LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries support inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison for Juveniles in Liberia. Their newest initiative is the construction of a multifunctional sports arena on the prison grounds. The construction project, which is supported by Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany, will be dedicated to Pope Francis.

“This project is a very significant step forward in our educational-pastoral work with prisoners, especially with young offenders,” said Father Augustine Okeke, rector of the Salesian community in Monrovia-Matadi.

Salesians have been giving support in the prison since they arrived in the country in 1979. Today, they provide food for those who are malnourished, medical assistance and psycho-social care in a specially built living area of the prison. For those who are wrongly held, Salesians help connect young inmates with lawyers who offer free legal assistance. Salesians also offer pastoral care including prayer, individual and group discussions, Bible lessons, the Sacraments of the Eucharist, and confession.

The prison is overcrowded due to the slow work of the judiciary system in the country. It was initially built for 325 inmates, but today, there are over 1,500 prisoners in the narrow cells. Overcrowding has led to a lack of food and water, poor hygienic standards, and a lack of psycho-social support. These in turn have led to increased aggression and frustration among prisoners, resulting in physical and mental illnesses and injuries.

Salesians hope that the addition of an area where prisoners can exercise and form sports teams will encourage working together and moments of peer-to-peer support. Prison officials are rallying behind the project.

Varney Lake, superintendent and head of the Central Prison, said, “It is only through this initiative that sport activities will soon return after so many years. That’s what I call a real Don Bosco celebration.” He emphasized the importance of sports as a therapeutic measure in the prison system.

Salesians noted that the donor was involved from the very first moment of planning. Fr. Okeke explained, “It is important to us that the donor is also involved during and after the project implementation. Even though he lives far away, he should know that he can make a difference with his own resources.”

The donor, 85-year-old Peter Friemel from Germany, has been collecting money from sponsors for his bicycle tours for many years. After some time, the project was granted permission to go ahead.

An estimated 64% of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41% of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – Salesians build “Pope Francis Arena” in Liberia State Prison

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

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LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Brother Lothar Wagner, a Salesian missionary who has worked as a chaplain at Monrovia Central Prison in Liberia since 2016, is demanding the immediate release of 63 young men who have been locked up without ever being served with an indictment. This deprives them of the right to defend themselves in court. The situation is occurring at what is known as Criminal Court D (1st Judicial Circuit Court of Montserrado County), which has jurisdiction over armed robbery crimes.

A press release in Front Page Africa Online noted that there are 282 inmates in Monrovia Central Prison whose cases are handled by Court D. Only three of the 282 inmates have received an indictment from the public prosecutor’s office. Of the 279 without a charge, 63 have been in prison for more than two years. Eight of these inmates are serving five or more years in prison.

Without an indictment, these inmates are unable to defend themselves because they don’t know what they are being accused of doing. None of these inmates have legal assistance. They are either not financially able to provide for it or they do not have access to a mandatory public defender.

Bro. Wagner explained, “It is difficult to see these young men being robbed of their future. They are disillusioned, depressed and simply dejected. The families of the prisoners are also at the end. They have lost trust in the rule of law. The vast majority of the inmates in prison are deprived of the right of legal defense.”

Bro. Wagner, his collaborators and a public defender have been working on this issue for months. He explained, “On Jan. 6, 2023, two of my colleagues and I handed over a list of names to the judge of Court D. In May 2023, a lawyer filed a motion for dismissal for 63 inmates who had not been given an opportunity to defend themselves and had already served at least two years in prison.”

The lawyer referred to Section 18.1 of the criminal procedure law entitled “Dismissal for failure to proceed with prosecution.” To date, no hearing has been scheduled by Court D. Bro. Wagner added, “This is more than very frustrating.”

Salesian missionaries have been working to support inmates at Monrovia Central Prison. The prison fellowship program takes place two mornings a week and includes group counseling and psychosocial support. Salesians also provide clothing, washing materials, medical help, spiritual support and legal assistance. Every day, Salesians bring the juvenile and sick inmates a warm meal and a drink.

From the very first contact with an inmate during their admission to the prison, Salesians work to reduce fear and build trust. The focus is on the youth’s situation and future planning. If trust is established early, youth are more likely to positively engage in the activities that help with rehabilitation and long-term planning for the future.

Salesians also provide education. School lessons takes place Monday to Friday between 12-2 p.m. In addition to English and mathematics, life-relevant topics are addressed with a focus on anti-aggression training. Once youth are released, Salesians facilitate access to continued education and vocational training to help with reintegration back into the community.

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Sources:

Front Page Africa Online – Liberia: Don Bosco Demands Release Of 63 Prisoners

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

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LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the St. Joseph Community in Monrovia, Liberia, have a new Toyota pick-up truck to help with growing transportation needs thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The vehicle will help Salesians in the process of developing 20 acres of land for a new Salesian center, which will include a residence, rehabilitation center for at-risk youth and youth in conflict with the law, and a technical training center.

Reliable transportation is needed for Salesians to travel between the center in Monrovia and the western suburb of Virginia, where the land is located, to oversee land development and construction of the new center. Transportation is also needed to carry out other educational and social development programs for youth in the area.

One Salesian noted, “We appreciate the funding for this new vehicle. This will now empower us logistically to visit the villages to help poor youth and their families while also aiding us in our work of the development of this new center.”

Salesians in Monrovia provide a range of education and social services to help poor and at-risk youth have a chance at a better life. This includes work they are doing to support inmates at Monrovia Central Prison for Juveniles. The prison fellowship program takes place two mornings a week and includes group counseling and psychosocial support. Salesians also provide clothing, washing materials, medical help, spiritual support and legal assistance. Every day, Salesians bring the juvenile and sick inmates a warm meal and a drink.

An estimated 64% of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41% of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: New vehicle helps develop center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been working to support inmates at Monrovia Central Prison for Juveniles in Liberia. The prison fellowship program takes place two mornings a week and includes group counseling and psychosocial support. Salesians also provide clothing, washing materials, medical help, spiritual support and legal assistance. Every day, Salesians bring the juvenile and sick inmates a warm meal and a drink.

From the very first contact with an inmate during their admission to the prison, Salesians work to reduce fear and build trust. The focus is on the youth’s situation and future planning. If trust is established early, youth are more likely to positively engage in the activities that help with rehabilitation and long-term planning for the future.

Salesians also provide education. School lessons takes place Monday to Friday between 12-2 p.m. In addition to English and mathematics, life-relevant topics are addressed with a focus on anti-aggression training. After the last session, games are organized for the youth.

The prison has a small house where sick inmates are taken to receive medical care. Medical staff provides exams and can administer medication. This is done in consultation with the prison administration so that the medication is not resold. Those who are seriously ill are transported to the Catholic Hospital in Monrovia.

Salesians also support youth after they are released. Salesians facilitate access to continued education and vocational training to help with reintegration back into the community. From October to December 2022, support was provided to 11 school students and three vocational trainees.

During this same time period, Salesians also renovated the kitchen at Don Bosco Matadi to increase the food supply for the inmates. In order to keep the costs for feeding the young and sick inmates as low as possible, the food was prepared by employees from Don Bosco Matadi. This also made it possible to offer the food to as many inmates as possible.

“Providing services like this for young people in prisons gives them a fighting chance at a better life once they are released,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth need access to counseling to process why they are there and then activities like skills training so that when they are released, they can find legitimate work. The goal is to make sure they are contributing members of their communities and do not return to prison.”

An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects

Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter Oct.-Dec. 2022

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries support youth in prison first appeared on MissionNewswire.

LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Three Don Bosco Training Centers in Liberia have installed solar energy systems to address the country’s expensive and often unreliable electricity supply. The project was made possible thanks to the support of the Don Bosco Jugendhilfe Weltweit, in collaboration with various Swiss foundations and the EKI Fundación in Spain, which provided technical and logistical support.

The new solar energy systems have been installed at the Don Bosco Technical School in Monrovia, the Salesian school and youth center in New Matadi, and the Don Bosco Center in Tappita. Electrical course trainees at the Don Bosco Technical High School in Monrovia were able to gain first-hand practical experience by assisting in the installation work at all three sites.

Salesian missionaries developed an occupational standard for electricians in Liberia, developed modular curriculum, produced a pedagogical and material organization guide, set up the workshops, created a two-pathway training for students and workers in the informal sector, and determined an evaluation standard and a certification.

The electrotechnician training initiative aims to respond to the needs of the labor market while ensuring youth have access to vocational and technical training that aids them in finding long-term stable work. The electrotechnician course is opened each year to 90 high school students and 30 uncertified electricians. Recently, the school also started a training course for photovoltaic systems and their maintenance.

“Salesian missionaries in Liberia have had to overcome many challenges including high rates of poverty that continue to leave many children and families in need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always the primary focus of Salesian programs. Since Salesian missionaries live and work in the communities they serve, they are able to recognize local needs and customize programs and services to meet those specific needs, greatly impacting local youth. This new training program is meeting a need in Liberia’s current workforce while helping youth tap into an industry sector in need of skilled, certified workers.”

Liberia is still recovering from civil war and the deadly Ebola epidemic that affected 10,678 people with 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization. An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – Three Salesian Centers powered by solar energy

Don Bosco Technical School in Monrovia

Don Bosco Technical School Facebook

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: 3 Don Bosco Training Centers in Liberia install solar energy systems first appeared on MissionNewswire.

LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been responding to needs from those impacted by the coronavirus in Tappita, located in the Liberian forest. The first case of COVID-19 infection in Liberia was announced on March 16 in the capital city of Monrovia. To date, the official count shows 383 cases and 31 deaths, but it’s feared the numbers are much higher.

One of the challenges is that people are not convinced that there is a virus in Liberia. Father Riccardo Castellino, a Salesian missionary in Tappita, said, “While there have been great gestures of solidarity one of the biggest challenges is a group who has been freeing people from isolation and quarantine because they don’t believe the virus is real. They believe is the virus is a government ploy to take money and that those who have died were victims of the evil eye. Right now, illiteracy and superstition are much worse than the virus.”

Salesian missionaries have been responding with prevention. Missionaries have engaged youth to help with awareness-raising campaigns and educational activities about the virus and how to prevent it. The Salesian school has been closed since mid-March, and the medical dispensary continued its service, but at a slower pace. Many people have returned to the villages to work on their land to survive.

Various parish groups have put together as much relief support as they can to assist the neediest people like the elderly, sick, disabled and widows. A committee distributed food and sanitary items including rice, oil, hand-washing buckets and disinfectants. The past pupils of the St. Francis School in the area have done the same.

Recently, the mission received a subsidy through the province to help with the second distribution of food and health products. The school also met all staff, teachers and other employees who were forced to stay at home and were not collecting a salary. They, too, were provided with food support.

Construction has not been stopped in Liberia during the pandemic. While it’s continued at a slower pace, workers have finished the renovation of the small Salesian community house. Progress on construction of the church has continued, and the kindergarten has reached completion of the first phase with the foundation finished and windowing framing finished.

Fr. Castellino said, “We look forward with trust and hope. Behind the clouds, the sun continues to shine!”

Liberia is still recovering from civil war and the deadly Ebola epidemic that affected 10,678 people with 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization. An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – Tappita Salesian mission vs Covid-19

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

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The Salesian Province was also widely affected by the catastrophic Ebola epidemic that the World Health Organization (WHO) reports killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa between 2013 and 2016. Ebola greatly impacted Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Salesian programs in those countries were on the front lines of prevention, providing educational materials, soap and hand washing stations, as well as bleach and other cleaning products. Salesian centers also immediately began working with orphans whose parents, and sometimes entire families, died from the disease.

“Salesian missionaries in the West African Province have had many challenges to overcome including the Ebola epidemic and high rates of poverty in those countries, leaving many children and families in need,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education is always the primary focus, because Salesian missionaries are living and working in the communities in which they serve, they know the local need first-hand. Because of this and their past experience, Salesian centers are able to effectively launch wide-reaching prevention programs in time of crisis.”

Even before there were many COVID-19 cases in the countries, Don Bosco Network secured its centers across Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and put into effect physical distancing, sanitizing and ensuring staff and youth were safe. Salesians also started making homemade sanitizer and teaching local populations how to make it. The centers also began distributing soap and other sanitizers.

Developing and launching an awareness campaign was also critical. Through Don Bosco Radio in Ghana and Nigeria, information on preventive measures, symptoms, testing and avoiding the spread of the virus were given through online radio stations. Salesians also shared information on their social media channels. Within their communities, Salesians shared banners and flyers to highlight prevention information.

Training has also been key. In Lagos, Nigeria, Salesian staff were taken through training on COVID-19 to be equipped and ensure safety. In Ashaiman, Ghana, training for 15 people were trained on how to make their own masks using tissue paper and rubber bands.

In some of communities, frantic efforts to create food banks are being made. These are in preparation and anticipation of a worse case scenarios that could include lockdowns. Food banks will enable Salesians to support the vulnerable with critical nutrition support, which is needed even in the best of times. With people out of work, many lack the ability to purchase food as needed. Measures are also being taken to assist rural farmers with agro-input to support their farming.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

The post WEST AFRICA: Salesians launch awareness campaigns, training and nutritional support in response to COVID-19 first appeared on MissionNewswire.

LIBERIA

(MissionNewswire) On Jan. 21, students in their last year at Mary Help of Christians School, located in Monrovia, Liberia’s capital city, met with the school’s dean, Father Solomon Gbaki, before their final exams. Operated by Salesian sisters, Mary Help of Christians School provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. The school also has a feeding program, which serves more than 100 students each day.

This is one of many schools that Salesian missionaries operate in Liberia. Salesians have been present in Monrovia since 1979 and manage parishes, youth centers, schools and oratories.

In 2019, Don Bosco Technical High School, also in Monrovia, launched a vocational training course for electro-technicians. An afternoon class is available to high school students, which complements their current educational path. There is also a morning class for young workers to help them obtain certification to improve their options in the workforce.

The launch of the electro-technician training was part of an initiative that included the renovation of existing space at Don Bosco Technical High School to transform it into a workshop. The initiative aimed to respond to the needs of the labor market while ensuring youth have access to vocational and technical training that assists them in finding long-term stable work. The electro-technician course is available each year to 90 high school students and 30 uncertified electricians.

“Salesian missionaries in Liberia have had to overcome many challenges including high rates of poverty that continue to leave many children and families in need,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always the primary focus of Salesian programs. Since Salesian missionaries live and work in the communities they serve, they are able to recognize local needs and customize programs and services to meet those specific needs, greatly impacting local youth. This new training program is meeting a need in Liberia’s current workforce while helping youth tap into an industry sector in need of skilled, certified workers.”

Liberia is still recovering from civil war and the deadly Ebola epidemic that affected 10,678 people with 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization. An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to the World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population and making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – High school students meet Principal before exams

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

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Before the new course could be launched, much groundwork had to be established. Salesian missionaries developed an occupational standard for electricians in Liberia, developed modular curriculum, produced a pedagogical and material organization guide, set up the workshops, created a two-pathway training for students and workers in the informal sector and determined an evaluation standard and a certification.

The new electro-technician training is part of an initiative that includes the renovation of an existing space in the Don Bosco Technical High School to transform it into a workshop. The initiative aims to respond to the needs of the labor market while ensuring youth have access to vocational and technical training that aids them in finding long-term stable work. The electro-technician course will be opened each year to 90 high school students and 30 uncertified electricians.

“Salesian missionaries in Liberia have had to overcome many challenges including high rates of poverty that continue to leave many children and families in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always the primary focus of Salesian programs. Since Salesian missionaries live and work in the communities they serve, they are able to recognize local needs and customize programs and services to meet those specific needs, greatly impacting local youth. This new training program is meeting a need in Liberia’s current workforce while helping youth tap into an industry sector in need of skilled, certified workers.”

Salesian missionaries in Monrovia have also held a peer seminar to promote dialogue among the stakeholders in the technical-vocational training sector. The seminar provided the platform for sharing information in order to empower youth through skills training and development. There were 49 people who attended the event including those from the Ministry of Education, Chamber of Commerce, TVET directors, youth volunteers, teachers and the international community.

An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Youth Network West Africa Annual Report 2018

LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries launch new electro-technician course at Don Bosco Technical High School

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries launch new seminar and electrical course to help support youth in gaining employable skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Currently, Sahnpa has no real church because the structure was crushed by a falling tree during a bad storm in 2016. To avoid the complete dispersion of the community, one of the members of the village has made a room in his house available for Sunday meetings.

“On our recent visit, one villager beat on a wheel rim of a truck which serves as a bell to summon people, more than a dozen gathered and were surprised to see a priest, but extremely happy they had not been forgotten,” adds Fr. Castellino.

After the Catholic Mass, Fr. Castellino was brought to see the place where the church stood and where the community intends to rebuild it. The area is currently an expanse of brushwood but there are reconstruction materials including blocks of mud, cut and stacked timber and metal sheets ready to use. Father Castellino notes, “They need more funding for materials to start the construction.”

For work on the church to resume, the site needs to be cleaned up and cement, tools and construction materials need to be acquired. To raise funds, Fr. Castellino asked community members to make a donation and send it to him. He adds, “We will try to do something to make sure that with the arrival of the rains, this community has a roof under which to gather to pray and grow in faith.”

Another local Salesian missionary made the trip to Zeah. Once there, he discovered that village residents don’t have a church building but instead celebrate mass under a Palava Hut, a kiosk used for village meetings. “With the church or without the church, faith survives! But we commit ourselves to doing something for them too and to visit them a little more often,” concludes Fr. Castellino.

Salesian Missions has been working in Liberia since 1979 when it opened its first vocational technical institute there. An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty out of a population of 4.6 million, according to World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population making chronic malnutrition high.

The country was devastated by the recent Ebola outbreak with 10,678 people affected and 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Salesian missionaries worked to unite vulnerable Ebola orphans with relatives or with educational programs to provide much needed ongoing care. Other Salesian programs provide food, medical care and education to Ebola orphans and former child soldiers.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – Living the faith in the peripheries … of the forest!

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries visit remote villages of Sahnpa and Zeah after more than a year first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The new electro-technician training is part of an initiative that includes the renovation of an existing space in the Don Bosco Technical High School to transform it into a workshop. The initiative aims to respond to the needs of the labor market while ensuring youth have access to vocational and technical training that aids them in finding long-term stable work. The electro-technician course will be opened each year to 90 high school students and 30 uncertified electricians.

“Salesian missionaries in Liberia have had to overcome many challenges including high rates of poverty that continue to leave many children and families in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always the primary focus of Salesian programs. Since Salesian missionaries live and work in the communities they serve, they are able to recognize local needs and customize programs and services to meet those specific needs, greatly impacting local youth. This new training program is meeting a need in Liberia’s current workforce while helping youth tap into an industry sector in need of skilled, certified workers.”

Liberia is still recovering from a civil war and the deadly Ebola epidemic that affected 10,678 people with 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

After the Ebola crisis, Salesian missionaries worked to unite vulnerable Ebola orphans in Liberia with relatives or with educational programs to provide much needed ongoing care. Other Salesian programs provide food, medical care and education to Ebola orphans and former child soldiers. Salesian missionaries continue working to help poor youth and their families escape poverty in the country.

An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

Also in Monrovia, Salesian sisters operate the Mary Help of Christians School which provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. It includes a feeding program which serves over 100 of its students and ensures that those in need receive a nutritious meal each day.

In addition, Salesian missionaries operate the Don Bosco Youth Center in Monrovia which provides support and programming for students and offers after school activities from 4 to 6 p.m. The center gives former child soldiers and other young people the opportunity to experience some of the joys of childhood.

Youth can participate in recreational activities and sports each day ranging from chess to soccer. Some participate in a cultural troupe where they sing, dance, act, practice African acrobatics and even perform at local functions. In addition to recreational opportunities, youth have access to vocational training and academic courses at the center. It also offers a women’s development program for participants to learn self-reliance.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – A vocational project in the Salesian style

LIBERIA: Salesian Missions donors support new science lab and expanded courses for additional students at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries launch new electro-technician course at Don Bosco Technical High School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

After the Ebola crisis, Salesian missionaries worked to unite vulnerable Ebola orphans in Liberia with relatives or with educational programs to provide much needed ongoing care. Other Salesian programs provide food, medical care and education to Ebola orphans and former child soldiers. Salesian missionaries continue working to help poor youth and their families escape poverty in the country.

An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty, out of a population of 4.6 million, according to World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population making chronic malnutrition high.

Whether working to rehabilitate former child soldiers or assist young women in overcoming barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing opportunities for youth to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs. Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools have helped more than 2,300 students and their families.

The Mary Help of Christians School provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities to better their lives. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. It includes a feeding program which serves over 100 of its students and ensures that those in need receive a nutritious meal each day.

“Salesian missionaries in Liberia have had to overcome many challenges including high rates of poverty that continue to leave many children and families in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Education is always the primary focus of Salesian programs but since Salesian missionaries live and work in the communities they serve, they are also able to recognize local needs and customize programs and services to meet those specific needs, greatly impacting local youth.”

In addition to the Mary Help of Christians school, the Don Bosco Youth Center in Monrovia provides support and programming for students and offers after school activities from 4 to 6 p.m. The center gives former child soldiers and other young people the opportunity to experience some of the joys of childhood.

Youth can participate in recreational activities and sports each day ranging from chess to soccer. Some participate in a cultural troupe where they sing, dance, act, practice African acrobatics and even perform at local functions. In addition to recreational opportunities, youth have access to vocational training and academic courses at the center. It also offers a women’s development program for participants to learn self-reliance.

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Sources:

Salesians Don Bosco Matadi – Monrovia

Salesian Missions Projects

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian Missions donors support new science lab and expanded courses for additional students at Mary Help of Christians Catholic School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Holiday Camp runs all day and includes lunch. Classes are offered in computers, drawing, music, dance, baking and preparing desserts and tailoring and sewing. There are also social activities that include communal games, quiz competitions, dance competitions and drama performances. Youth are broken up into four teams for camp activities. They earn points by participating in the various games and lessons and at the end of camp, everyone is awarded prizes.

“The summer camp gives youth a chance to remain engaged in learning and with their peers all year long,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “These additional activities are important, especially in a remote area like Tappita where there is often little for youth to do. Salesian programs continue to grow in the region to meet local needs.”

Tappita is located in the middle of a forest far away from other towns and cities. The last 100 kilometers leading to the village become impossible to travel during the rainy season. For weeks at a time, residents are cut off from the capital city and its goods, supplies, medical assistance and other necessities.

Residents commonly travel by motorcycles which raise large dust clouds in the dry season. At best, it takes travelers 3 hours on rough terrain to reach an asphalt road which continues for another 300 kilometers before arriving in Monrovia. The village has no mail or newspaper delivery but thanks to the internet, residents are not as cut off from civilization as they once were. A market is held once a week. Shoppers come from the surrounding villages to buy items they don’t have in their own communities and to meet with others.

Village residents’ main source of survival is through traditional agriculture and hunting. They are able to eat what they grow and hunt but have no money. Tappita has electricity but the Salesian parish there doesn’t have the funds to bring electricity to the mission building. Missionaries have to charge computers, mobile phones and batteries in the three hours each evening that they run a small generator. They live and work among the local people providing Catholic mass and assistance to those in need.

Salesian Missions has been working in Liberia since 1979 when it opened its first vocational technical institute there. An estimated 64 percent of Liberians live below the poverty line and 1.3 million live in extreme poverty out of a population of 4.6 million, according to World Food Programme. Food security is also affecting 41 percent of the population making chronic malnutrition high.

The country was devastated by the recent Ebola outbreak with 10,678 people affected and 4,810 reported deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Salesian missionaries worked to unite vulnerable Ebola orphans with relatives or with educational programs to provide much needed ongoing care. Other Salesian programs provide food, medical care and education to Ebola orphans and former child soldiers.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Liberia – A unique experience! Too bad it didn’t last long!

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries provide a summer camp for youth in remote village of Tappita first appeared on MissionNewswire.

People commonly travel by motorcycles and, in the dry season, a huge dust cloud is raised as they travel. At best, people need three hours of being jolted around on the terrain before reaching the asphalt road and continuing for another 300 kilometers to Monrovia. The village has no mail or newspaper delivery, but today, thanks to the internet, they are not as cut off from civilization as they once were. A market is held once a week. People come from the surrounding villages to find items they don’t have back in their communities and to meet with others.

“It is the most classical mission far and distant from every known place. I am in a remote village, forgotten by the local government, but not, we hope by God,” says Fr. Castellino. “The Salesian parish here has 24 branches, but I do not know when we will finish visiting them all, especially as the roads are so bad. Some villages are only reachable by motorcycle and then only in the dry season. Some people have not seen a priest for three years.”

People in the village survive with traditional agriculture. They are able to eat what they can hunt but have no money. Tappita has electricity, but the Salesian parish never has had enough funds to plant the poles and pull the wires to the mission building. Missionaries have to charge computers, mobile phones and batteries in the three hours a day they run the small generator in the evening. Missionaries live and work among the local people providing Catholic mass and assistance to those in need.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world with 64 percent of its population of 3.5 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The 2015 Human Development Index ranks Liberia 177 out of 188 countries in the world. Still recovering from the effects of a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003, Liberians struggle with social and economic hardships.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor. The World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, missionaries in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

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Sources:

ANS – Liberia – A new missionary at Tappita border

World Bank – Liberia

SALESIANS DON BOSCO MATADI

The post LIBERIA: Salesian missionaries have small parish in remote village in Liberia first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“The young people suffer the most from the consequences of a decades-long rebel war and the Ebola crisis,” says Bro. Wagner. “The educational system is rated one of the worst in the world. The police and judiciary are corrupt. The health care system has broken down. According to a new study more than half of the population is directly affected by famine.”

“Ultimately it is fatal that the state crisis has reached the families and thus also the children,” adds Bro. Wagner. “Despite hard work, the daily salary does not suffice to feed the family. Frustration and the resulting aggressions of the leaders in the family are transferred to the children. Families are torn apart; whole rows of children end up on the streets. In the last couple of months, I have met numerous children who consume drugs to escape their everyday life. That is simply terrifying.”

Bro Wagner explains that youth need role models and people who will show them a hopeful perspective in life. He notes that youth also need considerable attention because without it, youth can easily end up in a vicious circle of drug addiction, prostitution, crime, and sickness and despair.

When asked what it is children need most, Bro. Wagner outlined several things including more professional and motivated people on the ground to help them. He noted that professional training in Liberia is needed, as well as the physical space and supplies to properly shelter, feed and educate children in need.

“In order to help children the most, we go through thick and thin with them, day and night,” explains Bro. Wagner. “We must take them from the street and bring them back to their families, take them from prison back to school, from drug addiction to a meaningful life. They need intact families, good education and a viable professional training.”

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world with 64 percent of its population of 3.5 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The 2015 Human Development Index ranks Liberia 177 out of 188 countries in the world. Still recovering from the effects of a 14-year civil war that ended in 2003, Liberians struggle with social and economic hardships.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor. The World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, missionaries in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

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Sources:

ANS – Liberia – “We have to be there for the young people day and night”

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian Brother Lothar Wagner details needs for homeless children affected by war and the Ebola crisis first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Across the four countries, Salesian missionaries and support staff operate 30 schools that are educating 8,692 students. Missionaries also operate six scholarship programs to help poor youth and their families pay for school tuition fees along with school supplies and other necessities. The schools and programs that Salesian missionaries operate ensure that youth have access to the education they need to succeed in life, as well have their basic needs like shelter, nutrition and medical care met so they can focus on their studies.

The Salesian Province was also widely affected by the catastrophic Ebola epidemic that the World Health Organization (WHO) reports killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa between 2013 and 2016. Ebola greatly impacted Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Salesian programs in those countries were on the front lines of prevention, providing educational materials, soap and hand washing stations, as well as bleach and other cleaning products. Salesian centers also immediately began working with orphans whose parents and sometimes entire families died from the disease.

“Salesian missionaries in the West African Province have had many challenges to overcome including the Ebola epidemic and high rates of poverty in those countries, leaving many children and families in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education is always the primary focus, because Salesian missionaries are living and working in the communities in which they serve, they know the local need first-hand. Salesian centers then are able to customize programs and services to meet specific needs in those communities to have the biggest impact for youth.”

Salesian Missions is pleased to highlight Salesian programs that are positively affecting the lives of poor and at-risk youth in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

GHANA

Youth in Ghana have been positively affected by the Salesian-led Stop Human Trafficking campaign that was launched in October 2015 by Salesian missionaries in Italy. The campaign raises awareness of the dangers of youth migration. With a focus on youth leaving countries in Africa in search of a better life in Europe, the campaign aims to prevent young migrants from becoming victims of crime and exploitation. The campaign is part of an initiative promoted by the Salesian-run International Voluntary Service for Development and the Don Bosco Mission Association in Turin, Italy.

The campaign provides analysis and research on the real reasons for migration, informs potential youth migrants about the risks of the journey and the real chances of success, and gives individual guidance to those who want to leave. In doing so, the campaign is working to deter young people from leaving countries where people are most at risk of human trafficking such as Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Senegal. In collaboration with Salesian missionaries in Africa, the campaign will also raise funds to help with program development in targeted countries in Africa.

Ghana’s rural Brong Ahafo region is one of the areas most affected by youth migration. Through the Stop Human Trafficking program, Salesian missionaries are putting a program in place to offer youth the opportunity to remain in the region and earn a living through sustainable agricultural projects. Salesian missionaries are working with local people to help launch the project.

LIBERIA

The Don Bosco Youth Center provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities to better their lives. After school, from 4 to 6 p.m., students have access to the Don Bosco Youth Center. Located in the capital city of Monrovia, the center gives former child soldiers and other young people the opportunity to experience some of the joys of childhood.

Youth can participate in recreational activities and sports. They receive recreation counseling each day in activities from chess to soccer. Some participate in a cultural troupe where they sing, dance, act, practice African acrobatics and even perform at local functions. But it’s more than just play and recreation at the youth center. In addition, youth have access to vocational training and academic courses. The center also offers a women’s development program for women to learn self-reliance.

NIGERIA

Salesian missionaries are setting up schools, boarding homes and running water for poor youth in the area of Koko within Kontagora, a major town on the south bank of the Kontagora River in northwestern Nigeria. The area lacks educational opportunities for children and older youth.

The area, like many in Nigeria, faces several challenges. Koko has many street children age 7 to 15 years of age who beg in the streets. Practically all of them have been abandoned and exposed to terrorists groups like Boko Haram. Without an education and supervision from adults they can be easily manipulated and exploited.

Recognizing that for youth to make the most of their educational opportunities, they must have their basic needs of shelter, food and clothing met, Salesian missionaries are establishing boarding houses so the youth will have a safe place to live, learn and spend time with their peers. Salesian missionaries are also digging wells that will supply the boarding houses and schools with fresh water for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and proper sanitation.

SIERRA LEONE

Don Bosco Fambul reaches out to an estimated 2,500 street children in Freetown and surrounding communities each year. Transformation for street youth starts with the Salesian rehabilitation and reunification programs. The success of the street children rehabilitation program is credited to the organization’s holistic approach focusing on attending to basic needs (food, clothing and a safe place to sleep) as well as personalized medical, psychological, pedagogical, social and spiritual care of the children. This gradual process includes formal classes, daily games, sports, music, singing, drama, dancing, counseling and prayer. Their parents and extended families are contacted several times by social workers before final reunification.

Don Bosco Fambul also operates the Child Hotline 116, which is an around-the-clock counseling hotline staffed by social workers—along with other trained professionals—offering hope and services for children who are living on the streets. The hotline was invaluable during the Ebola epidemic, providing prevention information.

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Sources:

Salesians of Don Bosco West Africa Province 2016 Annual Report

The post WEST AFRICA: Salesian missionaries are bringing hope to 29,000 youth across Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone first appeared on MissionNewswire.

New desks, chairs, tables, bookcases and filing cabinets were among the furniture received in Monrovia. Desks and chairs help to provide a more dignified and organized educational environment for students to complete their studies. As a result, students are often more focused on classroom work and more prepared for their lessons.

“This donation is especially important for the children in our schools,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The furniture has contributed greatly to their discipline and learning environment while bringing smiles to their faces. This has been a great contribution to the high school.”

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every educational, commercial and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment. Hundreds of millions of people living in poverty or recovering from natural disasters worldwide are in desperate need of the kinds of surplus goods these very organizations are discarding. IRN makes the match and facilitates the distribution of the surplus into the hands of the organizations and people who need it most.

“There is a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

IRN partners with nonprofits who are known to be reputable and effective providers of relief and development assistance, and who are able to use the types of surplus that IRN can provide. The organization has a “wish list” from each of its nonprofit partners of the types and quantities of surplus they can use.

When a project comes to IRN, it makes a match against these wish lists and offers the surplus to the most appropriate nonprofits. At this point, surplus is offered on a first-come-first-served basis; the first nonprofit(s) to express interest in the surplus, receives it. In many cases, a single nonprofit will claim the entire project but in some cases, the surplus will be split among two or more organizations.

“There is almost infinite demand in the U.S. and worldwide for good quality surplus so IRN’s surplus program will continue to grow,” says Lennon. “The school or company that supplies the surplus pays IRN for the service of matching their surplus with our nonprofit network. In almost all cases they pay IRN much less than they would pay to bring in dumpsters and throw the surplus away.”

In addition to the recent shipment to Liberia, additional furniture from the same source has been donated to Salesian programs in the Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Vietnam and East Timor.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa and Asia,” adds Fr. Hyde. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world with 64 percent of its population of 3.5 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The 2014 Human Development Index ranks Liberia 175 out of 187 countries. Still recovering from the effects of a 14 year civil war that ended in 2003 and the most recent Ebola outbreak, Liberians struggle with social and economic hardships.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor and the World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, missionaries in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

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Sources:

Institution Recycling Network

2014 Human Development Index

The post LIBERIA: More Than 500 Students Benefit from New School Furniture first appeared on MissionNewswire.

This is the sixth donation of rice-meals from Feed My Starving Children the Salesian organization received this year, most of which was utilized during the recent Ebola crisis in the country which continues to affect the many families living in Matadi who lost family members including primary wage-earners. Contained in the shipment were more than 1,200 boxes of rice-meals that have been provided to students in Salesian programs.

More than 70 percent of the population of Matadi live in conditions of poverty. The rice-meal donation has been essential in the battle against malnutrition and disease in the area. In addition to feeding students in Salesian youth programs and schools, Salesian missionaries are providing rice-meals to those most in need in Matadi including single mothers, elderly residents and children affected by Ebola.

“Feeding programs like the one in Liberia are helping to meet the needs of the massive number of children around the globe who are hungry today,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Meals children receive at Salesian schools may be their only meals. This food not only encourages them to attend school, it allows them to focus on getting the education they need without worrying about where their next meal will come from. Children cannot learn on an empty stomach.”

The Sean Devereux Don Bosco Youth Center in Matadi was one of the recipients of the rice-meal donation. The organization offers vocational training, recreational activities, academic assistance, counseling and youth retreats. Activities at the center are geared toward helping youth appreciate one another through daily interaction thereby cultivating genuine acts of tolerance, love and concern for one another. Moreover, the activities assist youth in acquiring marketable skills in tailoring and typing.

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 40-foot container was donated to and shipped by Salesian Missions for programs in Sri Lanka. Through the years, as Salesian Missions has determined beneficiaries in need of Feed My Starving Children food, almost 100 containers of more than 27 million meals have been donated, shipped and received by those in need in more than 25 countries.

“Salesian missionaries are an integral part of the existing infrastructure in many countries and Salesian Missions plays an important role in making sure aid from the United States reaches its destination country and gets into the hands of those who need it most,” adds. Fr Hyde.

Liberia is one of the poorest countries in the world with 64 percent of its population of 3.5 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. The 2008 Human Development Index ranks Liberia in the bottom five of countries in the world. Still recovering from the effects of a 14 year civil war that ended in 2003, Liberians struggle with social and economic hardships.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor and the World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, missionaries in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

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Sources:

Feed My Starving Children

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: More than 1,200 Boxes of Rice-Meals Provided to Salesian Programs Thanks to Partnership with Feed My Starving Children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

As of the beginning of April, there were no new cases of Ebola reported in Liberia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since the outbreak started, WHO has reported more than 9,712 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,332 deaths from the virus in the country. Across Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana, more than 800 healthcare personnel have been infected with Ebola and nearly 500 have died since the epidemic began. The WHO has noted that this will have devastating implications for the long-term health of these countries.

Before schools officially reopened in Liberia, Salesian missionaries provided Ebola prevention information and teacher training in preparation for the return to school. School buildings and classrooms were thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. A team of educators with the National Catholic Task Force led by Sister Evelina of the St. Teresa’s Convent school in collaboration with the Catholic Education Secretariat, conducted two separate trainings for 528 teachers from 28 Catholic schools located in Montserrado, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties.

The first training, conducted during the emergency phase of the response, focused on basic facts and awareness surrounding Ebola prevention. The second training was for select groups of teachers to become Ebola trainers. These teacher trainers provided Ebola prevention workshops and awareness programs for students and other teachers once the schools reopened in February. A guide on Ebola prevention which will serve as a reference for Ebola prevention in schools was circulated among Catholic schools, including Salesian schools in the country.

Now that schools are open and classes have resumed, Salesian missionaries are getting back to the important work of establishing a regular routine for their students. The recent shipment of food aid resulting from the partnership between Salesian Missions and Stop Hunger Now is providing nutritious meals to students each day to help them focus on their studies and improve their overall health. In addition, Salesian programs are helping children get back to school by providing financial assistance to more than 100 families to help them pay school fees.

“Feeding programs like the one in Liberia are helping to meet the needs of the massive number of children around the globe who are hungry today,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Meals children receive at Salesian schools may be their only meals. This food not only encourages them to attend school, it allows them to focus on getting the education they need without worrying about where their next meal will come from. Children cannot learn on an empty stomach.”

Through ongoing partnerships like the ones with Feed My Starving Children and Stop Hunger Now, Salesian Missions is able to deliver life-saving food aid and other supplies to those most in need.

“Salesian missionaries are an integral part of the existing infrastructure in many countries and Salesian Missions plays an important role in making sure aid from the United States reaches its destination country and gets into the hands of those who need it most,” adds. Fr Hyde.

Salesian missionaries have also turned their attention to helping Ebola orphans. Missionaries in Liberia report close to 530 children who have lost both of their parents to Ebola and another 153 who have lost either their father or mother to the virus across the three West African countries affected. Salesian programs are working to unite orphans with relatives or educational programs and orphanages that will help to provide ongoing care and education. Other Salesian programs are already in the process of providing food, medical care and education to Ebola orphans.

Headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, Salesian Missions has launched an Ebola Emergency Fund to assist Salesian missionaries in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone who are working to help contain the deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization has launched an emergency fundraising campaign and is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Go to www.SalesianMissions.org/ebola to give.

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Sources:

World Health Organization Ebola Crisis

The post LIBERIA: Food Aid Provides Returning Students Nutritious Meals Thanks to Salesian Missions Partnership with Feed My Starving Children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries, already living and working in the country, are part of the National Catholic Task Force which has been responding to Ebola since it began with the first Liberian case in March 2014. By October, the virus had spread to all 15 counties of Liberia and since then, the number of cases reported have overwhelmed health facilities and workers forcing many hospitals to close down. According to WHO, Liberia has been hard-hit with more than 3,500 confirmed deaths of Ebola.

The Salesian-run Mother Patern College of Health Sciences, one of five colleges that make up the Stella Maris Polytechnic University in Monrovia, the capital city of Liberia, has been on the front lines of the Ebola crisis with all 63 of its staff reassigned to address the Ebola outbreak. The college administers programs in health education and HIV/AIDS, offers courses in primary health care and degrees in nursing, social work, laboratory technology and biology.

Salesian missionaries have been providing education about Ebola and preventative measures through various programs throughout Liberia. In addition, fortified rice-meals and boxes of hand soap have been donated to Salesian programs in the country thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Stop Hunger Now, an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable.

The shipments of food aid and boxes of hand soap helped to provide emergency assistance to those affected by Ebola, particularly the young and the poor. The contents of the shipment are being shared among organizations that make up the National Catholic Task Force, including Salesian missionaries.

“Because of the Ebola epidemic, shops have closed, rice production is down and the price of food has risen in the affected countries leaving many at risk of starvation,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The partnership with Stop Hunger Now allows us to feed those most in need while providing us necessary supplies to help prevent the further spread of Ebola. The donation also provided us with another avenue to reach people to educate them about Ebola, the risk factors and preventative measures, to help stop the spread of the disease.”

Now that the transmission of Ebola has slowed, Salesian missionaries are turning their attention to educating and preparing teachers for the re-opening of schools. School buildings and classrooms are being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and educators are taking part in training about Ebola. So far, a team of educators with the National Catholic Task Force led by Sister Evelina of the St. Teresa’s Convent school, in collaboration with the Catholic Education Secretariat, has conducted two separate trainings for 528 teachers from 28 Catholic schools located in Montserrado, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Margibi and Grand Bassa Counties.

The first training, conducted during the emergency phase of the response, focused on basic facts and awareness surrounding Ebola prevention. The second training, happening now, is for select groups of teachers to become Ebola trainers who, once schools re-open in February, will provide Ebola prevention workshops and awareness programs for teachers and students. A guide on Ebola prevention will be circulated among Catholic schools, including Salesian schools, and will serve as a reference for Ebola prevention in schools.

Salesian missionaries have also turned their attention to helping Ebola orphans. Missionaries in Liberia report close to 530 children who have lost both of their parents to Ebola and another 153 who have lost either their father or mother to the virus across the three West African countries affected. Salesian programs are working to connect orphans with other relatives or with educational programs and orphanages that will help to provide ongoing care and education. Other Salesian programs are already in the process of providing for the basic needs of Ebola orphans including food, medical care and education.

Headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, Salesian Missions has launched an Ebola Emergency Fund to assist Salesian missionaries in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone who are working to help contain the deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization has launched an emergency fundraising campaign and is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Go to www.SalesianMissions.org/ebola to give.

Sources

Reuters – Liberia aims to be Ebola-free by end-February as cases fall to 10

Salesians Response to Ebola (Video)

The post LIBERIA: Schools Planning to Re-Open in February, Salesian Missionaries are Preparing and Responding with Teacher Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola epidemic a global health emergency. Salesian missionaries already living and working in communities in Liberia have been providing food aid and education about Ebola while disseminating protective clothing including long-sleeve shirts and cleaning and disinfecting agents such as chlorine.

Recent figures indicate that awareness and prevention campaigns to combat the spread of the Ebola are showing some early signs of progress. According to the WHO, in recent days, there has been a slight decrease in the number of reported cases of Ebola in Liberia. However, the risk remains high with the most recent figures showing that there have been 13,676 cases of Ebola in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the three hardest hit countries, and 4,910 deaths from the disease.

A recent Stop Hunger Now shipment of food aid and 48 boxes of hand soap is helping to provide emergency assistance to those affected by Ebola, particularly the young and the poor. The contents of the shipment are being shared among organizations that make up the National Catholic Task Force, including Salesian missionaries, which have come together to address the Ebola crisis.

“Because of the Ebola epidemic, shops have closed, rice production is down and the price of food has risen in the affected countries and many people are at risk of starvation,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The partnership with Stop Hunger Now allows us to feed those most in need and provides us other necessary supplies to help prevent the further spread of Ebola.”

Education is an important step in stopping the spread of the disease. Salesian missionaries in Liberia have gone door to door providing education on Ebola and passing out prevention materials to over 5,000 people. They have also distributed 500 bags of rice and 5,000 liters of oil to families in need and people and entire communities in isolation or quarantine.

“People at risk are not properly informed,” added Fr. Hyde. “The Stop Hunger Now donation provides another avenue for us to reach people to educate them about Ebola, the risk factors and preventative measures, to help stop the spread of the disease.”

This is the second Stop Hunger Now shipment to Liberia coordinated by Salesian Missions. The first, in October, contained rice meals as well as medical protective gear including gloves, masks and gowns. Salesian missionaries in the country note the need for more medical supplies and assistance for those providing care. With recent aid arriving from countries like the United States, France and England, more medical centers are being built for people infected with Ebola and more beds are becoming available. However, the need is still great. The WHO estimates that Liberia needs about 3,000 beds for the treatment of Ebola but currently has only 620 beds. In addition, there is a shortage of doctors, health care workers and equipment to run the treatment centers. Health-care workers have been particularly hard hit by the disease with 521 infected and 272 dead.

Salesian missionaries in Liberia continue to focus on providing lifesaving emergency aid to those in need while working with community leaders to help with Ebola prevention and treatment efforts.

Headquartered in New Rochelle, New York, Salesian Missions has launched an Ebola Emergency Fund to assist Salesian missionaries in Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone who are working to help contain the deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. To raise money for the fund, the Catholic nonprofit aid organization has launched an emergency fundraising campaign and is issuing an urgent appeal for donations. Go to www.SalesianMissions.org/ebola to give.

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Sources:

ANS – Liberia – Update on situation in Monrovia 

WHO – Ebola Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Emergency Food Aid, Hand Soap Reaches Ebola-Affected Communities through Partnership Between Salesian Missions and Stop Hunger Now first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor and the World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesians have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, Salesians in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

Recently, Salesian-run Don Bosco Technical High School and Mary Help of Christians Catholic High School, both located in the capital city of Monrovia, received desks, chairs and other furniture thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and the Institution Recycling Network (IRN). More than 1000 students at both schools benefited from the new furniture in their classrooms, libraries, laboratories and school offices.

“The children have comfortable tables and chairs to use and students, especially those in the elementary grades, are very happy with the improvement,” says Father Sony Joseph Pottenplackal, rector and principal of Don Bosco Technical High School. “The furniture has contributed greatly to their discipline and learning environment, and has brought a smile to the faces of many of the young students. This has been a great contribution to the school.”

Desks and chairs help to provide a more dignified and organized educational environment for students to complete their studies. As a result, students are often more focused on their classroom work and more prepared for their lessons.

Salesian Missions’ partnership with IRN has provided valuable furniture to equip Salesian classrooms, offices and administrative buildings around the world, including desks, bookshelves, workstations, chairs, whiteboards, filing cabinets, auditorium seating and more.

“There was a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every education, commercial, and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment they need to get rid of. Hundreds of millions of people living in poverty or recovering from natural disasters worldwide are in desperate need of the kinds of surplus goods these very organizations are discarding. IRN makes the match and facilitates the distribution of the surplus into the hands of the organizations and people who need it most.

IRN partners with nonprofits who are known to be reputable and effective providers of relief and development assistance, and who are able to use the types of surplus that IRN can provide. The organization has a “wish list” from each of its nonprofit partners of the types and quantities of surplus they can use.

In addition to the donation in Liberia, IRN has sent shipments of furniture and workstations to Salesian sites in Haiti, Guatemala, the Philippines, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Togo as well as other sites around the globe.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

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Sources

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

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Those living in rural areas make up for close to 75 percent of the country’s poor and the World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesians have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, Salesians in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

Recently, four Salesian programs in the capital city of Monrovia received donations from individuals, Salesian volunteer programs and Catholic schools that have helped more than 2,300 students and their families. The donations ranged from carpentry tools, clothing, textbooks and school supplies, including school desks and chairs.

“Salesian Missions accepts donations from individuals, businesses and other organizations and our donors work hard to provide donations that best fit the needs of youth in Salesian programs around the globe,” says Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. “These particular donations came from many sources but we were able to coordinate all the items and send one large container to the Salesian programs in Liberia to help enhance the learning environment for students there.”

One recipient of a donation of student textbooks was the Salesian-run Mother Patern College of Health Sciences at Stella Maris Polytechnic. The college provides degrees in several disciplines in the health and science fields and graduates go on to be lab technicians, nurses, physician’s assistants, social workers and nursing educators. More than 400 students received the donated textbooks to assist them in their studies.

Another recipient was the St. Theresa Convent School where 1,100 students benefited from donated school desks, chairs and textbooks. A sander, table saw, wood planters and other carpentry materials were donated to a third recipient, the Don Bosco Technical High School, where more than 500 students benefited. These two Salesian-run educational facilities provide poor youth with secondary education and training, enabling them to join the workforce or go on to college.

A Salesian-run HIV/AIDS program was the recipient of a fourth donation. The program is designed to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS and the its risks through training and outreach actives. People living with HIV/AIDS can access the program for treatment that includes home based care and support groups for emotional and social support. The donation provided clothing to 300 people living with the disease and their families.

“Our partnerships with donors are very important to us,” says O’Connor. “The carpentry materials, textbooks and schools supplies help to enrich the educational experience for youth in Salesian schools who are there to learn skills that will enable them to gain the education they need to find and retain stable employment.”

Whether working to provide rehabilitation to former child soldiers or assisting young women overcome barriers to education, Salesian programs in Liberia are providing youth the opportunity to live up to their potential through both academic and social programs.

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Sources:

Stella Maris Polytechnic/ Mother Patern College of Health Sciences

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Poverty in Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Donations Help Support Education and Health for More Than 2,300 Students and Families first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Among the several Salesian-run programs in Liberia, the Mary Help of Christians School and the Don Bosco Youth Center both provide a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities to better their lives.

“Our school started in 1993,” says Father Matthew Udoka, Principal of Mary Help of Christians School. “It now serves just over 560 students and includes a feeding program which serves a little over 100 of those students. This program ensures that youth in need receive a nutritious healthy meal.”

After school, from 4 to 6 p.m., students have access to the Don Bosco Youth Center. Located in the capital city of Monrovia, the center gives former child soldiers and other young people the opportunity to experience some of the joys of childhood.

“Many youth lack inherent skills and haven’t been given much of an opportunity,” explains Father Udoka. “We are here for them. This is the only youth center of its kind here in Monrovia. Youth are here to play games but also to share with one another.”

Youth can participate in recreational activities and sports. They receive recreation counseling each day in activities from chess to football. Some participate in a cultural troupe where they sing, dance, act, practice African acrobatics and even perform at local functions.

But it’s more than just play and recreation at the youth center. In addition, youth have access to vocational training and academic courses. The center also offers a women’s development program for women to learn self-reliance.

“We help youth take responsibility for their own lives,” adds Father Udoka. “We don’t want to be here to give them everything they need. We want them to take responsibility for their own lives if only in some small way.”

Sources

Salesians of Don Bosco in Libera – Video

Salesian Missions – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: Salesian Programs Educate Youth and Instill Responsibility first appeared on MissionNewswire.