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.

###

Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: 80 girls at Don Bosco High School have improved living conditions thanks to donors from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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.

###

Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Don Bosco Secondary School has new hall thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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.

###

Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute

Salesian Missions – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: St. Philip Rinaldi Community has clean water access thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions 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.

###

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.

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.

###

Sources:

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

The post MALAWI: Filmmaking program to train 2,000 people first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

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

Funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative” was utilized to dig a borehole, install a water pump and solar panels, and construct a water tank in Nkhotakota, Malawi.

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

Fr. Czerwinski added, “On behalf of the students from Don Bosco High School and the Salesian community, I would like to thank the donors who have contributed toward this project. Without their help we would not be able to drill the borehole. Now students and the community have a sufficient amount of water. This directly positively impacts their educational environment.”

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.2 billion people are living without access to safe water. One in four primary schools has no drinking water service, with students using unprotected water sources or going thirsty. In addition, UN-Water notes that more than 700 children under 5 years of age die every day from diarrheal disease linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.

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

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

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

###

Sources:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative

Salesian Missions – Malawi

UNICEF – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Hundreds of school children given much-needed access to safe water source first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MALAWI

(MissionNewswire) St. Don Bosco Parish in Lilongwe, Malawi, received funding from Salesian Missions donors to buy maize to help families in the out-stations of the parish. In total, 382 families received the maize. At the Don Bosco Church, 280 families from 28 small Christian communities benefited along with families connected to Salesian centers in Mbunu, Kundi, Kangonoma, Chipeni and more.

“We appreciate the support of our donors who were able to provide the funding to help poor families in Malawi,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Providing maize helps families have the nutritional support they need, especially during a time of great difficulty during the pandemic. Many families have seen a loss of income and have been pushed further into poverty.”

Father Mulenga Oswald, St. Don Bosco Parish priest, said, “We sincerely thank Salesian Missions donors for their support, which enabled us to reach out to needy families of our parish. Salesian Missions prompt response helped us to mobilize and assist the people that needed help most.”

In Lilongwe, Salesian missionaries provide many programs to help support poor youth and their families. The Don Bosco Youth Center offers counseling workshops, seminars and educational literature that addresses the multitude of challenges faced by youth in the region. The program focuses on life skills training and the avoidance of high-risk behavior such as substance abuse and gang participation.

During normal operations, The Don Bosco Youth Center hosts more than 600 youth each day from the surrounding townships of Areas 23, 24, 44, Kawale and Chilinde, among others. It has become a symbol of youth empowerment through sporting activities as well as vocational and technical education. The center conducts motivational evening talks for spiritual and moral growth and also provides leadership training for youth with the aim of equipping them with skills in leading other youth toward positive behavior and social change in their respective communities.

The Don Bosco Youth Center campus includes facilities for youth development in sporting disciplines and features a soccer pitch and courts for basketball, netball and volleyball. The campus includes the Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute which offers commercial and technical courses in fashion arts and beauty, accounting, bricklaying, motor vehicle mechanics, hospitality, and information and communications technology.

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.

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.

###

Sources:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Malawi

USAID – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Salesian Missions donors provide funding for maize for 382 families through St. Don Bosco Parish in Lilongwe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MALAWI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

###

Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative

Salesian Missions – Malawi

UNICEF – Malawi

World Water Day 2019

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

According to the article, the Mwanawamzako award is a project started by Father Hermes Paononga who in 2003 grew concerned with the number of local orphans that were not able to access secondary schools due to their lack of money to cover school fees. The awards were started as way to help promising students continue on with their education and technical training.

This year, there were three categories of Mwanawamzako awards including the sponsors award, the secondary school program award and the board of directors award.

Martha Majamanda and Auswald Lingson, who both attend the Don Bosco Technical College, were recognized in the sponsors award category. Majamanda received a new Singer sewing machine to enable her to start her own design and tailoring business. Lingson received a complete builder’s tool kit. Other students from Don Bosco were also rewarded for their success and given a blanket. They included Sara Kachimera, Victoria Nthara, Frank Mkwezalamba and Ethel Willy.

The secondary school program awards were given to Ulemu Mkaka, John Stefano, Neria Banda and Grace Mayenje, who each received a matching tie and shirt for passing their MSCE tests. The board of directors award went to Ulemu Mkaka who was given MK10,000 for passing the MSCE test with 14 points. He said, “This will motivate me to work hard so that I realize my dreams. I’m indebted to the MwanawaMzakoawarde program because my life will never be the same.”

Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Agnes Chimbiri, assistant resident representative at UNDP and guest of honor at the event, announced that a new sponsor has been found to provide funding for five students’ schooling, bringing the total number of students being helped by the program to 55.

Dr. Chimbiri said the impact the program is having in the life of students is immense. In the article she is quoted as saying, “This program is a game changer, and we are very proud to see the students we are sponsoring getting good grades as is the case with Ulemu Mkaka. Another interesting factor is that more students are now able to get skills training, and this means that their future is clear and bright.”

Felicity Malewezi, wife of the former vice president of the multi-party and one of the directors at the Mwana Wa Mzako school, noted in the release, “What has made this year’s awards unique is that they are in three categories. We are very happy to change the lives of boys of girls who without this support could not finish their education. Instead of getting married at the age of 14 or 15, the program has delayed the age of when girls marry by four or more years.”

Starting in 2019, the program will also be giving a special prize to any student at the Don Bosco Technical College who completes a full course in a skills training program.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most 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.

###

Sources:

Maravi Post – Lilongwe’s Don Bosco college students rewarded in MwanawaMzakoprogramme

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Students at Don Bosco Technical College receive awards for their school success first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Don Bosco Youth Center hosts more than 600 youth each day from the surrounding townships of Areas 23, 24, 44, Kawale and Chilinde, among others, and has become a symbol of youth empowerment through sporting activities as well as vocational and technical education. The center conducts motivational evening talks for spiritual and moral growth and also provides leadership training for youth with the aim of equipping them with skills in leading and motivating other youth toward positive behavior and social change in their respective communities.

The Don Bosco Youth Center campus includes facilities for youth development in sporting disciplines and features a soccer pitch and courts for basketball, netball and volleyball. Also on the campus is the Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute which offers commercial and technical courses in fashion arts and beauty, accounting, bricklaying, motor vehicle mechanics, hospitality and information and communications technology.

“Educating poor youth in Malawi has been an important goal for Salesian missionaries in the country,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through education, poor youth are able to break the cycle of poverty and gain hope for a brighter future.”

Being able to attend school in a safe and comfortable environment is the first step to ensuring youth are able to make the most of their education. Students who complete their elementary and secondary school education are able to advance to technical skills training opportunities at Salesian centers like the Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe. The new life skills training program ensures that youth are emotionally prepared for the challenges of life while helping them to make good decisions now and in the future.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most 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.

###

Sources:

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute, Lilongwe AND Salesian Province of ZMB, Malawi

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Salesian Missions donors provide funding for new life skills training program targeting 2,500 at-risk youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Brigitte Felfernig from Austria is one of the volunteers working at the center. She says youth in Malawi have the potential to achieve great things in their lives through youth centers like Don Bosco.

“We have youth and kids of different age brackets starting from five years old taking part in various sporting activities,” says Felfernig in the Nyasa Times article. “Most of them are passionate with what they do and are open minded on what they want to achieve. They need support and encouragement, especially from their parents, for them to achieve their goals.”

Don Bosco Youth Center hosts more than 600 youth each day from the surrounding townships of Areas 23, 24, 44, Kawale and Chilinde among others, according to the article. The center offers facilities for youth development in sporting disciplines including a football pitch and courts for basketball, netball and volleyball games. The campus also hosts Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute, which offers commercial and technical courses such as fashion arts and beauty, accounting, bricklaying, motor vehicle mechanics, hospitality and information and communications technology.

Praise Mwandira started coming to the Don Bosco Youth Center when she was 10 and is still regularly attending at 23 years old. She says in the article that in addition to having fun, the center has helped her in so many ways including developing skills in networking, self-discipline and team work.

“Every day in the afternoon after school, I come here with fellow members of a volleyball club. We learn new skills in the sport and life skills important for youth,” says Mwandira in the article. “I believe these attributes are fundamental for youth to achieve their desired goals in life.”

Some youth believe that the center has helped them to keep away from alcohol and drug abuse. According to the article, Yamikani Kasapha, 22, is a member of a dancing club and says his life has transformed for the better since he joined Don Bosco Youth Centre six years ago.

He adds that the dancing skills acquired at the center are elevating the status of most club members with some of them acquiring job opportunities as dancing instructors in different institutions. The dancing club, which has 30 members, also takes part in competitions and is hired to perform at various community events.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most 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.

###

Sources:

Nyasa Times – Don Bosco Youth Center Lilongwe is Home for Nurturing Future Talent

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute, Lilongwe AND Salesian Province of ZMB, Malawi

(Photos courtesy of DBC Malawi website.)

The post MALAWI: Don Bosco Youth Center provides youth a safe space for sports and technical education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Nabor was often drawn to the children who wandered in the main streets of town. They were not in school and had no place to go each day until the activities of the Salesian youth center started in the afternoon. One morning, Nabor met with the youth and asked if they wanted to go for a walk to a nearby village. Hesitant at first, the youth eventually agreed. During the walk, she was able to speak with them and learn more about them and their families. When they reached their destination, they were greeted by all the local people in the village.

“It is unbelievable what a simple walk can accomplish. It opened the hearts of the youngsters and encouraged them to speak of their life, of their plans for the future, and of their dreams,” says Nabor. “Reaching out to the young and staying with them has been an important moment that marked their heart, and certainly mine too. It is worthwhile reaching out to somebody else. You find happiness. You find love and goodness.”

Educating poor youth in Malawi has been an important goal for Salesian missionaries in the country. It is the primary way poor youth are able to break the cycle of poverty and have hope for a brighter future. Being able to attend school in a safe and comfortable environment is one step in ensuring youth are able to make the most of their lessons. Students who finish elementary and secondary school levels are then able to advance on to technical skills training at Salesian educational centers like Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe.

The Don Bosco Institute is one of the largest private colleges in Malawi and home to more than 600 students and 30 staff. Courses are offered in a wide variety of subjects including accounting, automobile mechanics, construction, electrical engineering, hospitality management, information and communication technology, and fashion, art and beauty.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most 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.

###

Sources:

ANS – Malawi – “Reaching out to the young and staying with them”

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Salesian Volunteer Reaches Out to Local Youth While Spending Time at Salesian Program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“We made use of the space between two buildings to put on a roof and concrete floor, so we gained a new room. Now the rooms have been refurbished and the students have returned to indoor classes which is great to see,” says Father Joseph Czerwiński, rector of the Salesian community in Nkhotakota. “I thank all who helped to restore the damaged buildings. I thank the benefactors of Poland who have made it possible for these young people to have classes in proper conditions.”

Educating poor youth in Malawi has been an important goal for Salesian missionaries in the country. It is the primary way poor youth are able to break the cycle of poverty and have hope for a brighter future. And being able to attend school in a safe and comfortable environment is one step in ensuring youth are able to make the most of their lessons. Students who finish elementary and secondary school levels are able to advance on to technical skills training at Salesian educational centers like Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe.

The Don Bosco Institute is one of the largest private colleges in Malawi and home to more than 600 students and 30 staff. Courses are offered in a wide variety of subjects including accounting, automobile mechanics, construction, electrical engineering, hospitality management, information and communication technology, and fashion, art and beauty. Edna Chimpeni, one recent graduate, credits the education he received at the school for his success.

“In everything I do, whatever award I get, it is not just me, but it also goes to Don Bosco,” says Chimpeni who is currently an IT specialist at the World Bank in Malawi. “Wherever I go, and whatever I achieve, all these happened only because of this institution.”

Chimpeni further indicated that he achieved a lot in Don Bosco Institute not only academically, but also spiritually, physically and mentally. “Don Bosco not only teaches academics, but concentrates on physical and spiritual well-being.”  He said that hard work, vision, honesty and duty are the guiding stones in his life.

The Don Bosco Institute recently garnered some praise for its excellence in education and was awarded the Century International Quality Era Award in the gold category for quality education, management, commitment to principles and quality of programs.

“We congratulate Father Michael Mbandama, the principal of the institution, as well as the entire Salesian community including staff and students for this remarkable achievement. No wonder youth like Edna Chimpeni perform well in their field of work. It is all because of the qualitative presence of Don Bosco in Malawi,” says a Salesian representative from the Zambia-Zimbabwe-Namibia-Malawi Vice-Province.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis. According to USAID, 45 percent of the country’s children under age five are stunted due to a lack of adequate nutrition. Many children also lack educational opportunities and have few options for improving their circumstances.

###

Sources:

ANS – Malawi – “My achievement is not merely mine”. The story of Edna

ANS – Malawi – Opening of the new school year

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Salesian Missionaries Focus on Education and Technical Skills Training to Provide Poor Youth Hope for a Brighter Future first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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 have access to electricity. Water is collected from wells or streams and most cook over an open fire. Malawians deal with hunger and malnutrition on a daily basis. According to USAID, 45 percent of the country’s children under age five are stunted due to a lack of adequate nutrition. Many children also lack educational opportunities and have few options for improving their circumstances.

Adding to an already difficult situation, most people in the country live far from health care services and lack the transportation and money to access adequate care. According to the World Bank, the average life expectancy in Malawi is 55 years old. The country also suffers from an HIV/AIDS epidemic with more than one in 10 adults infected and more than 90,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. Many children have been orphaned as a result and are living on their own or with relatives other than their parents.

Salesian missionaries in Milawi have been providing primary and secondary educational and technical skills training for poor youth for many years.

“Youth in Malawi have very few opportunities for education and for creating a better life for themselves and their families,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian elementary and secondary education lays the foundation for early learning while vocational and technical schools teach practical skills so youth can become productive and contributing adults in their communities. Education has proven to be an effective means to break the cycle of poverty while giving the most vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth.”

Recently, Salesian Missions coordinated and shipped a container of donated school desks, chairs, shelves, books, computers, trade tools and other school and household supplies to a Salesian school in Lilongwe, the largest and capital city of Malawi, located in the central region of the country. The donation was prompted by Brother Robert Malusa, a Salesian missionary living and working in Malawi, who wished to start a library for students at the Salesian school.

The donations came from Salesian parishes and programs in the United States. Brother Malusa’s former parish in Long Island, New York organized a book drive and many of his friends purchased additional books on his wish list to include in the shipment. Mary Help of Christians Academy in New Jersey donated school desks and chairs and computers and additional books were donated by Saints John and Paul Parish in Larchmont, New York.

The donation of desks and chairs was shared with Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Lilongwe, one of the largest private colleges in Malawi and home to more than 600 students and 30 staff. Courses are offered in a wide variety of subjects including accounting, automobile mechanics, construction, electrical engineering, hospitality management, information and communication technology, and fashion, art and beauty. Prior to the donation, students had to use pre-school desks from the primary school next to the Institute.

“Adequate school supplies, including books and computers, offer students and teachers better educational resources,” says Fr. Hyde. “The addition of proper desks and chairs provides a more structured learning environment in which students can feel more comfortable and ready to learn.”

###

Sources

USAID – Malawi

World Bank – Malawi

The post MALAWI: Donated Supplies for New Library Reach Salesian School first appeared on MissionNewswire.