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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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

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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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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

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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

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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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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – Delivery of gifts to many disadvantaged children

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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

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

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

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

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

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries help rebuild homes for Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

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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

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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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Sources:

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.

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

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

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: More than 100 families receive food aid first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(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

Salesian Missions

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

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

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

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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

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: New project launches to help support the emotional and psychological health of Salesian staff first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian parish in San Benito Petén launches refectory to provide food to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

The post GUATEMALA: Improvements and reconstruction efforts underway at the Salesian mission in San Pedro Carchá first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries in San Benito Petén providing support for migrants from Honduras first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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.

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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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.

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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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

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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.

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.

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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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.

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.

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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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.

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 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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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.

The children attending the community centers 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. The mothers are also able to bring rice home as an incentive for their participation in the training processes. The project works with mothers to educate them about values, children’s rights in education, health, strengthening children’s self-esteem and early learning.

The rice is very important for the project because it contributes to the attendance of the children and the participation of the parents in the training processes. It also provides an important nutritional support to the children, many of whom are growing up in risky environments due to poverty. Chronic malnutrition is a threat for those under five years old in these communities. The community also faces food shortages when the weather is bad and there is no work or there are crop losses.

Children have an opportunity to play at the center, study and spend time with their peers. Later in the day, they receive their afternoon rice meal, which is prepared by Salesian staff with the help of local families who bring water and firewood as well as tomatoes, onions and oil when these supplies are available.

“Here in the community, there are many children lacking financial resources, and their families are very poor,” said Martha Contreras Choc, committee secretary for the project. “Because they live in poverty, they cannot provide good food to their children. The meals are a support to families to help ensure their children have access to the healthy nutrition that supports their growth and development.”

More than 795 million people around the world go hungry every day, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. More than 70 percent of food insecure people live in rural areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East. Of those who go hungry daily, 98 percent reside in developing countries where there is not only a shortage of food but major challenges for aid to reach its destination.

Salesian Missions programs are dedicated to facilitating agricultural education and providing feeding programs in more than 130 countries around the globe. Operating primary schools, technical training centers, agricultural schools, youth centers, orphanages and programs for street children, Salesian missionaries are on the front lines of the battle against hunger.

Because Salesian missionaries work and live in the communities they serve, they are also perfectly positioned to ensure that the distribution of food aid reaches those who need it most while offering programs that teach agricultural techniques to increase local food production. Through ongoing partnerships with organizations like Stop Hunger Now, Salesian missionaries are able to deliver life-saving food aid and other supplies to those in need in their communities.

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PHOTO: Courtesy Talita Kumi

Salesian Missions Office for International Programs

FAO – State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015

The post GUATEMALA: Rice Meal Donation Provides Healthy Nutrition to Indigenous Children Attending Salesian Community Centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in San Benito, noted remarkable progress made by a girl from a home for children during her participation in the summer program. Having previously lived with a violent father, she hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with the program. Eventually, she became interested and engaged in the program and found her situation improving. This year, Fr. De Nardi noticed she was actively engaging with the other children and enjoying all the activities.

“Today I took her picture and showed it to her letting her know how good it turned out. Her eyes lit up and she hugged me – something she had never done before. She had never hugged anybody. She had not learned the meaning of a hug,” says Fr. De Nardi.

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.

Due to complications securing land, construction of the new youth center in San Benito faced many delays. Now that the land has been secured, construction is underway and once completed, the youth center will provide poor and at-risk youth additional educational and social supports 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.

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 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 – “Peten was really waiting for waiting Don Bosco”

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Children Find Hope at Salesian-run Summer Youth Program in San Benito first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Rural life in Guatemala is often associated with extreme poverty. However, rural Q’eqchi are among those in the community looking to improve their lives. Through Salesian programs, Q’eqchi are learning new skills that can lead to additional income for their families while increasing the capacities of their communities.

The Don Bosco Center is the male counterpart to a local educational project for girls known as Talita Kumi which was started by a Salesian missionary from India, Father Jorge Puthenpura, and is now run by the Salesian Sisters of the Resurrection. This program works to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“Both of these educational efforts are part of the much broader mission developed by the Salesian community in Guatemala,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian educational programs have been very successful with the number of schools in the region doubling, allowing for more children than ever before to have the opportunity for a brighter future.”

Under the leadership of Salesian missionary, Father Anthony De Groot, the Don Bosco Center has also developed an extensive teacher training program. Father De Groot came to the Carchá mission in the Alta Verapz region of Guatemala in 1975 and has been helping youth break the cycle of poverty and improve their lives through education ever since.

Upon his arrival in Guatemala, Fr. De Groot was immediately struck by the extreme poverty and deprivation in the mountain communities. What started for him as an effort to provide support to remote villages neglected during a civil war, turned into an educational revolution resulting in the training of hundreds of teachers while offering poor youth a second chance.

“Determined to make a difference, Fr. De Groot began visiting the villages to build hope and offer support,” adds. Fr Hyde. “After a while, he realized much more needed to be done especially for the sake of the children. He started to build schools and initiated a teacher training program.”

Today, more than 850 local students are enrolled in a series of teacher training courses. Upon receiving their teaching certificates, these students will go on to teach in some of the 600 villages throughout Guatemala that participate in the 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 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 have been working in Guatemala for many years, particularly with indigenous populations, to help break the cycle of poverty and provide access to basic needs and education.

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Sources:

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: More Than 800 Indigenous Q’eqchi (Mayans) Receive Technical Training at Don Bosco Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Due to complications securing land, construction of a new youth center in San Benito was a long time in the making and faced many delays. Now that the land has been secured, construction is underway and once completed, the youth center will provide poor and at-risk youth additional educational and social supports 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.

“After so many battles with the municipality to get the ground to build our youth center, we are finally starting work,” says Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in San Benito. “We have cleared the land, made measurements and started to level the ground. Next we will build the fence and wait for the architect to prepare the final plans and make our dream something more concrete. We are hoping that people will help us financially to be able to complete this program for the good of the young people at risk in Petén.”

In addition to the development of a new youth center, Salesian missionaries in San Benito are distributing ecological filters for purifying water. Since the local water is unsafe and often sickens those who drink it with dysentery and disease, the filters are vital for the many poor families in the area who cannot afford to buy bottled water. The new filters last for five years and produce enough drinking water for five or six families. Close to 50 filters have already been distributed through the project which was generously funded by donors from Italy.

“Water is essential for life and clean water projects have been a focus for Salesian missionaries around the globe,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Water is at the core of sustainable development and relates directly to the viability of poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. For those who have no access to clean water, water related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year globally from water related disease.”

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 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 – A New Centre for the Young People of Petén

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missionaries Have Undertaken New Projects Helping Poor Youth and their Families in San Benito first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In May 2012, TOMS began distributing shoes to youth in communities served by the Talita Kumi Foundation. Talita Kumi is present in more than 1000 indigenous communities in Northern Guatemala and serves more than 88,000 school-aged children. TOMS shoes are provided to families that participate in Talita Kumi’s education, health and economic development programs.

Youth living in rural Guatemalan communities are constantly on the move but lack options for transportation and normally do not have enough money to buy shoes. To get to school, students must walk close to 30 minutes on rocky, wet trails through the mountains. While at school, students participate in classroom learning while also engaging in outdoor sports and recreation activities. After returning home, students are often expected to help their parents perform tasks such as farming, milking cows, caring for animals and gathering wood for fires. Without shoes, these young people are at-risk for injury and diseases such as parasites, skin fungus and respiratory diseases, among others.

“When children are protected from the various illnesses and injuries associated with traveling barefoot they are better able to participate and focus in classes,” says Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. “Many schools ask parents to invest in required school clothing forcing families to prioritize which children they can send to school. Distributing shoes will open the way for more children to attend school, especially for girls who are often left behind at home.”

As a result of TOMS shoes, youth enrollment and participation in school has increased and students are more prepared for school activities. Shoes also provide students with a sense of dignity. Angel, an 11 year old recipient of TOMS shoes, previously endured a painful walk to school barefoot in mud, rain and over rocks. As a result of the shoes, the trip to school is safer and easier.

“I was so excited, I really like them because they are very comfortable, soft, and weigh nothing. I would like to have them for a long time to go to school with. I no longer have diseases on my feet and I use them to play with my friends at school,” says Angel describing the new shoes.

The Talita Kumi Foundation’s health programs currently serve more than 80,400 school-age children. Salesian missionaries at the Foundation work to combat malnutrition among its program participants and decrease the rates of maternal, infant and general mortality through primary health-care and training of families and community organizations. When youth are suffering from diseases contracted by walking around barefoot, it is more difficult to combat malnutrition. By improving the health of the children, Talita Kumi can alleviate the physical and economic strain of repeated medical visits and improve the food security and nutrition of the population, especially among women and children.

“One of the methods that Salesian missionaries teach on the topic of health and welfare is the use of footwear for children,” adds O’Connor. “However, many families cannot afford to buy shoes for their children. By distributing shoes to the children in Salesian programs, we can improve the health of individual children while also stressing the importance of wearing shoes among the community in general.”

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 poor youth’s basic needs while helping them to break the cycle of poverty. Through Salesian youth centers, orphanages, parishes, primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities, Salesian missionaries work extensively with poor youth and their families. In addition, there are many Salesian programs throughout the country, some of which help provide for youth living on the streets while others offer social and educational opportunities to those living in poor indigenous communities.

ABOUT TOMS:

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in a village in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One®.

Five years later, TOMS realized this movement could serve other basic needs and launched TOMS Eyewear. With every pair of eyewear purchased, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need. One for One®. As more everyday choices have the power to impact the lives of those around the world, the TOMS movement will continue to grow and evolve.

In 2013, Blake Mycoskie announced that through its Giving Partners, TOMS has hand-placed over 10 million pairs of new shoes on children in need and has helped give sight to over 150,000 people around the world. The success of TOMS’ One for One® business model has led to a continued evolution of its giving efforts, with the company making major investments in its shoe manufacturing, economic empowerment and commissioned field research while developing product partnerships that have raised millions of dollars for non-profit organizations.

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS:

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Students Receive TOMS Shoes, are Healthier and Better Prepared for School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The El Niño weather cycle has caused a prolonged heat wave in what otherwise would be Central America’s rainy season, killing thousands of cattle and drying up crops across the region. Farmers growing peas, green beans and broccoli estimate that they will lose up to 40 percent of their crops this year. In addition, almost 80 percent of corn and beans, staples of the Guatemalan diet, are anticipated to wither on the stalk this season leaving little to be harvested.

The drought has also affected parts of Honduras and El Salvador. Close to 2.8 million people in Central America will need food assistance due to the combined impact of severe drought, the Coffee Rust plague and a spike in food prices, according to the World Food Program.

“They are subsistence farmers and day-to-day laborers who are in a critical situation due to the combination of three factors,” said Miguel Barreto, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Food Program, in a recent article about the drought. “First, they lost their subsistence crops, mostly beans and maize, to the drought. Second, due to the outbreak of the Coffee Rust plague in 2012, coffee production dropped and so did the demand for jobs and the families’ income. And finally, a shortage of beans and maize has caused a rise in food prices in all countries.”

“Some families resort to dangerous survival tactics, such as skipping or reducing the size of meals. Others simply stop sending their children to school to save money. Others send the head of households to Mexico or the United States to find jobs,” added Barreto in the same article.

Because of the drought and food shortages, an estimated 500,000 children under the age of five are at imminent risk of starvation which is devastating in a country that already struggles with chronic undernutrition. According to World Food Program, the chronic undernutrition rate for children under five is 49.8 percent, the highest in the region and the fourth highest in the world.

Salesian missionaries already working and living in Guatemalan communities are perfectly positioned to respond to the crisis. Missionaries in the municipalities of Alta Verapaz, Peten and Quetzaltenango are mobilizing to assist more than 130,000 people in desperate need of food aid and other basic assistance.

“Salesians are on the ground already working with local populations so the response to emergencies like this is usually very quick,” explains Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Because of our existing infrastructure, our partners trust us to be able to get supplies to people in need.”

Emergency situations aside, Salesians have been providing ongoing assistance and education to poor youth and their families in Guatemala for many years through Salesian youth centers, primary and secondary schools and programs for indigenous populations throughout the country.

“Salesian programs are flexible and adaptable to the communities and countries we serve,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Communities have different needs and we help as we can, all the while working to help people break the cycle of poverty and lead productive, healthy lives.”

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Sources

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Food Programs – Central America Battles Impact Of Drought And Coffee Rust

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missionaries are Mobilizing to Assist More Than 130,000 People in Desperate Need of Food Aid Due to Recent Drought first appeared on MissionNewswire.

For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources. The Salesians have been working in Guatemala, particularly with indigenous populations, to help break the cycle of poverty and provide access to basic needs and education.

Recently, the mountainous area of La Tinta was affected by devastating floods. Many families across four remote villages lost everything and were struggling to meet even their most basic needs of food and shelter.

The Salesians working in Altaverapaz, an area with 250,000 Q’eqchi’ indigenous inhabitants, offered assistance to those in need. A food delivery arrived before the floods thanks to a partnership between Feed My Starving Children and Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. So the Salesians were able to respond to the emergency immediately with a large quantity of protein-enriched rice.

“The Salesians are on the ground already working with local populations so the response to emergencies like this is usually very quick,” explains Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Because of our existing infrastructure our partners trust us to be able to get supplies to people in need.”

One of the biggest challenges in the delivery of the rice was navigating the mountainous terrain surrounding the remote villages. Much of the usual path from Altaverapaz to La Tinta was wiped out by landslides. Father Vittorio Castagna, working on behalf of the Salesians, was able to reach the villages of Kaqiha’ and Samiha after a four hour drive combined with a three-hour hike. When he arrived at the affected area he was met with a scene of total devastation.

“Unfortunately, the residents of these villages are forgotten by the international media but the Salesians have been here to provide for them,” says Fr. Castagna. “We have come to provide assistance in many circumstances. This time we were able to help close to 50 families affected by the landslides.”

Emergency situations aside, the Salesians have been providing ongoing assistance and education to the indigenous Q’eqchi’ people for many years. They are most focused on increasing the capacity of the local communities. With the assistance of Q’eqchi’ promoters, community groups are educated in self-management on projects benefiting family and community.

The Salesians also work with the Foundation for Advancement of Indigenous Women in Guatemala (Talita Kumi) to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“The Salesian work is flexible and adaptable to the communities and countries we serve,” says Fr. Hyde. “Communities have different needs and we help as we can, all the while working to help people break the cycle of poverty and lead productive, healthy lives.”

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – Humanitarian Mission for Flood Victims

World Bank – Guatemala

Salesian Missions – Work in Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missions, Feed My Starving Children Delivery Arrives Just in Time to Help Flood Victims first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Upon his arrival in Guatemala, Fr. De Groot was immediately struck by the extreme poverty and deprivation in the mountain communities. What started for him as an effort to provide support to remote villages neglected during a civil war, turned into an educational revolution resulting in the training of hundreds of teachers while offering poor youth a second chance.

The Salesians are working hard to reduce poverty in Guatemala where, according to UNICEF, the percentage of children living in poverty has not improved over the past 20 years. One in five families makes less than $1 a day and rural communities are desperate for new programs and resources that will benefit their impoverished citizens.

“Determined to make a difference, Fr. De Groot began visiting the villages to build hope and offer support,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “After a while, he realized much more was needed to be done especially for the sake of the children. He started to build schools and initiated a teacher training program.”

Today, 835 local students are training to become teachers by enrolling in a series of courses that span a three-year period. Upon receiving their teaching certificates, these students will go on to teach in as many as 600 villages throughout Guatemala.

In addition to the teacher training program, the Don Bosco Center offers classes in basic school subjects, giving special attention to technical skills that are useful in the local economy.

The Don Bosco Center is the male counterpart to a local educational project for girls known as Talita Kumi, started by a Salesian missionary from India, Father Jorge Puthenpura, and now run by the Salesian Sisters of the Resurrection. This program works to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“Both of these educational efforts are part of the much broader mission and activities developed by the Salesian community in Guatemala,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Our educational programs have been very successful. Since the teacher training program was initiated, the number of schools in the region has doubled, and more children than ever are getting the chance to build a brighter future.”

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in Guatemala >

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – A new male, indigenous Congregation is born

Salesian Mission – In Guatemala: An Educational Revolution

Saleisan Missions – Guatemala

UNICEF – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Teacher Training Program Gives Youth Second Chance first appeared on MissionNewswire.