EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salvador del Mundo Foundation (FUSALMO) in El Salvador has officially received platinum-level STEAM certification, the highest recognition awarded by the Latin American Society for Science and Technology through its Alfa-STEAM program.

STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), is similar to STEM but adds the arts to integrate creativity, design and critical thinking. This fosters more holistic, innovative and multidisciplinary problem-solving for future careers.

An award ceremony took place in January at FUSALMO’s headquarters in Soyapango, El Salvador, in the presence of María Lourdes Vela, from Educare El Salvador, who presented the official plaque to Father Pierre M. Vitelli.

A Salesian explained, “Since 2019, FUSALMO has undertaken significant challenges as a pioneer in STEAM education, building specialized educational spaces and implementing innovative methodologies. These efforts are evident in several achievements: organizing the country’s largest robotics competition, the STEAM Maker Challenge; participating in and gaining international recognition at the First Global Robotics World Championship; and recently obtaining certification.”

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for youth who are at risk. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society.

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ANS – El Salvador – FUSALMO receives Platinum certification as a STEAM institution

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Young women attending Talita Kumi centers in Guatemala had access to better nutrition as a result of a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, a nonprofit that helps underserved people worldwide achieve food security and resilience through nutrition, education and economic empowerment. Close to 700 young women from three centers received the meals in the first half of 2025.

Salesian sisters have also added educational content related to nutrition, food security and healthy eating practices. These topics have been addressed in a hands-on, practical way during training sessions with the students, strengthening their learning and promoting healthy eating habits. The students enjoy the rice’s taste and its versatility in preparing diverse menu items.

Lidia, aged 16, was one of the recipients who received a balanced diet through the food program at the Talita Kumi boarding school. She lives in the village of Chiquixji and is from the Indigenous Q’eqchi’ community.

She said, “I am happy because here I have learned to prepare food in a healthy and hygienic way.” Lidia takes what she has learned and cooks rice tortillas or rice soups for her family. “When I return to my community, I want to teach other families how to eat better with the products they already have at their disposal.”

Sister Margarita Cucul, internal director of the Talita Kumi boarding school in San Pedro Carchá, said, “I’ve had the joy of witnessing Lidia’s personal and academic growth since she joined us three years ago. She comes from a hardworking Q’eqchi’ family dedicated to agriculture and animal care, and she arrived at our school with strong motivation and a deep desire to better herself. Over the years, I have seen Lidia transform into a young leader. She has a real passion for cooking, which is why she has led our kitchen team more than once. She has also learned how to manage inventory, maintain kitchen hygiene and take full responsibility for kitchen operations. It has been beautiful to watch her take the initiative and grow in confidence.”

Sister Cucul added, “The feeding program has made a tremendous difference in our community. It has allowed us to improve the variety and nutritional value of our meals. We now create new recipes with the ingredients we receive, and the girls genuinely enjoy their food. I see their happiness at mealtimes, and it is clear that this program not only nourishes their bodies but lifts their spirits as well.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian sisters with the Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation (FUNELAVI Foundation) have a new truck to help support their social projects in El Salvador. The truck was purchased through donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The truck was necessary to drive over the difficult terrain in the region.

The sisters can now provide better emergency assistance for children and women in rural areas and offer greater capacity to carry out their mission. The FUNELAVI Foundation works with various projects in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, offering programs in health, nutrition, values, school aid, sponsorship and microcredits.

One of the areas supported by the sisters is El Sauce Canton in El Salvador, a rural community with a large population and little agricultural development. Most of the land is used to cultivate sugar cane, which is sold to large mills at low cost. Later, the land is used for planting corn and beans for the sustenance the population will have for the year. The family economy is supported by women, 60% of whom live alone with their children. The biggest challenge is creating possibilities for communal trade.

Irene is a member of the project management group and is one of the women benefiting from the donation. She enjoys her work monitoring projects, especially the sponsorship program for children. She often travels with Sister Antonieta in the mountain terrain, but it is difficult to do in winter time. The new truck is making that possible.

Irene said, “With the new truck, we take more help with us. When we have a meeting with all the children we can take more children. In the end, the car belongs to everyone. Before we’d have to rent a truck to take all the things we bring to the families in need. Now, we can do that and save the money. We are grateful to the donors.”

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Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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Students tend to vegetables, fruits and greens to ensure access to varied and nutritious diet

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) At the educational campus of Talita Kumi, located in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz in Guatemala, 350 boarding students are working to cultivate vegetables, fruits and greens for their own consumption. The goal of the gardens is to ensure the students have a varied and nutritious diet.

A Salesian noted, “The gardens do more than just nourish the students. It also strengthens their self-sufficiency and nurtures deep respect for nature. Through agricultural work, the young women acquire practical knowledge that they can replicate in their communities, promoting sustainable habits and healthier lifestyles.”

As part of this education, students engage in agroecological practices for the management of different crops and vegetables. In the particular case of tomatoes, they apply natural products for both nutrition and pest and disease control. In doing so, they aim to harvest more nutritious fruits, with higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants, benefiting consumer health and soil quality by avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. These practices also encourage soil biological activity and help reduce environmental pollution.

The Salesian added, “The gardens of Talita Kumi have become spaces of integral learning, where sowing is done with dedication and harvesting with joy. Each crop represents an opportunity to value the earth as a source of life and to respond to the call to care for our Common Home. With these actions, Talita Kumi reaffirms its commitment to forming women leaders who contribute to building a more just, caring and sustainable future.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Center in San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala, has launched a modern soy milk production facility, known locally as the “mechanical cow.” This initiative was made possible thanks to a donation from Rotary International, the Rotary Club of Cobán, Guatemala, and the Rotary Club of the South.

A Salesian explained, “The innovative facility will directly benefit more than 1,700 students by improving their nutrition through a more complete diet. The new system includes three main components including the soy milk production, refrigeration, and a bakery that produces nutritious cookies with soy by-products, using zero waste and full resource utilization.”

During an inauguration event, Engineer Byron Molina, president of the Rotary Club of Cobán, expressed his gratitude to the Don Bosco Center and Father Antonio de Groot, the project’s founder, for their openness and leadership. Diana Brown, governor of Rotary International District 4250 (USA), also attended and praised the impact of the Don Bosco Center in the region. She highlighted the importance of collaboration and ethics in serving those most in need.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70% of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91% for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

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ANS – Guatemala – “Don Bosco Center” of San Pedro Carchá Inaugurates Soya Milk Plant for Over 1,700 Students

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Ricaldone Technical Institute, located in San Salvador, El Salvador, inaugurated a renewable energy laboratory as part of its commitment to environmental protection. The initiative is part of the institute’s clean energy educational courses and various environmental awareness activities. This new laboratory was made possible thanks to funding from Don Bosco Mondo in Germany and was strengthened by strategic alliances with the national business and education sectors.

The opening ceremony was attended by José Pineda, El Salvador’s Minister of Education, who congratulated the institute on its innovative initiative and thanked the collaborating partners for their contribution to technical education in the country.

Father Julio Navarrothe, provincial of the Salesians Central America, said, “The Salesian educational service is committed to an ecological culture, offering integral formation and working in synergy to build common goals for young Salvadorans.”

The opening ceremony was also attended by authorities from the Ricaldone Institute, members of the Salesian Family and representatives from the country’s education and energy sectors. Father Alex Figueroa, director, emphasized that the opening of the laboratory represents Ricaldone Technical Institute’s commitment to environmental protection. The lab is part of the new three-year degree course in electrical systems with a specialization in renewable energy.

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41% underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – The Ricaldone Technical Institute opens a modern laboratory for renewable energies

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) At Talita Kumi, located in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, boarding students continue to implement environmental protection initiatives. One of their most recent efforts is the production of a new type of organic fertilizer through vermiculture, complementing the Bokashi compost they had already been producing.

The new fertilizer is created using the Californian red worm, a hybrid of species that live in soil and those that thrive in manure and organic matter. Its primary food source includes coffee pulp — an abundant byproduct of the coffee industry in northern Guatemala, where Talita Kumi’s student centers are located.

A Salesian explained, “These worms transform organic waste into humus, a nutrient-rich compost that naturally and sustainably improves soil quality. The process is carried out in wooden boxes covered with black nylon to protect the worms from direct sunlight. Beyond reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, this initiative produces a high-quality fertilizer used for growing vegetables and short-cycle crops on campus, promoting sustainability and efficient use of natural resources.”

These techniques are replicable by students in their communities, most of which are rural and Indigenous Q’eqchi. In doing so, the students help spread ecological farming practices rooted in respect for nature.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Talita Kumi Students Promote Vermicomposting to Care for Our Common Home

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Young women from the Salesian Talita Kumi Center, located in San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala, have taken another step in reaffirming their commitment to environmental sustainability. As part of a strategy led by students, the center has eliminated the use of disposable cups and plates during student snack times and replaced them with reusable utensils to significantly reduce waste generation within the educational center.

A student explained, “This action addresses a growing concern, as disposable products not only generate large volumes of waste but also release toxic substances that contaminate soil and water sources, severely affecting wildlife, oceans and human health. Many of these items also contain harmful chemicals that can be absorbed by the body with each use.”

With this initiative, the Talita Kumi Center not only promotes a cleaner and healthier environment but also fosters environmental awareness among its students, most of whom are young Q’eqchi’ from rural communities. By adopting these practices in their daily lives, they also become agents of change in their communities, where the overuse of disposables has increased.

The student added, “Small actions, such as using reusable utensils, can have a significant impact. At Talita Kumi, our choices as students reflect a genuine commitment to building a more sustainable future.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70% of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91% for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – At FUNDEMI Talita Kumi, We Say No to Disposables

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Young women from the Salesian Talita Kumi centers, located in San Pedro Carchá, Chisec and El Estor, Guatemala, are growing healthy food in a sustainable way. One of the fundamental principles of the centers is the application of sustainable practices for the prevention, protection, management and conservation of the environment.

A Salesian noted, “By growing vegetables, fruits and greens for their own consumption, the 700 boarding students not only ensure a nutritious diet but also promote self-sufficiency and respect for nature. As part of this process, they produce bokashi organic fertilizer, a fermented compost made from food scraps, ash, silty soil, garden waste, animal manure and other biodegradable materials.”

The use of this fertilizer has enriched the soil quality within the facilities, improving its biological composition and fostering long-term sustainable agriculture. Beyond its environmental benefits, this practice strengthens the students’ sense of ecological responsibility and commitment to a greener future.

The Salesian explained, “The efforts of Talita Kumi students demonstrate that environmental education and community action can create a positive impact on both people and the planet. By growing their own food and regenerating the soil through sustainable methods, these young women become agents of change, inspiring their communities to adopt eco-friendly practices.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70% of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91% for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Fundemi Talita Kumi Girls: Guardians of the Environment

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, recently celebrated the completion of the Office Automation training course for youth who are facing socioeconomic, migratory or disability-related challenges. The training provides youth with digital skills, equipping them with essential competencies to expand their opportunities in the digital economy.

This initiative, carried out in collaboration with Experience France, is part of the Technical Assistance for Office Automation Training for Vulnerable Youth project, developed under the LAMARR Project, which is funded by the European Union.

The most recent course provided training to 12 youth aged 16-29 with a focus on mastering Microsoft Office. Youth also accessed life skills training to prepare them to successfully navigate the workforce and society.

A Salesian explained, “FUSALMO remains committed to developing new training opportunities, creating programs and projects that enable young people to grow professionally and contribute actively to society.”

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for youth who are at risk. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society.

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth aged 15-24 unemployed and 41% underemployed.

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

ANS – El Salvador – FUSALMO Promotes Digital Access for Vulnerable Youth

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions – FUSALMO

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Salesian Education Center (CEDES Don Bosco) in San José, Costa Rica, has organized a series of training sessions to encourage students to participate in the upcoming Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival. Teachers want to ensure students have the necessary tools to make their videos.

The training was offered by Julio Zúñiga, assistant of the Club House and a graphic designer with extensive experience in multimedia production. Zúñiga provided audiovisual resources and taught techniques to create shots, manage light effects and to focus on different planes, underlining the importance of maintaining the thematic context. Retouching and editing photos, along with videos and film techniques, were also covered.

Michelle Marchena, environmental manager of CEDES Don Bosco, spoke to youth about how to combat climate change. The goal was to raise students’ awareness of the festival’s theme, “I have a dream! Young people and climate change.”

A Salesian explained, “The training, which was organized by the CEDES Don Bosco’s Department of Social Communication, encouraged the students to participate in the film festival and helped them get ready to do so. In 2021, CEDES Don Bosco won an award at the festival thanks to our student Nazareth Cascante, who also recently sent a motivational video to the students encouraging them to participate.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21% of the population. In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher-than-average number of children under age 5, as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include children under age 14 or adults over age 65. More than 77% of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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ANS – Costa Rica – CEDES Don Bosco prepares students for the Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival (DBGYFF 2024)

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) The San Juan Bosco Vocational Training Center, located in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, celebrated its 39th anniversary this year. Founded by Salesian Father Guerrino Giacomel, the center has left an indelible mark on the country’s technical training.

Under the current leadership of Salesian Brother Oscar Pereira and his team, the center has expanded its reach to serve a growing number of youth. Students can take a wide range of technical training including skills for hairstyling, graphic design, electrical and photovoltaic systems, automotive mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, baking and pastry, refrigeration and air conditioning, and computer systems support. The center also offers distance learning opportunities.

“Youth need access to the vocational and technical training that provides them the skills for later employment,” explained Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian schools in Honduras and around the globe provide students with opportunities and create a well-trained pipeline of workers ready and able to enter the workforce into sectors that need skilled labor.”

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60% of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

As of March 2023, official data showed 14% of Hondurans could not read or write, with the rate reaching 31% for those aged 60 and older. Only 56% of children between 12 and 14, and 29% between 15 and 17, were attending school.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families.

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Photo courtesy of  Salesians of Don Bosco West

Salesians of Don Bosco West – San Juan Bosco Vocational Training Centre Celebrates 39th Anniversary

Salesian Missions – Honduras

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Ricaldone Technical Institute, located in San Salvador, El Salvador, have expanded the photovoltaic energy production system with grid supply. The project was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Cooperation of Germany BMZ, the Salesian Divine Savior Province of Central America and Don Bosco Mondo.

This system consists of over 400 panels installed in the central building, which holds classrooms, to convert sunlight into electricity. The system will also have a 7-kilowatt peak solar system that will function as a practical training module for future technicians.

A Salesian explained, “This training will be provided at the Ricaldone Vocational Training Center and will include professional technical courses in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The training is expected to start in the 2026 school year.”

The new solar panels are also saving the school money. The Salesian noted, “With this renewable energy system, the Ricaldone Technical Institute reduces its environmental impact by 275 tons of CO2, and plans to reduce electricity costs by 45%. These funds will be allocated for the technical training of low-income students in the scholarship program.”

Initiatives like this have taken prominence in Salesian schools and centers since Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which had as its theme “Good Christians and Upright Citizens.” Pope Francis underlined the importance of education and training to help youth foster environmental responsibility.

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41% underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – The Ricaldone Technical Institute in San Salvador expands the photovoltaic plant to renewable energies

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Students at Don Bosco Primary School in Soyapango, El Salvador, launched a new ecology club, which aims to promote care for the planet. The opening ceremony was chaired by the club’s counselor, Dr. Morena Díaz, in collaboration with the school’s teachers. The event also paid tribute to Samuel Bonilla, one of the collaborators of the school in the gardening sector. He took part in the ceremony and supported the students in planting a small shrub as a symbolic act of commitment to nature.

The ecology club was started in line with other activities of the overall provincial plan of the Salesian Province of Central America and with an institutional agreement with the Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international platform for the Green Salesian Movement that contributes to global environmental action, thought and policy. Don Bosco Green Alliance was launched in April 2018 in India. In just five years, the Don Bosco Green Alliance has gained 611 registered members from 86 countries.

A Salesian said, “Salesian schools and centers around the globe have been launching activities that promote sustainable practices and care for the planet. Teaching about these environmental concerns empowers life-long commitment for youth and allows them to pay these lessons forward to their families and community.”

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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

ANS – El Salvador – Opening of the Ecological Club at the Don Bosco Primary School in Soyapango

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Youth in Salesian programs in cantons of Tonacatepeque, El Salvador, received bicycles thanks to a donation from World Vision secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The bicycles, distributed by the Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation, were given to 120 boys and girls. In addition, 163 others, including siblings and mothers, will benefit from the bicycles. Also included in the shipment from another donor were laptops to enhance the children’s education.

The bicycles will serve as a means of transportation to go to school, take corn to the mill, carry water jugs and to have fun with neighborhood friends. To distribute the bicycles, an athletic competition was held for youth in the age categories of 8-9 years old, 10-12 years old, and 13-15 years old. Competitions were held separately for boys and girls for each age group. The winners received the bicycles.

Nikol Margarita Galdamez, age 9, said, “At first I didn’t want to compete, I was afraid that others would beat me. In the second round, I went for it and won.” Another winner, Oscar Leonel López, age 11, explained, “The bike is too big for me, but I can reach it and I can ride it. I am very happy!” One young girl, René Larios Mazariegos, age 9, expressed her joy, “I always dreamed of a bike.”

Salesian missionaries and sisters in the region are caring for children who are often from broken families. In March 2022, President Nayib Bukele introduced a national Exception Law in El Salvador that suspended certain civil liberties. While the law was enacted to bring security as the country has faced high homicide rates due to street gangs, it’s estimated that nearly one in six people the police have arrested are innocent and due process has been suspended.

A Salesian explained, “As a result of this law, many families are left without a father or mother and in some cases both parents. Today the affected children live with their grandparents and the older ones dedicate themselves to the agricultural activities that their parents left behind. Before, people in cantons, hamlets and cities did not have the freedom to travel or visit families from one region to another. After almost 20 years of living with the presence of young gang members, today activities that were previously blocked can be carried out. The Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation has started activities to unify work forces with project management groups made up of women from rural areas who work for their local communities.”

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41% underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Gifts were delivered in the days before Christmas to the most disadvantaged children from the territory connected to the Holy Spirit Parish in Guatemala City, Guatemala. This was coordinated by the Association of Mary Help of Christians and was made possible thanks to parishioners who collected and delivered the gifts. In addition to gifts, association members shared a snack with the children during their time together.

A Salesian said, “The children and their families were grateful for the support during this Christmas season. The children enjoyed the gifts and snacks and a moment of happiness with their peers and caring adults. It was also an opportunity for parish members to give back and support their local community. We are grateful for our donors who are always willing to help.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools. They also operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70% of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91% for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

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

ANS – Guatemala – Delivery of gifts to many disadvantaged children

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, won first prize in the nongovernmental organization category in a contest facilitated by the “Helping those who help” program, an initiative of the Gloria Kriete Foundation, which grants funds for social projects.

At the award ceremony, an open forum was held. Nelson Cruze, executive director of FUSALMO, used the opportunity to share the experiences and perspectives of the Salesian organization in its work with youth. During its time in operation, FUSALMO has served more than 432,000 youth within its programs.

The award comes with a financial prize worth $100,000, which will be used to promote the implementation of FUSALMO’s Ad Astra project (from the phrase “to the stars”). The project focuses on guiding youth to develop their own skills and support their communities. Youth take part in robotics clubs and laboratories to develop their leadership through the STEAM+LAB approach and Industry 4.0.

This project also includes a Space for Investigators project in the FUSALMO facilities in Soyapango. It will fully equip an area for the transformation of ideas into innovative projects through the development of technical and technological skills, the promotion of collaborative and practical learning, and youth leadership.

A Salesian said, “The goal is to empower youth with critical thinking skills, innovation, and values of responsibility, teamwork, empathy, and problem solving, while preparing them to obtain better job opportunities and transform situations in their communities.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

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ANS – El Salvador – The FUSALMO Salesian Foundation’s “Ad Astra” Project wins first prize in the “Helping those who help” Program

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, and Catholic Relief Services have announced the launch of two new platforms. Transforma EDU will focus on supporting quality education for children and older youth while Transforma PRO will support training and job placement. The launch of the project was held on Oct. 19.

The primary objective is to provide the tools and opportunities for youth to access employment after graduation. Strategic partnerships with partner companies also ensure they find highly qualified candidates.

“Together with the strategic leadership of FUSALMO, we seek to promote the development of Salvadoran youth, so they can overcome obstacles in the job market,” said John Briggs, director of Catholic Relief Services in El Salvador. “We strengthen professional qualification programs and collaborate with private companies to create opportunities. By involving families, we create positive change and build a better future together.”

In addition to these services, the project will offer psychological testing and customized training to meet the needs of companies. There will be guidance provided on the requirements for each partner institution.

Nelson Cruz, executive director of FUSALMO, explained, “FUSALMO and Catholic Relief Services have more than five years of experience in the implementation of various inter-institutional initiatives and innovative projects to strengthen skills of children, adolescents and young people in conditions of social vulnerability. With this initiative, FUSALMO, thanks to the support of the Catholic Relief Services, seeks to become a leader in promoting the integral development of children and young people.”

FUSALMO has served more than 432,000 youth in its more than 20-year history. Since 2004, FUSALMO’s flagship program, Don Bosco Integral Youth Program, has helped students complete their secondary education. This program has grown stronger over time thanks to the support of national and international organizations.

Close to 22% of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12% of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41% underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – FUSALMO and CRS launch two platforms to promote the development of Salvadoran youth

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(MissionNewswire) St. Dominic Savio Center in Cartago, Costa Rica, has been providing educational workshops for people, with a focus on women, for the past 40 years. The goal is for students to acquire a trade and start their own businesses. Currently, the workshops provide education to more than 150 people.

Among the courses that are taught are cooking, beautician skills, relief painting, jewelry making, pastry making, cutting and packaging, among others. The packing course was the first one provided at the center and it has only grown from there.

“Salesian missionaries in Costa Rica and around the globe provide programs that ensure girls and young women have equal access to education and the supports needed to graduate and find stable employment,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “These programs work to help women achieve long-term self-sustainability, which benefits their families and communities.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21 percent of the population. In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher than average number of children under age 5, as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include children under age 14 or adults over age 65. More than 77 percent of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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ANS – Costa Rica – “Mamma Margaret Workshops,” an option for the advancement of women

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Two nursery and primary schools in El Salvador received school furniture thanks to a donation from Father Mark Hyde, former director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Fr. Hyde is currently working at St. Rosalie parish in New Orleans. When the parish primary school closed, Fr. Hyde made sure that the furniture was donated to Salesian Missions for use abroad.

The donation, which was sent to the Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation for distribution, impacted 127 students at the Mary Help of Christian School in San Salvador and 275 at the Obra Social María Auxiliadora School in Chalchuapa. The new furniture has improved the educational environment of these two schools.

Sister Maria Antonieta Salguero Abrego said, “Educational environments are a fundamental part of the learning process for many children. Receiving new school furniture has created a more comfortable environment for the children to sit and engage with the learning materials. Comfort not only helps students pay attention, but it also allows the body to be in correct postures that leads to better learning. Improvements in the children’s academic performance is ultimately what we strive for.”

Sr. Abrego added, “This also builds children’s confidence and allows them to aim for academic excellence. This will better secure their futures after school and will further aid them in taking care of themselves and their families after school. Being able to provide an enriching experience for the children not only makes the staff and children happy but also brings comfort to parents knowing that their children are being well looked after and prioritized at school.”

Close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Santa Cecilia Institute’s oratory, located in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, celebrated the canonization of St. Artemide Zatti, a Salesian brother who was born in Italy and emigrated to Argentina as a young man. He became a pharmacist and was renowned for his care of the sick.

On Oct. 8, Pope Francis welcomed members of the Salesian religious family to the Vatican and canonized Zatti. The Pope highlighted Zatti’s care for the poor in a Vatican News article. He said, “Artemide dedicated his entire life to the sick, especially the poorest, the abandoned, and the discarded. He lived the total donation of himself to God and the consecration of all his strength to the good of his neighbor.”

The Santa Cecilia Institute’s event began with a celebration of the Eucharist, followed by a welcome to youth from the Don Bosco Oratory in Soyapango, who joined in the festivities. Youth organized soccer, volleyball and basketball games, birthday parties, and games for the younger children. There were also refreshments and a lunch provided. After 123 years in operation, the Santa Cecilia Institute changed the oratory’s name in honor of the new Salesian saint. The oratory is now the St. Artemide Zatti Salesian Oratory.

In addition, more than 100 people participated in a bicycle caravan in honor of St. Artemide Zatti. The bicycle caravan was organized by the Salesian parish of San Benito in Palermo, Guatemala. Participants rode through the main streets of the municipality, starting at the parish to the Candelaria neighborhood, where the Salesian medical clinic named after Zatti is located.

Mirian Dubón, who has been working at the medical dispensary since it was founded, said, “I have long dreamed of this day, when God grants us to have a new saint through Zatti, whom I admire so much and to whom we have dedicated our dispensary, where so many low-income people are treated. I thank God because Zatti is an example of care and mercy toward others for those like us who serve in the dispensary.”

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ANS – Guatemala – A bicycle caravan in honor of St. Artemide Zatti

ANS – El Salvador – St. Artemide Zatti new intercessor at the Salesian oratory in Santa Tecla

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Vatican News – Pope: Blessed Artemide Zatti dedicated his whole life to the sick

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, is empowering the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners to transform the lives of people with mobile disabilities through its “Walking Anew!” project, which ran from March 2017 to June 2022. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The project, now completed, expanded and upgraded the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science and the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. It revolutionized the field of rehabilitation science across Latin America by constructing a new laboratory and research annex, modernizing technology, and extending the reach of Don Bosco University School of Rehabilitation Science through an expanded distance learning program.

The construction of the new building, which houses the Applied Research Center, allows for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provides space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2022, the project was also able to train students in Uganda through the distance learning program.

With the new building, Don Bosco University will become the first university in El Salvador with a building built under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) parameters. The building has incorporated aspects related to energy efficiency, the use of alternative energies, the improvement of indoor environmental quality, the efficiency of water consumption, the sustainable development of open spaces on land and the selection of environmentally friendly materials.

The annex building, which houses a laboratory and research building for people with mobility disabilities, won the Sustainable Construction Award granted by the Salvadoran Chamber of Construction (CASALCO) in the medium project category in 2021. Recently, Diego Aguirre-Herreria, the USAID architect who provides guidance and approves all construction plans for ASHA-funded projects, visited the new annex along with two USAID/El Salvador environmental officers. They were very impressed with the building and all the LEED features that were incorporated within the design.

“We are grateful to USAID for their funding and Don Bosco University for the successful conclusion of this project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “The COVID-19 pandemic caused delays and cost overruns, but Don Bosco University ensured the project had a successful completion. Even procuring the equipment was a challenge for the university because of supply chain issues and price increases, but they made it work. The team showed perseverance in an uncertain time, and we are grateful for their hard work and dedication.”

In the final quarter of the project, Don Bosco University made strides in women empowerment and inclusion in STEM education. The Salvadoran electricity distribution company, Delsur, and Don Bosco University launched the Delsur Stem Academy training program to promote women in STEM careers and reduce the gender gap in the field.

The program motivates second- or third-year high school students, who are daughters of employees of the Del Sur company or who come from educational centers near their areas of influence, to study in areas of science and technology. Young women will have the opportunity to train in four major areas including robotics, electronics, mechanics and renewable energy. In addition, they will carry out field visits to the company to learn about the experience of women working in their areas of specialization.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sectors. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

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(MissionNewswire) Fabian Carillo, an 8th grade student at the Don Bosco Center for the Development of Skills, known as CEDES Don Bosco in Costa Rica, has been a member of the national taekwondo team for the past three years. In international competitions, he has participated in meets in the United States, Panama, and Nicaragua, and has won several gold medals.

In Carillo’s most recent event at the Latin American Taekwondo PANAM, he won a bronze medal, taking first place in his category at the Costa Rican level and third place at the Latin American level.

His father, Alejandro Carillo, says that Fabian handles his role as an athlete well and that as a student he gets very good grades. His next competition will be in August in Nicaragua. He is already hard at work training for the event. Carillo practices taekwondo after classes at school, and trains two hours every day six days a week. He hopes to soon have the opportunity to compete in a Taekwondo World Cup.

“Sports programs are important for social integration and the promotion of values like teamwork, communication, respect, and team spirit,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning and playing team sports encourage leadership skills as well as teach youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21 percent of the population. In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher-than-average number of children under age 5, as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include children under age 14 or adults over age 65. More than 77 percent of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) More than 1,000 youth in Salesian educational institutions in Honduras are benefiting from school furniture thanks to a donation secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The furniture was provided by Furniture Reuse Solutions, which has a commitment to sustainability and societal benefit. The company provides charities and nonprofits with gifts-in-kind donations that aid in their humanitarian missions.

The donation, which was received in December 2021, provided tables, chairs, and shelving units to the San Juan Bosco Vocational Training Center, San Miguel Salesian Institute, and the Archdiocese of Gracias Lempira. Prior to the donation, there were no tables for students in classrooms or chairs for offices. Many of the rooms also lacked shelving for organizing school and office supplies. Students who are studying refrigeration also lacked tables to do their work.

With the furniture, the Salesian schools have much more organizational structure in work and studying spaces. Shelving was installed for equipment and supplies. The refrigeration and barbershop areas now have space to practice. Staff are able to sit in offices and students now can study and learn at tables, which makes learning much more comfortable.

Carmen Lorraine Posadas, a 19-year-old student at the San Juan Bosco Vocational Training Center, was impacted by the donation. She is studying styling and lives with her mother who works as a domestic employee. Posadas noted that for other schools her mother needed to buy everything for her to be able to attend classes. At the center, many things were provided for her.

Posadas said, “I am completely in awe of everything this institution offers us as young people.  They provide us with tools for learning, and the spaces are comfortable. The chairs are suitable for the work that we do and the tables helps us keep everything organized. I think this institution would benefit many in our country. I want to thank all the people and organizations that strive to help and improve the environment at San Juan Bosco Center and improve what we already have available.”

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families.

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Maria Fidelia Paau, a member of the Maya-Q’eqchi’ ethnic group, was elected Indigenous Queen of Carchá, Guatemala, with the title “Flower of the People” for 2022-2023. After her election, she went to the Salesian boarding school in San Pedro Carchá, where she lived while gaining an education at the Salesian secondary school Talita Kumi. She wanted to thank Don Bosco and the Salesians for her success.

Paau was one of the first girls involved with the local Salesian oratory and who studied in the local Salesian school. She is now studying educational science at the Salesian Mesoamerican University and is among one of the young women who received a scholarship from Mission Don Bosco.

Salesian Mesoamerican University has launched a new course of study each year since it has been in operation. First came a teaching training program, then educational administration and educational sciences. These were followed by social work and bilingual primary education. In 2018, Salesians added an agronomic engineering course followed by a new religious studies course.

The university plays an important role in the Talita Kumi mission to promote leadership and empowerment of thousands of Indigenous women. The broader Talita Kumi project provides services to women and young children. Children attending Salesian community centers in the Guatemalan departments of Quiché, Izabal, Petén and Alta Verapaz receive pre-primary education that is facilitated by volunteers from the community with the help of Salesian staff. Youth then go onto Salesian secondary schools for more skills training.

“Education gives vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth, especially young women who often don’t have access to higher education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Young women who are able to access education are more often able to achieve financial independence and make better and healthier choices that affect not only themselves, but their families and communities as well.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – “Indigenous Queen” of Carchá thanks Don Bosco

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Pedro Carchá have been working on a housing reconstruction project since torrential rains and severe flooding decimated rural villages in Guatemala. The storm on Nov. 4, 2020, isolated entire rural communities and devastated crops and housing. Chiachal, approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of San Pedro Carchá and home to 105 Indigenous Q’eqchi’ families, was especially impacted.

In coordination with the Salesian Provincial House and with financial support from Salesians in Central America, donors, and other charitable organizations, Salesian missionaries set out to support this community. The first step was to purchase municipal land for the construction of new housing and the church. The work took the cooperation of the local Don Bosco Center and the Salesian-run Talita Kumi Center.

The Sisters of the Resurrection also purchased land that has since been subdivided into 120 lots, where 105 new houses, three churches, a school, a health center, and a community hall have been built. Each family was granted a family farm and farm animals. A cardamom processing cooperative project, including a dryer, is also underway.

“Salesian missionaries are living among these rural villages and saw firsthand the destruction the rains and flooding caused to these communities,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “With support from donors and other organizations, Salesians have been able to rebuild for these families. The area is so remote that there are few services and supports. Salesians ensure communities have access to basic needs and education.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – Chiachal, an indigenous Qeqchi community reborn after the deluge

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in Soyapango, El Salvador, has created new spaces for design students for experimentation and prototyping. The new spaces complement new laboratories for technical and specialized training for students in the industrial and product design degree program. The new facilities provide students taking ceramics, wood, and digital fabrication with a place to assemble their academic, research, and graduate projects.

Students in other courses and university officials will also be able to take advantage of the services provided by these labs. The upgrade and renovation will benefit more than 1,300 students and about 50 small businesses with which the university collaborates.

Milton Ascencio, dean of the faculty of humanities, said, “This project not only shows the firm commitment of Don Bosco University to offer high-level academic and professional training but also highlights the institutional effort to provide society with competent people in the areas of design and prototyping.”

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sectors. The university maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

Don Bosco University also has a focus on providing higher education for young women. Its institutional commitment includes empowering women’s integration into university programs, with special attention to the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – Don Bosco University inaugurates labs for specialized training in Industrial and Product Design

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) As part of the 125-year celebration of Salesian missionaries working in Central America, Santa Cecilia Salesian College, located in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, inaugurated the Chaleco TV audiovisual studio. The project consists of two audiovisual studios equipped with cutting-edge technology that enables students to expand their theoretical and practical knowledge.

With a focus on remote learning, the studio will also become a resource for college teachers to provide virtual lessons for students during times when in-classroom learning is not available. In a speech at the inauguration event, Father Rodolfo Guzmán, rector of the school, underlined the importance of creating spaces and tools to promote education.

“This new audiovisual studio is a great example of Salesians teaching youth skills in the classroom that they are able to use in real-world environments,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries working in El Salvador focus their efforts on providing education and social programs to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to find stable employment and improve their standard of living.”

Salesian technical schools in El Salvador cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and chance of gaining livable wage employment after their studies are completed.

Close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – “Chaleco TV”: teaching focused on emerging forms of communication

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) The Mary Help of Christians Parish in Comayagüela, Honduras, facilitates a Salesian youth volunteer program, which provides youth an opportunity to be engaged in acts of service. This year the volunteer program camp had the theme of the Rector Major’s Strenna 2022 “Do all through love, nothing through constraint.” The 70 participating volunteers delved into its meaning and used it as a guide for volunteer initiatives.

Father Ángel Prado, provincial of Central America, gave a video message to the participants. In it he said, “Dear young people, I would like to congratulate you on your willingness to do good and to give all your energy, time and affection to the good of the Church. But remember that you have to do it out of love because you love the Church and the young people you are addressing.”

Volunteering provides youth an opportunity to give back to people in need within their community. Through service, youth learn skills, build relationships with their peers, engage with supportive adults and build confidence through the activities.

In another project to help youth build skills, Mary Help of Christians Parish collaborated with World Vision and the Mexico Fund – Youth Building the Future in Honduras to launch the NINIS project. The project offered youth, ages 19-29 who do not study or work, the opportunity to acquire technical skills and financial support.

“Providing youth in Honduras with technical training is the first step in helping them achieve self-sufficiency,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In many countries around the globe where poverty is high and access to education is not universal, it is crucial that Salesian missionaries continue to offer technical and vocational training to as many youth as possible to ensure that they have access to long-term stable employment.”

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian programs in Honduras.

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HONDURAS: Unemployed youth benefit from skills training

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) More than 20,000 people, mostly school children, had access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” Two food shipments were sent in 2021 to Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador.

The rice-meals were distributed to schools in the municipalities of Soyapango, San Miguel and Santa Ana. Food was also provided directly to vulnerable families in those areas. The rice-meals helped 9,328 people in Soyapango, 1,499 people in San Miguel and 9,445 people in Santa Ana.

FUSALMO provides education and social development programs for children and older youth who are in situations of social vulnerability. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society.

The food shipment was particularly helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic when many families were pushed further into poverty because of a loss of employment and wages.

“It is important that youth have access to healthy nutrition so they are able to take part in school and other activities,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian feeding programs not only help with a balanced diet, but they also allow students to focus on getting an education without worrying about where they will find their next meal.”

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

Close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Feed My Starving Children

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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(MissionNewswire) Thanks to funding Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, received from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) program, Salesian missionaries have been able to launch building projects to improve the standard of medical care for people in El Salvador and Mexico. The projects are a mix of construction, equipment purchases and training to improve health care outcomes for people with physical disabilities.

Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, is empowering the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners to transform the lives of people with mobile disabilities through its “Walking Anew!” project. The project has expanded and upgraded the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science and the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project is pioneering innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

The construction of the new building, which houses the Applied Research Center, allows for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provides space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Following the success of the project in El Salvador, the “Raising Standards of Care for Spinal Cord Injury Patients” project is constructing and equipping Mexico’s first comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation center to assist patients who have been paralyzed by spinal cord injuries, with a special focus on youth.

The project runs from October 2018 through the end of September 2023. The Latin American Center for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries, which is being built in Guadalajara, will be the only center in Mexico dedicated to serving the target population. Construction for the new center is continuing to progress as scheduled. Equipment is expected to be acquired in early 2022.

The “Raising Standards” project will provide specialized occupational therapy to retrain people in the skills they need to independently carry out typical household chores and activities. This includes a simulated kitchen to help patients to learn how to maneuver and cook with their new physical circumstances. Office and bedroom simulation areas will also be a part of the project.

“We are grateful to USAID for its support and funding for the construction projects in El Salvador and Mexico,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “People with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers if given the opportunity. Projects like these help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that help aid inclusion of people with disabilities in every facet of life, particularly in countries where limited services existed until now.”

These critical health infrastructure projects would not be possible without the support of USAID/ASHA funding, which is making a significant impact in these countries. Salesian Missions is grateful for the continued support and ability to impact health outcomes for people in poverty.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco University

EL SALVADOR: New building receives sustainable construction award

MEXICO: Construction continues on new spinal cord treatment center

Salesian Missions

USAID

USAID American Schools and Hospitals Abroad

The post GLOBAL: Projects improve care for people with disabilities in Mexico and El Salvador first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Center for the Development of Skills, known as CEDES Don Bosco in Costa Rica, has been awarded the Blue Award in the hygiene promotion category by the Ecological Blue Flag and Quality Healthcare Seal. The center has been promoting a culture of cleanliness and hygiene through education and safe access to drinking water and sanitation services to help stop the spread of disease and prevent COVID-19 infections.

The Ecological Blue Flag program is an annual award that takes into account efforts to improve hygiene and environmental conditions. The Don Bosco Center obtained an evaluation of 100 points in the mandatory parameters, which include the correct management of drinking water, correct treatment and disposal of wastewater, application of the hygiene protocol, disinfection of installations and plants, hand-washing, and solid waste management.

“The Don Bosco Center has done significant work in ensuring that students and staff are learning and working in a safe and clean environment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This work is important all the time but has been particularly importing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Salesians around the globe have made access to clean water and proper hygiene a priority in Salesian schools and centers.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21 percent of the population. In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher than average number of children under age 5, as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include children under age 14 or adults over age 65. More than 77 percent of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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

ANS – Costa Rica – CEDES Don Bosco receives the Blue Prize for Promotion of Hygiene

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Costa Rica

The post COSTA RICA: School recognized for hygiene promotion first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, is empowering the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners to transform the lives of people with mobile disabilities through its “Walking Anew!” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID-ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The “Walking Anew!” project is expanding and upgrading the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science and the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project is pioneering innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

The construction of the new building, which houses the Applied Research Center, allows for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provides space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

With the new building, Don Bosco University will become the first university in El Salvador with a building built under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) parameters. The building has incorporated aspects related to energy efficiency, the use of alternative energies, the improvement of indoor environmental quality, the efficiency of water consumption, the sustainable development of open spaces on land and the selection of environmentally friendly materials.

The annex building, which houses a laboratory and research building for people with mobility disabilities, recently won the Sustainable Construction Award granted by the Salvadoran Chamber of Construction (CASALCO) in the medium project category.

“We are grateful to USAID for its ongoing support and funding and exceptional job done by Don Bosco University in the construction of this new building,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “People with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers if given the opportunity. Projects like this help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that help aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Don Bosco University is also updating technological infrastructure for the existing orthosis and prosthesis laboratories as well as for movement and gait analysis. Similarly, the Applied Research Center will be equipped with the necessary technology for the exchange of knowledge and experiences with physical and academic rehabilitation centers identified in the United States and Latin America. A specialized laboratory area has been prepared, and third-year students studying to be technicians began using the space for the Practice in Orthotics and Prosthesis II class.

In September 2021, Don Bosco University Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences held an open house to provide a presentation to those interested in technician careers in orthotics and prosthetics.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

USAID American Schools and Hospitals Abroad

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO and the Salesian Technical Institute Ricaldone, both located in San Salvador, El Salvador, were able to provide nutritional support to youth, families and students thanks to partnerships between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger and Feed My Starving Children.

The rice-meals from Feed My Starving Children were provided to Salesian Technical Institute Ricaldone where 1,200 students and community members benefited from the donation. Food baskets were distributed to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the tropical storms Amanda and Cristobal, and students at the institute.

Daniel Armando Pineda Sánchez, a second-year administrative accounting student, said, “When the COVID-19 pandemic and the tropical storms happened, people were left with limited resources and challenging economic conditions. I’m grateful we received the food basket that had rice with dehydrated soybeans, beans, milk and more. It was essential food for people in the community.”

The Rise Against Hunger shipment provided rice-meals for youth from the Don Bosco Youth Program and communities surrounding FUSALMO. More than 300 youth were impacted by this donation.

FUSALMO provides education and social development programs for children and older youth who are in situations of social vulnerability. The organization was created thanks to the efforts of the Salesians of El Salvador, the Association of Salesian Cooperators and the Foundation for Integral Education of El Salvador. During its time in operation, FUSALMO has served more than 432,000 youth within its programs.

Since 2004, FUSALMO’s flagship program, Don Bosco Youth Program, has helped students complete their secondary education. This program has grown stronger thanks to the support of national and international organizations. Two years ago the program began offering additional skills training to ensure that youth are ready to be part of the changing workforce.

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

FUSALMO

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

Salesian Technical Institute Ricaldone

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Casa Betania, located in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, welcomes thousands of people every year, most of them migrants in search of a better life. Children, youth, adults, pregnant women, families, and the elderly find support and relief thanks to a group of volunteers.

One of these volunteers, Rosa Forlán, said that in the three weeks she worked at the Salesian facility she witnessed the tragedy experienced by thousands of people. She said, “Esteban arrived with his feet seriously injured by the long walk. Matias was picked up at the door, dehydrated, almost dying, and it was necessary to call for medical assistance. Hours later, Maribel arrived, a single mother with two children under 8, and Julia, with her three daughters. The eldest, aged 11, had a hand injured from a fall on the way across the border. I also met Luis, who appeared alongside Oscar, Lucas and William, who said they were unemployed, but with a desire to work and improve despite their poor education.”

Every day, Salesian volunteers listen to stories of migrants who arrive exhausted and tired, due to the high temperatures, hunger and thirst. At Casa Betania, they receive accommodation, food, rest, psychological assistance and other services.

“Collaborating in the restaurant, laundry, reception and cleaning service allowed me to get to know a reality that is sometimes little told,” said Forlán. “Migrants are not looking for a dream, they are going through an ordeal, asking for justice and understanding. But understanding is only possible ‘walking with them’ in a silent and supportive accompaniment, making oneself available to listen without judgment because each person brings a heavy burden that only he or she knows.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Casa Betania”: an oasis for migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Migrants find support and relief first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango in the San Salvador department of El Salvador, recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary. The organization provides education and social development programs for children and older youth who are in situations of social vulnerability.

FUSALMO was created thanks to the efforts of the Salesians of El Salvador, the Association of Salesian Cooperators and the Foundation for Integral Education of El Salvador. During its time in operation, FUSALMO has served more than 432,000 youth within its programs.

Since 2004, FUSALMO’s flagship program, Don Bosco Integral Youth Program, has helped students complete their secondary education. This program has grown stronger over time thanks to the support of national and international organizations. Furthermore, two years ago the program began offering additional skills training to ensure that youth are ready to be part of the changing workforce.

“The pandemic challenged how we normally work with youth,” explained Father Pierre M. Vitelli, president of FUSALMO. “However, our vocation is stronger and has motivated us to accelerate the process of creating virtual FUSALMO. Through a platform called Transforma, we are committed to serving young people everywhere. We have created a virtual space, where children can find and have fun with friends.”

Transforma has been adapted for mobile devices. Courses are completely free and available to all users who wish to register, regardless of where they go to school. Around 3,000 children and older youth are expected to benefit in their educational development.

FUSALMO has also been recognized internationally and nationally. In 2019, the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development awarded the Ad Vitam prize to FUSALMO’s founder, Father Alfonso Evertsz, who dedicated his life to youth in El Salvador during more than 50 years of priesthood. In 2018, through the Ministry of Education of El Salvador, FUSALMO received a special mention from the president of the Republic.

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

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

ANS – El Salvador – FUSALMO turns 20

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) The Mary Help of Christians Parish in Comayagüela, Honduras, in collaboration with World Vision and the Mexico Fund – Youth Building the Future in Honduras, launched the NINIS project. It offers youth, ages 19-29 who do not study or work, the opportunity to acquire technical skills and financial support.

The project was founded based on social co-responsibility between the public and private sectors to help youth have employable skills. About 250 people have signed up for the program to date.

“Providing technical training to youth is the first step in helping them achieve self-sufficiency,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In many countries around the globe where poverty is high and access to education is not universal, it is crucial that Salesian missionaries continue to offer technical and vocational training to as many youth as possible to ensure that they have access to long-term stable employment.”

The Salesians are regarded as the single largest provider of vocational and technical training in the world. They offer more than 1,000 vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools around the globe. This training provides youth the practical skills to prepare for employment and helps them lead productive lives while becoming contributing adults in their communities. These programs go beyond educating. They also assist youth with making connections within industries and preparing them for the process of searching, finding and retaining employment.

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian programs in Honduras.

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ANS – Honduras – A project in favor of young people launched

Salesian Missions – Honduras

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: Unemployed youth benefit from skills training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, has inaugurated new facilities for the Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences to empower the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners through its “Walking Anew!” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The “Walking Anew!” project is expanding and upgrading the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science as well as the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project will also pioneer innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

The construction of this new building, which will house the Applied Research Center, will allow for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provide space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The construction of this new building marks an important milestone for Don Bosco University by becoming the first university in El Salvador with a building built under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) parameters. The building has incorporated aspects related to energy efficiency, the use of alternative energies, the improvement of indoor environmental quality, the efficiency of water consumption, the sustainable development of open spaces on land and the selection of environmentally friendly materials.

The design of the building was also developed based on a bioclimatic study to preserve as many trees as possible on the land. More than 80 percent of the trees were maintained. The landscaping was designed with a combination of native plants, plants with low maintenance and water consumption, and elements that do not require water consumption. To manage rainwater, the project has a system of cisterns with triple function, including a rainwater collection system for reuse and retention, along with a water mirror to improve indoor air conditioning.

“Don Bosco University has done an exceptional job with this project and we are grateful to USAID for its ongoing support and funding,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “People with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers if given the opportunity. Projects like this help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that help aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Beyond the construction of the new building, Don Bosco University will also update technological infrastructure for the existing orthosis and prosthesis laboratories as well as for movement and gait analysis. Similarly, the Applied Research Center will be equipped with the necessary technology for the exchange of knowledge and experiences with physical and academic rehabilitation centers identified in the United States and Latin America.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco University

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

USAID American Schools and Hospitals Abroad

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(MissionNewswire) The Santo Domingo Savio Salesian Center in Cartago, Costa Rica, has an ongoing initiative to collect food donated by parishioners and provide it to poor families in the community. Those who wish to donate are able to drop the goods off at the center. Donations often consist of cereals, eggs, canned products, oil and water, among other items. A delivery of the food is made every first Friday of the month to those in need.

Currently, the initiative reaches 40 families near the Salesian Center. The initiative is supported by Salesian collaborators and aspirants and members of the Mary Help of Christians Association, who divide the food into packages.

“This initiative is important now more than ever especially as people are slipping more into poverty in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This provides an opportunity for Salesians and those in the parish who are able to give back to those in the community who need a helping hand.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21 percent of the population.

In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher than average number of children under 5 years old as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include other children under 14 years old or adults over 65 years old. More than 77 percent of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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

ANS – Costa Rica – Santo Domingo Savio Salesian Center offers food to poor families

Santo Domingo Savio Salesian Center Facebook

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Costa Rica

The post COSTA RICA: 40 poor families receive food through ongoing initiative first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Maya Q’eqchi’ Indigenous families in the rural area of San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala, have received support after the devastating effects of Hurricane Eta, thanks to donor support through Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Hundreds of poor Indigenous families lost their gardens, farms and homes due to rising floodwaters caused by the hurricane.

A few people who had mobile phones called Salesian missionaries for help, but it was impossible to reach the community because the roads were blocked by the flood. Later, Salesians were able to reach people by walking through mountainous paths. Families were provided kits of food, clothes, blankets and personal hygiene items. Some who had lost their homes sought shelter with relatives and friends while others improvised shelter with only a piece of nylon for the roof.

Salesian missionaries organized relief work around the words of Pope Francis: “Techo, Terreno, Trabajo” (Roof, Land, Work). Salesians provided funding for prefabricated houses on land safer from floodwaters. There was also donor funding to help these families start their family farms and vegetable gardens. Through donor funding from Salesian Missions, Salesians have been able to assist 48 families with small farmhouses and vegetable gardens, but hundreds more families are in need.

“The stakes are high for those impacted by these hurricanes, especially now when we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They know the local landscape and can ensure that relief aid is provided to those most in need.”

In addition to direct support, Salesian missionaries are also providing agricultural and livestock technical assistance to families to help production output for food security. Salesians are also bolstering local economic agriculture initiatives while focusing on environmental sustainability.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools that are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Salesian missionaries in these local communities are still assessing the damage and working to respond to people in need. In support of this work, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to donate online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén operate the Casa Bethania for Migrants, one of two homes for migrants in Petén, Guatemala. In addition, two Salesian parishes on the border in Naranjo and Melchor are stopovers for migrants who cross the country on their way to Mexico and the United States.

“At the moment, the flow of migration is very strong as everyone wants to try to reach the ‘American Dream’,” said Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in charge of the Salesian house in San Benito. “We have also prepared the corridors of the house so that people can sleep there. They have a clear goal and do not want to delay their journey. They just want to eat something, sleep and move on.”

Casa Bethania, which complies with all COVID-19 safety regulations, normally serves 55 people a day. Given the safety precautions, now only 30 people are served each day. They receive food and a place to sleep as well as medical care from a volunteer nurse from Spain. In the home, migrants also receive psychological support and those who may need asylum are identified. People whose life is in danger are classified as refugees as they are fleeing situations of violence in their countries.

The house functions thanks to volunteers from the parish who help cleaning the rooms, preparing food and collecting food. The house has been active for about four years and has served close to 18,000 meals. Currently, most of the migrants come from Honduras, and in many cases, are people who were hard hit by Hurricanes Eta and Iota last year.

“There are people who have lost everything including their homes,” added Fr. De Nardi. “A young man told us how he saw his partner die as she was being carried away by the strong current of a river. She was all his family. They come in large groups, entire families, even with grandparents. In their passage through Guatemala, they had problems with the police, mistreatment, and everything was very difficult for them. Right now, the only goal they have is to get to the United States. They want nothing else and are not interested in any other option.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Casa Bethania”: support for migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Migrants supported with food, care on their journey first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University, located in San Salvador, El Salvador, has new furniture thanks to a donation secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The furniture was provided by Furniture Reuse Solutions, which has a commitment to sustainability and societal benefit. The company provides charities and nonprofits with gifts-in-kind donations that aid in their humanitarian missions. This is the first donation to Salesian Missions.

The donation provided furniture for Don Bosco University’s student residence halls, student lounge and the sitting area outside of the Don Bosco Chapel. The furniture was also shared with Sacred Heart Retreat House, which is used for meetings, gatherings and spiritual retreats.

“We are grateful to Furniture Reuse Solutions for providing the furniture so that our students are more comfortable in their learning and living environment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Having a proper environment at the university gives our students dignity and allows them to better focus on their lessons.”

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sectors. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services.

Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The university is also the only teaching center in the country that has the accreditation of the International Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, are providing food aid to those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 families have been provided food support thanks to help from the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, Spain, and Canadian Food for Children.

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started in 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Salesian missionaries also operate a summer youth program that offers classes in Spanish and English, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, and music and dance, as well as provides organized games for participants. Operated out of a Salesian youth center in San Benito, youth in the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability.

Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén, also recently started a refectory for the poor that aims to reach the most vulnerable. The refectory is helping hundreds of people who are without resources.

“During the pandemic, we want to continue helping the most vulnerable people,” said Fr. De Nardi. “To this end, the arrival of a container with non-perishable food will be essential in these days. In addition, we want to buy vegetables, condiments and some meat, so that families can eat meat once a week.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “The solidarity of the population is seen in the collaboration they offer us with the delivery of non-perishable products that are then distributed. Rice, beans, eggs, oil and pasta arrive every day at the refectory thanks to the generosity of the population.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – Salesian parish of San Benito distributes food to needy

GUATEMALA: Salesian parish in San Benito Petén launches refectory to provide food to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic

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World Bank – Guatemala

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) Honduras has been hard hit by two Category 4 hurricanes. Hurricane Eta hit on Nov. 3, and Hurricane Iota hit less than two weeks later. The torrential rains brought deadly landslides, flash flooding and destruction across Central America. More than 200 people have died, 94 of them in Honduras, according to news reports.

In response to the devastation and overwhelming need, students in the 2021 graduating class at San Miguel Salesian Institute, located in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, launched a fundraiser to support the people affected by Hurricane Eta. With COVID-19 safety measures in place, more than 1,000 people from the Francisco Morazán and Cortés departments were provided food, personal hygiene items, clothes, shoes, sheets, bedspreads, mats and bio-safety equipment.

The initiative also received the support of the Past Pupils Association from the María Auxiliadora Salesian Institute and San Miguel Institute in collaboration with Mis Manos Son Tus Manos Association. Rector Father Horacio Macal and the entire Salesian community also participated.

“Salesian students saw the need of people in these local communities and stepped up to provide support and assistance,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. The entire Salesian community has rallied behind these youth who are coming to the aid of their fellow citizens.”

In response to the overwhelming needs brought about by the two hurricanes, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to make a donation online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian programs in Honduras.

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ANS – Honduras – Pupils from “San Miguel” Salesian Institute help over 1000 victims of Hurricane Eta

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(MissionNewswire) In November, Central America was hard hit by two Category 4 hurricanes. Hurricane Eta hit on Nov. 3 and Hurricane Iota hit less than two weeks later on Nov. 16. Hurricane Eta made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, and then Iota made landfall less than 15 miles south near the town of Haulover. The torrential rains brought deadly landslides, flash flooding and destruction across Central America. More than 200 people have died as a result of the storms with millions more impacted and in need of help.

Salesian missionaries across Central America, including Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, are responding locally to help those in need with shelter, food, clothing and more. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched a new fundraising campaign to help with this relief work.

Salesian missionaries across Central America are responding with shelter, food, clothing and more for those in need of hurricane relief.

“The stakes are high for those impacted by these hurricanes, especially now when we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They know the local landscape and can ensure that relief aid is provided to those most in need.”

The Salesian community of Carchá, Guatemala, has eight priests who serve 350 villages, including more than 5,000 Indigenous students. At least 40 of the villages have been directly affected. The rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged houses with some completely destroyed under flood water. Many roads have been lost and some communities are no longer reachable. People have lost everything and are facing a challenging road ahead. Villages have opened their schools and churches to welcome displaced people.

Right after Hurricane Eta, Father Vittorio Castagna, a Salesian missionary stationed in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, said, “It hasn’t rained for three days, yet the water continues to rise and people are unable to go out. I saw some of them with deep sadness, feeling alone and insecure. The displaced people are now crowded into a very small place. It is a very uncomfortable environment, and this is indeed a trial for them.”

In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, students in the 2021 graduating class at San Miguel Salesian Institute launched a fundraiser to support the people affected. With COVID-19 safety measures in place, more than 1,000 people from the Francisco Morazán and Cortés departments were provided food, personal hygiene items, clothes, shoes, sheets, bedspreads, mats and bio-safety equipment.

The initiative also received the support of the Past Pupils Association from the María Auxiliadora Salesian Institute and San Miguel Institute in collaboration with Mis Manos Son Tus Manos Association. Rector Father Horacio Macal and the entire Salesian community also participated.

Salesian missionaries in these local communities are still assessing the damage and working to respond to people in need. In support of this work, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to donate online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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ANS – Honduras – Pupils from “San Miguel” Salesian Institute help over 1000 victims of Hurricane Eta

GUATEMALA: COVID-19 pandemic complicates Hurricane Eta response

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GUATEMALA

Salesian missionaries responding after devastating Hurricane Eta impacts millions in Central America, especially hard-hit Indigenous communities

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Guatemala are working to assess damage and provide support in the wake of Hurricane Eta. The hurricane struck Guatemala after making landfall on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast on Nov. 3 as a Category 4 storm. Hurricane Eta then caused widespread flooding and damage in Guatemala, Honduras and Panama before inundating roads and knocking out power in Florida.

According to news reports, millions of people in Central America, many in rural Indigenous communities, have been affected and at least 120 lives have been lost across the region. Many more are missing and presumed dead after landslides submerged villages.

“Even now, we have no idea of ​​the exact number of communities affected,” said Father Vittorio Castagna, a Salesian missionary stationed in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

The Salesian community of Carchá has eight priests who serve 350 villages, including more than 5,000 Indigenous students. At least 40 of the villages have been directly affected. The rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged houses with some completely destroyed because they are under flood water. Many roads have been lost and there are communities that are no longer reachable. People have lost everything and are facing a challenging road ahead.

Villages have opened their schools and churches to welcome people displaced by Hurricane Eta in Guatemala.

“It hasn’t rained for three days, yet the water continues to rise and people are unable to go out,” explained Fr. Castagna. “I saw some of them with deep sadness, feeling alone and insecure. The displaced people are now crowded into a very small place. It is a very uncomfortable environment, and this is indeed a trial for them.”

The people who managed to escape from the villages are now in shelters, while the rescue helicopters are still looking for ways to get people to safety. Villages close to the flooded ones have opened their schools and churches to welcome the displaced.

Fr. Castagna added, “We are happy that, although there was no direct indication, the people of the villages have organized themselves to help the surrounding communities. They offer them three meals and a dry place. I was happy to see this spontaneity of the church which is becoming a sister, close to the people.”

It is currently not possible to calculate the number of shelters, as every possible option has been used to accommodate people. Salesians are receiving help from Guatemala City and Central American countries. Delivering relief supplies is challenging since telephone services has been interrupted and needs are only being discovered once missionaries reach each location.

This is a high-risk situation, not only because of the rains, but also because of the pandemic. Many people in shelters without the necessary protection could increase the spread of COVID-19. “We ask the Lord to give us a hand in order to help the many people who need us,” concluded Fr. Castagna.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

In response to the overwhelming need, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to make a donation online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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ANS – Guatemala – Fr Castagna, SDB: “We ask the Lord to give us a hand”

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

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HONDURAS

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have launched the Center for Digital Education and Innovation (CEDI San Juan Bosco), a new training center, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, thanks to support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The center has individual areas for the use of technologies, a meeting room and a coworking room with interactive tablets that provide access to a self-learning platform. This environment will offer connectivity to learning and promote collaborative work to generate skills that facilitate youth employment.

Salesian missionaries provide vocational and technical training in Tegucigalpa to help ensure disadvantaged youth gain the social and trade skills needed for long-term employment. The majority of the youth who enter Salesian educational centers come from highly vulnerable areas where gangs and drug trafficking prevail. Most are at risk of social exclusion and vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

Close to 250 youth attend one Salesian vocational center in the city. They attend classes full-time for up to two years of technical and vocational training in key employment sectors. These sectors have been identified by companies that are working with the center to place students into work after they successfully complete their education. The center also has more than 1,000 students attending weekend courses in a variety of subjects, preparing for the workforce and improving upon skills while currently working.

“Through Salesian schools and vocational centers in Honduras, students are taking the first steps to rebuild their lives and their country,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning skills for employment, students are able to find jobs in high growth sectors that help them support themselves and their families. We appreciate USAID helping to launch this new Center for Digital Education and Innovation.”

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggles with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lacks access to adequate health care.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers, and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian programs in Honduras.

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ANS – Honduras – Inauguration of “San Juan Bosco” Center for Digital Education and Innovation (CEDI)

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Central American Province are focused on the psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of Salesian staff. They launched the Artemide Zatti project to address challenges with the support of Nicaraguan psychologist Erick Calero. The project is named after Blessed Artemide Zatti, an Argentine Salesian brother who spent his life as a nurse helping the patients of the San José Hospital in Argentine Patagonia.

The Artemide Zatti project aims to address health risk factors through psycho-education initiatives and anxiety, depression and spirituality through individual and group therapeutic support initiatives. Leadership teams under the direction of Father Javier Rivas, vicar of the province, play an important role in this initiative.

A diagnosis, if appropriate, is the first step in the process after assessing emotional health and risk factors of Salesian staff. This is done through standardized and validated psychometric scales and tests. The diagnosis provides valuable information, identifies risk factors that could be amplified by the pandemic, and notes levels of anxiety and depression.

After a diagnosis, Salesian staff then have an opportunity to engage in a program crafted to address their specific challenges and help support their psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being. The execution of the program is guided by the psycho-pedagogical, didactic, pastoral and Salesian teams of each house.

Currently, 912 teaching, administrative and operational staff members have benefited from this project, which aims to help support even more Salesian staff. By 2021, the goal is to hold online meetings and webinars with teams of psychologists to discuss the outcome of the project and share successful practices to launch new initiatives that address the emotional health of Salesian staff.

“The health of staff in Salesian centers and institutions is paramount in administering educational programs effectively,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian staff are dealing with much more than educating students. Many of the youth in Salesian programs come from difficult and challenging backgrounds, and we rely extensively on the support of staff. Ensuring they have what they need to do their job and that we are taking care of them contribute directly to how well we care for youth in our programs.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – “Artemide Zatti” project for psycho-physical well-being of collaborators of Salesian works

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University is working collaboratively with the United States Embassy in El Salvador to provide aid and support to those working on the front lines in hospitals across the nation. Through the American Spaces program, Don Bosco University has created and produced 3D-printed protective masks for donation.

The U.S. Embassy donated two 3D printers for the project. The protective masks were printed with PET and PETG, plastic filaments used mainly for 3D printing due to its versatility and resistance. Close to 350 masks can be produced per week. The final manufacturing process includes cleaning, sanding, drilling and positioning of the PET plastic, which takes several  days.

Recently, 100 masks were donated to the Rosales National Hospital, 100 to the Military Hospital, more than 200 to the National General Hospital of Pneumology and Family Medicine, and 75 to the Secretary of Innovation of El Salvador. More than 1,200 masks are expected to be delivered as part of the project to various hospitals across the country.

Raúl Arriaza is a member of a group of professionals and doctors who are promoting a campaign to collect protective material for the front-line staff of Rosales Hospital. He said, “Masks are highly necessary for the hospital system. In addition to protecting the mucous membranes of the face, they allow the person to receive less biological load.”

The director of the University of Don Bosco’s Energy Research Institute, Carlos Pacas, acknowledged the invaluable contribution this cooperation provides to the Salvadoran population. He noted, “We believe it is a project that benefits people, especially medical personnel. It also shows that the work we do with our partners allows the creation of projects in the service of society.”

David Cerritos, professor at the Energy Research Institute, added, “Participating in this project has been a very rewarding experience, which allows you to appreciate the joy of the people who receive the donation.”

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sectors. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services.

Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The university is also the only teaching center in the country that has the accreditation of the International Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – American Embassy donates protective masks

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Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in Soyapango, El Salvador, has provided 33 students academic scholarships which will allow them to continue their higher educational studies. The students selected have shown an attitude of commitment and responsibility to contributing to the country’s socio-economic and cultural development.

The students will take engineering and technical university courses. According to Don Bosco University’s secretary-general, Xiomara Martínez, the scholarships add to the university’s efforts to provide financial support to students whose families have been affected by the pandemic and who are at risk of discontinuing their university studies.

During the virtual ceremony to award the scholarships, Martínez said in a statement, “The assignment of 33 new scholarships on this day, in addition to the 459 already assigned, is an important milestone for Don Bosco University. Even during this crisis, we have always tried to support our young people, and it is of great satisfaction for us to be able to do that this year, facing so many adverse circumstances. We must appreciate the effort, commitment and courage that each of us has put forth to get through this moment.”

Martínez added, “Dear students, this scholarship is encouragement and recognition of your good academic performance and your desire to improve. We trust that you will continue to give your best to maintain it and to give life to the teachings of our beloved founder, Don Bosco, to be good Christians and upright citizens.”

For Josué Adolfo Ángel, one of the beneficiaries of the scholarship, the lack of economic resources can be difficult but not an obstacle to success. He is currently a student in a three-year degree course in communication sciences. Ruth Escobar, a student in a three-year degree course in arts and graphic design, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to have this privilege.

The scholarships awarded come in part from Don Bosco University funds, and in part, from external funds, thanks to donors, private companies and institutions that support young people in the country.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – In midst of pandemic crisis, “Universidad Don Bosco” offers scholarships for young students

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World Bank – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run FUSALMO, located in the municipality of Soyapango, El Salvador, has launched an online educational platform called Transforma, which is available to both students and teachers. Transforma offers virtual learning with many resources, games, educational advice, assignments and tasks. From there, users can find a range of topics including cooking, music, recycling and more.

Access to Transforma courses is completely free and is available to all, regardless of the study center of origin, be it private or public. It is expected that around 3,000 children, adolescents and young people will benefit from this service.

The platform, which is fully compatible with mobile devices, was created thanks to FUSALMO Virtual, an initiative to meet the educational needs of Salvadoran children and older youth. FUSALMO Virtual offers courses on technology, art and sports. Within the platform, users can also find courses for learning how to become a bank teller and learn the English language for working in call centers. Additional work is being done to create a virtual tutoring program.

“Online education is becoming more commonplace, especially because of the pandemic, as educational centers try to reach youth in new and dynamic ways,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian centers are always working to meet the changing needs of the youth they serve. This is just another innovative step in providing education.”

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training, and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society. Founded in 2001, the organization has positively impacted the lives of more than 265,000 children and their families.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. The need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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ANS – El Salvador – “Fundación Salvador del Mundo” (FUSALMO) committed to digital educational innovation of children and young people

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

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World Bank – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, are working to help those who have been left vulnerable in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdowns, curfews, restrictions on mobility and slowdown in economic activity have left millions of families in poverty around the globe. Without being able to work, people have no food to eat.

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started in 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén, has recently started a refectory for the poor that aims to reach the most vulnerable. The refectory will help hundreds of people who are without resources because of the coronavirus.

With public transportation closed and the curfew of the past few weeks, Guatemala is trying to control the spread of coronavirus nationwide. Salesian missionaries have found ways to continue offering their pastoral support and social services to people. In addition to the refectory, Salesians hold daily online broadcasts of the Mass, initiated the procession with the Blessed Sacrament by car through the city and have distributed food on the weekends.

“During the pandemic, we want to continue helping the most vulnerable people,” said Fr. De Nardi. “To this end, the arrival of a container with non-perishable food will be essential in these days. In addition, we want to buy vegetables, condiments and some meat, so that families can eat meat once a week.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “The solidarity of the population is seen in the collaboration they offer us with the delivery of non-perishable products that are then distributed. Rice, beans, eggs, oil and pasta arrive every day at the refectory thanks to the generosity of the population.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – Refectory in San Benito Salesian parish serves most vulnerable during pandemic

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Salvador, El Salvador, are responding to the increase in COVID-19 cases while also assisting with relief efforts for those impacted by Tropical Storm Amanda. The storm left 17 people dead and caused extensive damage, including destroying 50 homes and 23 vehicles and forcing about 4,000 people to flee.

The Ricaldone Salesian Technical Institute is one of the Salesian centers that opened its doors to welcome people in need. A group of volunteers, including students, parents, past pupils, teachers, and administrators, helped the Salesian community to coordinate donations and deliver them to the temporary shelters that have been set up.

Salesian-run FULSALMO is also providing support to families impacted by the tropical storm. During the first week of June, breakfast and lunch were delivered to people in several temporary shelters in San Salvador. These support efforts were done in strict compliance with all safety and health measures required in the country to protect from COVID-19. Many families have already benefited from food and clothing, thanks to the support of people who have made donations.

“Salesian missionaries in El Salvador are faced with the challenges of providing emergency relief in the face of destruction from a tropical storm during a pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Because Salesians live in the communities they work, they are well-positioned to assess the local situation and assist in providing shelter and relief materials to those most in need.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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

ANS – El Salvador – Salesian Solidarity Days before storm “Amanda” and Covid-19

FUSALMO

World Bank – El Salvador

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Dr. Venancio de León, who attended Salesian schools, is working with COVID-19 patients in Guatemala. In January 2019, de León ended his term as president of the National Association of Past Pupils of Don Bosco. He also chaired the Alberto Marvelli Foundation, which manages the Father Bartolomé Ambrosio Vocational Training Center in Guatemala City.

In Guatemala, COVID-19 cases have increased, and there are now 5,500 new cases in the last few days. Faced with this situation, de León is working among the poorest and the working class populations, many of whom cannot afford to pay for the medical care he provides.

“In addition to his professional qualities as a doctor, past pupil and person, Dr. de León has a great Salesian formation and human quality,” wrote Raúl Vázquez, director of the Bartolomé Ambrosio Center. “He now works with COVID-19 patients, leaving his family to go to a hospital that is five hours from the capital and then he returns to work in the hospital that has national responsibility for the infected.”

Vázquez added, “He is always smiling. He always talks about Don Bosco, Artemide Zatti and Mary Help of Christians. He is a doctor who lives an extraordinary spirituality and with truly admirable serenity.”

In Guatemala, where more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day, health is not a recognized right. There are very few public facilities where people can be treated, and the first causes of death among children are intestinal and respiratory infections.

Because of the scarce availability of drinking water and the precariousness of hygiene, diseases are widespread including tuberculosis, typhus, malaria, worms, diarrhea and skin diseases. The risk of rapid spreading of COVID-19 is high. Because women and children are the most vulnerable citizens, they are most commonly the ones to be afflicted with many diseases. Children are particularly vulnerable because the country has the highest rate of chronic infantile malnutrition in Latin America with 49.3 percent of children under the age of 5 suffering from a lack of food, according to the World Food Program.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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ANS – Guatemala – Passion for medicine in time of COVID-19 without forgetting to be a past pupil of Don Bosco: Dr Venancio de León

World Bank – Guatemala

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Pedro Carchá are making improvements to the physical structures of their mission in the city. Salesians have been working in the Alta Verapaz Department, located within the northern region of Guatemala, since 1935. Carchá and Chisec are small cities in this region that have around 270,000 people, the great majority from the Qeqchí ethnic group. These individuals live across 433 rural communities.

To launch this project, Salesian missionaries developed a team made up of a chief engineer, bricklayers and 30 students from the Don Bosco Center in Carchá. The team first cleared the area, removing weeds and old trees, as well as demolishing crumbling buildings. They also put up a fence around the property. Next, they will begin building new structures.

Once construction is completed, the main Salesian house will have a parish office and rooms. The construction will raise the church roof, reconstruct a large meeting room and replace benches with chairs. There will also be a system built for water storage.

“In the not too distant future, we’re thinking of renting or buying land nearby that has an aquifer. And as a promising dream, we hope to construct a Don Bosco Center near the church,” said a Salesian in charge of the project.

The entire project required significant funds. Salesian houses within the province provided monetary resources. Nearly 100 of the local villages also contributed, even in the face of their own poverty. The Don Bosco Center provided the volunteer student labor to experience practical training of their skills in masonry and electricity. In addition to the construction effort, Salesian missionaries are reviving the Qeqchí Ministry with reorganization and education for its numerous local leaders and committees.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a sixth-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools, as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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ANS – Guatemala – “Campur rejuvenece”: promising dream to benefit hundreds of young people and families

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Technical Institute Ricaldone in San Salvador, El Salvador, has received donations to help support educational programming thanks to Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The donations included musical instruments, 30 laptops, tools and digital music mixing equipment.

The first donation, received in September 2018, was musical instruments including violins, a clarinet, a sax, an electric guitar and keyboard pianos donated by the Salesian High School in New Rochelle, New York. The donation was distributed among the Pedro Ricaldone Catholic Early Childhood Education School, Ricaldone Orchestra, the Musical School of Piano and Violin, and Salesian summer adventure free time program.

This shipment also included 30 laptops obtained through USAID’s LEEP (Limited Excess Property Program). These laptops were provided for youth to use at the Technology Laboratory Multicenter for students who are involved in educational programs.

A second shipment, which arrived in November 2019 included tools from ASAP – Tools for Empowerment. The tools were provided to students who are attending general mechanics workshops, automotive maintenance workshops, and carpentry workshops that provide maintenance education and support to the Salesian programs. This shipment also included digital music mixing equipment.

“The partnership with ASAP and Salesian Missions helps ensure that youth have the tools they need for a proper learning environment,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Many Salesian students do not have the financial resources to purchase the tools of their trade and this donation will ensure students have the classroom resources they need to prepare for the next step in life and make them more employable.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

ASAP Tools for Empowerment

World Bank – El Salvador

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in Soyapango, El Salvador, has organized the Science Challenge for the second consecutive year. The event, held in honor of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, was held during the third week of February on the Soyapango and Antiguo Cuscatlán campuses. The event was organized by Don Bosco University’s Women’s Empowerment Program “Promueve” and aims to empower women interested in science fields.

At its core, the Science Challenge is a knowledge exchange between high school and university students in various scientific specialties. Workshops and experiences led by specialists are held for students to take part in and engage with each other. In total, nine workshops, all developed by teachers, were held.

In addition, the Science Challenge featured an exhibition of projects by students who are taking courses under the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Don Bosco University and entrepreneurs from the Avalon company who are engaged with the university. This year 350 people, all intent on expanding their scientific knowledge to help find job opportunities or further study in the sector, participated in the Science Challenge.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sectors. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services.

Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The university is also the only teaching center in the country that has the accreditation of the International Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics.

Don Bosco University also has a focus on providing higher education for young women. Its institutional commitment includes empowering women’s integration into university programs, with special attention to the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Among newly enrolled members of the university in 2020, 1,141 were female students, making the total Salesian university population 43 percent female for the first cycle of studies. Don Bosco University also intends to continue creating more growth opportunities for all women and youth, not only in the field of science but in all disciplines.

The Secretary General of Don Bosco University, Xiomara Martínez Mg., explained, “Our commitment is to operate responsibly and efficiently to create equal opportunities, so that women can stand out for their intelligence, dedication and honesty, achieving great professional successes. and contributing to the growth, innovation and development of our country.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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

ANS – El Salvador – “Universidad Don Bosco” commemorates International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, is empowering the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners to transform the lives of people with mobile disabilities through its “Walking Anew!” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The “Walking Anew!” project, which runs from March 2017 to March 2021, is expanding and upgrading the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science as well as the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project will also pioneer innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

To date, the “Walking Anew!” project’s construction phase for the facility at Don Bosco University is in process. Included in this phase is the development of a two-story building that will hold new and expanded laboratories, practice centers and classrooms on the first floor, and a new Applied Research Center for collaboration with the U.S. on the second floor. The new building will implement photovoltaic electricity to promote conscientious energy use and reduce carbon emissions at the global level. It will be constructed under LEED parameters of the U.S. Green Building Council.

The project will also entail upgrading 50 percent of the current technology used and acquiring new and modern equipment for the four SRS laboratories that teach and apply rehabilitation techniques for people with disabilities. The laboratories to be updated include an existing mobility laboratory, an existing orthotics and prosthetics laboratory, a new podiatry laboratory and a new specialized practice laboratory.

Recently, Anne Dix, Ph.D., director of ASHA, visited Don Bosco University and was impressed with the leadership shown at the school. The Prosthetics and Orthotics Technical Program has been the only accredited program in Latin America since the civil war in El Salvador. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, Central and South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Dix was most impressed with the work showcasing the new LEED Lab construction. She said in a recent USAID/ASHA newsletter, “The A&E firm currently supervising construction efforts are certain that through the smart design of the new building, they will be placed to receive a Gold Level Certification. While most of their work is focused on energy conservation to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency possible to manage temperature gradients, air flow and lighting; the project also does an impressive job of conserving the existing tree cover in the vicinity and incorporating a green roof and maximizing the use of water. A green roof and an unusual set of ramps have been incorporated into the staircase to achieve American with Disabilities (ADA) compliance, while also helping the building seamlessly blend the existing landscape. I hope that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification will eventually become the norm rather than the exception.”

The “Walking Anew!” project will also establish an Applied Research Center for innovation within the parameters of educational and medical practice. The Applied Research Center will stimulate and enable the exchange of knowledge and experience with scholarly and medical centers in the U.S. It will also include an information center dedicated to researching health issues specifically related to the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, orthotics and prosthetics, material science, physical medicine, and medical innovations across Central and South America. Subscriptions to databases and digital libraries related to rehabilitation will be available for the use of professors, students, researchers and health personnel. Center users will also have access to medical magazines edited in the U.S.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions

USAID

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, have been providing support for migrants from Honduras who are trying to reach Mexico. Central American migrants, mostly Hondurans, are part of a new caravan and have been looking for alternative ways to enter Mexico. They are passing through the Petén department in northern Guatemala with the intent to go through the Mayan forest and enter the Mexican state of Tabasco.

“It is an extraordinary influx,” said Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén. “We are offering services at the local migrant house in the municipality of Santa Elena. The structure has a capacity of about 50 people, but we’ve had to cope with the arrival of 300 migrants. We are doing everything possible to guarantee them a bed and hot meals. At a certain moment, there was nearly almost no food left.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “Fortunately, a container arrived from Canada, which was needed for my mission and we diverted it for this humanitarian emergency.”

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started at the end of 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Salesian missionaries operate a youth program that offers classes in Spanish and English, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, music, and dance, as well as provides organized games for participants. Youth in the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or playing on the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability.

Salesian missionaries have also started several new projects including the construction of a new youth center and distribution of ecological filters for water purification. Now missionaries are in the position to be able to help migrants traveling through the community.

Msgr. Jaime Calderón, Bishop of Tapachula, in the state of Chiapas close to the border with Guatemala, made an appeal to priests, religious people and laypeople after hearing the news regarding a new caravan. He said, “All those who are part of this diocesan family, each according to his or her possibilities and responsibilities, ensure that these migrant brothers do not lack a piece of bread, are not raped or attacked in passing through our diocese, do not receive manifestations of refusal. God will reward everyone’s effort to see them, hear them and treat them like brothers.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – Salesian mission of San Benito Petén help caravan of migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco University in Soyapango, El Salvador, through its Faculty of Sciences of Rehabilitation, recently partnered with the city’s Channel 12’s “Hola El Salvador” program to fulfill the dream of Jairo Alemán, a father and bus driver who lost his leg to an infection.

Nearly 15 years ago, Alemán suffered from mycetoma, which caused serious damage to the bones in his left leg. Amputating the leg became necessary in May 2018 to prevent further spread of the infection. Alemán and his wife Elsa Gálvez sought support to obtain a prosthesis so that he could return to work and support their young daughters, but they failed to get the help they needed.

Gálvez learned of the “Hola El Salvador” program’s Christmas special called “12 dreams,” which made dreams come true for 12 people. She wrote to the program’s editorial staff, explaining the situation and her husband’s need for a prosthesis to return to his normal life.

The “Hola El Salvador” production staff contacted Don Bosco University to produce a prosthesis for Alemán. Carlos Zelaya, director of the Orthotics and Prosthetics School at Don Bosco University, and Elías Chacón, a student in the program, got to work and quickly developed a trans-tibial modular prosthesis made with duralumin modules and stainless steel.

Five days before Christmas Eve, Alemán’s dream came true and he received his prosthesis as a gift. His life is now different. He has been given back hope, joy and autonomy to continue his life. It’s not only positively impacts him, but his entire family.

“The Orthotics and Prosthetics School at Don Bosco University is changing lives,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Projects that are taking place at Don Bosco University pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that helps aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services.

Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The university is also the only teaching center in the country that has the accreditation of the International Society of Orthotics and Prosthetics.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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

ANS – El Salvador – Jairo Alemán fulfills dream of having prosthesis and continuing to work

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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The Don Bosco School, which is part of the Don Bosco Salesian Educational Center (CEDES) and has more than 400 students, was represented by 16 students who are taking courses at the school’s center of technology. The first team, a finalist in the competition, designed two futuristic cities that reflect emotions, colors and fun. The second team, which received an honorable mention, created an eco-friendly residential complex with accessibility and eco-terraces to encourage sharing among families.

In addition to the competition, students also created and launched an application known as Quimera, which aims to reduce school abandonment. This is particularly relevant in Costa Rica. According to data from the Ministry of Public Education, in 2018, 10,211 students left secondary school without graduating. Created by five students, the project was a finalist in the regional competition Latin Code Week and was promoted by Junior Achievement.

Quimera is a cross-platform application that utilizes games and tests to motivate young people to enjoy studying and reinforces learning interactively. The objective of Quimera is to interactively link academic subjects and schools, allowing students to gain greater knowledge of the subjects, tackling them in a more dynamic way. Moreover, it will allow teachers to track student progress in order to provide extra support to help them stay in school.

These competitions provide a great way for students to use the skills they have learned in the classroom,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Costa Rica and in countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries help young people take responsibility for their own lives and provide them with both the technical and life skills needed to succeed in the workplace.”

According to the World Bank, more than 1.14 million Costa Ricans live in poverty, which is more than 21 percent of the population. While the poverty rate has dropped slightly from 2014, extreme poverty has been on the rise and has reached its highest recorded rate in the last six years.

In addition, poor Costa Ricans are more likely to live in a single-mother household and have a higher than average number of children under 5 years old as well as other dependents living in the same home. Dependents include other children under 14 years old or adults over 65 years old. More than 77 percent of poor Costa Ricans work in the informal sector and have roughly three years less schooling than their peers who are not living in conditions of poverty.

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

ANS – Costa Rica – Students of “CEDES Don Bosco” are finalists in educational projects in Latin America

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Costa Rica

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) More than 160 families in San Salvador, El Salvador have access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” The rice-meal donation was provided and distributed by the Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation (FUNELAVI).

More than 85 percent of the recipients of the rice-meal donation were single mothers who had three to five children and were struggling to feed their families. They live in poverty in gang and crime-infested areas and are challenged by conditions of poverty. The Salesian sisters with FUNELAVI provided these mothers with 10 bags of rice-meals each month and instructed them how to prepare it for their families. The donated rice-meals are provided to ensure these families receive proper nutrition and a balanced diet.

In San Salvador, there is both a serious lack of availability and access to food as well as difficulty in obtaining healthy foods. Many people suffer from malnutrition deficits brought on by an excess of foods that have low nutritional quality because they are high in sugars and fats.

Due to the lack of food and poor diet from what is available, there is a high prevalence of chronic malnutrition, stunting, anemia and other micronutrient deficiencies in childhood. There is also a high prevalence of excess weight and obesity among adults. This generates large economic burdens and losses to the country and barriers to achieving the development of people in a sustainable way, causing serious health and nutrition problems in the population.

“It is important that families have access to healthy nutrition so children are able to grow and are able to take part in school and other activities,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian feeding programs not only help families with a balanced diet, but they also allow students to focus on getting an education without worrying about where they will find their next meal.”

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.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Photo courtesy Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions).

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Center, located in Tzacanihá, near San Pedro Carcha, has been welcoming children and youth from Raxruhá and the nearby city of Chamelco for 37 years. Father Antonio De Groot, founder of the center, lived and worked in Raxruhá before launching the center. This remote area, found at the edge of the forest, was almost inaccessible and had no basic services. The people in the region lacked basic education and lived primarily off the land.

One day, a young man asked Fr. De Groot if he could visit his home to help teach him how to read and write. Shortly thereafter, a second young man joined him, then a third, and soon a small group had formed—all who wanted to learn. As the group increased in numbers, elementary structures were developed.

Today, the Don Bosco Center features beautiful and functional buildings and green areas. Salesian missionaries working at the center educate more than 1,500 students across three locations. The Don Bosco Center has been a true educational revolution within this geographical location.

The ability to attend formal schooling has highlighted the young students’ intelligence and attentiveness, their great desire to learn and their boundless energy. Many students who have succeeded in graduating from the Don Bosco Center have gone on to higher learning at the university level and are now working as professionals.

“All youth deserve an opportunity to learn and have hope for the future,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students supported by the Don Bosco Center have a real opportunity to gain an education, connect with their peers, and gain the work and social skills needed for long-term employment. Through this, they have the chance to better their lives and their community.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a sixth grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools, as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Aid Fund Annual Report 2018

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: The Don Bosco Center in Tzacanihá provides education to more than 1,500 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The observatory represents a milestone in the history of education and scientific development in El Salvador and is of particular importance for the Salesian educational mission on behalf of youth. The observatory will promote new perspectives in education and research for the benefit of the new generations in the Central American country and the region.

Salesians with Don Bosco University explained, “The observatory will help people to expand their ability to perceive reality, understand their position in the world and consequently, their responsibility toward the common home.”

The Micro Macro Observatory is equipped with the most powerful telescope in Central America, with a diameter of 50 centimeters, as well as secondary telescopes, one of which is for observing the sun. Furthermore, it is equipped with biological, stereoscopic and digital microscopes. The observatory will offer a unique experience of immersion into the micro- and macro-cosmos.

This innovative space was developed and created in collaboration with the German foundation Karlheinz Wolfgang Foundation for Health and Education, which has had a collaborative relationship with the Don Bosco University since 2006.

During the inauguration ceremony, Salesian Brother Mario Olmos, the rector of the Don Bosco University, underlined that the project includes three fundamental components: the physical infrastructure of the observatory, the technological equipment, and the academic-scientific aspect of a university project, which will foster new careers and professions.

Salesian Provincial for Central America, Father José Ángel Prado, noted that with this new space the Don Bosco University is putting into practice what the Catholic Church has emphasized over the centuries, namely that philosophy, science and faith complement each other.

Initially the observatory will provide education to teachers and staff from other educational institutions, but will later open its doors to the general public including students at all educational levels, their families and the whole community.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

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

ANS – El Salvador – Don Bosco University inaugurates “Micro Macro Observatory”

World Bank – El Salvador

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University launches the Micro Macro Observatory first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The “Walking Anew!” project, which runs from March 2017 to March 2021, is expanding and upgrading the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science as well as the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The project will also pioneer innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students enrolled and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

In April 2019, Don Bosco University celebrated its 59th graduation ceremony with 829 students receiving their professional master’s, bachelor’s, engineering, technical or teaching degrees. Of these students, 30, including 19 women, graduated from the orthotics and prosthetics departments.

“We are thankful to USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad for providing the funding for the ‘Walking Anew!’ project,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school when compared to their peers. Youth with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers if given the opportunity. Projects like this help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that helps aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

To date, the “Walking Anew!” project’s construction phase for the facility at Don Bosco University is in process. Included in this phase is the development of a two-story building that will hold new and expanded laboratories, practice centers and classrooms on the first floor and a new Applied Research Center for collaboration with the U.S. on the second floor. The new building will implement photovoltaic electricity to promote conscientious energy use and reduce carbon emissions at the global level and will be constructed under LEED parameters of the U.S. Green Building Council.

The project will also entail upgrading 50 percent of the current technology used and acquiring new and modern equipment for the four SRS laboratories that teach and apply rehabilitation techniques for people with disabilities. The laboratories to be updated include an existing mobility laboratory, an existing orthotics and prosthetics laboratory, a new podiatry laboratory and a new specialized practice laboratory.

In order to learn more about the gait analysis equipment that Don Bosco University identified for use from Research & Performance Biomechanics, two teachers from the faculty of rehabilitation sciences participated in a walking instrument analysis course using the equipment that the company distributes.

The “Walking Anew!” project will also establish an Applied Research Center for innovation within the parameters of educational and medical practice. The Applied Research Center will stimulate and enable the exchange of knowledge and experience with scholarly and medical centers in the U.S. It will also include an information center dedicated to researching health issues specifically related to the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, orthotics and prosthetics, material science, physical medicine and medical innovations across Central and South America. Subscriptions to databases and digital libraries related to rehabilitation will be available for the use of professors, students, researchers and health personnel. Center users will also have access to medical magazines edited in the U.S.

Finally, with the goal of broadening the reach of the technological and educational advancements for the treatment of people with disabilities generated at Don Bosco University, the “Walking Anew!” project will acquire new technology to offer online graduate and specialized program educational services across the broader region of Latin America and worldwide.

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Sources:

Don Bosco University

Salesian Missions

USAID

The post EL SALVADOR: The USAID-funded “Walking Anew!” project supports research and innovation for people with mobile disabilities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to statistics from the Foundation for Higher Education, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15-29 in El Salvador is 11.8 percent which is much higher than the national unemployment rate of 7 percent. Programs at FUSALMO are targeted to help youth, often at risk of gang violence, to find and retain employment.

“The young people who currently attend this new course are already in the process of connecting with call center human resources departments with which we collaborate. They come to visit our facilities and carry out interviews and English language knowledge assessment with the kids. More than 80 percent of the participants are already eligible for work,” explained Jazmin Cuellar, coordinator of the project.

FUSALMO offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society. Founded in 2001, the organization has positively impacted the lives of more than 265,000 children and their families.

“I learned things I didn’t know before,” says Denis Campos, a 19-year-old student attending the call center course. “I improved my English and I have the chance to get my first job, thanks to the alliances that FUSALMO has with call centers. I am very grateful to FUSALMO for giving me the opportunity to participate in this course. They are in solidarity with young people. It doesn’t matter if they have much or little money, they give us the opportunity.”

Katherine Hernández, an 18-year-old student, adds, “When I started the course, I didn’t have many expectations. I just came to pass the time. But then I realized that I liked English. There are good opportunities that FUSALMO offers because they do not waste time and because elsewhere to learn English you have to pay a lot, but here, regardless of the economic resources you have, you can come to learn.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

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

ANS – El Salvador – “FUSALMO” promotes youth employment in one of Salvador’s most violent municipalities

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

World Bank – El Salvador

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: FUSALMO launches new course that teaches skills and English language for call center employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In the Petén region there is only one hospital which, along with two local health centers, is meant to provide for a population of almost 1 million. Father Giampiero de Nardi, a Salesian missionary in the area, notes, “This situation makes people prefer to die at home rather than seek treatment at the hospital.”

Located in the Candelaria district, people from both the city and neighboring villages arrive at the Salesian medical clinic every day. The facility primarily serves individuals with limited economic means and offers medical advice, basic healthcare and low-cost medicines. The number of people coming to the clinic to be treated has risen over the last several months.

In a country where more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day, health is not a recognized right. There are very few public facilities where people can be treated, and the first causes of death among children are intestinal and respiratory infections. A simple antibiotic, combined with adequate hygienic conditions, could save their lives.

Father De Nardi has launched a help desk for women who have been victims of domestic abuse and children who have been victims of sexual abuse. Both domestic and sexual abuse have high prevalence rates in the country.

Because of the scarce availability of drinking water and the precariousness of hygiene, diseases are widespread including tuberculosis, typhus, malaria, worms, diarrhea and skin diseases. Because women and children are the most vulnerable citizens, they are most commonly the ones to be afflicted with these diseases. Children are particularly vulnerable because the country has the highest rate of chronic infantile malnutrition in Latin America with 49.3 percent of children under the age of 5 suffering from a lack of food, according to the World Food Program.

Since medications are distributed for free to families in need, the Salesian medical clinic struggles to become economically independent. A tube of antiviral ointment, an anti-parasite pack and folic acid tablets – essential for preventing fetal malformations – are considered “luxuries” that too many people cannot afford in San Benito. Father De Nardi has recently asked for help from the Don Bosco Missions of Turin, Italy, so that the Salesian clinic can continue to guarantee medicines and treatments to all those in need.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – A small Salesian hospital for the poorest

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian health clinic provides medical care and medications to those in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.

FUSALMO is a Salesian-run organization that offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth in communities in San Salvador, El Salvador. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training and more, youth are encouraged to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society. Founded in 2001, the organization has positively impacted the lives of more than 265,000 children and their families.

FUSALMO works to address the root causes of poverty, inequality and violence and give youth a chance for a better life in their own communities. Through the organization’s Don Bosco Youth Integral Program, three sports centers were developed in Soyapango, San Miguel and Santa Ana, benefitting more than 55,000 youth. The sports centers offer safe spaces to connect with peers and supportive adults and access to training on topics including creating a culture of peace, vocational guidance, adapted physical education, sports, technology, labor and culture.

“FUSALMO develops educational activities that allow youth to discover their vocational specialties,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through the organization’s sports centers, youth are provided with comprehensive educational tools and the foundation of promoting a culture of peace within their homes and broader communities.”

FUSALMO was the recipient of USAID funding to take the educational model developed in its sports centers and create a program that is provided to 664 schools in high-risk areas. The organization received its funding from the Foundation for Salvadoran Integral Education (FEDISAL), the primary USAID partner, who had engaged several organizations in this initiative. Through the program, FUSALMO provided participating schools assistance in sports, technology, art, culture and education about coexisting in peace.

“These Salesian programs are working to ensure that youth have the opportunities they need to gain an education and develop skills for employment, allowing them to remain in their home country,” adds. Fr Hyde. “Salesian missionaries focus on prevention. They address the root causes and reasons people leave their countries and provide programs to help youth gain the opportunities at home they seek elsewhere. This improves their lives and their communities as a whole.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and a sense of family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Crime is often associated with poverty and close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

Salesian Missions operates a U.S.-based fund in support of FASULMO. Donations can be made at www.salesianmissions.org/fusalmo.

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Sources:

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

ANS – El Salvador – Opening of summer activities of FUSALMO oratory in Soyapango

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: FUSALMO launches summer activities at Salesian oratory with soccer tournament for 125 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Cesar Adalberto Acosta Barrera, who is 18 years old, started attending the oratory attached to the school in 2014 when he was in 7th grade. He says, “I started going to the oratory thanks to a friend. He explained that it was a place where I could practice soccer and attend mass every Sunday. I thought this was excellent because I could play soccer and get closer to God. I enjoyed each reflection that the Father made at the oratory and each soccer game I played, in addition to all the friends I made.”

Because of Barrera’s attendance at the oratory, he was approached by the parish priest and asked if he would like to study at Saint Cecilia Salesian High School. He immediately said yes and was awarded a scholarship. Barrera notes, “Every time I saw the school from the outside, it seemed like an incredible place and the thought of studying there made me very happy.”

In 2015, he started the 8th grade with scholarship funding. Reflecting on his first day of school Barrera says, “I remember I was very nervous the first day of class – I didn’t know anybody – and then I discovered the Salesian charisma that resides there. Both students and teachers made me feel like the school was my second home. Thanks to this opportunity, I have been able to grow in many aspects of my life, both in the academic and spiritual aspect.”

Barrera adds, “As a student in school I have become a person who has acquired the knowledge of a secondary education, in addition to developing important skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership. I have now finished my second year of technical high school studies in electromechanics. Thanks to the scholarship that the school gave me I have had the opportunity to receive a better academic and Christian education, which will allow me to have even more opportunities in the future.”

Salesian missionaries in El Salvador provide social development services and primary, secondary and vocational education as well as university degree programs to aid youth in breaking the cycle of poverty and contributing back to their families and communities.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

World Bank – El Salvador

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Scholarships from Salesian Missions enable 15 youth to study at Saint Cecilia Salesian High School in Santa Tecla first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In 2012, Salesian missionaries took over a Catholic parish in San Benito. From the beginning, Father Giampiero de Nardi, a Salesian missionary leading the parish, has been looking for ways to improve programming for poor and at-risk youth in the area. Founding Don Bosco Sports was a way to introduce youth to the many Salesian programs available.

For some football players that have the skills to qualify, belonging to a team is a source of financial support for their families. Other football clubs are then able to see how the young men play and can recruit them onto more professional teams. That was the case for Nelso Iván García, one of the best players in Petén. A humble young man, Garcia only needed two minutes on the field to prove that he had a great future as a footballer.

He joined Don Bosco Sports football team and became a pillar of the team. It was one of his cousins who convinced Fr. de Nardi to enroll him in the third division of the Guatemalan championship. After Garcia played for Petén for a season, many teams in other divisions had their eye on him. Without losing his humility, today Garcia has already debuted in the first division and is representing his country in the Guatemalan under-20s.

Garcia always says with pride, “I belong to Don Bosco Sports.” His life has changed for the better and he now serves as a role model for youth who want to follow in his footsteps. Those living in San Benito face many challenges, but Fr. De Nardi does not give up and continues to work on behalf of youth in the region.

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents have only completed a 6th grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – Iván, a humble young man whose life was changed by “Deportivo Don Bosco” in Petén

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Youth playing on the Don Bosco Sports football team have a chance to make their dreams comes true first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries provide a range of educational and social programs for poor youth and their families in the region. Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén, noted the importance of Dr. Ceriotti’s desire to volunteer over the holiday season. He said, “This is the famous sanctity of the house next door. The holiness that makes one happy. The sanctity that changes the world. The holiness we all need in order not to close ourselves up in our small daily problems.”

“Roberto Ceriotti, in fact is one of the many wonderful people who know how to put oneself aside and worry about those who need it most. If only there were more of these people in the world! I feel really small in the presence of this very good person, so busy for the good of the people of San Benito,” Fr. De Nardi added.

Those living in San Benito face many challenges but Fr. De Nardi does not give up and continues to work on behalf of youth in the region. He adds, “Petén makes us understand the profound meaning of life, the profound sense of things that Christmas should remind us of.”

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents have only completed a 6th grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – A Christmas among the poorest: “This is the famous sanctity of the house next door”

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Brazilian dentist provides dental clinic for poor youth and their families during the Christmas season first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In El Salvador, most orthotic and prosthetic production is centralized in the capital or in major cities concentrated in the east and west of the country. Many marginalized communities struggle to access the service of professionals who can address their orthotic and prosthetic needs. As part of the competency-based training at Don Bosco University, technical orthotics and prosthesis students in their last year of training carry out orthopedic mission trips.

During the mission trips, students provide services to persons with disabilities who are in need of the devices but lack the resources needed to obtain them. Some of the orthopedic mission trips are carried out in partnership with local governments or national organizations and some are financed entirely by Don Bosco University.

Each mission takes place in three stages. First, a visit for patient evaluation and measurement is conducted. Second, students develop the needed devices in the School of Orthotics and Prosthetics. Finally, a second visit allows for the delivery and testing of the new devices. An additional follow-up visit is scheduled with the individuals who have received the new devices to ensure that they meet the patient’s needs.

During 2018, four orthopedic mission trips were carried out by Don Bosco University, delivering a total of 108 orthotic devices of different types and eight lower limb prosthetic devices. Don Bosco University’s orthopedic mission trips will continue in 2019, increasing access to medical rehabilitation for persons with physical disabilities.

To further aid its mission to empower the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners, Don Bosco University received funding in 2017 for its “Walking Anew!” program thanks to a grant, secured by Salesian Missions, from USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) program. The “Walking Anew!” program is helping to expand and upgrade the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science as well as the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. The program is also pioneering innovative techniques in the treatment of people with disabilities.

“We are thankful to USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad program for providing us grant funding for the ‘Walking Anew!’ project,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school when compared to their peers. Youth with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers, if given the opportunity. Projects like these help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that helps aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in subjects including engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics.

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Sources:

EL SALVADOR: USAID Funding Secured by Salesian Missions Supports Project for Research and Innovation for People with Mobile Disabilities

Salesian Missions

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University students delivered 108 orthotic devices and eight lower limb prosthetic devices during mission trips in 2018 first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, secured a grant from the Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement to fund this project. Its goal is to reduce the involvement of youth in the criminal justice system who are at high social risk of drug abuse and related criminal activities.

The life skills training provided by the project touches on topics including self-knowledge, self-esteem, assertive communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, resilience, youth leadership and ethical and moral values. Participating youth are also able to access sporting and other recreational activities including football, volleyball, dance and art workshops, guitar and other music lessons.

Medina lives with his mother and is the only income-earner in the home. He had a challenging childhood marked by drug use starting at just 13 years old. By age 14, he already belonged to a gang that dominates the neighborhood where he lives and as a result, was involved with drugs and other illegal activities.

Salesian missionaries met with Medina on the recommendation of staff at Project Victoria, a Salesian project partner that offers therapy to those addicted to drugs. During the meeting, Medina explained to Salesian staff the many difficult situations he experienced in his childhood and adolescence that contributed to his drug and gang choices.

Medina chose to take his life back, leave the gang and become a participant in the Salesian “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project. He started taking courses in industrial mechanics at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center and began rehabilitation at Project Victoria. In 2018, Medina completed his rehabilitation and has now graduated to outpatient care at Project Victoria.

Since engaging in the Salesian project, Medina has excelled in his studies as well as in arts and sports. He is currently at the internship stage of his studies and receiving good reports from his boss. Medina is also a strong candidate to be selected as student of the year at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center. Sharing his life experiences with his classmates and encouraging them to stay away from drugs so they don’t experience what he did, has made him a leader among his peers.

“The new life skills training project is providing youth like Medina the vocational and life skills they need to overcome the challenges in their families and communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “Prevention is key but the project helps to meet youth wherever they are and redirect them onto a path to success.”

The “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project is timely and relevant given that Honduras, which is the second largest country in Central America, continues to be a highly dangerous place because of the lack of job opportunities, political instability, violence and insecurity and high risk and vulnerability to natural disasters. Honduras is also one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggle with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lack access to adequate healthcare.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years, operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian projects in Honduras.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: Ze Carlos Castro Medina excels in industrial mechanics course work as a recipient of the “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, secured a grant from the Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement to fund the “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project. The project is much needed in the region because of its high rate of violence and murder.

“Many of the participating youth are at-risk of heading down an unproductive path, potentially using drugs and participating in gang violence,” explains Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “Through life skills and vocational skills training coupled with drug abuse rehabilitation services, Salesian missionaries aim to reduce the involvement of youth who are at a higher social risk of drug abuse and related criminal activities in the criminal justice system.”

The project’s life skills training touches on topics including self-knowledge, self-esteem, assertive communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, resilience, youth leadership and ethical and moral values. Participating youth are also able to access sporting and other recreational activities including football, volleyball, dance and art workshops, guitar and other music lessons.

Joya came from a difficult family situation. He was abandoned by his father and his mother is unable to work because she has a daughter with cerebral paralysis who requires full-time care. Due to these issues, Joya was not always prepared for his classes, he was sloppy in his appearance and his academic performance suffered. Salesian staff met with Joya’s mother to discuss the situation and urge her to help her son improve his grades and his interpersonal and family relationships.

At follow up meetings, it was found that Joya had a strong cigar addiction, smoking more than five cigars a day, and had recently begun to smoke marijuana. To support him, Salesian missionaries referred Joya to Project Victoria, a Salesian project partner that offers therapy to those addicted to drugs. There, Joya participated with his mom in therapeutic care.

According to the therapist’s reports, Joya’s problems were mostly related to having a sister with special needs and the shame that brought the family. The therapist visited Joya’s home to treat the problem by working with the whole family. This helped improve the family’s interpersonal relationships and at the same time, helped Joya to quit smoking.

Discharged from outpatient care, a Salesian course instructor carried out follow up meetings with Joya and noted his improved personal care, attitude and behavior. Currently, Joya seems happy and continues to improve day by day.

The “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project is timely and relevant given that Honduras, which is the second largest country in Central America, continues to be a highly dangerous place because of the lack of job opportunities, political instability, violence and insecurity and high risk and vulnerability to natural disasters. Honduras is also one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggle with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lack access to adequate healthcare.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years, operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian projects in Honduras.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: Juan Ángel Joya breaks addiction and begins coursework at Don Bosco Vocational Training Center thanks to new Salesian project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, secured the grant from the Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement to fund this project. The project was needed in the region because of its high rate of violence and murder.

“The majority of the youth who enter the Salesian center come from highly vulnerable areas where gangs and drug trafficking prevail,” explains Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “Most youth are at risk of social exclusion and vulnerable to exploitation and violence. The goal of the project is to reduce the involvement of youth in the criminal justice system who are at high social risk of drug abuse and related criminal activities.”

The life skills training provided by the project touches on topics including self-knowledge, self-esteem, assertive communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, resilience, youth leadership and ethical and moral values. Participating youth are also able to access sporting and other recreational activities including football, volleyball, dance and art workshops, guitar and other music lessons.

Herrera, who comes from a low-income family, became a participant in the project while he was enrolled in pre-vocational courses at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center. Herrera’s father works as a security guard and his mother receives a commission but doesn’t earn a base salary at her job. In the community in which they live, the sale and distribution of drugs is very common.

At the beginning of the pre-vocational process, Herrera was characterized as a young person who applied himself very little, but in spite of this, his grades were good. At the end of the pre-vocational process, he began his technical training in motorcycle mechanics. There was a decline in his grades, and not knowing the reason for it, Salesian missionaries contacted Herrera’s mother for more information as to why his grades might be falling. His mother promised to support him in whatever way she could but her work required her to leave home early in the morning and return very late.

Herrera asked Salesian missionaries for help in treating his marijuana addiction— a drug he had used since he was just 7 years old and was provided by his older brother. Herrera was referred to Project Victoria, a project partner of the Salesian missionaries that offers therapy to those addicted to drugs. He attended outpatient treatment once a week and was able to continue his technical training.

Since the start of his treatment, Herrera has made every effort to stop using the drug. With the support of his mom, who went with him to all his outpatient care appointments and supported him throughout the entire process, Herrera was able to move forward and be discharged from the treatment project. Because of his drug use, memorizing and learning was much more difficult for him but despite these challenges, he was able to finish both his coursework and his internship successfully. He is currently awaiting graduation.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: José Wilfredo Herrera was able to stop drug use and successfully complete coursework at Don Bosco Vocational Training Center thanks to new Salesian project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

As of the fourth quarter of 2018, 331 youth have been trained in the “Preventing Drug Consumption by Youngsters in Honduras” project. This includes 287 continuing from the third quarter as well as 44 participants who recently started the program. Fifteen groups of about 20 students each received an average of 40 hours of life skills training.

The life skills training touches on topics including self-knowledge, self-esteem, assertive communication, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, resilience, youth leadership and ethical and moral values. Participating youth are also able to access sporting and other recreational activities including football, volleyball, dance and art workshops, guitar and other music lessons.

“The new life skills training project is providing youth the skills they need most to overcome the challenges in their families and communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions. “Prevention is key but the project helps to meet youth wherever they are and direct them onto a path for success in the future.”

Further activities of this project aim to help strengthen the whole family. A common challenge for participants is having at least one family member grappling with a drug issue or conflict with the law. Many come from families that have completely disintegrated. Often, there are serious economic problems at home that resulted in participants not having their basic needs met and lacking basic services such as food, drinking water and access to transportation.

In August, there was a hosted meeting involving 207 parents and children to discuss the theme, “Let’s make the family the best place to grow.” This meeting provided opportunities for reflection and discussion on ways to better communicate as a family and have parents be a more positive influence on their children. Project staff have recognized that family attitudes can affect the development of youth and drug problems can be prevented by addressing family issues such as domestic violence, negative attitudes and parental drug use.

The project was needed in the region because of its high rate of violence and murder. The majority of participants come from highly vulnerable areas where gangs and drug trafficking prevail. Most are at risk of social exclusion and vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

According to official data of the Online Statistical Police System there were 26 percent fewer homicides in 2017 than in 2016. The murder rate is still alarming with 3,791 people killed in the cities of Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and Choloma, the most violent areas in the country. The victims are often young men between the ages of 16 and 25 years. Most homicides are related to drug trafficking, extortion, gang disputes and assaults.

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras continues to be a highly dangerous place because of the lack of job opportunities, political instability, violence and insecurity and high risk and vulnerability to natural disasters. Honduras is also one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggle with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lack access to adequate healthcare.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. Thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian projects in Honduras.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: Salesian Missions secures funding to provide life skills training to combat risk of drug abuse and criminal activity in Tegucigalpa first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to the construction schedule, the first two houses will be completed by the end of this year and in 2019, there are plans to build another 20 houses. Many of the families in the region who receive services from local Salesian missionaries live in houses made only of sheet metal, making them extremely hot. There are others who cannot afford sheet metal and live in homes made from four poles covered with black nylon sheets.

“To think that children live in these conditions sometimes horrifies me,” says Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén.

Father De Nardi met Father Fernando Echeverria of Fundepaz by chance. Father Echeverria had not heard of the Salesian mission in San Benito Petén but became interested in the area after reading about the various challenges facing the country in recent years and the many problems that continue to afflict it.

While visiting Guatemala in search of a project to help the population, he discovered that the Petén region is considered one of the worst in the country. He contacted a local journalist who attends the Salesian parish and then met with Fr. De Nardi to discuss working together to build houses for the poor.

“As always, God opens paths that we do not even know,” says Fr. De Nardi. “I thought this is the Providence of God who sends me the opportunity to help many people. And clearly I did not have to have it repeated twice.”

Salesian missionaries operate a summer youth program in the municipality of San Benito that offers classes in Spanish and English, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, music and dance as well as provides organized games for participants. Operated out of a Salesian youth center in San Benito, youth in the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or playing on the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability.

In addition to the summer youth program, Salesian missionaries in the region offer educational programs and social development services. They have also started several new projects including the construction of a new youth center and distribution of ecological filters for water purification.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – A home for those who need it: “… The Providence of God sends me the opportunity to help many people”

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: New collaborative project launches to build homes for poor families in San Benito Petén first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Salesian vocational training center provides life skills, job training and employment assistance to at-risk youth. More than 300 youth are enrolled in courses and workshops in carpentry, electrical training, information technology, industrial welding and milling.

The Salesian center is staffed by both Salesian missionaries and lay teachers who provide the education and training to poor youth so that they can enter the labor market. Offering specialized training in the skills that are needed in the current workforce, the center helps make the transition from the classroom into employment easier for its students. Students also have access to life skills and entrepreneurship training as well as sports, music and personal development opportunities. These skills not only prepare students for stable work but also for making good decisions and becoming contributing members of their communities.

“All youth deserve to be valued members of their community,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students supported by the Bartolomé Ambrosio Salesian Vocational Training Center have a real opportunity to connect with their peers and gain the education, work ethic and social skills needed for long-term employment.”

“We are thankful to the donor who provided the funding so the center can offer more computers and additional training for students to use this technology. Learning how to use computers is essential in today’s workforce,” adds. Fr. Hyde.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions Projects

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missions donor provides funding for new computers and training for students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Given the rate of growth and need for advanced education opportunities, Salesian missionaries with Talita Kumi Foundation, an organization that focuses on education for indigenous women, developed a partnership with the university. Father Jorge Puthenpura, a Salesian from India, developed a model of female religious life within the local indigenous Q’eqchi’ culture. His goal was to work with the university to offer religious studies courses for this population.

The Mesoamerican University has launched a new course of study each year since it has been in operation. First came a teaching training program, then educational administration and educational sciences followed by social work and bilingual primary education. The most recent degree program launched in 2018 was agronomic engineering. A new Salesian religious studies program will be the fifth program offered by the university.

The philosophy behind this innovative religious studies program is based on the Salesian mission to provide education and workforce development services to poor youth. The program will focus on the methods of human and Christian formation in the spirit of the Salesian founder, St. John (Don) Bosco, an Italian Catholic priest who devoted his life to fulfilling the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.

The Mesoamerican University will play an important role in the Talita Kumi mission to promote leadership and empowerment of thousands of indigenous women. The broader Talita Kumi project provides services to women and young children. Children attending Salesian community centers in the Guatemalan departments of Quiché, Izabal, Petén and Alta Verapaz receive pre-primary education that is facilitated by volunteers from the community with the help of Salesian staff.

At the end of each day, the children receive a serving of rice and a cup of cereal cornflower drink. Their mothers are also able to bring rice home as an incentive for their participation in a training process. The project works with mothers to educate them about values, children’s rights in education, health, strengthening children’s self-esteem and early learning. Young women also have access to training programs and workshops that provide skills for employment.

“Salesian missionaries around the globe empower young girls and women through education and social development services to ensure that they have equal access to school and are able to gain the skills needed for later employment,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Young women and girls face many disadvantages and barriers to accessing education and achieving financial independence despite their huge potential. Those who are able to access education are more often able to achieve financial independence and make better and healthier choices that affect not only themselves, but their families and communities as well.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural citizens in Guatemala have only completed a 6th grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – A university that benefits young indigenous people

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries collaborate with Mesoamerican University for new courses targeted towards indigenous women first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The eruption caused close to 100 deaths and displaced more than 3,000, according to Guatemala’s National Forensic Sciences Institute. After the eruption, towns were engulfed in thick, heavy ash. Residents were caught off guard in the remote mountain villages and had little to no time to prepare or flee to safety.

Salesian missionaries living and working in the country report that ash had fallen on at least five departments, including Escuintla, Chimaltenango, Quiché, Sacatepéquez and Guatemala. The alarm system was immediately activated and the rescue corps intervened to evacuate the population affected by the natural disaster and to save the injured. However, lava from the volcano joined a stream of mud generated by heavy rains falling in those areas. This caused the lava to flow faster in the streets, preventing local people from escaping.

Salesian missionaries immediately began providing what aid they could with seven centers engaged in helping with relief efforts. Clothes, non-perishable foods and water was delivered to the charitable organization, Caritas of Guatemala, which was responsible for distributing the items to the needy.

At the time, Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary in San Benito Petén, found the boxes from the earlier shipment of masks and medicines, believing they would be useful.

“After a few months, the masks turned out to be among the most useful asset when our parish took part in the collection of aid for the victims of the Fuego volcano,” says Fr. De Nardi. “Together with the bandages, the masks for rescuers and nurses working in the affected area proved to be a blessing with the community of San Benito acting as intermediary.”

The Salesian parish of San Benito Petén was also engaged in broader relief efforts. It was immediately able to collect food, medicines and other goods needed by those helping with the rescue effort and aiding the victims. Later, it was able to help raise funds to be sent to other parishes that were affected.

“The response was very generous,” adds Fr. De Nardi. “We live far from the areas hit by the eruption of the volcano but we share the every day difficulties of the areas affected by this disaster. A poor country is showing in all emergency situations we are able to still help by the generosity within out communities.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – Circular Solidarity: when the poor help the poor

CNN – Satellite images show destruction caused by Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano

Time – Search Has Been Suspended After Guatemala Volcano Eruption, 109 Deaths Confirmed

The post GUATEMALA: Donated masks prove critical during relief efforts after Fuego volcanic eruption first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technology sectors. The university has close to 6,000 students and maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

“Within all the careers that Don Bosco University has to offer, I chose to study rehabilitation sciences because I want to improve the quality of life for individuals with limb loss due to illness or accident. I want to reassure them not to lose hope despite their physical condition – they can overcome this and I am being trained to help them achieve their goals.” says Claudia Raquel Aguilar Velasquez, a Don Bosco University student and a recipient of the donation. “The donated furniture has been a wonderful addition to the program because not all of the students have access to adequate space at home to conduct the activities demanded by the program. We now have space and resources that will enhance the learning process.”

IRN 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.

In addition to this donation, Salesian programs around the globe have received school and office furniture as well as workstations thanks to the partnership between Salesian Missions and IRN. In the past, IRN has sent shipments of furniture and workstations to Salesian sites in Haiti, the Philippines, Liberia and the Dominican Republic. Additional shipments have been sent to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay and Togo.

Salesian missionaries are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as training and certification programs, Salesian missionaries are helping to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Programs rely on donations such as those provided by IRN to keep facilities functional for students and staff.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America along with Honduras and Guatemala. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

IRN – The Reuse Network

The post El SALVADOR: Furniture donation from IRN impacts close to 900 students, enhancing their learning environments first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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. UN-Water also indicates that around 1.9 billion people live in potentially severely water-scarce areas. By 2050, this could increase to around 3 billion people. Water.org estimates that every 90 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease

The students developed a project to study access to drinking water in the El Majahual community, located in the coastal area of ​​the La Libertad Department of El Salvador. Only 25 percent of the population in that area have access to drinking water through a system of pipelines for distribution and management.

The remaining 75 percent look for alternative access to water through natural sources, rainwater collected during the winter season, wells, river water or freshwater springs. But these sources are often contaminated with biological and solid waste which cause people to become sick. Given the lack of health resources in their community, this can become deadly for many residents.

Faced with this challenge, the multi-disciplinary team of university students, together with professionals from different sectors, designed a water filtration system which will purify this unsafe water and make it safe for human consumption. The filter is a low-cost and easy-to-produce product and, in the future, can be replicated in other areas that also experience difficulty in accessing water.

The team developed a filter consisting of three layers of materials extracted from the existing resources in the coastal area. Its effectiveness was validated by various professionals and institution experts in water treatment including the Fusades Integral Quality Laboratory, the Center of Applied Technology, AZURE, and Stove Team International.

“This is a great initiative by these students to help others in their country who do not have access to clean, safe water,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving safe water access brings a sense of dignity to people, especially children, and reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those living in a community.”

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

Salesian missionaries in El Salvador provide social development services and primary, secondary and vocational education as well as university degree programs to aid youth in breaking the cycle of poverty and contributing back to their families and communities.

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Sources:

ANS – El Salvador – Don Bosco University Students awarded for Water Purification Project

Water.org

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University students join with other university students in San Salvador to design and present new water filtration project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Residents were caught off guard in the remote mountain villages and had little to no time to prepare or flee to safety. There are entire villages unaccounted for and hundreds are injured. According to CNN, “hot gases, rock and ash raced down the volcano, killing dozens, erasing hillside communities, blocking roads and leaving behind steaming debris that rescuers had trouble navigating.”

Salesian missionaries living and working on the country report that ash has fallen on at least five departments, including  Escuintla, Chimaltenango, Quiché, Sacatepéquez and Guatemala. The alarm system was immediately activated and the rescue corps intervened to evacuate the population affected by the natural disaster and to save the injured. However, the lava of the volcano joined a stream of mud generated by heavy rains falling in those areas. This caused the lava to flow faster in the streets, preventing local people from escaping.

Olga González, 46, remembers her escape. “Under there is my father and my niece. The girl had gone to her grandfather and did not come back. If we had waited for her, we would all be dead, so we started running.” Pointing to her burned feet she adds, “She had no time for anything, the lava river was coming over us and we had to run. We could only run and cry without looking back.”

Another resident, Domingo López, 79, locked himself in his house and stayed there until the water vapor made it unbearable, and someone recovered and pulled him out through a window. He suffered severe burns and wounds on his feet.

The Guatemalan army, firefighter volunteers, members of the National Congregation for Disaster Reduction (Conred) and relief groups worked late into the night between Sunday and Monday, but due to the high temperatures and poor visibility, they had to suspend operations to resume it in the early hours of the following day.

Missionaries report that the village of San Miguel los Lotes, located on the slopes of the volcano, was completely covered by volcanic materials. Rescuers have found a number of bodies, but there are fears that there are others hidden in the rubble. The latest available data shows 1.7 million people have been affected and 3,265 have lost their homes. Shelters have already accepted 1,687 people. Salesian Bishop Víctor Hugo Palma, bishop of Escuintla, has been available to give spiritual support and help.

In Guatemala City, the capital, a rain of ashes fell at the time of the eruption and the authorities have advised people not to go out in the streets and to be very careful if driving. The Salesian parish Espíritu Santo has launched a campaign to collect aid, while the Salesian Mesoamerican University has become a collection center where non-perishable food and especially water are received and collected for distribution.

Clothes, non-perishable foods and water collected will be delivered to Caritas of Guatemala, which will be responsible for distributing the items to the needy. Salesian missionaries in the country have seven centers that have all been engaged in helping with relief efforts.

“Salesian missionaries live among the residents of villages and communities they serve, so they are always ready to respond in times of emergency and crisis,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “They also remain when other relief leaves. After a disaster, missionaries will continue to rebuild communities, helping people to rebuild physical structures as well as rebuild their livelihoods through education and skills training.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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ANS – Guatemala – Eruption of Fuego volcano causes deaths and injuries: a Salesian parish helps displaced people

ANS – Guatemalans struggle to recover the dead buried by volcano eruption

CNN – Satellite images show destruction caused by Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano

Time – Search Has Been Suspended After Guatemala Volcano Eruption, 109 Deaths Confirmed

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries begin offering emergency aid and support after devastating Fuego volcanic eruption first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In the Petén region there is only one hospital which, along with two local health centers, is meant to provide for the health of a population of almost 1 million inhabitants. Father Giampiero de Nardi, a Salesian missionary in the region, notes, “This situation makes people prefer to die at home rather than seek treatment at the hospital.”

To make matters worse, there is little preparation for doctors and sometimes a lack of willingness to help. “The last case was a lady who came to our clinic to treat a leg infection caused by an accident,” explains Fr. de Nardi. “The woman suffered from diabetes, so the leg was seriously infected. The hospital doctor told her he would have to amputate her leg. The woman came to us, she was medicated every day and now she walks perfectly.”

Located in the Candelaria district, people from both the city and neighboring villages arrive at the health clinic every day. The facility works primarily with individuals from limited economic means and offers medical advice, basic healthcare and low-cost medicines. The number of people coming to the clinic to be treated has risen over the last several months.

“On the one hand it makes me happy, but on the other it makes me angry,” adds Fr. de Nardi. “It is not possible that our battered clinic can compete with a structure as big as that of the hospital.”

In a country where more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day, health is not a recognized right. There are very few public facilities where they can be treated and the first causes of death among children are intestinal and respiratory infections. A simple antibiotic, combined with adequate hygienic conditions, could save their lives.

Given the Salesian commitment to the health of the local people, several schools in the city are contacting the Salesian clinic to give training courses to children and parents on the topic. Work to expand and improve the Salesian medical clinic also continues.

“Thanks to the help of Missioni Don Bosco and a benefactor, we have equipped ourselves with a new dental chair and instruments for electrocardiograms, mouth radiographs and urinalysis. In addition, a new room has been created to perform the clinical examinations and to place the new dental chair,” says Fr. de Nardi.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line, which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – “Zatti Clinic”: a service close to the people

World Bank – Guatemala

ANS photo

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian medical clinic makes improvements to meet community demand for medical care first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Thanks to the German foundation Karlheinz Wolfgang for Health and Education, the observatory will have an observation tower, a room for educational-scientific activities, a terrace for observation, a planetarium and an astronomical observatory equipped with technology specific to the study of science at the micro and macro levels.

The main telescope will have an RC optical design ideal for observing deep space objects such as the galaxy, globular clusters and open star clusters. It will also be equipped with CCD cameras, used in astronomy to transmit telescope images in real time of the moon, planets, galaxies and other celestial bodies. In addition, the center will house secondary telescopes and solar telescopes, as well as main and secondary microscopes for research in the microcosm.

This new project seeks to integrate the academic and scientific dimensions of Don Bosco University with the potential generated by the principles of individual psychology developed by the Karlheinz Wolfgang for Health and Education and to make way for a project that responds to current challenges of the Salvadoran educational, cultural and social contexts.

“Certainly, we are all aware of the great challenges that await our country and the great effort required to find solutions,” says Brother Mario Olmos, Salesian rector of Don Bosco University. “The real danger is to convince ourselves, on the basis of a superficial assessment of their size and nature, that it is impossible to solve or deal with these problems.”

Don Bosco University provides opportunities for advanced education and employment for disadvantaged youth. Approximately 6,000 students are enrolled at the university, which maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs include engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

Salesian missionaries in El Salvador provide social development services and primary, secondary and vocational education as well as university degree programs to aid youth in breaking the cycle of poverty and contributing back to their families and communities.

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Sources:

ANS – El Salvador – First stone set at Micro-Macro Observatory of Don Bosco University

Don Bosco University

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University developing new micro-macro observatory first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The university has also made energy and renewable energy a focus of its curriculum. There is an electrical engineering program, which includes subjects in management and design of solar plants, as well as two-year renewable energy master’s degree program. This program is aimed at professionals who wish to study more on energy exploitation and renewable sources such solar, wind, biomass, tidal, hydraulic and geothermal.

Courses are focused on teaching the fundamentals of renewable energy systems and providing criteria to analyze the technical, economic and environmental viability of their possible applications. There is also a non-degree 60-hour program for professional development on the installation and maintenance of solar panels. The course is an open program for people preparing to enter the labor market.

Don Bosco University also has an Energy Research Institute, which not only supports research and training in these areas, but also offers services to companies in the country, especially in the field of energy efficiency. Through strengthening training programs and the development of new projects, the institute supports the country in the process of converting its energy economy to an equitable and ecologically sustainable clean model.

In November 2016, with the help USAID, through its Regional Clean Energy Initiative, Don Bosco University installed a photovoltaic system with the objective of improving the learning practices and professional competencies of engineering students.

This system allows students to make assessments of efficiency, performance and profitability, through the information obtained from the production of electricity under different technologies of photovoltaic panels, meteorological conditions and orientations in their installation. This allows students to put into practice knowledge for their future professional careers and better prepare for better job opportunities.

“The energy sector takes more importance in the country every day, since it contributes to solve the problems of growth in other industries by decisively promoting the generation of energy through alternative sources,” said Tim Hurley, USAID economist in an article on the Don Bosco University website about this partnership.

“I congratulate Don Bosco University for its constant commitment to the education of future professionals. I share this vision of training competent and comprehensive professionals, and we accompany them in their work to build a better El Salvador with a solid education, where young people can opt for better job opportunities and contribute positively to their country,” added Hurley.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

Salesian missionaries in El Salvador provide social development services and primary, secondary and vocational education as well as university degree programs to aid youth in breaking the cycle of poverty and contributing back to their families and communities.

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Sources:

Don Bosco University

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University offers degree programs and continuing professional development on renewable energy systems first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Valencia completed his 9th grade year in school in his hometown in the Department of La Libertad, El Salvador. His options for pursuing his high school education were very limited. His parents, who are farmers who had never learned to read or write, had already done the best they could to get Valencia to study through the 9th grade.

In order to send Valencia to high school, his parents would need to send him to the nearest town of San Pedro Tacachico to attend a public institution. This was nearly impossible because it would mean the family had to pay $6 a day to cover transportation, food and other expenses. His father could not cover the extra expense because that was all he made in a day working the land as a farmer.

Salesian missionaries offered a solution for Valencia and others like him. Valencia participated in the Salesian CAP Project, which  opened the door for the boy to realize his dream of containing his studies. The CAP Project was funded by the Kellogg Foundation and ran from 2004-2008. The project offered a mobile market-driven, community-based short-term skills training program with life skills. A longer two to three program provided a mainstream skills training program and job placement.

At the end of high school, Valencia was awarded a scholarship to study at Don Bosco University. Once he received his undergraduate degree, he obtained a scholarship to obtain his master’s degree at the University of Sabana. Before completing his master level studies, Don Bosco University offered him employment to develop new courses. Today, Valencia continues to teach and is involved in other educational endeavors. He is supporting his parents who have retired, and he plans to go back to school for his doctorate degree.

The CAP project was facilitated by FUSALMO, a Salesian-run organization that offers traditional and non-traditional educational opportunities for at-risk youth in the communities within San Salvador. Through recreational programs, enrichment opportunities in the arts and music, vocational training and more, youth are able to stay off the streets, learn to cooperate and co-exist, and gain the skills they need to become productive, contributing members of a more peaceful society. Founded in 2001, the organization has positively impacted the lives of more than 265,000 children and their families.

“FUSALMO develops educational activities that allow youth to discover their vocational specialties,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through vocational and technical skills training that was provided by the CAP programs and continues on at FUSALMO today, youth are able to develop their skills and talents to find and retain stable employment and become productive, contributing members of their community.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time period the year before. In 2016, San Salvador was named the murder capital of the world, seeing more murders and violent crime than any other city. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country, and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and a sense of family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Salesian Missions operates a U.S.-based fund in support of FASULMO. Donations can be made at www.salesianmissions.org/fusalmo.

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Sources:

ANS – El Salvador – Transforming the lives of hundreds of young people: young people creating a future

FUSALMO

Salesian Missions (USA) – FUSALMO

World Bank – El Salvador

Don Bosco University El Salvador (Spanish)

PHOTO courtesy Eduardo Menjivar Valencia

The post EL SALVADOR: Salesian graduates achieve success thanks to program facilitated by FUSALMO first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Without Barriers promotes the social integration of students with a hearing impairment within the university. The first step of the initiative was to develop a course in ASL. This course is made available to the entire university population, including students, teachers and staff.

“The new Without Barriers initiative aims to bring ASL courses together with conferences and debates to bring a level of sensitivity and awareness of the problems those who are hearing impaired not only face in the field of education, but also in the labor market and in social reality,” said Mariely Rodriguez, president of AESPEC.

According to the representatives from both Salesian associations, there are students with hearing impairments attending Don Bosco University who sometimes cannot count on someone to help them communicate with other people, and so it is difficult for them to engage in certain activities inside the school’s campus. The goal of the initiative is to work toward greater inclusion of all students so that they are able to participate fully and engage in campus life.

During the end-of-course graduation ceremony, the academic Vice-Chancellor Professor Humberto Flores explained that the program built a different university with a more humane climate. He noted, “It’s not so much about including deaf people as it is ensuring that all people have an opportunity to fully participate in their academics and connect with their peers.”

Edwin Campos is among the first graduates of the program. As a child he gradually lost his hearing after taking medication caused a complication. After learning about the Without Barriers, he decided to enroll. Because of the ASL course, by 2018 Campos will make his dream come true to study at the Don Bosco Institute, a Salesian institution that will grant him a full scholarship to attend its three-year course in automotive mechanics.

Students connected to the project will accompany Edwin during his educational process, supporting him and the school teachers. “We have committed ourselves to the Don Bosco Institute to help translate for Edwin. As a project, we have chosen to create a mentoring program for him. For example, some third-level students helped Edwin in the translation of messages during the course’s introductory session,” said Rodríguez.

During the graduation, another honor was awarded to Professor Julio Aceituno, who is also engaged in the Without Barriers project. He is the first deaf person in the country to graduate in electrical engineering. Dr. Aceituno studied at the Don Bosco University and recently received the title that accredits him as a professional in the field.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time in 2013. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

ANS – El Salvador – Without barriers to dialogue: first Sign Language class graduates

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Without Barriers project graduates 87 people in American Sign Language first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Growing up in the suburbs of San Salvador, most youth face a grim future. The country is one of the most violent in Central America with nearly 60,000 young people involved in gang-related and other criminal activity. Young people who manage to resist this trap of misfortune too often lack the educational and employment opportunities they need to escape the conditions of poverty. Today, more than 50 percent of youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are unemployed or underemployed.

Carlos, 19, is one such student. He couldn’t envision what his future might hold, but he is now studying to become an electrician, an opportunity enhanced by a partnership between Salesian Missions and ASAP (A Self-Help Assistance Program). The program provides toolkits to vocational graduates of Salesian schools while fostering cross-cultural understanding through entrepreneurship and educational projects.

Headquartered in Atlanta, ASAP accepts donated tools that its volunteers then refurbish, bundle and send to vocational training programs where needed. Each year since 2015, ASAP has provided Salesian-run programs with life-changing tool-kits in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and now, El Salvador.

“This partnership has truly made a measurable impact on the lives of our students,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In many cases, the tools ASAP donates would be difficult for Salesian educational centers to afford or procure, which can impact hands-on learning experiences. Now, students at Don Bosco Citadel have access to, and can learn how to use cutting-edge tools that will fully prepare them for future work, which empowers them to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families.”

Carlos agrees. “These tools, and electrical training, are helping me to move forward in life. When I become a certified electrician, I will be able to find a job and help my two younger sisters go to school—so they can build a better life, too.”

In El Salvador close to 35 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Providing Tools for Success

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Salesian vocational graduates receive tool kits to help them prepare for the workforce first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Located in the Candelaria district, people from both the city and neighboring villages arrive at the health clinic every day. The facility works primarily with individuals from limited economic means and offers medical advice, basic healthcare and low-cost medicines. Once a week, the two doctors would go to the area’s remote communities to take care of those who could not reach the health clinic, as well as a home hosting many patients with more severe medical conditions.

“We had a chance to connect with the local community and learn more about what Salesian missionaries are doing in the local area,” said Florencia and Maite in a joint statement. “We have been very motivated by the work of Salesian missionaries and were happy that after we graduated that we could fulfill our mission to assist these communities in collaboration with them.”

The doctors also participated in the Salesian PAAS program, which provides first aid training to Salesian programs in Argentina. The two plan to bring this same initiative to San Benito and Guatemala City to share and highlight the importance of taking care of one’s life and health.

“The work we do in the Guatemala and in programs around the globe goes beyond education,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We aim to serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs like health and nutrition are met in addition to other social service needs. “

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries continue to seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala, which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line, which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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ANS – Guatemala – Two Argentines in Petén: “We found God in the people with whom we shared this path”

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Two Argentine doctors volunteer at Salesian health clinic in San Benito Petén first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco University is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. The university has close to 6,000 students at the school, which also maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

“We are thankful to USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad program for providing us grant funding for the “Walking Anew!” project,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school when compared to their peers. Youth with disabilities have the same ability to achieve as their peers, if given the opportunity. Projects like these help pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that helps aid inclusion of people with disabilities.”

The “Walking Anew!” project will launch with the construction of a two-story building that will hold new and expanded laboratories, practice centers and classrooms on the first floor, and the new Applied Research Center for collaboration with the U.S. on the second floor. The new building will implement photovoltaic electricity to promote conscientious energy use and reduce carbon emissions at the global level. The building will be constructed under LEED parameters of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Next, the project will entail upgrading 50 percent of the current technology and acquiring new and modern equipment for SRS laboratories that teach and apply rehabilitation techniques for people with disabilities. The four laboratories to be updated include the existing mobility laboratory, the existing orthotics and prosthetics laboratory, the new podiatry laboratory and the new specialized practice laboratory.

The “Walking Anew!” project will also establish an Applied Research Center for innovation within the parameters of educational and medical practice. The Applied Research Center will stimulate and enable the exchange of knowledge and experience with scholarly and medical centers in the U.S. The Applied Research Center will include an information center dedicated to researching health issues specifically related to the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, orthotics and prosthetics, material science, physical medicine, and medical innovations across Central and South America. Subscriptions to databases and digital libraries related to rehabilitation will be available for the use of professors, students, researchers and health personnel. Center users will also have access to medical magazines edited in the U.S.

Finally, with the goal of broadening the reach of the technological and educational advancements for the treatment of people with disabilities generated at Don Bosco University, the “Walking Anew!” project will acquire new technology to offer online graduate and specialized program educational services across the broader region of Latin America and worldwide.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time in 2013. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: USAID Funding Secured by Salesian Missions Supports Project for Research and Innovation for People with Mobile Disabilities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Nearly 1,000 people participated in the three-day celebration. Youth who currently stay at the Don Bosco Center, as well as those who were once educated and lived there, shared their experiences and happiness with music, theater, sports, fashion shows and walks. A Catholic mass closed the celebration.

Back when the organization was founded, Fr. De Groot lived and worked in Raxruhá, a remote area at the edge of the forest that was almost inaccessible and with no basic services. One day, a young man asked him if he could visit his home to learn how to read and write. Shortly thereafter, a second young man joined him, then a third, and soon a small group formed. As the group enlarged, elementary structures also began to emerge. Thirty-five years later, the Don Bosco Center features beautiful and functional buildings and green areas, all characterized by cleanliness and order.

In the geographical area where the Don Bosco Center has been operating, the center has represented a true educational revolution. It has demonstrated the young students’ intelligence and attentiveness, their great desire to learn and their boundless energy. Many students who have succeed in graduating from the Don Bosco Center have gone on to higher learning at the university level and are now working as professionals.

“All youth deserve to be valued members of their community,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students supported by the Don Bosco Center have a real opportunity to gain an education, connect with their peers, and gain the work and social skills needed for long-term employment.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line, which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – Don Bosco Center, a true educational revolution in its 35-year history

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: The Don Bosco Center celebrates its 35th year of providing education and workforce development services to youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The initiative is part of the project “Promotion of National Movement – A People, a Product of El Salvador,”which is working toward the development of the local food industry in the micro regions of the Valley del Rio Jiboa and Ilobasco. The new co-working center will help facilitate technical and scientific training of multidisciplinary teams in the areas of research, design, promotion, distribution and marketing of products. It will also provide an area for consulting and teamwork to improve production along with forums for innovation in business.

The new center will be headquartered at the Don Bosco University Center for Industry and Industrial Design, a modern infrastructure that provides technology transfer services for the national industry and is equipped with all the technical and audiovisual resources needed for this project. Multidisciplinary groups participating in this initiative will be working with students taking courses in industrial design, graphic design, marketing and industrial engineering.

Thanks to this new space, Don Bosco University students will have the opportunity to develop and enhance their know-how and skills and put their knowledge regarding innovations in craftsmanship into practice. The goal is that the practical, aesthetic, functional and material improvements made will make new products more competitive in the market. Most important, students will be able to expand their learning within business with this hands-on experience while they work to address the real challenges that arise from the productive processes of micro and small businesses.

Don Bosco University provides opportunities for advanced education and employment for disadvantaged youth in El Salvador. Approximately 6,000 students are enrolled at the university, which maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs include engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics.

“Education is a path out of poverty,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth who access Salesian programs are given an educational foundation, skill training and life and social skills to help them excel in the workforce. They are then able to break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.”

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of family and belonging that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

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Sources

ANS – El Salvador – Promoting Innovation in Small Business. An initiative inaugurated by the Republic’s Vice-President

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: New coworking center at Don Bosco University aims to be learning center for technical small business training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The university is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. In previous years, many of the science and technology programs were attended by men, but the university’s Program for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE Program) has encouraged more women to get into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

This year, the initiative will change the lives of 30 young women who will be able to expand their horizons of opportunity in the science and technology fields. In addition, a new group of 14 teachers will receive this training. At the end of camp, 12 scholarships will be awarded for the students who wish to continue studying in technical-scientific university courses, enabling them to have more opportunities for future employment.

“The science camp is an opportunity for students to grow, not only in the field of science, but as a continuity of life and development. We want this experience to mean the discovery of their abilities and possibilities for them,” says Salesian Father Mario Rafael Olmos, rector of Don Bosco University.

Young women who have finished school, are convinced they can do well in the technical and science fields and are passionate about this study are encouraged to enter the program for higher learning. For some young women, their level of interest in these subjects was greatly enhanced by attending the camp. They saw a whole new field of study open to them that had previously not been considered.

To date, 143 young women in their last year of high school have participated in the camp. The lessons learned at the camp are practical and hands-on for the young students. In 2016, the camp also received a local award known as the “positive brand” recognition in the category of township living.

Don Bosco University has close to 6,000 students at the school, which also maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time in 2013. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15 to 24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

ANS – El Salvador –”Science Girl Camp” inaugurated: an alliance between Don Bosco University and USAID

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Annual Science Camp for Girls Launches with 30 New Students Interested in STEM Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Due to complications securing land, construction of the new youth center in San Benito faced many delays. Once land was secured in 2015, construction was completed. The youth center will provide poor and at-risk youth additional educational and social support and a meeting space to build relationships with peers and engage in safe after-school activities. Tutoring and life skills training, as well as recreational activities and sports, will also be available.

“The new Salesian Youth Center provides a safe space for youth to meet with their peers and connect with caring adults who can help with homework and other needs youth are facing,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries across Guatemala provide education, workforce development and social services and are focused on helping poor youth, including street children.”

Salesian missionaries also operate a summer youth program in the region. The program offers classes in Spanish and English language, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, music and dance as well as provides organized games for participants. Youth who attend the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or playing on the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability. The new youth center provides an opportunity for Salesian missionaries to host these activities for youth year-round.

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries continue to seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala, which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line, which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – New Oratory at La Cobanerita, San Benito Petén

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missionaries Launch Youth Center in San Benito Petén first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The majority of the youth who enter the Salesian center come from highly vulnerable areas where gangs and drug trafficking prevail. Most are at risk of social exclusion and vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Salesian educators go into these communities to meet with youth and their families. In the process, they too have been attacked and even threatened but note that the risks are worth helping youth to have hope for a better future.

“Going to students’ homes to meet with their families means reaching the heart of youth and seeing first-hand their reality, and their weaknesses, pain and concerns. It is getting to know who they really are and allowing us to better support and help them,” says Salesian Brother Oscar Pereira, who is in charge of the center and personally takes part in the visits to students’ homes.

Close to 250 youth attend the vocational center full-time for up to two years of technical and vocational training in key employment sectors. These sectors have been identified by companies that are working with the center to place students into work after they successfully complete their education. The center also has more than 1,000 students attending weekend courses in a variety of subjects, preparing for the workforce and improving upon skills while currently working.

“Through Salesian schools and vocational centers in Honduras, students are taking the first steps to rebuild their lives and their country,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning skills for employment, students are able to find jobs in high growth sectors that help them support themselves and their families.”

The second largest country in Central America, Honduras is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden countries in the Western Hemisphere with 60 percent of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rough geographic terrain in the country has limited the development of transportation, keeping much of the rural population isolated. Poverty and food scarcity are severe in rural areas and one out of every four Hondurans struggle with chronic malnutrition. In addition, one out of every five Hondurans lack access to adequate healthcare.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Honduras for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate poor youth and their families. In addition, thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), an international relief organization that provides food and life‐saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable, thousands of people in need, from infants to seniors, are receiving crucial medical aid and nutritious food through Salesian programs in Honduras.

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Sources:

ANS – Honduras – “Reaching the Heart of Every Young Person”: the Choice of the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre

World Bank – Honduras

The post HONDURAS: At-Risk Youth Access Employment Skills Training at Salesian Vocational Training Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, International Women’s Day focuses on a theme. This year the theme #BeBoldforChange calls on everyone to help develop more equal employment opportunities and working environments for women. In 2015, world leaders adopted the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development placing gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls at the heart of these new goals.

UN Women notes in order to ensure women’s economic empowerment in employment, the global community must bridge the gender pay gap, which stands at 24 percent globally, recognize women’s unpaid care and domestic work, and address the gender deficit in care work. In addition, world leaders must address the gender gaps in leadership, entrepreneurship and access to social protection as well as ensure gender-responsive economic policies for job creation, poverty reduction and sustainable, inclusive growth.

Salesian missionaries living and working in more than 130 countries around the globe are focused on achieving gender equality through programs targeted specifically for young women and girls. These programs strive to empower young women and girls by providing opportunities for education and training that lead to livable wage employment.

“Salesian missionaries around the globe empower young girls and women through education and ensuring that they have equal access to schools and skills training for later employment,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Young women and girls face many disadvantages and barriers to accessing education and achieving financial independence despite their huge potential. Those who are able to access education are more often able to achieve financial independence and make better and healthier choices that affect not only themselves, but their families and communities as well.”

In honor of International Women’s Day, Salesian Missions is proud to share some of its programs around the globe that empower young women and girls.

BOLIVIA

Started in 1992, the Casa Maín girl’s home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, provides shelter, nutritious meals and schooling for girls and young women with little access to education and those who were once living on the streets. Currently, there are more than 160 girls living and being educated at the home. Casa Maín is comprised of three houses and the girls are divided among them by age. The youngest girls, attending elementary school, live together in one house supported by several volunteer students from the secondary school.

A second house provides shelter and peer support for girls attending secondary school while a third house is for young women attending the local university. The university students enjoy a setting that allows them to finish their degrees in higher education in a stable environment while learning how to live independently.

EL SALVADOR

The Salesian-run Don Bosco University, located in San Salvador, works to provide opportunities for advanced education and employment for disadvantaged women. The university is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, particularly in the technical and technological sector. In the past, the technology programs were attended mainly by young men but in 2013 the university started an initiative called the Science Camp for Girls, which is supported through funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Science Camp is a long-term project for the university. To date, 123 young women in their last year of high school have participated in the camp. Young women who have finished school, are convinced they can do well in the technical and science fields and are passionate about this study are encouraged to enter the program for higher learning.

INDIA

The Don Bosco Development Society, in partnership with AXA Business Services Private Limited, launched the women empowerment project in the slums of Pimpri and Chinchwad, located in the city of Pune in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

The project will directly benefit 2,500 women and children and is aimed at promoting gender equality and empowerment of women through income generation, skill development, health education, free health camps and free educational support classes for the children from marginalized families. As part of the initiative, 10 self-help groups will be formed to improve the educational status and health of 250 children.

MADAGASCAR

More than 25 percent of women in Madagascar become first-time mothers between the ages of 15 and 19, often trapping them and their children in a cycle of poverty. These women and children are particularly vulnerable to poor health care, chronic malnutrition and lack of educational opportunities.

Through projects like TAIZA, a Salesian-led child’s right network present in each borough in the capital city of Antananarivo, young, impoverished mothers and their babies can access social services as well as health education and clinics, and participate in peer support groups and literacy programs.

SIERRA LEONE

Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Fambul in Freetown, Sierra Leone, have been running a Girls Shelter for the past two years. Here, professional social workers and pastoral workers provide crisis intervention and follow-up care for girls and young women who have been the victims of sexual assault. Those that access services at the shelter are also able to enroll in educational programs that are a part of the broader Don Bosco Fambul network. These programs train young women in the skills necessary to find and retain employment,

As part of the rehabilitation program at the Girls Shelter, young women take coursework in hotel management, hairdressing and tailoring. This training helps to empower them to overcome the discrimination they have faced, gain a greater awareness of their rights and boost their work prospects. It also helps to build character while allowing the young women the freedom to make decisions that affect their lives and their health. Recently, both the trainers and the students in these programs were able to present their skills and products to the general public at an exhibition in Freetown.

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Sources:

International Women’s Day 2017

UN Women – International Women’s Day 2017

Salesian Missions

The post INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs That Empower Girls and Young Women Through Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The solution chosen by Salesian missionaries is the use of solar panels, devices that require a fairly high initial investment, but which can ensure a better impact on the environment. Using the solar panels over time will reduce the Salesian center’s electrical costs, and the funding can then be diverted to training and equipment maintenance and upgrades. With the purchase and commissioning of the solar panels, not only will the center have a clean and healthy environment, but it’s also reinforcing an additional educational message about environmental impact.

“Salesian programs are constantly evolving and advancing to meet local demands and keep up-to-date with technology and changes that can save programs the limited funding they have,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The Salesian Vocational Center provides a valuable service to the community by educating youth and helping them to gain the skills necessary for employment.”

The Salesian center is staffed by both Salesian missionaries and lay teachers who provide education and training to poor youth in Guatemala so that they can enter the labor market. The center offers specialized training in the skills that are needed in the current workforce, helping students to make an easier transition from the classroom into employment. Students also have access to life skills training and entrepreneurship training as well as sports, music and personal development. These skills allow students to be prepared not only for stable work but also to make good decisions and become citizens that can contribute back to their communities.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – Solar panels for the Vocational Training Centre: thinking of development, respecting creation

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: New Solar Panels at Vocational Center are Good for Environment and Cost Reduction first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“We want to give youth skills in areas that can serve for their future. It is the best way to prevent the violence that is so prevalent in this area,” says Sandra Lorena Duarte, director of the USAID projects.

Young women who have finished school, are convinced they can do well in the technical and science fields and are passionate about this study are encouraged to enter the program for higher learning. For some young women, their level of interest in these subjects was greatly enhanced by attending the camp. They saw a whole new field of study open to them that had previously not been considered.

“The aim of this innovative project is to bring the young women of the surrounding areas of St. Martin, Soyapango, Apopa and Ciudad Delgado to the camp and educate them about this new field of study for them. We help them to become passionate about further study in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” says José Humberto Flores, rector of the University of Don Bosco.

The Science Camp is a long-term project for the university. To date, 123 young women in their last year of high school have participated in the camp. The lessons learned at the camp are practical and hands-on for the young students. One student, Jennifer, created a robot named “Gyro Boy” while another student, Estefanny, created a machine that implements Arduino programs, managed through Bluetooth

“The camp was a very nice experience. At first everything seemed so difficult but after learning, we were able to progress with our projects and realize that yes we can do it,” says Jennifer, who wants to study mechanical engineering. “The thing I really learned is that no one can me that I cannot do something because yes, I can.”

Don Bosco University has close to 6,000 students at the school, which also maintains a strong link to the local employment sector through research, technology transfer programs, continuing education courses and consultancy services. Degree programs are offered in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time in 2013. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources

ANS – El Salvador – Don Bosco University encourages girls to study Technology

World Bank – El Salvador

The post El Salvador: Don Bosco University Science Camp for Girls Encourages STEM Education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The recent shipment of rice meals from Feed My Starving Children, the third this year sent to Salesian programs in El Salvador, was distributed to the Miguel Magone and Laura Vicuña programs within EDYTRA impacting 171 youth. Students (107 boys and girls) with limited resources attending the programs receive free breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also an integrated daycare program in which 64 children receive free lunch each day.

The donated rice meals are provided to students in school to ensure they receive proper nutrition and a balanced diet in order for them to focus on their studies as well as extracurricular activities such as art and sports. Salesian missionaries began the school feeding program to meet the needs of the many area families with limited resources to feed their children.

“Children cannot learn on an empty stomach, and for many students the meal they receive at school may be their only meal for the day,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian feeding programs not only encourage families to send their children to school, they allow students to focus on getting the education they need without worrying about where they will find their next meal.”

The soy-rice meals were also shared with adults and the elderly living in poverty in the communities of Naval, San Juan Bosco, Independencia, 4 de Mayo, Condominios San Ernesto, Comunidad Lourdes and Comunidad Concepción de San Salvador.

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.

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. Youth who access Salesian programs in El Salvador are given an educational foundation, technical skill training and life and social skills to help them excel in the workforce. They are then able to break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education in the country is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Industrial Polygon Foundation

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Students, Elderly Have Better Nutrition Thanks to Rice Meal Donation from Feed My Starving Children first appeared on MissionNewswire.