school. Her mother is a domestic worker in one of the houses near St. Luke’s Parish and has been working to support her family since her first year of marriage. Her husband has never supported efforts to raise the children. He works in South Africa but does not send money home.

The family is not able to afford their own housing so instead they live where the mother works. The young girl used to wave to the children passing by her on their way to and from school and the Salesian Sisters who operate the school took notice. The mother indicated that her small salary only allows her to send her oldest child to school. Now with funding provided from the Salesian Missions donor, the young girl is able to go to school with her peers. She is very happy at the school and is able to learn, play and access three meals a day.

“We are grateful to our donor whose contribution allows a child to attend school and gain an education,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is a path out of poverty and primary education lays the foundation for later learning. Salesian schools ensure that children are learning the skills needed to become responsible adults and find and retain employment.”

Salesian missionaries in Maputsoe have been working in the region since 1980. Saint Luke’s Parish is one of the largest missions in the Diocese of Leribe. There are preschools, primary schools and high schools which are operated in partnership with Salesian Sisters from Mary Help of Christians as well as a large oratory run by the Salesian community.

The Salesian Sisters also run the Mazzarello Craft Center where young women learn sewing and tailoring skills and have access to business studies, health, economy and leadership training. In addition, the Salesian Sisters operate the Ferrando Resource Center for children with disabilities.

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 Programme. According to the World Bank, more than 75 percent of the population of Lesotho lives in rural areas. More than half (57.1 percent) of the country’s 1.9 million people live below the national poverty line and close to 30 percent are living in extreme poverty.

Hunger has always been an issue in the country but particularly poor performance in agriculture over the past few years has contributed to the ongoing problem. In 2016, it was estimated that one in three would be in dire need of food aid in order to survive, and this has led to conflict in communities.

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Sources:

Salesians Mission Lesotho

World Bank – Lesotho

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