BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Pará de Minas, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Saint Dominic Savio Salesian Youth Center, which began as the Colonel Benjamin Ferreira Guimarães Institute. The institute, serving youth who are at risk and vulnerable, was named after the industrialist Benjamim Ferreira Guimarães, who wanted to convert his professional success into support for youth.

On March 3, 1946, in makeshift camps among the construction sites, an oratory opened its doors to 32 boys. By the end of the year, the attendance had risen to 140 boys, demonstrating the need for local youth to find a place of safety, education and social support.

Over the next eight decades, the institute functioned as a school, where academic learning went hand in hand with technical and moral education. In the workshops youth learn skills to become shoemakers, tailors, carpenters and bakers. They not only learned useful skills for their future, but also began to contribute to the upkeep of their own homes.

At the same time, agricultural production and animal husbandry taught the value of working the land. Two distinctive figures were educators at the time. Father André Roque conducted important botanical experiments with sorghum, and Father João Bertoldi provided technical expertise in the orchard.

Today, the Saint Dominic Savio Salesian Youth Center operates as a philanthropic organization dedicated to strengthening family and community ties. The center offers computer, music, sports, art, judo, academic support and entrepreneurship workshops for youth in vulnerable situations.

A Salesian noted, “With the support of the St John Bosco Province and a vibrant network of past pupils and collaborators, the center is celebrating its 80th anniversary, reaffirming itself as a beacon of hope for youth and families in vulnerable situations.”

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ANS – Brazil – 80 years of the Patronato of Pará de Minas: an unshakeable legacy of education, faith and social transformation

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, provided donor funding for a new photovoltaic system at the Salesian Missionary Inspectorate of the Amazon Salesian School of Work, located in Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil. The institution now generates clean and renewable energy, reducing electricity costs and strengthening its environmental sustainability actions. The system includes 197 photovoltaic modules, a 75-kw inverter, a metal mounting structure installed on a zinc roof and copper cabling.

Approximately 1,000 students and 22 collaborators are direct beneficiaries of the project. This includes youth aged 14-24 as well as adult collaborators. Many students come from situations of social and economic vulnerability in the metropolitan region of Belém, Pará.

Jorge William de Sousa Santos, from the school, said, “At the Salesian School of Work, we believe that education must walk side by side with example. By implementing renewable energy on our roof, we are helping the financial health of the institution. We have already saved 32% in costs in the first month, which is key to enabling further improvements for the school.”

He added, “This change is also allowing us to train professionals. We have the course available for photovoltaic roof assembler, making our roof a living laboratory. The student learns theory in class and sees the school itself being driven by this technology. Green energy and economic sustainability are no longer just the future. They are the now. With this economy, we are gaining momentum to strengthen our sustainability policies and invest in what matters most — the quality of education for youth.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian School of Work, located in Ananindeua, Brazil, celebrated the opening of the Padre Lourenço Bertolusso Vocational Formation Center, which expands the Salesian educational and social mission in the region. The new center will offer education courses in automotive skills, motorcycle and refrigeration mechanics, electrical systems for buildings, and the installation of photovoltaic systems.

A Salesian said, “Our goal is to ensure that youth, living in conditions of poverty, are able to access high-quality education that teaches them skills for employment. Salesians help ensure these youth become self-sufficient and contributing members of their community.”

The Salesian School of Work has a 63-year history dedicated to educating youth who are in situations of social vulnerability.

The opening program included a Mass of thanksgiving attended by partner companies and Victor Dias, the secretary of the State Secretariat for Science, Technology, Higher, Professional and Technological Education of Pará. These entities contribute significantly to the strengthening of the initiative.

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between people who are poor and who are rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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ANS – Brazil – Salesian School of Work opens new Centre for Vocational Formation

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Forty medical students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santos recently concluded the 17th Academic Project for Assistance to Indigenous Populations, which took place in the Indigenous communities supported by the Salesians of the St. Alphonsus Liguori Province of Campo Grande, Brazil. The project provided health support for the Xavante and Boe Bororo communities.

Twenty students and two doctors were sent to Sangradouro while another 20 students and two doctors were in Meruri and São Marcos. These volunteers carried out various health screenings including blood pressure checks and blood sugar measurements, distributed medicines, and provided basic health care. Home visits were conducted to collect data and provide information on disease prevention.

The team in Sangradouro was welcomed by Father Joseph Tran Van Lich, a Salesian missionary in the community. Ricardo Paiva, the project’s social coordinator, said, “As has been the case for 17 years, our welcome at the mission in Sangradouro was simply wonderful.”

Activities also included distribution of sanitary pads, organization of hygiene kits and educational workshops. Lectures were given on oral hygiene, proper hand-washing and waste collection in the village. The children received toothbrushes, toothpaste and popcorn.

“We were able to combine health education with moments of care and joy, offering a playful and meaningful experience for the children and young people of the village,” explained Paiva.

In Meruri, the events began with the organization of medicines and hygiene products in the local dispensary. The students made home visits, organized waste collection in the village and participated in the oratory with the children. The team also promoted a workshop on animal abuse, distributed hygiene kits, and held workshops on alcohol, drug and sexual abuse.

The team provided similar services in São Marcos. Volunteers were introduced to the village chief Felix Tsiwê and carried out home visits and assistance in the dispensary. The team of students said, “We are deeply grateful to the doctors for their dedication to the project. We have learned a lot and the doctors were excellent.”

Paiva emphasized the importance of the experience. He explained, “We had the opportunity to experience a reality very different from our own and, despite this, we felt at home. We would like to express our deepest thanks to the entire Salesian mission of Sangradouro for welcoming us so warmly and supporting us. May this collaboration, built over 17 years, continue to be strong and last for many years to come.”

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ANS – Brazil – University students conclude 17th expedition after 11 days of healthcare assistance to indigenous populations in the Salesian Mission

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory is a place of education, respite and fellowship for the youth of Goiânia, Brazil. Inaugurated in September 2024, the oratory provides youth with a place for sports, culture and educational activities. Held on Saturdays, the activities are free for youth aged 14-24.

Since its inception, the Bartholomew Garelli Oratory has seen growth in participation with more than 2,000 young people attending in 2025. Offering snacks and workshops such as futsal, volleyball, and basketball, the oratory has become part of the weekly routine for Goiânia’s youth coming from many different regions.

By offering participants a safe, educational, and fraternal environment, the oratory fulfils a role that goes beyond leisure. It’s a space for learning teamwork and peer engagement and for listening, guidance, and youth leadership. Youth gain new friendships, develop social-emotional skills and feel they belong to a community that believes in their potential.

Father Wagner Gama, rectory, said, “The Salesian Congregation did not begin with schools, parishes, or universities, but with the oratory. Don Bosco’s purpose was precisely to care for those who were poorest through this mission environment. When we strengthen oratories, we are strengthening what is at the beginning of Don Bosco’s work.”

Antônio Tavares, aged 16, likes the oratory because it is a place where he can have fun with friends. He explained, “The first time I came was because a friend of mine invited me, saying that the oratory was really cool. I came to play with him and now I come every Saturday because it really is a great place and a great time to spend with friends. There are snacks, and the courts are good quality. The educators are also very dedicated, which keeps the project going and improving every day.”

Caroline Matos, aged 16, has been coming to the oratory since 2024. She noted, “They welcomed me very well. It is a peaceful environment where the educators treat us as if we were their children. It’s amazing because we can come to play and talk. I feel a love that we don’t normally feel from other people. I love participating.”

Even those youth who have been involved in other Salesian activities in the region long before the oratory are benefiting. Pedro Santiago, aged 17, explained that he got to know the oratory when he participated in the CESAM Goiânia Socio-Learning Program. He said, “It’s very interactive here, with lots of interesting activities and sports. I really like it because it helps me stay in shape. I also get to spend time with my former coworkers and the teachers.”

According to Fr. Gama, the goal is to offer youth more opportunities, hope and paths to a better future. He concluded, “The Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory was a great pastoral initiative and is flourishing. For this year, we hope that it will be an even greater support to youth.”

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ANS – Brazil – The Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory promotes sports, culture, and education for the youth of Goiânia

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Father José Marcos de Oliveira led a mission of 14 people to help support the Indigenous Xavante people in the Salesian Indigenous Missions in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The team went to São Marcos, a place where the Salesians have lived and worked for seven years. The missionaries brought with them about 120 baskets of basic foodstuffs, along with clothes, shoes and toys.

Missionaries visited people who are sick and got to know the community, including close to 100 youth who attend the oratory. The missionaries also distributed clothes collected in the parish, as well as food baskets to three of the local villages.

One of the volunteers was José Nivaldo, age 21 and a parishioner of St John Bosco Church. He said, “After experiencing everything that was presented to us there, now that I return to routine, I can state that it was a wonderful, unique experience. It is as if Jesus really took us away from the daily grind and took us to a mountain full of work, prayer and deep experiences.”

Nivaldo added that he did not imagine that he would enjoy the experience so much. The people who shared Mission Week made a difference including the friendships he made along the way. The smiles he witnessed and the games he played with the children brought joy and transformed his outlook.

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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ANS – Brazil – Young people from St John Bosco Parish carry out a mission with the Xavante people in Mato Grosso

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The “I Think, Therefore I Write” initiative was created by Wagner Garcia Siqueira, a teacher at the Fadlo Haidar State School in Itaquera, Brazil. The initiative has been recognized as one of the 100 most impactful and scalable educational innovations in the world for the 2026 edition of the catalogue of HundrED, a global organization based in Finland that identifies and disseminates transformative practices in education.

The 100 projects selected will be presented over 100 days on the HundrED platform. Wagner’s project is scheduled to go live on Jan. 30, 2026. The projects selected in the catalogue come from 52 different countries and benefit 63 million students around the world.

With over 31 years of experience teaching Portuguese, Siqueira celebrates the international recognition of the project, developed with public school students. He said, “The fact that we are internationally recognized shows us the connection that a practice in Brazil has with other professionals, educators and experts around the world, and that gives us a wonderful feeling.”

Siqueira has a long-standing relationship with the Dom Bosco Social Work in Itaquera and made a point of thanking Father Rosalvino Morán Viñayo, precursor of the Salesian presence in the region, for all his contributions to his career.

Siqueira noted, “Gratitude. That is the word I wish to express to Father Rosalvino and the Salesian Community of Itaquera for all their work in promoting the education of children, young people and adults on the outskirts of the city of São Paulo through the Dom Bosco Social Work. I am a child of this center, which had a decisive impact on my career as a teacher, as I learned that ‘education is a matter of the heart,’ according to Dom Bosco.”

Created 21 years ago, the initiative came from Siqueira’s perception of students’ insecurity when faced with assessments that required writing. He transformed the teaching of writing into a collaborative process, in which students actively participate in choosing topics and correcting texts. In addition to preparing students for tests and university entrance exams, the main focus of the initiative is to help students develop expression and language proficiency.

Siqueira concluded, “The importance of recognizing projects such as this is to show teachers in Brazil and around the world the work that is being done in practice. This work is the result of concrete practice, an action that responds to the challenge of developing education and helping students learn more.”

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ANS – Brazil – Former Salesian student’s project recognised as one of the 100 most impactful educational innovations of the year

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing support to youth in Jacarezinho, Brazil – one of Rio de Janeiro’s most populous and violent neighborhoods. Salesians operate the Mary Help of Christians Parish and oratory as well as the Alberto Monteiro de Carvalho school, which has more than 500 students. For three years, after school and during the lunch break, students have been participating in a computer literacy course.

Father Natale Vitali, who coordinates the course, explained, “It is not an easy situation for the youth here, as they often do not receive a decent education. We do not limit ourselves to computer literacy as we help youth develop moral and social values.”

Fr. Vitali arrived in Jacarezinho in 2020, a year before a Brazilian police operation turned the area into a bloodbath. He knew one of the 28 people killed in the raid that was carried out by more than 200 officers with the aim of arresting 21 members of a criminal drug trafficking organization.

Fr. Vitali noted, “He was a young man who always sat in front of our parish and our college and he always greeted us. During one of my visits to the six local Christian communities, I celebrated a Mass in which the names and faces of the victims of the massacre, which is still a vivid memory, were displayed.” Fr. Vitali, who has just completed his term as Superior of the St John Bosco Province of Belo Horizonte Brazil, recounted the events to Vatican media.

Violence is deeply rooted in Jacarezinho and it has an impact on the education system. Schools are often closed and lessons cancelled. For some, the only way to earn some money is to become drug transporters.

“When the police enter the favela (poor neighborhood in Rio), there is always fear,” Fr. Vitali recounted. “It is not an easy situation. Many people do not want to live there. Youth often do not receive a decent education and do not establish a good relationship with their parents, who, in many cases, have not studied and do not understand the importance of educating their children well.”

Fr. Vitali knows how important it is for youth to be computer literate. Many of the youth in the course have never used a computer before. The youth, between 6-14 years old, are supported by teachers hired thanks to funding from the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy.

The course started it in 2022, after the St. John Bosco Province bought the first devices. The number of youth has increased year after year. In 2022, there were 45, a year later there were 150, and in 2024, the number rose to 200 and also was opened to parents. Today, there are 265. Fr. Vitali noted that they struggle to get youth to go home when the course is over because they feel at home in Salesian environment.

When the next school year begins, between February and March 2026, the computer literacy project could be even more crowded because Salesians are expanding the facility, which will be able to accommodate another 200 students.

The impact of the Salesians’ good work in Jacarezinho can also be measured by the responses Fr. Vitali has received when he meets former students. He said, “A short time ago, I spoke with two former students. One, who started working in an IT company, told me that the course changed his mind and heart. Another former student donated his first salary to ensure that the initiative could continue.”

The Salesians in Jacarezinho will continue educating youth while working to keep them safe from violence and bloodshed.

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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ANS – Brazil – A Salesian project to give young people in Jacarezinho an alternative

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Communities now assured access to drinking water supply

(MissionNewswire) Christof Hürlimann, a citizen of Switzerland, financed a water project in São Marcos, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. He visited the area with his wife Angela to meet his friend, Mariano Wadzerepruwē, Xavante chief of the Obra de Maria village.

The meeting came after years of friendship which began when Hürlimann’s father was in Brazil as part of the Ambulant Missionary Assistance project and Wadzerepruwē was working as a driver and truck mechanic in the region. The AMA Project is promoted by the Salesian Saint Alphonsus Liguori Province of Campo Grande Brazil.

Arriving in the village of Obra de Maria, Hürlimann found that there was a severe water shortage. Families washed their clothes only three times a month and fetched water from another village. In the mornings, they used the scarce reserves for cooking and drinking, while in the afternoons they reused the water stored in the barrels for washing.

Hürlimann decided to finance the drilling of an artesian well through the Swiss MANNA – Aid for Brazil Association. The work took place in October. The new well reached a depth of 60 meters, guaranteeing approximately 30,000 liters of water per day. With the remaining funds, the team drilled a second well in the Nossa Senhora das Dores village.

The Obra de Maria village houses around 30 people under the leadership of Chief Mariano Wadzerepruwē, while the Nossa Senhora das Dores village has 65 people under the responsibility of Marcelo Tserewadzi.

Salesian Deacon José Alves accompanied the Swiss couple and recounted the impact of the visit. He said, “While we were drilling in these two villages, other Indigenous people from the villages of Maria Nossa Mãe, Cristo Redentor, Santuário and José and Maria arrived, all of whom lack water in their villages.”

With the completion of the drilling, the communities are now assured a drinking water supply and have reduced the use of turbid water from the São Marcos River. According to Deacon Alves, the experience has consolidated the commitment to the indigenous cause.

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ANS – Brazil – Wells and drinking water for two Xavante villages in Mato Grosso thanks to a Swiss benefactor

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Volunteers with the Salesian-run Operation Mato Grosso in Brazil have been working to provide clean, safe water by building cisterns, installing pipelines, and seeking funds to drill new wells in Campo Grande for Xavante Indigenous villages. In addition, the Mobile Missionary Assistance project produces pumps adapted to each community, installs tanks, filters water, and promotes the responsible use of water resources.

The Mobile Missionary Assistance project maintains about 80 semi-artesian wells in what is known as the Xavante Special Indigenous Health District, which serves 26,000 people, and includes seven Indigenous territories, 14 municipalities, and 375 villages. The absence of artesian wells in the region has worsened health problems caused by drinking unsafe water.

Salesian deacon José Alves de Oliveira, who heads the initiative, said, “The challenges are many. I believe that collaboration between the public sector and various institutions, in this common effort, can be the way to solve the serious problem of water scarcity in the villages.”

The actions of Salesians and their collaborators have helped reduce deaths caused by waterborne diseases. Diarrheal diseases, vomiting, colic, and intestinal infections particularly affect the most vulnerable, such as children and the elderly. Over the last five years, the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health has developed 10 water supply projects for the Xavante, contracted three and carried out four geophysical surveys.

A Salesian noted, “We aim to expand our water projects to further improve health conditions and support communities, without compromising their identity and culture.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

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ANS – Brazil – Salesian work with the indigenous peoples of Mato Grosso is the greatest hope for restoring dignity to these communities

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Meu Pet Veterinary Clinic, a partner of UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, is a source of pride for the entire institution, as it combines practical formation with an essential service for the community. It recently recorded 1,849 visits, exceeding the initial target and demonstrating confidence in the service run by the university.

The veterinary clinic started operations in March 2023, offering free care for dogs and cats. The São Paulo State Government financed and implemented the construction of the building and the purchase of furniture and equipment for the new facility, while the Salesian university was in charge of managing the services.

Prof. Dr. André Ornellas, vice-chancellor for Teaching, Research and Postgraduate Studies at the university, said, “Seeing this growth and the satisfaction of the tutors confirms that we are fulfilling our mission of providing excellent teaching, research and care.”

The medical team has performed 167 surgeries, including orthopedic operations to restore mobility and quality of life for the animals. The high demand for services was also reflected in laboratory and imaging examinations. In July, 2,527 laboratory examinations were carried out, a much higher number than originally expected.

Despite the intense pace, satisfaction remained high, reinforcing the clinic’s commitment to service quality. According to a satisfaction survey conducted during the month of July, 95% of the clients rated the service of the reception and professionals as “very good”, 85% rated the cleanliness of the rooms as “very good” and 70% approved of the availability of the schedule.

One visitor of the center said, “Everyone, from the reception desk to the doctors, was very kind and caring. This kind of assistance was really missing in our city. I am very happy and grateful for the service I received and would recommend the clinic to anyone who needs care for their pets.”

Tatiane da Silva Poló, clinic coordinator, said the July figures reflect the dedication of the entire team. He said, “Our goal is always to offer a humanized and excellent service, combined with the necessary structure and technology to ensure the health and well-being of pets. These results show that we are on the right track and motivate us to continue improving our services.”

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ANS – Brazil – A historical record for the ‘Meu Pet’ veterinary clinic, a partner of the ‘UniSALESIANO’ University Centre

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(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute Santo Antônio launched the Don Bosco Social Service Project to welcome and care for 200 youth, in partnership with the Nossa Senhora da Guia Parish in the Coxipó neighborhood of Cuiabá, Brazil. Youth between the ages of 6-17, from the nearby Coophema district, will take part.

The project activities will take place at the Santa Maria Goretti church and include recreational time, meals, and religious programs. The goal is to provide a welcoming environment for youth in vulnerable situations. The Salesian Province has invested in the construction of classrooms and the renovation of the kitchen. All services and activities will be offered free of charge to families.

Father Ricardo Carlos, provincial of the Salesian Province St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori of Campo Grande, said, “We hope this home will receive children, teenagers and youth, allowing Don Bosco’s dream to be realized ― to form good Christians and upright citizens.”

Priority for admission will be given to those in greatest need. Social workers will oversee the selection process based on family income and living conditions. To join the project, youth must be enrolled in school and maintain regular attendance. Those who attend school in the morning will take part in the social activities in the afternoon, and vice versa. The project has received community support from the Canopus group.

Fr. Marcelo Fujimura, parish priest, noted, “This is a way of showing that these children matter to us. They are not only the future — they are already the present.”

In 2023, Brazil reduced the rates of poverty and extreme poverty to the lowest levels since 2012, when the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics began conducting annual surveys on the subject. The number of people living in poverty declined from 67.7 million to 59 million in just one year. Researchers attribute this to the expansion of social assistance programs, such as Bolsa Família, targeting those in extreme poverty.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of youth who are poor and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

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ANS – Brazil – Inauguration of the “Don Bosco” Social Service Project in Cuiabá to Support Children and Teenagers

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(MissionNewswire) The new Salesian mental health and primary care services management center in Araçatuba, Brazil, is already showing improvements for the population’s health. A branch of the Salesian Mato Grosso Mission, the Zatti Saúde center works in partnership with the municipality of Araçatuba.

During the center’s first 50 days, more than 32,000 medical appointments were conducted across Araçatuba’s health facilities, reflecting a faster response time in patient care. There has also been a noticeable improvement in lab testing. In June, more than 56,000 laboratory tests were completed, successfully addressing a backlog in under one month. This outcome was made possible thanks to partnerships with local laboratories.

According to Father Paulo Vendrame, general director of Zatti Saúde and rector of the Salesian university UniSalesiano, these results reflect a successful health care model grounded in academic excellence, social commitment, and technical planning.

Fr. Vendrame explained, “This project has been developed over the years within the university. Our medical students begin working with communities from the very start of their studies, and some of them now serve as doctors in these facilities. The same spirit that inspired Don Bosco’s preventive system now guides our approach to health care, based on closeness, listening, and consistent presence.”

One of the key changes brought by the new management is the shift in employment policy. Previously, doctors worked without job security. Now, with permanent contracts, they enjoy safer, more stable working conditions. This encourages professional retention in family health teams and grants access to key employment rights such as paid leave and year-end bonuses.

Currently, Araçatuba has 46 family health teams, and 14 more are in the process of being approved by the Ministry of Health. In addition to Zatti Saúde’s staff, the medical workforce is supported by professionals from the federal government’s More Doctors program.

Another major focus is the investment in digital tools and professional development. UniSalesiano purchased 550 Samsung Galaxy S10 FE tablets to support digitization in health units, improving patient data management and monitoring.

All medical teams also take part in ongoing training sessions. To further evaluate service quality, the internationally recognized “Primary Care Assessment Tool” will be introduced. This tool, validated in Brazil, assesses key elements of primary care such as accessibility, coordination, comprehensiveness, and universality.

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ANS – Brazil – Primary Health Care Makes Strides with Zatti Saúde’s First 50 Days of Management

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(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, has invested in the purchase of medical tablets for the Municipal Health Department of Araçatuba to optimize home care. The tablets will also allow accurate monitoring of the location of the professionals and citizens being assisted. The technology devices will be used in the city’s Basic Health Units and managed by the Salesian Zatti Saúde Health Center.

The tablets are compatible with the health management application that enables professionals to make recordings and updates directly during visits. Before meeting the patient, professionals download the medical records onto the device. Even without internet access in the field, they are able to record clinical and home information. Upon returning, the data is automatically synchronized with the system, ensuring faster and more accurate patient monitoring. The system also records clinical information and a detailed visit history.

Dr. Daniel Martins Ferreira Jr., the municipal secretary for health, said, “The introduction of the tablets is a big step forward in the digitization of public health in Araçatuba. The community agent will have real-time access to a lot of data, including that of people with hypertension or diabetes, pregnant women and children. This replaces all the paperwork and makes both care and decision-making by the teams more agile.”

Dr. André Ornellas, pro-rector of UniSalesiano, noted the institution’s role in creating solutions that have a positive impact on the lives of the population. He said, “As a university center committed to human and social development, we believe that investing in technology for health means investing in people’s quality of life. This partnership with the municipality shows that it is possible to combine education, innovation and public service for the benefit of the community.”

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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ANS – Brazil – A substantial investment by UniSALESIANO to purchase essential health devices

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Investment in medical tablets to improve patient care first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students who are part of the Don Bosco Green Alliance team at the Dom Bosco Institute São Paulo in Brazil promoted the “Drive Thru Green Alliance” campaign. The event to collect electronic waste raised awareness about the importance of the correct disposal of electronic waste while also contributing to sustainable practices for the care of the environment.

During the two weekends of the campaign, parishioners, local residents, and institution employees were mobilized to collect the waste in the parking lot of the Santa Teresinha Parish. The collection truck remained on site as a central collection point. More than 4,300 lb of electronic waste was collected and sent to the Dom Bosco Institute, where it underwent technical sorting by the IT department.

A Salesian said, “The materials that could be reused were incorporated into the institution’s infrastructure, while the unusable materials were sent to the partner company GTech, which specializes in environmentally correct disposal and issued the certificate of compliance. The financial resources obtained from the sale of recyclable materials will be reinvested in the continuation of the project and also directed to socio-educational actions, such as environmental education workshops and training for students.”

The campaign brought together collaborators and volunteers. Pâmela Fernanda, a member of the team, noted, “It was very rewarding to talk to the community and see the positive impact of the action. Many people want to dispose of waste correctly, but there are still no accessible points. Providing this space made all the difference.”

Adrieli Lima, another participant, said, “Seeing the community engaged in this cause shows that, together, we are stronger. With small actions, we can change the world around us.”

The campaign will continue until November and will continue to receive electronic waste at the Dom Bosco Institute, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to integral ecology, youth leadership and care for the Common Home.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – 449 Drive Thru Campaign Green Alliance of Dom Bosco collects almost 2 tons of electronic waste in Brazil

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students hold electronic waste disposal campaign first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have opened Zatti Saúde, a new branch of the Salesian Mato Grosso Mission in Araçatuba, Brazil, to manage essential mental health and primary care services. The center will work in partnership with the Araçatuba City Council.

Lucas Zanatta, the mayor of Araçatuba, attended the opening ceremony and highlighted the innovative nature of the partnership between the public authorities and the Salesian institution. He noted, “It is the only partnership in Brazil in which a university with a medical course takes over the management of primary health care. This seemed impossible a few months ago. Today it is a reality. And more than that, it is a sign of hope for the entire population.”

Also attending the June 10 opening were Father Ricardo Carlos, provincial of the mission, and Father Paulo Fernando Vendrame, rector of UniSalesiano, the Salesian University, and director general of the Salesians in Araçatuba.

In his speech, Fr. Vendrame said, “Here, we want to dream of a new era for health in Araçatuba. May it be a place where administration serves to transform lives.” He also highlighted Saint Artemides Zatti, after whom the new headquarters is named, as an inspiration for the mission.  “He believed, promised and recovered. May he inspire us in the face of difficulties to be instruments of transformation through humanized care.”

Fr. Carlos emphasized the symbolic nature of opening the new facility and the value of alliances based on trust and solidarity. He explained, “We are celebrating something very new. When we said yes to this partnership, I was at Don Bosco’s house in Turin. I remembered how he welcomed so many with a plate of food and with an opportunity. This is what we want to do here ― welcome, care for and transform.”

The new headquarters for Zatti Saúde will house strategic departments such as accounting, legal and human resources, as well as rooms for board meetings and the coordination of mental health and basic health services.

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

ANS – Brazil – “Zatti Saúde” opens in Araçatuba with a commitment to humane healthcare

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: New center opens to manage mental health, primary care services first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students from the São João Batista Youth Center, a Salesian center located in the city of Poxoréu, Brazil, planted cashew seedlings, a fruit tree native to Brazil. Each class was given a seedling to plant, as a way of giving a gift to the Earth. The center will benefit from the shade of the growing trees and the fruit the trees will provide.

A Salesian noted, “The tree planting sought to emphasize that we must have a reciprocal relationship with our environment, because taking care of fauna and flora means more quality life for people. We will continue this lesson throughout the year as students ensure the trees grow, watering and fertilizing when necessary. Seeing the students committed to taking care of the environment reaffirms the hope that the new generations will be able to take care of our common home.”

This and many other similar projects are done as part of the Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. Don Bosco Green Alliance was launched in April 2018 in India. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Students from the São João Batista Youth Center plant fruit trees

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students plant cashew seedlings, care for trees first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, has received appreciation for its “Health Cannot Wait” initiative in response to the devastating floods that hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024. The Santa Rosa Shelter in Porto Alegre thanked the group, made up of 37 health volunteers, for their work in bringing essential aid to the local community, providing medical and emotional support to hundreds of victims of the flood.

The message highlighted the importance of the support received by the victims, especially in the first weeks after the flood, when many people were in extremely vulnerable situations. In its letter of thanks, the Santa Rosa Shelter recalled the positive impact of the volunteers, not only in alleviating physical needs, but also in caring for the emotional well-being of those affected. The team stood out for its dedication, humanity and commitment to helping those most in need.

A short excerpt of the note read, “We received not only essential medical care, but also warmth, affection and attention. What seemed like an endless tragedy was softened by the presence of each one of you, who made all the difference in our recovery. We are deeply grateful for all the help and support that we will never forget.”

In response to the flooding, the university mobilized academics and health professionals to provide assistance in Porto Alegre and the metropolitan area. Volunteers provided more than a thousand medical consultations, distributed essential medicines and offered psychological support to those suffering from the impact of the tragedy.

The action was coordinated by Dr Ângelo Jacomossi, a professor. In addition to medical work, volunteers were also involved in organizing shelters, helping with food, cleaning, and maintaining minimum hygiene conditions.

Father Paulo Fernando Vendrame, rector of UniSalesiano, emphasized the importance of initiatives such as this in strengthening the university’s social commitment. He said, “This mission reflects the true spirit of our institution: to educate responsible citizens, prepared to transform people’s lives with empathy and solidarity.”

Professor André Ornellas, vice-rector for teaching, research and postgraduate studies, noted the message from the Santa Rosa Shelter came as a symbol of hope and strength that solidarity can provide in times of adversity. Ornellas said, “UniSalesiano reaffirms its commitment to the humanized education of its students, who, in addition to their academic training, are also prepared to play an active and transformative role in society.”

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

ANS – Brazil – Humanitarian Mission remembered by a shelter one year after environmental tragedy in the South

Health Cannot Wait Initiative

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Response for flood victims recognized on 1-year anniversary first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Youth from the Salesian Apprenticeship Center in Goiânia, Brazil, took part in a conference focused on progress and challenges in the field of women’s protection. The event was held in collaboration with the Specialized Center for the Promotion and Defense of Women’s Rights and the law faculty of the university UNIALFA.

The conference engaged students in topics such as the Maria da Penha Law, which aims to combat domestic and gender-based violence, and the femicide law. A lecture illustrated the various types of violence women face, ranging from physical to psychological, as well as property violence. The workshops also drew attention to the consequences violence has on victims’ children.

A Salesian noted, “The Salesian Apprenticeship Center students said they were impressed by this educational experience, which allowed them to reflect on their own attitudes and those of people in their family.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – CESAM young people committed to raising awareness on women’s rights

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth learn about gender-based violence in conference first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The medical program at the UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, is among only six in the country to receive the highest score in the Preliminary Course Concept, the official evaluation tool of the Ministry of Education. This was the program’s first evaluation with the Preliminary Course Concept, the primary quality indicator for higher education in Brazil.

Out of 305 medical courses assessed in 2023 — the most recent round of evaluations in the health care field — UniSalesiano fell just 0.6 points short of the top score nationwide. This achievement was announced by the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira, the body responsible for higher education assessments in Brazil.

The Preliminary Course Concept considers various factors such as student performance on the National Student Performance Exam, the difference indicator between expected and observed performance, degrees awarded, faculty employment structure, and student feedback on infrastructure and pedagogical design.

UniSalesiano’s achievement is even more significant when compared with other private institutions. Among the 196 private medical programs evaluated, 28% ranked in the lowest performance tiers. UniSalesiano not only earned the highest score in the private sector but also secured a top spot in the national ranking.

“This result is the fruit of hard work, dedication, and investment. The Ministry of Education’s top rating is a symbol of who we are and what we strive to continue being: a national reference in medical education,” said Professor André Ornellas, vice-rector for teaching, research, and postgraduate studies. “We want to thank everyone who has been part of this journey — our entire academic community. This is a collective achievement.”

Father Paulo Fernando Vendrame, rector, noted, “This recognition confirms that UniSalesiano is transforming lives, forming professionals prepared to face major health care challenges and making a meaningful contribution to building a better Brazil.”

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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ANS – Brazil – UniSALESIANO Among Only Six Medical Programs in Brazil Rated Top Score by Ministry of Education

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Medical program gains national recognition first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Nicole Vital, a new law student at Don Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande, Brazil, has her faithful guide dog, Olinda, a two-year-old Labrador, with her at school. Olinda is the first guide dog to attend the university, supporting Vital throughout her law studies. Vital was born with reduced vision due to optic nerve atrophy and lost her sight completely 10 years ago.

“A guide dog is essential for my mobility,” Vital explained. “It allows me to move with greater agility. The dog is classified as a working tool, but it is also crucial for my socialization.”

Vital was selected through a free program organized by the Catarinense Federal Institute, which pairs visually impaired individuals with trained guide dogs.

Legislation guarantees visually impaired individuals the right to enter and remain in any public-access environment with their guide dog. At the Salesian university the Psycho-pedagogical Support Center assists students with special needs, providing educational support and inclusive strategies in the classroom. Vital’s classmates have welcomed Olinda’s presence and adapted well.

“It’s a very positive experience because Olinda is calm and does not disrupt classes. She lies next to Nicole and helps her. It is an important form of inclusion,” explained student Laura Pedro.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – The First Guide Dog to Attend Don Bosco Catholic University: Labrador Olinda Supports Nicole Vital in Her Studies and Life Journey

Don Bosco Catholic University

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Don Bosco Catholic University focuses on disability inclusion first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries facilitated free legal assistance and citizenship access for people in Indigenous communities across 14 villages in the municipalities in Água Boa and Nova Nazaré, Brazil. Salesian Deacon José Alves served as a bridge between the communities and the public defenders during the meetings known as “Advocacy is Up to You – Indigenous Edition” because of the Salesians’ long-standing work in the area.

International human rights defender Nicolas Laino and state public defender Fábio Barbosa visited various villages and listened to local leaders on issues such as health, education, housing and sustainability. In the municipality of Nova Nazaré, they discussed challenges related to education, health care and infrastructure. In the Paraíso and Tritopá villages, they engaged with teachers, students, nurses and Indigenous leaders. In Cocalinho, they followed the Guarani’s community’s struggle for land rights after being displaced from their territory. Alves participated in the visits, facilitating dialogue between the parties.

During the mission, 113-year-old Germana Perãamo, from the Xavante  group, received news from the public defender that her pension had been reinstated. Clodoaldo Queiroz, executive secretary of the Public Defense Administration, highlighted the importance of the initiative, while Pamela Watanabe, coordinator of Community Actions and Interactions, emphasized the value of partnerships in the project.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesian Deacon Accompanies Public Defenders on Legal Mission to Indigenous Villages

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous people access legal assistance in 14 villages first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students in grades 7-8 at the Nossa Senhora da Glória Institute in Brazil are learning about the environment through clean-up efforts and a walk held at Praia dos Cavaleiros in Macaé. The event enabled youth to connect theory and practice in environmental education while contributing to an environment research project.

The walk was developed by science, geography and physical education teachers to help students reflect on the importance of environmental preservation. During the walk, students were able to learn more about the importance of preservation and the impacts of construction on the coast. Students also learned about the correct disposal of solid waste.

The walk also featured a clean-up effort in partnership with the Maré Consciência Project, an initiative of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro that develops research and actions aimed at reducing waste in the oceans.

William Guimarães de Lima, a biological sciences undergraduate student at the Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability and one of those responsible for the Maré Consciência Project, explained the work done with the students. He said, “They did this clean-up effort, and the results of the collection will contribute to the collection of data for our scientific research, which will later be part of comparative analyses with other research of the same nature, developed in Europe, North America and Asia. In this way, the data that the students are collecting will make up something much bigger.”

“They had the opportunity to take part in important environmental education and were able to see how this care can be effective and strengthened in everyday life,” explained Priscilia Sousa, pedagogical coordinator. “This connection with the scientific work gave the teenagers a new perspective on the role of science in caring for the environment.”

Sophia Marotta, a 7th grade student, said, “It is great to know that we are helping a research project and that this can change the world.”

Students will continue to follow the Maré Consciência Project research until it is published. The data will be presented and teachers will explain its relevance, comparing the results with previous years. The research will broaden the students; scientific perspective.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Students experience learning about environmental preservation during Ecological Walk

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students collect data as part of environmental research project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, through its Faculty of Medicine, expanded its Human Milk Bank and purchased state-of-the-art equipment for its new headquarters to significantly improve the quality of the services offered for infants in need.

The milk bank is a service that collects, screens, processes and distributes human milk from donors for infants. The service is connected to the Global Network of Milk Banks, which guarantees high standards of quality control and specialized training. The recipients of the donated milk are babies who are premature or underweight and admitted to the neonatal intensive care wards. There is also support provided for new breastfeeding mothers.

The new facility, the result of a collaboration among UniSalesiano, the Municipality of Araçatuba and the Rotary Club – District 4470, offers significant progress in accessibility, quality of outpatient care, visibility and organization of the workflow.

Jesiela Passarini, coordinator for the Human Milk Bank, stressed the importance of the changes. “Today we reached the top for the Araçatuba Human Milk Bank. In 18 years of activity, we have accumulated successes such as the expansion of the team from three to 10 professionals, the acquisition of modern equipment and the creation of a breastfeeding clinic.”

The Human Milk Bank in Araçatuba serves the women of the municipality free of charge. According to the data collected, in the last eight years the volume of milk collected has grown by 367%, from 3,100 to 14,474 liters, while the number of donors has increased by 460%, from 1,714 to 9,600. Home visits also increased significantly, from 6,263 to 21,144, with an increase of 237%.

UniSalesiano was instrumental in the construction of the new headquarters. During the inauguration of the new facility, Father Paulo Vendrame, rector, said, “This is a project that takes care of life that begins. We are very happy to participate in this project and we wish the Human Milk Bank every success.”

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of UniSalesiano

ANS – Brazil – UniSALESIANO invests in the renewal and purchase of equipment for the new Human Milk Bank Headquarters

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Milk bank supporting infants and mothers expands through UniSalesiano first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Artisan Bakery social project, which trains youth and adults who are in socially vulnerable situations in Brazil, is expanding to three additional locations. Training is free of charge and offers participants an opportunity for a new source of income and personal transformation.

A Salesian noted, “The Artisan Bakery project is now expanding to different parts of the country, with the aim of training families in socially vulnerable situations. We want to ensure people have an opportunity to make a good living. To date, the project has been responsible for the creation of 10,000 artisan bakeries and training more than 100,000 people. It continues to be a successful project.”

The project is run out of the St. John Bosco Province of Brazil-Belo Horizonte in Brasília and was established 20 years ago. The three new centers will be in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Pará de Minas and Palmas.

To help with the expansion, Salesians held a training for staff of the three newly participating centers to provide information about bread-making and essential hygiene practices. This was followed by a practical session in which 10 types of bread, such as whole meal, herb and beetroot, were produced. The staff who attended are back at their centers, training additional staff and then members of the community.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – The ‘Artisan Bakery’ Social Project extended

CESAM – DF

St John Bosco Province of Brazil-Belo Horizonte

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Artisan bakery project expanding to 3 more centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students in sixth grade at the Salesian Colégio Castelo in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, participated in a short film project known as the CINE Castelo Project. The project included production of a short film, and its launch helped to raise awareness about recycling and care for animals. Students developed skills in planning and problem solving during the process, which was coordinated by teachers Mariúcha Correa and Thaynara Brasil.

A Salesian noted, “Admission was charged in plastic bottle caps, encouraging the participation of the school community and raising awareness about the importance of recycling. The bottle caps collected were donated to the Tampinhas do Bem Project, which transforms this material into resources for spaying or neutering abandoned animals, thus controlling the pet population.”

At an awards ceremony, the project leaders Élida Alves, a veterinary assistant, and Cida Ferreira, a teacher and social worker, thanked the students and emphasized the importance of this initiative. They highlighted the effects of reducing animal suffering and the population of stray animals. Ferreira said, “It is a great satisfaction to carry out these actions because we know how spaying and neutering helps prevent other forms of mistreatment, such as abandonment.”

In addition to emphasizing the importance of caring for animals, Ferreira explained how this care is also linked to people’s well-being. She explained, “We are not only helping animals and the environment, but we are also helping people, because there is always a human being involved in this process. In this way, the project representatives demonstrated to the students that small individual actions can generate a great positive impact on society.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – 6th grade students at Colégio Castelo carry out a solidarity action by collecting bottle caps

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students launch film, raise awareness of local issues first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian programs in Vitória, Brazil received over a ton of food that was distributed to families of children attending oratories and apprentices attending technical school. The donations were collected during the Salesian Interclass Games organized by the Salesian Jardim Camburi School, which is a primary school for students from grades 2 to 4.

After the delivery of more than 100 food baskets, Fernanda Aparecida Chisté de Andrade, the pastoral coordinator of Salesian social works in Vitória, visited participating classes to talk about the Salesian center in Vitória and its history of social action. He said, “It’s very important for these children to understand how sharing helps others. Thanks to the children and families initiative, we have been able to provide food for those who lack it. It’s transformative, and it’s great for them to learn this from a young age. We want to thank the families for their support, the volunteers who helped with transportation, and especially the children, who participated so wonderfully.”

The initiative also received support from Christian Family Movement volunteers who helped transport the donations to the Salesian Fort São João location, the headquarters for the Salesian center in Vitória.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Over a Ton of Food Donated to Salesian Social Works in Vitória

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) As part of the Don Bosco Green Alliance, the Dom Bosco Institute, located in São Paulo, Brazil, has launched several environmental campaigns through Rede do Bem, a health and wellness organization. Don Bosco Green Alliance is an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. It was launched in April 2018 in India, with the Dom Bosco Institute joining in 2019. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide, and there are currently 633 registered members from 88 countries.

Since 2023, the Dom Bosco Institute has been carrying out a campaign to collect plastic bottle caps, aluminum seals, cooking oil, and used motor oil, receipts, and discarded batteries. The main objectives of the campaign are to raise environmental awareness, facilitate correct disposal and raise funds that are then invested in other projects. To date, the project has collected one ton of recycled materials.

Pâmela Fernanda, who is involved in the project, said, “The campaign begins at the beginning of the semester, with the intention of motivating our students to participate and bring the items voluntarily. We show them that by adopting conscious practices, we help to create a healthier and more balanced future for everyone. Environmental awareness not only educates, but also inspires others to adopt more responsible attitudes and to take care of the environment.”

Priscila Watanabe, who works in the administration of Rede do Bem, added, “Our deep gratitude to everyone who participated. The commitment of each of you makes a huge difference. We live in a world with limited resources and an environment that needs our protection. Every small action counts in preserving our planet for future generations. It is great to see our students and employees adopting sustainable practices.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Don Bosco Green Alliance Project in Brazil collects more than 1 ton of recycled materials

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Environmental project collects 1 ton of recycled materials first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Amazon are better able to travel to remote villages to provide people pastoral support thanks to outboard motors that were purchased with donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. More than 1,000 youth and their families living in the Alto Rio Negro region of Brazil have been impacted by this donation.

Salesians aid the communities of São Gabriel da Cachoeira and Santa Isabel do Rio Negro, which are far from the Salesian headquarters and hard to access. With the new transportation, Salesians are more easily able to access these communities to visit families, identify problems they face, guide and inform them, and refer them to services. Salesians are also able to offer training to pastoral leaders and prepare youth and adults to receive the sacraments.

Salesian missionaries have been supporting this Indigenous region to provide pastoral support, meet basic needs and ensure access to education. The region faces several challenges that hinder the work being done, including the lack of roads due to its geography. As a result, the necessary support is carried out using small boats that transport Salesians to various remote locations. The acquisition of outboard motors has brought safety, practicality and reliability to travel for the various activities carried out by the Salesians in this area.

A Salesian said, “The local leaders of the communities have expressed positive feedback regarding the frequency of the visits. The Salesian priests are also feeling more confident in carrying out their missions, as previously, without an adequate and new motor, their journeys were challenging.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Salesians reach remote villages with new outboard motors thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Salesian Institute, located in Parnamirim, Brazil, opened the Don Bosco Gymnasium in September. The opening ceremony for the new sports facility launched the Interclass Games, part of the 15th anniversary celebration of the school’s foundation.

Father Ilmário Pinheiro, rector, said, “In addition to expanding recreation and sports options for students, the new space reaffirms the institute’s commitment to the integral formation of young people through an environment that encourages physical well-being, social interaction and sports practice, in line with the ideals of Don Bosco.”

The gym is a significant investment in sport and education. It offers a capacity for 824 spectators in fixed stands with the possibility of accommodating an additional 452 mobile seats in and around the entrance area.

There is an official multi-sport field, bathrooms and changing rooms suitable for people with disabilities. The new space also features an administrative room, a warehouse and a parking lot with 235 parking spaces. The technological innovations include thermal and acoustic insulation panels, the use of natural lighting, and an intelligent automation system that allows remote control of lights, gates and air conditioning. The contemporary architecture emphasizes the connection between interior and exterior space with doors opening to the gardens around the structure.

“The work was completed in just seven months, after 11 months of project planning and development,” explained Thiago Pinto, the lead engineer. “With the official dimensions for the various sports disciplines, thermal comfort and fire-fighting system, the gym offers a complete structure for school and sports events.”

Sports play a significant role in Salesian education. Playing sports and being a part of team teaches youth team work, discipline, punctuality and responsibility. The lessons learned on the field can also be used in the classroom.

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

ANS – Brazil – Opening of a new sports facility at the Don Bosco Salesian Institute in Parnamirim

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth gain sports, education options with new facility first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run educational institution CESAM-DF, located in Brasilia, Brazil, has started a new one-day artisanal bakery training project. The short training to help families was conceived by Lu Alckmin, who is the wife of Vice President Geraldo Alckmin. The opening day of the project was attended by 20 people who directly benefit from the training offered. Alckmin was at the conclusion ceremony and presented certificates of participation to the graduates.

The course is free with up to 20 people attending. It is held monthly throughout the year. Students will learn hygienic practices and be immersed in the kitchen as they handle ingredients and produce a variety of breads such as whole-meal, loaf and beetroot bread.

The one-day course is part of the “Artisanal Bakery” project, which began in 2000. It has been responsible for creating 10,000 artisan bakeries and training over 100,000 people. A Salesian noted, “This new one-day training is an expansion with the goal of helping families in situations of social vulnerability, offering a new source of income and opportunities for personal and community transformation.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – “Artisan Bakery” Project at CESAM DF: an opportunity for professional formation and social transformation of the community

CESAM – DF

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Campo Grande province of Brazil, collaborated with the Santa Casa Hospital and the Municipality of Araçatuba to inaugurate new facilities for the Medical Specialty Clinic.

The event was attended by local authorities and employees of the institutions. Father Paulo Fernando Vendrame, rector of UniSalesiano, stressed the importance of the new facilities. He said, “This space means taking care of life. We will welcome many fragile people who need attention, care and affection, and above all the gift of health. UniSalesiano is honored to be part of this story.”

The new Medical Specialty Clinic is twice as large as the previous one and is equipped with advanced technologies and a more comfortable environment for patients. The project includes the building and the purchase of specialized machinery for examinations and interventions — including colposcopies, electrocardiograms and orthopedics.

Professor Petrônio Pereira Lima, director of the Santa Casa Hospital, explained, “Here we will provide specialties that municipalities do not have. It is about greater humanity, which is the hallmark of this collaboration. Humanization consists in promoting and guaranteeing the dignity of the care provided to those who come here to take care of their health.”

Dilador Borges, mayor of Araçatuba, commented, “I personally believe very much in partnerships and UniSalesiano is a great partner, if not the biggest partner, of the municipality in such a delicate sector as health. My thanks go to them.”

After the official speeches, Fr. Vendrame, together with other Salesians, blessed the new facilities and services provided by the new Medical Specialty Clinic. The authorities then unveiled the plaque of the inauguration and participated in a first tour of the new outpatient center.

Professor André Ornellas, dean of UniSalesiano for teaching, research and postgraduate studies, stressed the advantages for student training and for the community. He noted, “Our teachers and students now have the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, making a significant contribution to the improvement of public health services, in a collaboration that strengthens the local health system.”

Just over 15% of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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ANS – Brazil – UniSALESIANO inaugurates a new medical specialty clinic for the holistic care of patients

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries held the first Xavante Youth Day on July 24, at the Salesian center in São Marcos, Brazil. The day, which had the theme “Your dreams have gone much further”, brought together 30 youth from Indigenous villages.

Salesians Cleiton Cecílio da Silva and Pablo Henrique Gomes Silveiro presented the Rector Major’s Strenna 2024 “The dream that makes you dream.” The meeting was also attended by the Father Douglas Chrystiano, director of the Salesian mission, and Father Beatus Volkmar Tola, the pastoral coordinator who administered sacraments to the youth.

A Salesian explained, “The relationship between the Xavante community began when Salesians arrived in the region to provide social and educational services to the Indigenous populations. Since then, Salesians have built schools, clinics and community centers, offering formal education and medical assistance.”

The Salesian added, “As a sign of respect, Salesians immediately committed themselves to promoting Xavante culture, respecting and enhancing local traditions, helping to integrate the Xavante into the broader context of Brazilian society and preserving important aspects of their cultural identity. The Salesian presence in São Marcos remains an example of this collaboration.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – The First Xavante Youth Day in the Salesian presence of São Marcos

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesians have launched the latest edition of the Salesian Missionary Academic Volunteering project, which is part of UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in the Campo Grande Province of Brazil. The project brought together 50 participants including professors, students, coordinators and pastoral support staff from the university. This is the largest number of volunteers the project has had at one time.  

The group conducted research and offered services in the Indigenous villages of Meruri, home to the Bororo people, and São Marcos, home to the Xavante people. The data will be used by volunteers in the coming years, contributing to the continuity of and further academic and community actions. 

Volunteers looked at a range health information, including levels of physical activity, access to laboratory tests related to parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract, children’s vaccination schedules and more. Physiotherapy students analyzed people with physical disabilities, collecting data on age, gender, motor disabilities and locomotion aids.

Medical students in three groups mapped the epidemiological profile of the patients, identifying the degree of schooling and leisure activities, eating habits, tobacco use, and whether the patients lived with animals. They also looked at what professionals the population sees related to health care, the ease of access to treatment and use of medication.  

In addition, law students carried out a detailed investigation of the qualification of marriage and the effects of marriage, while advertising and public relations students mapped the media habits in the villages by analyzing the interaction with traditional media and the internet to identify what influences them related to education and schooling. 

Father Paulo Jácomo, vice-rector for pastoral care at UniSalesiano, said, “Previously most of the data had been collected by Salesians, but now the university is taking on a crucial role in the development and expansion of this work.”  

Fr. Jácomo added, “The integration and familiarity built over time will translate into significant progress and create a model for how education can generate concrete actions with a strong social impact.”  

The research is also important for continuing education at the university. Prof. André Ornellas, vice-rector for teaching, research and postgraduate studies, said, “The project promotes significant personal and professional growth of our students and the activities carried out in Indigenous communities generate valuable data, contributing to academic and social progress.”  

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ANS – Brazil – Salesian Missionary Academic Volunteering (VAMS) reaches record  

Salesian Missions – Brazil 

World Bank – Brazil 

The post BRAZIL: Volunteers conduct research in Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian University Center (UniSales) based in Vitória, Brazil, was awarded first place in the Professor Gabriel Mário Rodrigues Award for Innovation in Higher Education. The awards were created and organized by Semesp, an institution representing higher education providers in Brazil. UniSales won the award for its project “Socio-Emotional Day: Web Application for the Evaluation of the Development of Soft Skills in Higher Education.”

The award honors professionals working in the higher education field in recognition of Rodrigues, a notable educational pioneer and one of the people responsible for the prominent position achieved by the private higher education system in the country.

With UniSales’ winning application, students will be able to monitor and assess the development of their social-emotional skills during their degree course, enabling them to develop soft skills that are increasingly relevant in today’s labor market.

Professor Carmen Luiza, dean, said, “We are aware that the labor market does not only require technical skills, but above all socio-emotional skills. For us, this award is an acknowledgement that we are very much in line with the recognized needs of higher education and the labor market.”

Luiza also said that the award is a further incentive to open up new perspectives and initiatives for the development of students’ socio-emotional skills. She said, “This award gives us a glimpse of the possibility of even more transformative paths of what can be achieved to innovate the structure of socio-emotional development in education.”

Professor Alexandre Cardoso Aranzedo, academic vice-chancellor of UniSales, developed the methodology behind the application in collaboration with his fellow lecturer in the UniSales psychology course, Professor Christyne Gomes Toledo.

Aranzedo explained, “We are an institution that trains professionals for this market and, almost five years ago, we recognized this need and changed the pedagogical proposal to train professionals to develop not only the necessary technical skills but also social-emotional skills.”

The methodology provides for moments of self-assessment, assessment of the student by peers and assessment by the groups in which the student belongs, all in anonymity. Assessments are divided into 10 macro-competencies.The application was developed by Marcelo Albuquerque Schuster, technology course coordinator, in collaboration with the students through the university’s Software Factory.

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ANS – Brazil – ‘UniSales’ socio-emotional evaluation app receives Semesp innovation award

UniSales

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: UniSales wins innovation award for socio-emotional assessment app first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) In the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, there are 47 Indigenous groups with about 26,500 inhabitants, who often rely on the land to earn an income. They practice subsistence agriculture, hunting, fishing and handicrafts. Biodiversity is increasingly threatened by intensive crops, pesticides and the extraction of various natural resources by landowners, breeders and miners. All of this compromises access to critical resources such as food, health and education.

Salesians have been in Mato Grosso since the end of the 19th century. In 1972, when Brazil’s military dictatorship wanted to force assimilation of ethnic minorities. the Indigenous Missionary Council, an organization linked to the National Conference of Bishops, began working to provide rights awareness and promoting large assemblies to help guarantee the right to cultural diversity. Salesians have been active in the council since the beginning.

Since 2022, Salesians have been managing a project that contributes to strengthening the autonomy of Indigenous peoples and supports their rights to territory, identity, economic sustainability, education, health and their own forms of organization. The project activities are in adherence to the council’s guidelines.

The project benefits 80 leaders and 5,870 people belonging to 10 Indigenous communities settled in Mato Grosso, including the Bororo, Kayabi, Apiaká, Munduruku, Xavante, Chiquitano, Rikbaktsa, Nambikwara, Myky and Enawenê-Nawê.

A Salesian explained, “Through various training, awareness and appreciation activities, the project involves all members of the 10 communities, from village leaders to the community members. The initiative aims to improve participation and the exercise of rights for the Indigenous while strengthening the social and economic fabric of these communities for the conservation of their natural and cultural heritage.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – The Sons of Don Bosco active in the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous autonomy strengthened first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande, Brazil, and the State Home Minister’s Office of Mato Grosso do Sul have been awarded the 2nd Ipê Amarelo Environmental Award for the Integrated Center for Environmental Protection and Research. The Environment and Sustainability Commission of the Regional Council of Engineering and Agronomy of Mato Grosso do Sul presented the award.

The university was represented at the award ceremony by Denilson Oliveira Guilherme, coordinator of the agro-environmental program, Andressa Tognon, coordinator of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agency, Wesley Carvalho, a Ph.D. student, and interns.

The Integrated Center for Environmental Protection and Research has both the Center for Research and Practice in Environmental Law, located in the Center for Legal Practices, and the Technical Center, which operates in the geoprocessing laboratory. The technicians provide information and data to support environmental promotion for procedural decisions in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Additionally, Priscila Quevedo Monteiro Garcez, an environmental engineer who is getting her master’s degree in environmental sciences and agricultural sustainability in the university’s postgraduate program, was honored for her Takakura Accelerated Composting Method.

A Salesian said, “We appreciate the recognition of our work at the university in our initiatives to promote and protect the environment. Our students, professionals and staff are focused on environmental sustainability and remaining on the cutting-edge of that research and technology.”

The Ipê Amarelo Prize aims to recognize projects and initiatives that support environmental conservation, sustainability, technologies, and entrepreneurship involving engineering, agronomy, and geosciences in Mato Grosso do Sul. This year  more than 20 proposals were reviewed for the awards. Two projects were awarded in each of the three categories including professional, student and institution.

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ANS – Brazil – UCDB Receives Award for Environmental Project

Don Bosco Catholic University

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Environmental work awarded first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Family in southern Brazil has mobilized to help those displaced by the recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul. Several activities were carried out by volunteers, groups of the Salesian Family and other associated institutions. The activities have been recognized for their effectiveness in aiding victims.

In the municipality of Viamão, the Salesian Novo Lar Center, with the support of the St John Mary Vianney Parish, prepares hundreds of meals every day for those who have been affected by the flooding. This initiative has been and remains essential for guaranteeing food to those who have lost their homes and belongings and are now in vulnerable situations.

Donations from various regions of Brazil, especially from the St. Pius Province of Porto Alegre Brazil, which extends over three of the southernmost states of the country, have been instrumental in keeping supplies of food, clothing and other essentials available.

Don Bosco Institute in Porto Alegre delivered more than 600 tons of donations received from all over the country. These donations were distributed directly to the places most affected by the floods, thanks to a network of collaborations with reception centers and other institutions.

A Salesian explained, “The logistics of these continuous deliveries were the result of the tireless work of many volunteers, including students of the center, their parents and family members, and teachers. Together they demonstrated the strength of the institute’s community.”

In addition, a delegation of youth from the Salesian Youth Movement and the Missionary Action Groups met in Porto Alegre to carry out voluntary activities to clean the areas damaged by flooding. Work was carried out in the São Miguel Parish in the Humaitá district of Porto Alegre. The parish was impacted by the floods and was seriously damaged.

“This joint effort of the Salesian community illustrates how solidarity and coordinated action can make a difference in times of crisis, providing relief and hope to those who need it most,” said Lavínia Pimpão, from the St. Pius Province of Porto Alegre Brazil communication office.

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ANS – Brazil – The Salesian Family in the South of the country unites to support the flood victims of Rio Grande do Sul

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Dom Bosco Institute in Porto Alegre, Brazil, has been welcoming truck drivers bringing donations and volunteers from Rondonópolis in Mato Grosso and Lauro de Freitas in the state of Bahia. The donations are being supplied to those who have been impacted by the recent flooding in the country.

A Salesian explained, “Trucks have arrived loaded with water, food, clothing, blankets and mattresses. These are donations collected from various regions of the country since the tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul raised awareness in other Brazilian states.”

Ivanir de Souza was responsible for transporting the load from Bahia. He said, “I always knew that Rio Grande do Sul was a wonderful place to visit. It’s a shame that my visit is under these calamitous circumstances. The journey was undertaken as an emergency to deliver aid as quickly as possible.”

Just a few days earlier, the Dom Bosco Institute received aid from Curitiba. Maria Elvira Jardim Menegassi, executive director of the Dom Bosco Institute, has been responsible for organizing the school as a distribution center. She explained, “Thanks to an agreement made by a relative of one of our employees, we got in touch with an entrepreneur from Paraná who, along with three other companies in the fertilizer sector, managed to send a large delivery to our school.”

The convoy, containing over 40 tons of food, was unpacked by volunteers who worked on an assembly line to unload products which included rice, sugar, coffee, flour and oil. The donations were transferred to food baskets, which were distributed the next day to those displaced by the flooding.

Members of the National Security Force from the state of Tocantins also visited the Dom Bosco Institute where they were welcomed by Father Ademir Ricardo Cwendrych, the Salesian provincial of the San Pio X Province of Brazil-Porto Alegre. The group toured the school and the classrooms used for sorting the donations and praised the Salesians for their work.

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ANS – Brazil – The Nation

United for Rio Grande do Sul: Donations Arrive Daily at the “Dom Bosco” Institute in Porto Alegre

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Aid delivered after flooding first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian institutions have come together to support families affected by the recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is the worst flooding in the region since 1941. The most affected area is in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, where in some locations nearly 6 inches of rain fell in 24 hours, an amount typical for the entire month of April. Heavy rains caused river flooding and landslides, impacting the local population.

Reports indicate that more than 150 people have died, many others are missing and injured, and more than 600,000 have been displaced. More than 1.3 million of the total 11.4 million inhabitants suffered damage due to the bad weather wave that affected 497 municipalities.

The Dom Bosco College in Porto Alegre has been helping those who have been left homeless and is receiving donations to support the efforts from all over Brazil. This solidarity movement has been widely publicized by the media as well as through a live broadcast by the Novo Lar Social Work, which produces lunch containers every day.

The Salesian Leão XIII Center, through the Chain of Good initiative, is mobilizing resources to help affected families in the city of Rio Grande. The Saint John Bosco Parish in Itajaí, in Santa Catarina, is also supporting the efforts by promoting solidarity campaigns for the victims of the floods.

In addition, UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, sent 37 volunteers to work in emergency health services. Among the volunteers are doctors, nurses, a veterinarian, a psychologist, final year nursing students and medical students with qualifications in advanced cardiovascular life support. The group will serve under the coordination of Dr. Ângelo Jacomossi, professor of medicine at the university.

A Salesian noted, “All of these efforts demonstrates the strength of solidarity and the capacity of mobilization of Salesian institutions in times of crisis, providing fundamental support to flood victims while highlighting the commitment to social welfare and humanitarian assistance.”

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ANS – Brazil – Salesian schools and parishes mobilise to help flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Salesians support flood victims first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) In response to the devastating flooding that has impacted Brazil, UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, sent 37 volunteers to work in emergency health services in the Rio Grande do Sul, the state affected by the natural disaster. The group is being housed in the Salesian House in Porto Alegre.

Among the volunteers are doctors, nurses, a veterinarian, a psychologist, final year nursing students and medical students with qualifications in advanced cardiovascular life support. The group will serve under the coordination of Dr. Ângelo Jacomossi, professor of medicine at the university.

Prof. André Ornellas, the vice-rector for teaching, research and postgraduate studies, said, “We exist to train professionals ready to work. So, thinking about the current reality in Rio Grande do Sul, we believed we had to do more than collect food. We will give these professionals some time to help the community that suffers the most.”

Work of the volunteers includes analyzing the epidemiological diseases, advising the health professionals on the possible dangers of contamination by various diseases and providing psychological support to the group. In addition, psychology professors and the final year students of this course will work online with people who need support in the south.

Dr. Antônio Poletto, coordinator of the university’s medicine course, stressed that assistance in catastrophic situations is a fundamental humanitarian obligation of Salesians. He said, “It is our responsibility not only to recognize, but also to act on this humanitarian commitment.”

Fr. Paulo Vendrame, rector of the university, stressed that the solidarity shown by the Brazilian people during this calamity is heartening “We are finding in young university students an echo that is something that makes our university institution and all of humanity proud. I congratulate our educators and those who responded to this call to volunteer, taking care of the most precious thing we have — life.”

Salesian missionaries have responded with aid following the disastrous floods that have hit the State of Rio Grande do Sul. It is the worst flooding in the region since 1941. The most affected area is in Porto Alegre, Capital of Rio Grande do Sul, where in some locations nearly 6 inches of rain fell in 24 hours, an amount typical for the entire month of April. Heavy rains caused river flooding and landslides, impacting the local population.

Reports indicate that more than 150 people have died, scores other are missing and injured and more than 600,000 have been left displaced. More than 1.3 million of the total 11.4 million inhabitants suffered damage due to the bad weather wave that affected 497 municipalities.

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ANS – Brazil – UniSALESIAN humanitarian mission: “Health does not wait!” 37 health professionals and academics ready to reach Rio Grande do Sul

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Medical volunteers to serve first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have responded with aid following the disastrous floods that hit the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It’s the worst flooding in the region since 1941. The most affected area is in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul. In some locations nearly six inches of rain fell in 24 hours, an amount typical for the entire month of April. Heavy rains caused river flooding and landslides, impacting the local population.

Reports indicate that 90 people have died, scores other are missing and injured, and more than 155,000 have been left homeless. More than 1.3 million of the total 11.4 million inhabitants suffered damage due to the bad weather wave that affected 497 municipalities.

In Porto Alegre, the Guaíba River reached more than 17 feet, well above the record of 15.6 feet set during the 1941 flood. Many houses are submerged to the roof. Several locations have been isolated due to landslides and the collapse of bridges, hampering rescue workers. The federal government said it had sent nearly 14,000 troops to the state. The rain stopped on May 6, but many areas remain flooded and delivery of basic necessities has been impossible. More rainfall is expected in May.

Salesians report losses from three Salesian centers in Porto Alegre. According to the Superior of the Salesians of the St. Pius X Province of Porto Alegre Brazil, Father Ademir Ricardo Cwendrych, about 17 families of teachers and other employees at the Provincial House, the Don Bosco School and the Social Work in Viamão suffered total or partial losses.

Fr. Cwendrych said, “We are putting facilities in place to assist those who are going through these difficulties.” He is calling on all those in Brazil to support their efforts. “Please spread this news to the Salesians and friends of Don Bosco in Brazil, so that we can do good as soon as conditions permit.”

Salesians in several provinces have already responded to the call with appeals to collect donations, food, clothes and basic necessities to help those displaced by the floods. Those in the territory devastated by the waters are already acting to provide in-person help to those in need.

The Padre Pedro Leonardi Social Center, located in the Restinga district of Porto Alegre, is collecting donations of towels, hygiene and cleaning materials to better assist displaced families in the region, and Indigenous families have been welcomed in the parish hall of Mary Help of Christians Parish. In addition, Our Lady of Graces Parish in Canoas is collecting non-perishable food, snacks, milk, drinking water, personal hygiene and cleaning products, and bedding.

Salesians will continue to monitor the situation and offer aid and support to those who have been impacted.

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ANS – Brazil – Flood emergency in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The Province of Porto Alegre committed to helping

ANS – Brazil – Salesian support for flood-affected populations continues

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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The post BRAZIL: Salesians respond to flooding first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have launched Pibuiwena Arte Xavante project activities at the São João Batista Youth Center in Poxoréu, in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The project aims to promote the production of Indigenous crafts made by Indigenous families to help them improve their income. The project will also provide the Xavante Indigenous people with financial education and information on craft prices, interpersonal relationships, and customer service.

The education will take place through group dialogue and exchange. Activities for the project will be publicized through social networks and other media. Salesians will share photos, videos and testimonies of the participants. The Pibuiwena Arte Xavante project will also include traditional cultural presentations.

A Salesian noted, “To make the project feasible, the São João Batista Youth Center has used resources to create personalized T-shirts and labels, packaging, and consumables for the workshops. The initiative also has the support of the Legislative Assembly of Mato Grosso, through an amendment by former deputy Xuxu dal Molin and the Secretariat of Culture, Sports and Leisure (SECEL) of the State of Mato Grosso.”

Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty. In addition to educational projects, Salesians are providing nutritional and health care support as well as training about land cultivation.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – The activities of the Pibuiwena Arte Xavante Project have begun at the Salesian Youth Centre in Poxoréu

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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The post BRAZIL: New project supports Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Campinápolis, Mato Grosso, Brazil, attended a meeting held by the local District Attorney’s Office to discuss strategies to address the high infant mortality rate in the region’s Indigenous villages. Salesians were attendance with representatives from the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Department for Indigenous Health, the National Indian Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the House of Indigenous Health.

The rate of infant mortality stands at 66 deaths per 1,000 births, according to Edemilson Canela, technical advisor to the Department of Indigenous Health. The mortality rate is caused by several factors including mobility problems (such as the lack of vehicles), the limited budget of the municipality, a shortage of health professionals, lack of supplies and problems related to basic hygiene. These factors all contribute to the struggle with hospitalizing the sick and providing health services in Indigenous areas.

Prosecutor Fabricio Miranda Mereb stressed the urgency of adopting measures to reduce the infant mortality rate. Representatives at the meeting suggested ideas including the implementation of an advanced laboratory, the structuring of an imaging network and better monitoring of pregnant women. Another possible strategy is collaboration with the Federal University of Mato Grosso to provide training to the Indigenous population on food security and liaison with relevant institutions to ensure access to public policies.

Deacon José Alves, representing the Salesians, expressed the importance of the collaboration between the Salesians and the District Attorney’s Office in Campinápolis, stressing the need to expand initiatives such as the maintenance project of artesian wells.

Deacon Alves said, “The initiative is very important because it is a meeting with various groups that deal with the health of the Xavante Indigenous people in our municipality. It is part of our missionary work to seek improvements in public health policies.”

He added, “The collaboration between the Salesians and the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the maintenance of artesian wells is a reality that, due to the great demand in other areas, must expand further.” Deacon Alves noted that this initiative allows better access to clean water and consequently an improvement in health and hygiene for all the communities concerned.

Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty. Salesians provide a range of services including nutritional support and training for the cultivation of land, as well as financial support for the purchase of materials, fertilizers and seeds.

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ANS – Brazil – Infant mortality among indigenous people is the subject of discussion between civil authorities and Salesians in Campinápolis

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The post BRAZIL: High infant mortality rate examined first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Youth Missionary Project in Brazil provides volunteer opportunities for people ages 17-30. The project is carried out in the Salesian parishes of São Joaquim, Nossa Senhora de Fátima and Nossa Senhora da Conceição. A similar volunteer project for older adults, known as the Adult Missionary Project, takes place in the Salesian Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora Parish.

Between these two projects, volunteers have made over 2,000 visits to the cities of Missal and Ponta Grossa in the Paraná state and Pouso Redondo and São Joaquim in the Santa Catarina state.

During recent missionary activities, 100 volunteers visited several families to provide support. Volunteers met with residents to help address shortfalls in their basic needs and living environments.

A Salesian noted, “By engaging in volunteer work, youth have the opportunity to cultivate empathy, develop leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. Through these visits, youth were not only helping others, but they were improving themselves with better social skills and self-esteem and increased happiness.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesian Mission Projects in the South of the country leave their mark on the more than 2,000 families visited

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian centers in Sangradouro and Meruri, Brazil, were host to 34 medical students and doctors from the University Center Faculty of Medicine of Santos (UNILUS). This was the 15th expedition of the Academic Project of Assistance to Indigenous Peoples (PAAPI), which started in 2009. The project provided medical clinics for Xavante Indigenous people in Sangradouro and Bororo Indigenous people in Meruri.

The students are in their first to third year of medical school and were supported by doctors and teachers. Along with the Salesians, they organized a health center and facilitated activities for the children including sports and painting.

“This is a yearly event that ensures medical support reaches these Indigenous communities that have access to few resources,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education may be the main goal, Salesians serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs are met including proper nutrition and medical care.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – The Salesian Indigenous Missions in Sangradouro and Meruri welcome medical students from the “PAAPI” Project

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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The post BRAZIL: Medical clinics reach Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Youth from the Salesian Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, in Porto Velho, Brazil, collected toys for other youth and children who are in an orphanage at the Madre Mazzarello Social Center run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christian. The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima serves close to 300 youth and children who live on the outskirts of Porto Velho.

Youth sharing the gifts are involved in the Salesian parish’s missionary childhood group, which was set up to provide youth opportunities to help their local community.

A Salesian missionary said, “This was a wonderful opportunity for these youth who are learning their catechisms to give back to the local community. They are living their faith in action by supporting those less fortunate than themselves. The youth in the orphanage were grateful for the toys for Christmas.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, to help them break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – Children and adolescents of the Salesian Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Porto Velho collect toys for charity

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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The post BRAZIL: Youth learn to give back first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Network of Brazil launched a fundraising campaign known as “Union for Life – UPV” in collaboration with a broader “Gift Day 2023” held on Nov. 28. The campaign focused on the environment. It was inspired by Don Bosco Green Alliance and the teachings of Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility.

Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, executive director of the Salesian Network of Brazil, said, “This year the UPV Gift Day has helped to promote and strengthen our responsibility to look after our common home. We usually talk about financial sustainability, but today we need to be clear that the concept of sustainability is much broader. During the campaign, I was able to see many initiatives that brought the centers and their benefactors closer to concrete actions in response to Pope Francis’ appeals, and this is a great gain for our social action in Brazil.”

As part of the campaign, the Salesian Network of Brazil provided several educational sessions and materials to support local fundraising activities, as well as a marketing campaign to publicize the good that is done in Salesian centers.

“This year has been very challenging, but very rich and full of novelties,” explained Phelipe Sales, who was involved in the fundraising. “We brought together important topics, such as donations and sustainability, and managed to achieve many objectives throughout our network, especially with regard to the culture of giving, volunteering and raising awareness of caring for our common home.”

As a result, the Salesian Network of Brazil surpassed its 2022 collection by raising 3,146,421.46 reais (equal to more than $633,000). The campaign also collected more than 274,000 pounds of food and utilized 6,286 volunteer hours. This campaign supported 133,641 families.

Through the Union for Life campaign, the Salesian Network of Brazil raises funds to support the more than 100 social centers throughout the country, which currently benefit more than 80,000 children, older youth, young adults and their families in situations of vulnerability.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – The success of the “UPV Gift Day 2023”

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students at Recanto da Cruz Grande, located in Itapevi in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have been working on a garden as a food source. Over the last several months, the students prepared the seedlings and the soil, planted, and looked after the garden. They were excited recently at harvest time when they were able to pick what they had grown.

A Salesian said, “This project is part of one of our Guardians workshops. In addition to harvesting, the students washed the food and gave it to our cook, who will lovingly prepare a special dish so that they can taste what they themselves have planted. The aim is to encourage healthier eating and teach youth to work with, respect, and cultivate the environment.”

Recanto da Cruz Grande offers elementary education and socio-educational activities for children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 in the region. Recanto da Cruz Grande is committed to strengthening family ties, encouraging community coexistence and promoting citizenship.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Harvest time at Recanto da Cruz Grande, Brazil

Recanto da Cruz Grande

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students harvest garden project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Network Office in Brasília, Brazil, installed solar panels to contribute to the reduction of deforestation and CO2 emissions. The idea originated from a sustainability campaign promoted by the office in 2019, which led to internal actions to reduce energy consumption, eliminate the use of plastic cups and improve waste disposal, as well as other sustainable practices with the work teams. The project is also aligned with the goals of the Don Bosco Green Alliance.

Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, executive director of the Salesian Network Office, said, “By adopting clean energy, with the use of photovoltaic panels, we are reaffirming our commitment to do our part in caring for the common home.”

While the project was initially suggested prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, work was delayed given challenges related to the import of products and the internal capacity to carry out the project. With the return to normal procedures, the proposal to install the solar panels was strengthened and approved. The necessary resources were secured and the whole process went ahead.

“The solar panels produce enough energy each month to subsidize about 80% of our consumption. In just two and a half years, we will see a return on the investment made in the panels,” said Maria Dantas, executive coordinator for the Salesian Network Office.

The project also supports the focus of the Day of Giving 2023. This year, the Salesian Network Office has scheduled the day for Nov. 28 and will emphasize the importance of responsibility toward the environment in daily actions.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Sustainable energy: RSB Office equips itself with Solar Panels

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students with Don Bosco Institute’s CEDESP Vila Paulistana unit visited the LOGA Logística Ambiental de São Paulo S.A., which is responsible for the collection, transportation, treatment and final disposal of household and health waste in São Paulo, Brazil.

The 49 students who participated in this event were from the logistics and marketing classes. Lucas Borba, technical analyst at LOGA, gave the students a tour and taught them how sorting is carried out. Diogenes Pereira led the training with a focus on environmental impact.

Fabiana Santello, communications educator at Don Bosco Institute, said, “During the presentations it became clear that the organic waste collected each day is much more than the recyclable waste collected during the month. While the organic waste varies from 6,000 tons per day, the recyclable waste is 2,000 tons per month. What is really lacking is public awareness of the environmental, economic and social importance of this process.”

Both the staff and students enjoyed the visit and learned much from their time there. Thiago B. Santos, a logistics student, explained, “I thought the visit was very good, informative. We have to leave here with a different mindset now, tell our friends and family that you don’t throw your garbage away.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – CEDESP Dom Bosco Vila Paulistana students in Brazil receive sustainability training at LOGA

Don Bosco Institute

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students learn about waste disposal and recycling first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students with the Water Quality Group of the Environmental and Sanitary Engineering program at Dom Bosco College, located in Porto Alegre, Brazil, shared their knowledge with third-year high school students from Alberto Torres State School. The high school students were able to participate in experiments and analysis of water quality facilitated by the college students.

A Salesian said, “This was an opportunity for young people to experience in practice what they learned in the classroom, in addition to awakening their interest in the area of environmental and sanitary engineering. College students also had the chance to share their knowledge and experiences and highlight how environmental and sanitary engineering contributes to preserving water quality.”

Through this visit, high school students were able to understand the importance of caring for the environment and the conscious use of water resources. The Salesian added, “We hope that this partnership can be extended and bring more and more benefits to both groups and to the environment as a whole.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco Green Alliance – Environmental and Sanitary Engineering enriches students of Don Bosco College, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students learn about water quality first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Maturacá mission in Alto Rio Negro, the Brazilian part of Amazon rainforest, provided support for the Yanomami Indigenous community thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Salesians have been in the region for more than 40 years and have a school, center and parish.

During the funding period from October 2021-2022, Salesians visited four villages and provided recreational and sporting activities for 646 children. In addition, Salesians provided religious sacraments and made home visits for health and education support. Funding also provided for a range of support including gasoline for motorboats, a 4×4 car rental, diesel for a power generator, educational materials and meals for students, batteries for solar energy, and personnel costs.

One of the biggest challenges is accessing the community given the distance and terrain to reach the mission. Salesians take many journeys between the Maturacá base and smaller Yanomami communities. Fuel for boats and a car to travel over the gravel roads are important for their work.

Salesians work against illiteracy and poverty while cultivating and preserving traditional culture. Education also includes information about healthy living and protecting the environment. More than 500 people are involved in the education.

In addition, Salesians focus on ensuring children have the nutrition they need. A Salesian explained, “Malnutrition is a serious problem in the region. The main food is cassava and caught fish or hunted game. However, often children do not receive a nutritious meal. On the mission, the youngest are nourished during breaks between lessons and during the activity in the oratory and parish. Salesians supplement food and vitamins to help prevent malnutrition.”

Funding also provided for batteries for solar energy. In 2008, solar panels and energy storage batteries were purchased that provide electricity at night. The previous batteries are currently at 10% of their life, but with the donor funding, Salesians were able to purchase new batteries.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Salesians support Yanomami community first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Youth Center in Matriz de Camaragibe, Brazil, sheltered 128 families displaced by flooding, providing 388 people with food, clothing, personal hygiene items and emotional support. Residents are displaced by flooding each year and seek the support of the Salesians.

The Salesian parish helps by opening the chapel doors so that people can stay in a safe place. Islane Santos, pedagogical coordinator, said, “It is sad to see the families who have lost everything and the frightened children, but we must thank the Lord that they are all still alive and that the center can once again open its doors to all those in need.”

Santos added, “We have the help and immense support of CIS BRASIL and the Salesian Province of Brazil-Recife, which allowed us to feed the people in need. Volunteers promptly rushed to the center to help, with the support of the Municipality’s Social Welfare Department.”

Father Geraldo Albuquerque, social service director for center, along with volunteers and youth group coordinators, prepared recreational activities for the children to distract them from the situation. Throughout the rains and floods, Fr. Albuquerque helped get people to safety and transport those he could to the center. He also coordinated accommodation and food for those at the center.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – The Don Bosco Youth Centre in Matriz de Camaragibe welcomes those displaced by the floods

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Schools Network of Brazil has been holding the sporting competition Nordestão Salesiano (Salesian Northeast) since 1984. This year the competition took place in Recife at the Salesian Institute of the Sacred Heart. Close to 3,000 student athletes from 16 Salesian schools from the Province of Brazil-Recife were involved.

The students spent five days competing in dance, rhythmic gymnastics, judo, karate, swimming, volleyball, beach volleyball, chess, basketball, futsal and handball. The event promoted a cultural exchange and fraternity among all members of the Salesian educational community in the northeast.

“On behalf of the Salesian educational communities of Recife, the Salesian Institute of the Sacred Heart is proud and happy to be able to thank the students, educators, family and friends, who have made this 36th Nordestão a real celebration,” said Father Francisco Eliano Queiroz, rector, at the close of the event.

According to José Carlos Cunha, a sports coordinator who has been involved in the last 11 competitions, each Nordestão is a unique experience. “We are happy, because the goal of the Nordestão is not only to reward athletes with medals, but to show the importance of respect, good behavior and company.”

Student athletes have been training for the Nordestão since January. The support of the students’ family has been important for their ongoing motivation.

Suelen Prado and Alexander da Silva supported their daughter Júlia Prado, an 8-year-old swimmer, and went with her to all the races. Prado said, “The Nordestão was an incredible experience for my daughter. Despite being so small, she was able to cope with many emotions. And because we were all together, we were able to keep her anxiety in check at the time of the races.”

Letícia Fontes dos Santos also competed. She is a beach volleyball athlete who had to deal with an injury during the games. Like all the athletes who participated in the Nordestão, she was able to count on the support of educators, family members and the school nurse. She explained, “In these five days, I learned a lot and gained a lot of wisdom. Everyone took great care of me. I got hurt during a game and they helped me with everything I needed. And in the end I was very happy, because we managed to win gold in the Beach Volleyball tournament under-15.”

Salesian schools play a vital role is helping to ensure youth gain an education and advance on to skills training to find and retain long-term employment. According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – “Nordestão Salesiano 2023”: cultural and sporting enrichment, in a family atmosphere

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Brazil are teaching youth how to develop sustainable gardens both to provide an extra food source and to highlight the importance of caring for the environment. Many of the projects were motivated by the teachings of Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility.

At São Domingos Sávio Youth Center, 220 youth ages 6-16 are involved in a sustainable garden project that provides food for the surrounding communities. Ana Paula A. Carvalho Santos, social and educational manager, said, “In this project, children and adolescents plant, care for, harvest, and consume healthy food both at home and in the workplace. The garden serves different families and for the internal consumption of students, collaborators and Salesians.”

Students are involved in every aspect of the garden, from building the beds where the vegetables are planted to soil maintenance and harvesting. They also wash the vegetables before food preparation. Carvalho Santos added, “Then they go to the kitchen workshop, where they prepare food with their colleagues. The whole process is permeated by workshops and discussions on the environment, also involving parents. The division into fields, activities and workshops takes place by age groups to enhance learning.”

In addition, first- and third-year students at Salesian San Paolo School in Ascurra have developed a project to produce a composter and a sustainable vegetable garden. Youth contributed to planting the garden, producing compost, harvesting and selling products to the school community to make the garden sustainable. Composting reduces waste and has allowed students to observe the nutrient cycle used for the garden, turning organic waste into new soil. The vegetable garden has contributed to learning about food, nutrition and the importance of healthy habits.

Another project is the Urban Gardens project at the Jesus the Adolescent Youth Center located in the municipality of Três Lagoas. This project is carried out collaboration with the Suzano Company and the Cargill Foundation.

Started in 2022, the project transformed a piece of free land into an agro-ecological garden within an urban environment. This has promoted agro-ecological agriculture, improved the food quality and increased the self-esteem of the families involved, while providing a generation of income. In 2023, 40 families started the process of marketing products to strengthen their income. Participants will also have access to courses on entrepreneurship, sustainable agriculture, environmental education and family income.

A Salesian missionary said, “In these projects, students play an active part the educational process. Tending to these gardens teaches the importance in the conservation and care of the environment, reinforced the values of solidarity and respect for nature and others. Students experience the collective effort to produce something that will benefit everyone.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Sowing, caring for and harvesting: an educational process

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth develop sustainable gardens first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian volunteers with Operation Mato Grosso delivered 300 food baskets to families in various Xavante villages in Campinápolis, Brazil. The villages are served by the Salesian St. Dominic Savio Parish and the initiative was made possible thanks to donations, mainly from Italy.

Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty. They are receiving support and training for the cultivation of land, as well as financial support for the purchase of materials, fertilizers and seeds.

Hunger is one of the biggest challenges and the situation only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 500 Indigenous people are regularly hired by state and municipal governments to work in the field of education. Given schools were suspended to avoid infection, people were without work and their families were facing hunger. There were several cases of underweight and malnourished children — and even deaths of children — due to illnesses aggravated by the lack of food.

“These food basket donations have been occurring for some time and people are grateful for the support,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “There is a good relationship between the Salesians and the Xavante people, and the support goes beyond food donations. There have been medical clinics, other aid and supplies provided, and training to help people farm more efficiently. The goal is always to help people to become more self-sufficient.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8% of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Operation Mato Grosso delivers 300 food baskets for indigenous families in Campinápolis

Salesian Missions – Brazil

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The post BRAZIL: Families in Xavante villages receive food baskets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian institutions in Brazil.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian institutions in Brazil are focused on cancer research and on the importance of prevention, early detection, and proper treatment of cancer. Two studies carried out at Dom Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande have provided hope for the treatment of some types of cancer. One study involves trying to purify a protein from the venom of the Cerrado snake, while the other study focuses on using a peptide extracted from the venom of the Tityus serrulatus scorpion.

Dr. Breno Emanuel Farias Frihling, biotechnology researcher, and Dr. Ludovico Migliolo, research supervisor, have focused on proteins from snake venom to be used in the treatment of colorectal cancer and a type of sarcoma that affects muscle tissue.

“This research is of enormous importance in Mato Grosso do Sul and, depending on the progress and investment we get for the next tests, it will have an international reach,” explained Migliolo. “We believe that by doing this research we will help the population to have a better quality of life in terms of health.”

Dr. Cristiano Marcelo Espínola Carvalho and veterinarian Simone Camargo Sanches are working to treat lung cancer with scorpion venom. In a joint statement, they said, “We did tests using a peptide that is based on the sequence of scorpion venom. The best results were against lung cancer, which showed good selectivity. It attacked cancer cells and preserved healthy cells.” The discovery has already generated a patent registration. Their studies will continue.

These are the only Salesian initiatives focused on cancer in Brazil. Our Lady Help of Christians Hospital in Três Lagoas is focused on treatment, prevention, and information projects on breast, prostate, and lung cancer — the most common cancers affecting the general population. Information and awareness campaigns were conducted by the hospital’s multidisciplinary team through conferences with physicians.

In addition, the University Pastoral Team of the Salesian Catholic Faculty in Macaé held awareness activities for “Pink October” and “Blue November” to help people understand that prevention and early detection of breast cancer and prostate cancer are essential to avoid the high mortality rates of women and men.

“As we’re talking about prevention, we need to exchange ideas with young people to encourage them to take care of their bodies and their health. The more information, encouragement and support they receive, the more results we will have with these campaigns,” explained Professor Jônia Quédma, university pastoral care coordinator.

These initiatives are not just at the college level. Mary Help of Christians Educational Center high schools in Campos dos Goytacazes are committed to raising awareness of marrow donation among students and teachers through the “Campos Doe Medula” campaign. Volunteers provide informational sessions about the importance of donation and then students and teachers can participate in blood donations. After donating, they also involved their families and achieved excellent results, contributing to the significant increase in blood samples for the national bank and marrow donor screening for marrow cancer patients.

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesian institutions committed to fighting against cancer

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian centers in Sangradouro and Meruri, Brazil, were host to 41 medical students and doctors from the University Center Faculty of Medicine in Santos. This was the 14th expedition of the Academic Project of Assistance to Indigenous Peoples (PAAPI), which started in 2009. The project provided medical clinics for Xavante Indigenous people in Sangradouro and Bororo Indigenous people in Meruri.

In Sangradouro, volunteers organized a health clinic and administered medicines and treatments, while another group played with the children. On the second day, after a Catholic Mass, the volunteers split into groups to make home visits. They also finished seeing patients at the health clinic and spent more time with the children.

After lunch, the burití run took place, which is a Xavante tradition. Two groups of men compete by running 10 kilometers and taking turns carrying a burití plant on their shoulders. At the end, everyone danced in a festive atmosphere in the village.

In Meruri, students organized and sorted medicines to be dropped off at the Salesian health center, while project leaders did a sweep of the village grounds to map houses. Volunteers also organized various games for the children. The following day, volunteers washed the hair of youth who were suffering from parasites. More home visits also took place.

“While Salesians are primarily focused on education, they also provide feeding programs and help to meet needs like shelter and medical support,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians aim to serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs are met and this is especially important in Indigenous communities where there are few resources.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – Santos medical students launch Academic Project to Assist Indigenous Peoples in Sangradouro and Meruri

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous communities receive medical care first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande, Brazil, was one of the winning institutions in the first edition of the Citizenship Award sponsored by the state government through the Secretariat of State for Citizenship and Culture in Brazil. The award acknowledged the work done during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The university was honored for hosting a drive-through vaccination and testing center, for lending high-level equipment to the government, and for implementing initiatives through its degree programs to help fight the virus and keep people safe.

Don Bosco Catholic University saw an average of 1,500 people per day at its COVID-19 vaccine clinic. The clinic was set up across three sports fields and was supported by 200 students, teachers and administrative employees who helped in the administration of vaccines.

The clinic, which operated under the responsibility of the Municipal Secretariat of Health, was launched on June 24, 2021, with eight vaccine locations. It was later expanded to 15 locations. It was set up as a drive-in so patients did not need to leave their cars to receive their dose. This setup ensured greater agility and minimized contact between people waiting to be vaccinated.

During the clinic’s operation, Salesian Brother Raffaele Lochi, the interim rector of Don Bosco Catholic University at the time, said, “With this drive-in service, Don Bosco Catholic University feels embraced by the people of Campo Grande and can even embrace them again in turn. We know that we are benefiting the population and this is gratifying. We are doing what Don Bosco would have done in his time, opening the doors and helping in difficult moments.”

Don Bosco Catholic University also lent one of its super freezers to the Municipality of Campo Grande to conserve vaccines, which must be stored at temperatures well below freezing. In addition, the university also provided use of high-tech machinery for the processing of swabs at the central laboratory of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. The poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – “Dom Bosco” University of Campo Grande receives award for its work on behalf of population during pandemic

Don Bosco Catholic University

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Efforts to fight COVID-19 honored first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Brazil Network held the third annual Operation Maturacá project, in collaboration with the Armed Forces and several donors, to support Indigenous communities in need. Hundreds of garments were delivered to the most inaccessible areas of the Amazon thanks to the generous donation of Pluriforme, a company that manufactures and provides school and corporate uniforms. The logistics of the delivery was supported by the company Equilibrium.

“Since I became aware of the difficulties faced by the missionary communities of Alto Rio Negro, I have felt the call to look for strategies to strengthen the supportive actions carried out on the ground,” explained Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, executive director of the Salesian Brazil Network. “The collaboration with Pluriforme and the Armed Forces has helped us reach the community of Maturacá to deliver the donations we have obtained.”

In addition, 30 boxes of clothing were delivered to the Salesian mission in Maturacá. Students, educators and missionaries mobilized to distribute the goods.

“We are extremely grateful for this important gesture from the Salesian Brazil Network,” said Father Wellington Abreu, a local Salesian missionary. “The children can now have an extra shirt and shorts to go to school. Some families have eight or nine children and giving them new clothes is often a big challenge. Clothing is also crucial for hunters and fishermen who now have adequate clothing to do their work. We are very close to the Pico da Neblina and when it rains the temperature drops a lot. It was a great help for them to receive jackets, sweaters and long-sleeved shirts.”

Many in the Maturacá community said they were happy and relieved to have received this donation. “They are really very nice uniforms and it was a joy for the families to see their children in new uniforms,” said Maciel Figueiredo Mendonça, a teacher at the Immaculate Conception State Indigenous School in Maturacá.

Everton de Souza Maia, a student at Immaculate Conception School, added, “For me, receiving this donation really meant a lot. For parents who have many children, it is not easy to buy new clothes. But now we can have very good quality uniforms.”

Operation Maturacá was launched in 2018 and continued to 2020 when it was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was successfully resumed in 2022 with plans for it to continue each year.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – “Operation Maturacá” brings donations to indigenous villages

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous youth receive new school clothing first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Volunteers with the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians parish held a celebration for the children of many Salesian programs throughout Brazil. In Cuiabá, more than 500 children from poor neighborhoods on the outskirts of Mato Grosso received gifts, entertainment and a snack as part of the traditional service offered by Shrine of Mary Help of Christians. Parents received food baskets collected by parishioners.

Father Danilo Guedes, the parish coordinator, said, “We are enhancing and giving continuity to the assistance and support to families that the Shrine already offers, but we want to give a more continuous orientation.”

To make this initiative viable, the Shrine carried out a campaign to collect food, toys and financial resources among Catholics throughout the city.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – “Projeto Valdocco” expands and strengthens its service to needy families in Cuiabà

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Volunteers hold celebration for children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, has developed a distance learning center in the village of Meruri, more than 900 km (approximately 560 miles) from the university’s main campus. This new center is part of a larger education extension project launched by Salesian missionaries in the Indigenous communities of Meruri and São Marcos in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. The new center will provide education to 46 Indigenous Boe-Bororo people.

The first online lecture took place on the evening of Sept. 12, when students gathered to hear a talk by Professor Elaine Cristina Moreira da Silva, the distance education course coordinator. The lecture was also virtually attended by Professor André Ornellas, vice chancellor for teaching, research and postgraduate studies, who explained the history of the university and the importance of taking an academic path. He said, “Bringing education, technology, and providing opportunities for personal and professional growth is part of the mission of the Salesians.”

Moreira da Silva explained that the course is free, lasts four years and is organized by semester with weekly meetings on Mondays. She added, “It provides specific modules and adaptations to meet the specific needs of this audience, always following the national curricular guidelines, which are presented for the pedagogy course.”

The idea for the new educational center came from a discussion among Father Erondi Tamandaré, director general of UniSalesiano, Father Andelson Dias, director of the Indigenous missions of Meruri and São Marcos, and Father João Bosco, provincial secretary. Fr. Tamandaré said, “We felt the need for continued and strengthened collaboration with Indigenous peoples.”

The goal is to add additional distance learning centers in other villages. Fr. Andelson stressed the importance of training youth and adults who desire a degree despite the many obstacles. He said, “Many Indigenous people go to the cities to study, come back, and help their people. However, in the cities, there are many difficulties, and we noticed that many were coming back and there was discouragement due to the discontinuity of studies. In addition to knowledge gained, they will be able to practice their profession, which is of fundamental importance to the entire Boe-Bororo community.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – Hub for distance education of indigenous people of village of Meruri developed

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous students access distance learning first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are concerned about child malnutrition in the Xavante villages in the municipality of Nova Xavantina in Campinápolis, Brazil. A lack of rain, poor food, hygiene conditions and the length of distance to travel to urban centers were identified as the causes that most affect the situation.

Recently, Isabel Silveira Dias, regional coordinator for Pastoral Care of Children in the state of Mato Grosso, Salesian Deacon José Alves, and Kaique Lima, a volunteer, visited the villages of Santa Helena, Betânia, São Francisco, and Teihidzatsé.

In each of these villages, food kits were distributed to children. Provided by Operation Mato Grosso, the kits contained food purchased by volunteers and sent by benefactors from the Immaculate Conception Parish in the city of Bilac. The most worrisome cases of malnutrition were recorded in the village of Teihidzatsé where children were checked for weight. Vitamins were administered in the most severe cases.

Alves said, “Through all the partners who join the Salesian mission we can reach the villages and distribute food and clothes.”

In addition, a soup kitchen was set up in Santa Helena to provide meals with vegetables, pasta, and ground meat. In Betânia, clothes, food, and hygiene materials for infants prepared by the Campinápolis Children’s Pastoral Care team were distributed. The AMA (Mobile Missionary Assistance) project team is providing maintenance and efficiency of water wells, pumps, and tanks in São Francisco, and food items were also distributed.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – Child malnutrition in Nova Xavantina’s Xavante villages worries Salesian missionaries

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Work helps prevent child malnutrition first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian volunteers from the Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, distributed baskets containing food, hygiene products and other basic necessities to 200 poor families living in neighborhoods near a landfill. The volunteer group has been providing donations for the past five years in collaboration with Father Dídimo Campos Filho, rector of the Shrine.

“Salesian missionaries with the support of volunteers have been providing for the poor and marginalized in Mato Grosso for many years,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Hunger is one of the biggest challenges and the situation has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been several cases of underweight and malnourished children, and nutritional support is critical.”

Also supporting Mato Grosso is the Salesian-run Operation Mato Grosso, which earlier this year provided 300 food baskets to Indigenous Xavante families in the villages of Campinápolis, Brazil. Operation Mato Grosso is led by Vanderlei Miranda Souza, a volunteer who has been working with the Xavante people for 20 years.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Two hundred poor families in Cuiabá receive baskets with basic necessities

BRAZIL: Indigenous families receive food baskets

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Families in need receive food baskets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) After a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Salesian university UniSalesiano, with campuses in Lins and Araçatuba, resumed its Missionary Volunteering Program with 30 participants, including Salesian staff. For a week in July, the participants gained firsthand experience working within Indigenous villages of Meruri and São Marcos in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Father Paulo Jácomo, UniSalesiano’s pro-rector for pastoral care, explained that the experience was the result of careful organization. The first phase was registration, and the second phase consisted of travel and work preparation. He said, “We had a good response, 59 registrants, although we could only select 22. Those selected and the organizing team put in a lot of effort with little time available. There was an effort in collecting clothes, blankets and food. Everyone worked hard.” The Salesian School Dom Luiz Lasagna was recognized for collecting more than five tons of food, which was then delivered to villages. by team members.

Some of the volunteers also took the time to share their experiences. Milena da Silva Oliveira, age 20, from the nursing course, said, “I imagined I would find something very different in the villages, but upon arriving there I could see the humility and simplicity of these people. They are very reserved people, but with an open heart to share their stories and customs. The children, then, are enchanting. Being able to experience these eight days in the villages made me understand the ‘meaning of life,’ and gave me a good understanding of how Indigenous people have always been in our country.”

She added, “They live with hardship and do not have easy access to health care. Yet, they possess one of the most beautiful cultures I have ever seen: dances, rituals, songs. The greatest lesson I will take with me after this trip is knowing that a simple hug or a smile can transform anyone’s life. True happiness lies in the humble way of living. Despite all the differences, we are the same and we must enjoy the simple moments, dedicating ourselves to others.”

João Pedro Sangali Leite, age 23, from the medicine course, noted, “After learning more about the work done together by the Salesians in the villages of Meruri and São Marcos, I decided that I really wanted to participate in the Missionary Volunteer Program so that I could learn and get to know the culture of these people and also to see and be part of the incredible selfless work that the university does in these villages. I experienced unique moments that I will carry with me forever. I think those people, despite all the problems they face, are the happiest and most loving people I have ever met. It is a place where with little you can do a lot and where, despite having almost nothing, you have everything, because fraternity, companionship, solidarity, and friendship prevail over any other problems that may arise. This is the true meaning of family.”

He added, “As for me, the main lessons learned were two — to always share and help and to be grateful for every opportunity life gives us. I experienced a huge reversal of values, because, many times, we end up giving importance to some things that don’t deserve even half the attention we give them, while others, which should have much more care, end up in the background.”

Given the positive results of the experience, Fr. Jácomo announced that registration for the 2023 Missionary Volunteer Expedition will open as early as this month to allow more preparation time for the volunteers who shall be selected. The university also plans to change some of the methodologies of the project to allow for more engagement from the volunteers.

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ANS – Brazil – Salesian Missionary Volunteering: the UniSALESIAN experience

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: 30 students volunteer in Indigenous villages first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Youth Mission Animation, a missionary volunteer project with youth from the St. Pius X Province of Brazil-Porto Alegre, visited 1,631 families from July 10-27. Salesian programs in Guarapuava, Rio do Sul, Porto Alegre, Viamão, Santa Rosa and Rio Grande saw 340 volunteers providing their support during this time.

“We were very happy to be able to carry out this project in person this year since the last two were held online during the pandemic,” said Father Sérgio Ramos de Souza, provincial delegate with the Salesian Youth Ministry. “It was very nice to be together to share life, dreams and above all to have a good experience of Salesian missionary volunteerism.”

In addition to the visits, the mission weeks featured prayer, workshops, oratory activities and vocational support.

“Volunteering is a great way for youth to give back to others in need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth in Salesian programs have access to the education and social supports they need to overcome challenges and lead productive lives. These missionary volunteering experiences give youth the opportunity to take what they have learned in the classroom and pay it forward.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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

ANS – Brazil – Country’s south turns into mission land for young people from Salesian environments

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth volunteers provide support first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian university UniSalesiano’s Mission Volunteering project recently went on a mission trip to the Meruri and São Marcos villages in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Close to 30 people went on the trip to deliver five tons of packages of pasta and tomato sauce to the Boe-Bororo and Xavante Indigenous people in these villages. The food had been collected by Salesian Institute Dom Luiz Lasagna during the food collection campaign event that is part of the Salesian Games initiative.

According to one of the project organizers, Professor Juliana Mitidiero, other initiatives focused on health, education and environment. “Our objective is to strengthen the ties between the academic community and cultural diversity. It is a change seen and experienced by all who participate in this project.”

Franco Garcia, educational coordinator, explained this particular food donation. “The teams that had participated in the Salesian Games worked hard for a month to get the most donations from the entire school community and also from the city of Araçatuba.”

José Valentim da Silva Filho, pastoral care coordinator, reported that the pasta and tomato sauce food kits provided for many Indigenous communities in Mato Grosso. “It was a great campaign. This is the result of the heart of solidarity, which is the heart of the Salesian student.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – “Mission Volunteering,” traveling to Mato Grosso, brings food donations and solidarity to indigenous peoples

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous people receive 5 tons of food support first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) St. Dominic Savio Parish’s Children’s Pastoral Care in Campinápolis, Brazil, recently visited the Xavante village of Santa Fé, where 120 people live in 10 homes. The visit is part of the volunteer efforts of Operation Mato Grosso, a Salesian initiative that provides volunteer support to aid local Indigenous communities.

A month before, the team had been there assessing the health of children at serious risk of malnutrition and returned to monitor these children. Team members found most had a significant jump in weight, showing improvement and recovery. Two of the children who were being monitored were admitted to the Indigenous Health Home (CASAI) to provide them with better health support. During this visit and over the month of support, families received donations of food baskets, and on specific days a hot dish was served to all villagers.

The Children’s Pastoral Care team includes Salesian Deacon José Alves, Delma Cristina, CASAI nutritionist, Djanira Ro’ojadwe Tsi’ewadi, Indigenous manager, and Dieter Willems, a Belgian volunteer.

Willems also participated in activities with the Mobile Missionary Assistance project team, coordinated by Luís Würstle, who was in Campinápolis to provide maintenance for artesian wells in several villages in the area. Willems, an economist, spent about a month in the Indigenous area of Mato Grosso, providing missionary activities.

Also volunteering during this time was Dr. Paolo Fior, an Italian pulmonologist, who collaborated with Salesians in June. Dr. Fior said, “My experience has been to be with people, especially the Xavante people. I’ve been helping out at the health center because they really need health services for many of the diseases they are affected by. There are many children in the villages who need it. Access to health care is complicated, so it’s a good thing to be able to help them in their own villages themselves.”

Dr. Fior added that taking care of the health of Indigenous people is a way to help preserve the culture of the people. “I realized that this work is very important. It is also very important for the city of Campinápolis to know that there are people who go all the way to the very last village to give them some attention as well. We prepared food for them to show that there are people who care about them, who care about their health, and who like and respect the Xavante people.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesians and volunteers among indigenous people, to share bread, feed the hungry, heal the sick

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Volunteers provide nutrition and health support to Xavante people first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students from the Salesian Technical School IPES collected food to donate to the families of students involved in the “Building Bridges” project at the Salesian Center for Adolescent Workers. The project, focused on the municipality of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, was developed by the Salesian Center for Adolescent Workers.

This was the second time the project donated food items. The first donation was provided to 20 students in vulnerable situations who were involved in a 10-month training course to prepare for the workforce.

“Feeding projects such as this give youth a chance to pay it forward and help others in need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian students are dealing with much more than focusing on their studies. Many lack basic needs such as food and shelter that are critical first steps in gaining an education. Programs like this ensure youth have what they need to have a brighter future.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Second edition of “Building Bridges” Project

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students donate food to families first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Educational Center, located in Natal, Brazil, in collaboration with the Solidarity Bus Project of the Urban Transportation Companies Union and the Municipal Secretariat of Labor and Social Assistance of Natal, distributed food aid to 300 families of youth who attend the oratory at the center.

The initiative was made possible thanks to food collection activities in the city’s supermarkets that were launched to help people in economically and socially vulnerable situations. More than 700 youth from vulnerable backgrounds attend the Don Bosco Educational Center’s oratory. Since March 2020, the center has joined efforts with various public and private partners to address food shortages brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Salesians in Brazil and around the globe are working to ensure that families have the basic necessities they need to survive,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries live in the communities in which they work, so they are perfectly positioned to assess local need and ensure that relief supplies make it to the families who are most in need.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – “Dom Bosco” Education Center distributes food aid to 300 vulnerable families

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Don Bosco Educational Center provides food aid to 300 families first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Operation Mato Grosso, with the aid of Italian benefactors, provided 300 food baskets to Indigenous Xavante families in the villages of Campinápolis, Brazil. Operation Mato Grosso is led by Vanderlei Miranda Souza, a volunteer who has been working with the Xavante people for 20 years.

Souza said, “God never abandons us, especially in this moment of crisis, of difficulty, in which so many people are suffering. We still find so many generous people in this world to do good. Donations on holidays strengthen the work of the Salesians who work throughout the year among the Indigenous people.”

Father José Alves added, “For us Salesians, having the group Operation Mato Grosso as a partner in this work of service to the Xavante Indigenous community is an immense gift from God.”

Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty and are receiving support and training for the cultivation of land. They also receive financial support for the purchase of materials, fertilizers and seeds.

Hunger is one of the biggest challenges and the situation has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 500 Indigenous people are regularly hired by state and municipal governments to work in the field of education. With school suspended to avoid infection, people were without work and their families faced hunger. There have been several cases of underweight and malnourished children — and even deaths of children — due to illnesses aggravated by the lack of food.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those living in poverty in Brazil. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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ANS – Brazil – “Operation Mato Grosso” group distributes food baskets to indigenous families in Campinápolis

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous families receive food baskets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Don Bosco Institute in Americana, a municipality located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, has been working to improve the bee population. Youth have been learning about the importance of bees in the ecosystem and their interdependence for human survival. Bees are disappearing in part because of increasing pesticide use in the country, along with deforestation, forest fires, climate change and biotic diseases.

Students explored why lost swarms of bees were making hives inside pillars, walls, pipes and even electrical energy panels. The goal was to help the bees find more appropriate places for their hives, and students began studying urban beehives as one of the ways to preserve the species.

A Salesian noted, “All groups are affected, not just people, but all living beings are under pressure and run extremely high risks with the decrease in the number of bees and their path to extinction, as they are extremely important in the cycle of the food chain. Therefore, if they become extinct, they will take all of humanity and various other forms of life with them.”

While the students were learning about urban beehives, they came up with several solutions including creating beehives in houses, apartments and institutions. Students also determined the importance of fostering awareness and education on the issues, as well as using social media, newspapers and other avenues to help spread the message. They also want to form partnerships with students from other schools, institutions and public bodies.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Shall we pollinate this idea?

Salesian Don Bosco Institute

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth work to improve bee population first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the Salesian Parish São Domingos Sávio, Children’s Pastoral and the Center for Indigenous Health (CASAI) are working collaboratively to address malnutrition faced by Indigenous children in the municipalities of Nova Xavantina and Campinápolis in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

Father José Alves traveled with Deusmira Moreira, coordinator of Children’s Pastoral, and Delma Cristina, a nutritionist with CASAI, to visit the villages of Indigenous Xavante people. The main objective was to monitor cases of underweight children in the São Pedro health micro-area, guiding parents and referring the most serious cases to the responsible health unit.

Fr. Alves said, “This collaborative work is very good because when people leave here, they already have a list of children in the villages who have already been identified as underweight, very underweight or already suffering from malnutrition and who must be accompanied because of this.”

During the visits, the nutritionist notes the child’s low weight or malnutrition and connects the family to CASAI in Campinápolis for hospitalization. At CASAI, staff members monitor food intake and increase the children’s meals to several times a day. The goal is for children to achieve a normal weight and be able to return to their village.

Some parents do not want their children to be sent to CASAI. There is also a fear that the child or the accompanying adult may have contact with patients with other diseases, such as COVID-19.

“In cases where parents don’t want to bring their children, and we can’t force them, we give them a kit offered by the Children’s Ministry,” explained Fr. Alves. “This is a ‘soup kit’ that contains vegetables, noodles, ground meat or chicken. These are obtained through donations and provided to the family so that the child receives a little more nutrition each day. The challenge is that often food is scarce and there are many people in the family, and then not all families allocate that food to the child who really needs it.”

During a recent visit, additional children were identified as underweight and malnourished. These children are up to age 6 and undergo periodic evaluation by technicians from CASAI and Children’s Pastoral.

“This collaboration with CASAI is very positive because health personnel are involved,” added Fr. Alves. “The nutritionist and nurses who already work in the area can tell us the most serious cases so that we can intervene with the families and responsible bodies here in the city of Campinápolis. The Salesian Parish São Domingos Sávio is grateful to the coordinator Deusmira and also to the health team that works with the Indigenous children.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Child malnutrition worries agents for indigenous health, children’s pastoral care and Salesian missionaries in Campinápolis

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous children facing malnutrition receive care first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, collaborated with Santa Casa Hospital to inaugurate a modern outpatient and diagnostics building. The project was made possible thanks to the Mais Médicos (More MDs) program, which promoted a medicine course at the university.

During the inauguration ceremony, Father Paulo Jácomo, vice rector for pastoral care, and Msgr. Sérgio Krzywy, bishop of Araçatuba, led a moment of prayer and blessing. Dilador Borges, mayor of Araçatuba, stressed the importance of the collaboration between the university and the hospital. “This is why we have done our part, trying to reduce the bureaucracy. Let’s join forces to build even more,” he said.

Father Erondi Tamandaré, director general of UniSalesiano, noted that the Salesians are one of the largest educational agencies in the world and that every day they dedicate themselves to millions of young people, mostly in need.

According to Professor André Ornellas, vice rector for teaching, research and postgraduate courses, the Salesian University and Santa Casa Hospital will foster an entire model of excellence in health care. “Collaboration with the municipal and hospital health care also comes with the medicine course. In this case, the Salesian University invests in the single health system with infrastructure projects and the purchase of new equipment.”

Dr. Antônio Poletto, coordinator of the medicine course, added that one of the objectives is to have an impact on the public health network. He highlighted the renovation of the building that now houses the Auxilium Specialized Health Center, where Salesian medical students are trained. He said, “All this and much more will certainly benefit the local population and our students. They are modern facilities and able to better serve a greater patient capacity in Araçatuba and the region.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – “UniSALESIANO” finances opening of new outpatient building in Araçatuba

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano Araçatuba

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: New medical facilities inaugurated first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The new school year for Salesian Mons. Luiz Lasagna Institute (Dom Luiz Lasagna School) located in Araçatuba, Brazil, began on Jan. 24 with many new features for students. From kindergarten to high school, the school invested in quality learning and technology over the school break. Father Erondi Tamandaré, director of the school, said that the search for innovation in teaching is necessary.

A robotics classroom was created for the elementary school. For all grade levels, there are new spaces for extra-curricular courses such as indoor soccer and karate, as well as a new and well-equipped gym. The new high school will now offer students advanced education in mathematics, physics and languages. Teaching will also be enriched by a collaboration between the school and Salesian University UniSALESIANO.

“Innovation in education is important to ensure that students and teachers have access to the latest technologies,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian schools aim for constant improvements when it’s financially possible to do so. The level of quality education and diversity in curricula for our students help them gain an education so they can continue their education or enter the workforce.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesian School of Araçatuba invests in quality and technology to offer better education

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSALESIANO

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: School invests in tools for quality learning first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) With the support of the local community, two Salesian priests launched the new Salesian Saint Frances de Sales Oratory in Porto Velho, Brazil, in the Salesian Center for Minors building, which closed at the end of 2019. The Salesian Center had once trained hundreds of youth in vocational courses. Now the building has new life supporting at-risk youth and those living in conditions of poverty.

From March to June, 20 youth came together to clean the rooms, paint the volleyball and soccer fields, and prepare the arcades, games, meeting rooms and kitchen. The oratory brings together more than 300 youth on Saturday afternoons and Wednesday evenings after school. The majority of youth come from poor families. They have little opportunity for recreation activities or connection with peers and supportive adults in a safe and positive atmosphere. Thanks to many Italian and local benefactors, Salesian missionaries have also been able to provide youth with snacks and juice.

The largest event held at the oratory to date has been a gathering of more than 500 people for National Day of the Child on Oct. 20. The event provided an opportunity for parents and guardians to come together to see everything that the oratory has to offer youth and the community.

“Salesian youth centers offer a safe place for youth to engage in constructive activities during leisure time—such as sports, art and music. Youth learn teamwork and social skills, which provide opportunities for growth and maturity,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – New oratory “St Frances de Sales” in Porto Velho

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Youth find opportunities in new oratory first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Team members of the Ambulant Missionary Assistance (AMA) Project, led by Salesian Brother Alois, provided maintenance to seven artesian wells in Xavante villages in Campinápolis, Brazil. Heavy rains and thunderstorms are frequent in the region, and lightning often causes damage to well pumps, leaving communities without drinking water. The water of the rivers becomes muddy and unsuitable for human consumption, putting the health of Indigenous people, especially children, at risk.

The AMA Project is part of the Salesian Mission of Mato Grosso, which aims to provide technical support to Salesians working with Indigenous populations including the Xavante and Boe-Bororo ethnic groups.

“Projects like this help ensure that remote communities have access to the drinking water they need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water access brings a sense of dignity to children and their families and reduces the number of waterborne illnesses affecting these villages.”

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

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – AMA Project carries out maintenance of water wells in Xavante villages of Campinápolis

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UN Water

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Well restoring project ensures clean water access in remote villages first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Radio Don Bosco (Radio Dom), an online radio station established by Salesian missionaries and students in 2017 in Curitiba, Brazil, has been awarded first place in the radio journalism category by the Association of Public Defenders of the State of Ceará. This award, announced on Nov. 29, gave recognition to an investigative report created by two of the station’s journalists about the violence and murders committed in that state.

The report, “Who was killed? Black, poor and of the peripheries: The profile of murder victims in Ceará,” was broadcast on Nov. 1 and was produced by journalists Jocasta Pimentel and Roberta Farias. It highlights the profile of the majority of murder victims in Fortaleza, based on a study carried from the Office of Public Defenders of the State of Ceará.

The award, now in its fifth edition, had as its theme “Public defenders: Ensuring rights, justice and citizenship for the most needy.” It included four categories in the journalistic competition: print (including both newspapers and magazines), radio, television, and online/digital news portals. Awards are also given in the same categories to university students who are taking social communication/journalism courses.

Andrea Coelho, president of the Association of Public Defenders of the State of Ceará, noted that the journalism awards honor and recognize the work of journalists, reporters, and communication professionals who contribute to spreading the message of the public defenders’ values of democracy, citizenship, and human rights.

Youth produce the majority of the content that is aired on Radio Don Bosco, which is an integral part of the Salesian communication network in Brazil and is maintained in association with Vatican Radio and other broadcasters. Today, Radio Don Bosco has 20 programs and an audience of more than 150,000 listeners. The radio headquarters are in Lorraine with other centers in Curitiba, São Paulo and Piracicaba.

“The radio station is yet another avenue to reach youth and promote hope through education and social development,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students working at the station also have a chance to have hands-on work experience and gain the skills necessary for long-term stable employment.”

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those living in poverty in Brazil. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Radio “FM Dom Bosco” wins 5th Edition of the ADPEC Journalism Award

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Radio Don Bosco journalists honored first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Dom Bosco Catholic University (UCDB) in Campo Grande, Brazil, has been hosting a drive-in vaccination center since mid-2021. It was the first and only one in the city’s northern region. In just five months of operation, the center administered 100,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which helps contribute to a sharp decline in the transmission of the virus, hospitalizations and deaths from the disease.

The drive-in vaccination center was officially opened June 24 in collaboration with the Municipality of Campo Grande through the Municipal Secretariat of Health. Covered courtyards were transformed to receive vehicles safely and so teams could work with comfort and agility. An accessible path to the site was made without disturbing the flow of people circulating through the campus. Eight stations were initially built and then seven more were added to meet the high demand. The drive-in vaccine clinic was made possible through the commitment and dedication of more than 100 employees who collaborated in the management of the site.

“I want to say thank you to our students, teachers and administrative staff who have given everything to vaccinate the population and help us overcome this pandemic, which has claimed so many victims. There is no doubt that the UCDB academic community has made a difference and helped save many lives,” said Father José Marinoni, dean of UCDB.

The university also opened a vaccination room for those who walked to the campus. Today, the campus is the preferred vaccination center for thousands of people who have expressed their gratitude for the care they received.

“My greatest satisfaction is knowing that I am contributing to the immunization of the population, and this gives me the hope that little by little, this pandemic will be over and we will be able to return to normal,” explained Themis Elise de Oliveira Moraes, a 20-year-old student in the nursing course who was one of the volunteers.

Professor Cristiano Marcelo Espínola Carvalho, vice rector for research and postgraduate studies, added, “This is a milestone that fills us with pride. In a short time, we have seen a huge involvement of our academic community to fulfill this project and we can say, with all certainty, that it has been very successful. We all gain from this experience, and the UCDB fulfills its social role of helping the population, which always embraces us with great affection.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – “Dom Bosco” Catholic University reaches milestone of 100,000 vaccine doses administered

Don Bosco Catholic University

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Drive-in vaccine clinic administers COVID-19 vaccine first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students, parents and staff of the Salesian Mons. Luiz Lasagna Institute and the Salesian University UniSALESIANO, both based in Araçatuba, Brazil, planted 100 ipê, which is a flowering plant of the Bignoniaceae family. Liliana Aparecida Cora, academic coordinator of the Salesian Institute, along with Father Erondi Tamandaré, director general of UniSALESIANO, gathered with the students and their families on planting day.

Each student chose a name for the tree they planted. The goal of the initiative was to promote integration, education and environmental awareness on the campus to highlight the relationship between humans and the environment.

Many Salesian institutions around the globe have taken part in tree planting and other environmental awareness projects and education since Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which has as its theme “Good Christians and Upright Citizens.” Pope Francis underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth shape a lifestyle and foster environmental responsibility. Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime noted the importance of concrete initiatives in the care of the environment. The first objective is encouraging the environmental commitment of youth.

Leading many of environmental initiatives is the Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.

“The Don Bosco Green Alliance is helping Salesian organizations in more than 130 countries have a focus on the environment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Don Bosco Green Alliance members work to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Pupils of the Salesian institute “Mons. Luiz Lasagna “plant 100 trees around “Unisalesiano” of Araçatuba

Don Bosco Green Alliance

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSALESIANO

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students plant trees to promote environmental awareness first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Brother Tarley Nunes da Mata, head of the Indigenous Documentation Center in Campinápolis, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, recently attended a meeting with educators who work directly with Indigenous children and youth.

The meeting was also attended by Miriam Lagares, state pedagogical consultant; Nelson Gonçalves, professor of Indigenous teachers and head of the state literacy program Alfabetiza MT; Raquel Miranda, bilingual teacher from the municipality of Campinápolis; and Salesian Deacon José Alves de Oliveira.

Meeting participants discussed Indigenous education, including the recent “Syllabus for Indigenous Literacy” that provides a framework for teaching in the Indigenous language and in Portuguese. The syllabus also outlines the importance of other educational aids.

“At the meeting, Bro. Nunes da Mata presented material published in the areas of social sciences, mathematics, culture and linguistics that included grammar, dictionaries in Portuguese-Xavante and Xavante-Portuguese, notebooks, and other various didactic material,” explained Alves de Oliveira. “Furthermore, Bro. Nunes da Mata knew how to listen to the experiences of each teacher and shared the challenges, successes, and wishes that the municipality of Campinápolis and the state of Mato Grosso are facing with teaching Indigenous students.”

Gonçalves presented his work experience in promoting initiatives and teaching materials both for teacher training and for Indigenous literacy in the state of Mato Grosso.

Alves de Oliveira added, “It was a very beautiful moment because we could see that there is a very rich reality full of possibilities for finding methods and solutions to existing challenges.”

Salesian missionaries provide education and social support to Indigenous communities and help to support those living in poverty and at risk of social exclusion. Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty and are often cut off from the outside world.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those living in poverty in Brazil. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Scholastic Education for the Indigenous People: a Commitment that is Renewed

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Education in Indigenous communities focus of meeting first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Province of Brazil-Campo Grande’s Ambulant Missionary Assistance (AMA) project has begun drilling nine artesian wells in the Indigenous villages of Sangradouro and at the São José Indigenous State School. The wells will be between 131 and 197 feet (40 and 60 meters) deep, depending on the depth of the water table, and will serve about 60 people in each village.

The AMA working group, led by Salesian Brother Alois Würstle, is utilizing trucks equipped with drilling machines capable of digging earth and rocks. The Xavante villages in the region are generally built on the banks of small streams, but during periods of drought the water becomes very muddy. In some severe cases, water is completely lacking.

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

“Salesian missionaries in Brazil and around the globe are working to improve water access, which brings a sense of dignity to children and their families and ensures they have access to proper hygiene and safe drinking water. This also reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that affect these villages,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – The “Itinerant Missionary Assistance” project digs new water wells in the indigenous villages of Sangradouro

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: 9 new wells to bring clean water to Indigenous villages first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Gabriel Fernandes, a 17-year-old student from Parque Dom Bosco, won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, an international prize created in 1997. Every year thousands of bright young minds committed to water conservation and other sustainability issues compete for the honor.

Fernandes, assisted by Professor Fernanda Poleza, created a low-cost solution that improves water quality by retaining plastic particles with a special filter. The created solution will be adopted by the Itajaí Water Company within the Semasa Water Treatment Station in Brazil.

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

“Water is essential for life, and it has become a priority that Salesian programs around the globe have access to safe, clean water for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This young student has worked hard in school to learn skills that will help in the global fight for clean water access. We applaud him for his project and know that it will have an impact within his community.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Young man from “Parque Dom Bosco” wins an international award for water purification from microplastics

Parque Dom Bosco

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Student wins international water prize first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco College in Manaus, Brazil, is celebrating its 100-year anniversary this year. Salesian missionaries first arrived in Manaus in 1921 to start a school to educate youth in the Amazon. The goal was to create a school that would rival those already providing quality education in other regions of Brazil. Salesians first set up youth centers and then offered evening classes before launching a boarding school, which would later become the current Salesian school.

Don Bosco College has modern equipment and a large library as well as computer, physics, chemistry and biology laboratories. The structure of the school is complete with a gym suitable for playing various sports, a swimming pool, indoor sports fields, an auditorium that can accommodate 600 people, a ballroom, a judo room and a space for leisure time.

In 2019, Don Bosco College started assessing the need for a local kindergarten and how it could accommodate that within the building’s current structure. The renovation was completed this year and in July, the “Don Bosco Dreams with Us” project was launched to provide education for Brazilian and Venezuelan children ages 6-12.

Don Bosco College is currently offers courses ranging from kindergarten to level I and II primary schools and high school, with opportunities for full-time education, catechesis, sports, and cultural courses that serve students and the educational community.

“This school expansion allows youth to have a place to start their early education, which lays the foundation for later learning,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Don Bosco College is ensuring that youth living in the Amazon have access to the education they needs to learn the skills for later employment, enabling them to be self-sufficient and contribute to their families and community.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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ANS – Brazil – Manaus celebrates centenary of “Colégio Dom Bosco”

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Iauaretê, Brazil, have opened a new shelter for Indigenous homeless youth. Salesians will welcome children and teens who are alone and abandoned to ensure that their basic needs are met and they receive access to education.

The Salesian mission of Iauaretê consists of a central missionary district which comprises the St. Michael Archangel parish and 11 chapels. However, the work of the Salesian missionaries extends over a far greater area, reaching 40 Indigenous communities made up of 16 different ethnic groups. Missionaries place particular emphasis on their work with adolescents and children in the communities. Every day, the local Salesian oratory welcomes 300 to 500 children who seek out a healthy protective environment.

The new shelter will house those in need of a safe place to stay. The structure has seven single rooms for Salesian staff and guests, two large dormitories that can each house 30 children, a refectory with a capacity of up to 40 children, a kitchen, pantry, laundry, community room and room for activities. Each room will have an internal bathroom and the dormitories will have two bathrooms each. Outside there will be space for youth to play and have fun with their peers.

Father Roberto Cappelletti, who is responsible for the Salesian community, said, “As soon as I arrived here in February 2015, I immediately realized the precarious housing situation in which the Salesians had been living for the past 10 years. An attic covered with zinc sheets with temperatures reaching 40 degrees during the day, an environment infested with bats, mice and spiders, where no human being deserves to live. In addition to this, as I learned about the reality little by little, I perceived how many boys and girls, who already normally live in unstructured families, without a decent home, were left to themselves.”

The Salesian community is working to provide education in a region of Brazil that is closed off to the outside world both in culture and in geographic borders. This new shelter is another step in ensuring that youth have what they need to access education and learn skills for employment to better their future and also help their community.

The project took five years to complete from inception to final construction. Mission Don Bosco and other benefactors helped provide the financing for the project. Fr. Cappelletti also thanked Carlinhos Dias, the project’s operational manager.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people have fallen into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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ANS – Brazil – Inauguration of new shelter for indigenous children in Iauaretê

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Province of Brazil-Recife organized a live show to help raise funds for families in need. The show aired on the province’s YouTube channel, as well as on the channel of singer-songwriter Father João Carlos Ribeiro and on FM radio through Dom Bosco Fortaleza. It was also relaunched by digital and community radio stations connected with the Salesian Province. In total, the event raised enough funding for 200 food baskets for those in need.

“The best result of this live solidarity drive is, without doubt, the greater visibility offered to local initiatives, which may even involve other volunteers and benefactors,” said Fr. Ribeiro.

The live initiative was developed by the directors of 12 Salesian centers, under the direction of the Provincial Office for Social Communication. The initiative has helped continue efforts by Salesians to assist poor families by providing awareness information about COVID-19, food and anti-contagion protection devices.

Earlier this year, Salesian centers received financial support from the Salesian Network of Brazil which has allocated specific resources to support these initiatives. During the live broadcast, videos and testimonials were broadcast on the many initiatives that have been carried out at the local level for those most in need during the pandemic. Performances were also delivered by artists and singers.

Father Nivaldo Pessinatti, provincial, presided over the event, welcoming people, leading prayer and thanking those who were donating. The 200 food baskets will be divided among the Salesian centers to be delivered.

Following the event, representatives from the Salesian centers met to evaluate the event’s outcome. They discussed future events where they could engage schools, parents and Salesian radio stations. The goal is to continue support for individuals and families who are still struggling with hunger and poverty in the face of the global pandemic.

“Salesians in Brazil and around the globe are working to ensure that families have the basic necessities to get through this challenging time,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Launching initiatives like this are a way to highlight the skills and talents of those connected to Salesian centers while bringing entertainment to those who may be able to help pay it forward and help those in their community.”

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people have fallen into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – “Em rede contra a fome”: live solidarity show collects food baskets for 200 families

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Educational Center, located in Natal, Brazil, received 1.5 tons of non-perishable food to distribute to families in need who are assisted by the center in the Lagoa Azul neighborhood and surrounding areas. The food was collected as part of the Brazilian army’s “Help is in our hands” campaign. The goal of the initiative is to help low-income families who have seen their socio-economic situation worsen with the pandemic.

The commander of the 7th Motorized Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Carlos José Rocha Lima presided over a ceremony while delivering the food to various institutions in Natal. Father Eneas Andrade de Araújo, deputy director of the Don Bosco Center, and Janaína Félix, a social worker, received the donation.

Since March 2020, Don Bosco Educational Center has joined efforts with various public and private partners to address food shortages. The center has served more than 2,000 families with basic food packages and hygiene kits. More than 1,000 people have needed additional assistance services because they are vulnerable to social and economic risk.

“Salesians in Brazil and around the globe are working to ensure that families have the basic necessities to get through this challenging time,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries live in the communities in which they work, so they are perfectly positioned to assess local need and ensure that relief supplies make it to the families who are most in need.”

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people have fallen into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Don Bosco Natal Educational Center receives 1.5 tons of food

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande, Brazil, has received an average of 1,500 people per day at its COVID-19 vaccine clinic. The clinic is set up across three sports fields and is supported by 200 students, teachers and administrative employees who help in the administration of vaccines.

The clinic, which operates under the responsibility of the Municipal Secretariat of Health, was launched on June 24 with eight vaccine locations and later expanded to 15 locations. Don Bosco Catholic University supports the clinic and provides students from nursing, pharmacy and biomedicine courses to help with its operation.

The clinic was set up as a drive-in so patients do not need to leave their cars to receive their dose. This set-up ensures greater agility and minimizes contact between people waiting to be vaccinated.

“With this drive-in service, Don Bosco Catholic University feels embraced by the people of Campo Grande and can even embrace them again in turn. We know that we are benefiting the population and this is gratifying. We are doing what Don Bosco would have done in his time, opening the doors and helping in difficult moments,” said Salesian Brother Raffaele Lochi, the interim rector of Don Bosco Catholic University.

Since the start of the pandemic, Don Bosco Catholic University has helped support its local community in the fight against COVID-19. The university lent one of its super freezers to the Municipality of Campo Grande to conserve vaccines, which must be stored at temperatures well below freezing. The university also provided use of high-tech machinery for the processing of swabs at the central laboratory of Mato Grosso do Sul.

At Don Bosco Catholic University’s Clinical School dozens of people benefited from psychological assistance offered to those who suffered from the pandemic and its consequences. Those who have contracted the virus and suffer its aftermath also benefited from sessions for strengthening muscle and for improving breathing.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people have fallen into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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ANS – Brazil – Over 12,000 people immunized in just 8 days thanks to anti-Covid-19 vaccination center at Don Bosco Catholic University

Don Bosco Catholic University

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: University supports drive-in clinic for vaccine efforts first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Thanks to the collaboration between the Municipality of Araçatuba in Brazil and the Faculty of Medicine of UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, the city has a new health center called Auxilium. The health center is centralizing specialist outpatient services to ensure efficient, systematized and patient-centered health care.

The health center will have doctors available who specialize in cardiology, urology, otolaryngology, orthopedics, and angiology. There is also a multidisciplinary team made up of professionals in the areas of physiotherapy, nursing, nutrition and social work, along with programs to treat patients with Hansen’s disease and those undergoing ostomy. A gynecology clinic is equipped for all minor tests and surgeries.

The facility will also host the Reference Center for Workers’ Health, which provides medical and nursing assistance; and new equipment dedicated to physiotherapy.

The agreement also provided restructuring of the former municipal emergency room, located in the Santana district. This restructuring enabled practical training for UniSalesiano medical students at the health center.

Various religious authorities, politicians and professionals took part in an inauguration event on June 16, which was broadcast on the municipality’s social media channels.

“May this place be a source of blessing for many people and may it express efforts in favor of the common good in this way,” said Msgr. Sérgio Krzywy, the bishop of Araçatuba, before proceeding to the blessing of the premises.

Secretary for Health of Araçatuba Carmem Guariente thanked the Salesians for the successful collaboration, which began in 2017, and assured “this is the first of many to come.”

Fr. Ricardo Carlos, Salesian provincial of the Brazil-Campo Grande Province and UniSalesiano chancellor, stressed the importance of collaboration. He said, “Society needs to look at these good examples. I congratulate all the people involved who, in fact, contributed to this center being reborn, and that there are many other initiatives like this and that our society is the great beneficiary.”

Mayor Dilador Borges also expressed a similar sentiment. “This agreement with UniSalesiano will bear many fruits. We shall have many health professionals who will pass through here and will remember the institute that trained them.”

Brazil is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Salesians inaugurate new “Specialized Health Center – Auxilium” in Araçatuba

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UniSalesiano Araçatuba

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: New health center provides specialist services first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Indigenous Xavante people, who live within the Campinápolis village in the Brazilian state of Mato Grasso, have been receiving food baskets and other supplies thanks to donors from the local Salesian St. Domenico Savio Parish. Indigenous people represent about 60 percent of the population of the municipality of Campinápolis.

Today, there are about 10,000 Xavante people in the region, spread over more than 200 villages. These communities face extreme poverty and are receiving support and training for the cultivation of land, as well as financial support for the purchase of materials, fertilizers and seeds.

Hunger is one of the biggest challenges and the situation has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 500 Indigenous people are regularly hired by state and municipal governments to work in the field of education. Given school has been suspended to avoid infection, people have been without work and their families are facing hunger. There have been several cases of underweight and malnourished children—and even deaths of children—due to illnesses aggravated by the lack of food.

The food basket initiative was done in collaboration with the Salesian Operation Mato Grosso, the Immaculate Conception Parish of Bilac in the state of São Paulo, and the Indigenist Missionary Council. The needs are much greater than what has already been received. Salesian Deacon José Alves de Oliveira said, “This is the help we are giving, but we see that it is still too little to satisfy the great demand of the population. Help is desperately needed.”

Even though needs remain, recipients expressed gratitude and deep thanks for the help. Moisés, the deputy head of the Xavante people in the village of São Pedro, said, “This donation is a cause of great joy for our whole community. Thank you very much.” The same sentiment was expressed by Vitório, the deputy head of the village of Imaculada Conceição, where in addition to food, clothes and shoes were also distributed. He said, “Thank you so much for remembering us.”

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those living in poverty in Brazil. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Benefactors help indigenous people in distress during pandemic

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Indigenous Xavante people facing hunger receive food baskets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing concern of hunger in Brazil, the Brazilian Salesian Network has provided $462,374 (R$ 2.4 million reais) to support food assistance initiatives by Salesian institutions throughout the country. “Networking against Hunger” is the theme for the initiative.

The Brazilian Salesian Network is made up of the six Salesian provinces and four Daughters of Mary Help of Christians provinces in Brazil. Both groups collaborate on projects aimed at educational, welfare and pastoral support.

The economic difficulties of thousands of families and people who find themselves in conditions of social vulnerability due to unemployment were considered as a priority when launching this initiative. The project runsfrom May 21 to June 21.

To receive the funding, local Salesian institutions must present projects to the Brazilian Salesian Network for them to be analyzed and approved. Considering the urgency for immediate assistance for people and families in social vulnerability, projects that will be awarded funding will include the purchase of food items and/or the distribution of food in other ways.

“The pandemic has caused the loss of income and ability to provide for their families for many around the globe,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “As a result, many families have been pushed further into poverty and are facing hunger. This initiative and others like it are ensuring that families have their basic needs met during this challenging time.”

Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. There are large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – Brazil Salesian Network promotes “Networking against hunger” campaign

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Initiative focuses on reducing hunger first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Students in the medical program at the Salesian University, known as UniSalesiano, participated in the Secretariat of Health of Araçatuba’s COVID-19 vaccination program in Brazil. The 160 participating students took a course in vaccinations and had hands-on supervision while administering the vaccinations.

Secretary of Health Carmen Guariente noted that the collaboration between the municipality and UniSalesiano was important. It offered students direct experience through orientation, access to operating procedures and the application of doses. The initiative also helped local health workers meet the local needs and demands for vaccination.

“This vaccination initiative provided support to the local health community and provided Salesian students an opportunity to work hands-on in the medical field,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “These kinds of initiatives are important for students who are learning and provide a good way for Salesian students to apply the skills they have learned while giving back to the community.”

In August 2020, UniSalesiano launched a similar initiative providing hepatitis C testing for adults. It also transformed a municipal emergency room into a specialized clinic. The Rotary Club of Araçatuba, which started a hepatitis C awareness campaign, provided 400 testing kits to UniSalesiano. Professor Rossana Abud Cabrera Rosa stressed the project’s importance and invited the population to participate. Identifying the disease is not easy as it only shows symptoms in an advanced stage.

At the time Cabrera Rosa stated, “This is an annual campaign, sponsored by the Rotary Club, to eradicate hepatitis C around the world. This type of action is very important for our academics because students learn to do the test, to read the result and to be in contact with the public. They also learned the operational procedures for the prevention of COVID-19.”

In Brazil, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – 160 UniSALESIAN Medicine students participate in vaccination campaign against Covid-19

UniSalesiano Salesian University Aracatuba

UniSalesiano Aracatuba Facebook

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Students help administer COVID-19 vaccinations first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Brazil is among the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the Salesian University UniSales, located in Vitória in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, is helping people who are suffering from the long-term effects of the virus through its Integrated Community Health Care Center. The Salesian University’s Faculties of Physiotherapy and Nutrition are providing assistance both in-person and remotely.

The initiative was launched after the realization that many patients are still experiencing difficulties long after recovering from COVID-19. The lingering after-effects have included symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain and mental confusion.

Professor Miriam Paixão’s dietary guidance will help the recovery of these patients. She said, “We believe that offering this accompanying pathway will help the population of Espírito Santo who are not in a position to afford prolonged treatment for full recovery from COVID-19.”

Paixão added, “The patient, after being intubated, does indeed need attention with regard to diet.” She noted that nutrition can help improve symptoms as well as problems associated with chronic diseases that individuals could have already been suffering.

The services are free and bookable with a simple phone call. Salesian staff members are focused on helping patients with respiratory, motor, neurological and metabolic physiotherapy as well as assisting patients who have been intubated and suffer from dysphagia, reflux, dyspnea, hair loss, alteration of the gastrointestinal tract, weight loss, joint pain or weakened nails.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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

ANS – Brazil – UniSales of Vitória offers free treatment to patients with post-Covid-19 disorders

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Two graduates of UniSalesiano, the Salesian University in Araçatuba, Brazil, have collaborated to launch a unique veterinary clinic. Veterinarian Fabianna de Simone Souza graduated from UniSalesiano four years ago. At first, she worked in a local area business but then decided to pursue her dream of opening her own veterinary clinic.

Souza said, “I wanted something that was an extension of people’s homes with benches to sit outside, gardens to relax. Something out of the ordinary.” She contacted Professor Giuliano Pincerato, coordinator of the architecture program at UniSalesiano. She noted, “It was the first thing that came to mind. UniSalesiano has such a wealth of professionals and projects that I decided that the facade of the clinic would be done by some of them.”

Souza’s request was examined and it was decided that the university would help her. Professor Pincerato said, “It was the union of veterinary with architecture that made it possible to achieve the goal of adapting the space in the best possible way.”

Architect Mariana Rie Nonaka Yamaguchi, who graduated last year from UniSalesiano, was in charge of the project. Yamaguchi prepared a re-adaptation of the spaces in the clinic, including the rooms and the decor. She explained, “This project was very useful for my final dissertation. It is enriching to leave the classroom and have contact with the client. It helps you to develop confidence. It was a sensational experience.”

Souza now has her own veterinary clinic where she can fulfill her dream of treating animals in an ethical, dignified and humane way. These are all traits she has said that have a lot to do with the training she received at UniSalesiano. “It was wonderful to attend your dream faculty in a place that provides the student with attention to her practical experiences. For five years, in parallel with the theoretical lessons, I carried out internships which were very important for my learning and my career.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Collaboration between past pupils from different faculties of “UniSALESIANO” gives life to veterinary clinic

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Unique veterinary clinic built by UniSalesiano graduates first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco House, located in Americana in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, recently provided more than 2,000 toys to children in need. The donation event was created to provide children a chance for play and happiness during this difficult time.

Don Bosco House has been in operation for more than 70 years and provides a range of services and programs to the community. The grounds include a library, science and computer labs, auditorium and mini-theater, playroom, music room, and arts room. Sports are also prominent at Don Bosco House, and it offers a swimming pool, multi-sports courts, soccer field, schoolyard and play space.

The school at Don Bosco House uses technology to aid education through digital didactic material with access to broadband for elementary and high school students. The goal is to provide advanced education to youth so they can continue to study in university or technical education programs to later gain employment and become self-sufficient.

“Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives. The toy drive and ongoing work at Don Bosco House help to provide hope and support for the entire community.”

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – Over 2,000 toys distributed to children

Don Bosco House Americana Facebook

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Children in need receive toys first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Corumbá, Mato Grosso, Brazil, provided 150 food baskets to families in need over the Christmas holiday and more than 900 food baskets over the last year. These efforts were made possible by the Bell of Charity project, one of the largest and most traditional humanitarian aid and charitable projects in the Corumbá region, which was created more than 50 years ago by Salesian Father Ernesto Sassida. In 2020, the Bell of Charity project was helped by the Municipal Social Assistance Fund project.

In addition, food, clothes and toys collected and donated by local residents were distributed to families during the weeks before Christmas. The efforts were supported by partner companies and institutions. The items were collected and distributed by Don Bosco City.

“Salesian programs provide more than education to help families in need and nutritional support is essential, especially this year as many families struggle,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian organizations are appreciative of the support they receive from local community members and businesses who help support their initiatives. It’s collaboration that makes programs possible.”

Don Bosco City offers a range of education and social development programs for poor youth and their families in the region. The Don Bosco State School provides elementary and high school education to 2,000 students. The Happy Children and Adolescents Program assists close to 500 children and adolescents in situations of social vulnerability, providing socio-education and social, psychological and educational training as well as nutritional support. Don Bosco City also offers an Adolescent Apprentice Program, which provides hands-on training in the labor market through a partnership with companies in the region.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

The World Bank estimates that about 28.6 million Brazilians moved out of poverty between 2004 and 2014. But from the start of 2016 to the end of 2017, the World Bank estimates that 2.5 million to 3.6 million have fallen back below the poverty line earning less than 140 Brazilian reais per month. Economists blame high unemployment, near 13 percent, and cuts to key social welfare programs for challenges in the country.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – “Sino da Caridade” project delivers 150 food baskets to poor families in Corumbá

Don Bosco City

Don Bosco City Facebook

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Struggling families receive food baskets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) The Dom Bosco School, located in Campo Grande, Brazil, is celebrating its 90th anniversary. Founded in 1930, the school has contributed much to the communities of Campo Grande and Mato Grosso do Sul, and it has been a site for learning and social programs for poor youth in the region.

The school expanded several times to incorporate the Don Bosco Museum of Cultures in the 1950s, and the Dom Aquino Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, founded in 1962. This later became the Don Bosco Catholic University in 1993. The expansion of the institute in the 1980s, with the construction of the Don Bosco Sports Complex, made it the largest multi-sports educational center in the State.

The school offers space for community meetings, and the chapel is visited daily by students and visitors. The covered courtyard and the other internal courtyards and playgrounds provide a spot for community congregation and recreation. Nothing, however, is more important than the educational programs offered.

“The difference of a Salesian school from the others is the way in which everything is fulfilled—through much joy, love, affection and dialogue,” explained Professor Monica Brites, a teacher at the Dom Bosco School for the last 25 years. “As an educator, I see this system very much alive and current in our relationship with today’s young people. Through this pedagogical practice we guarantee them an integral education and, following Don Bosco’s great goal, we form good Christians and upright citizens.”

The Dom Bosco School welcomes children starting at the kindergarten level. At the elementary school, bilingual education, implemented in 2019 in collaboration with the International School, teaches students the English language and broadens their horizons. The school also offers access to new technologies.

Students in the high school take full-time coursework, which features interactive lessons and workshops prepared to complete the teaching-learning process. Finally, school ministry engages students in celebrations and meetings for the various educational levels, promoting parties and formation opportunities.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – First 90 years of Colégio Dom Bosco’s quality education in Campo Grande

Dom Bosco School

Dom Bosco School Facebook

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: School celebrates 90 years of contributions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) People living in the villages of Campinápolis and Aldeia Corpo de Cristo in Brazil have six artesian wells for clean water access thanks to the Salesian Ambulant Mission Assistance project, an initiative of the Brazil-Campo Grande Province. Salesians built the new wells to make up for the serious lack of water in the region. More than 50 families have benefited.

The Ambulant Mission Assistance project, led by Salesian Brother Alois Würstle, provides technical support to Salesians who work in missions with indigenous populations, especially with the Xavante and Boe-Bororo ethnic groups.

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

“Water is essential for life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water access, which is especially needed in remote areas of Brazil, brings a sense of dignity to children and their families and ensures they have access to proper hygiene and safe drinking water. This reduces the number  of waterborne illnesses that affects these villages.”

The World Bank estimates that about 28.6 million Brazilians moved out of poverty between 2004 and 2014. But from the start of 2016 to the end of 2017, the World Bank estimates that 2.5 million to 3.6 million fell back below the poverty line earning less than 140 Brazilian reais per month. Economists blame high unemployment, near 13 percent, and cuts to key social welfare programs for challenges in Brazil.

Issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain the root causes for those in poverty. Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesians working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth with opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – AMA project delivers 6 artesian wells to indigenous villages

Salesian Missions – Brazil

UN Water

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: People living in 2 villages have 6 artesian wells thanks to Salesian Ambulant Mission Assistance project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Dom Bosco Educational Center in Gramoré in Natal, Brazil, have distributed packages of food to families assisted by the local Salesian oratory. These efforts are part of the #camosjuntos campaign promoted by Parage Norte Shopping Natal. The first distribution was 150 food packages and the second was 250. The efforts are made possible with the support of the Municipal Secretariat for Labor and Social Assistance of Natal and the Union of Urban Transport Companies of the Municipality of Natal.

Since March, Dom Bosco Educational Center has joined efforts with various public and private partners to address food shortages. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Dom Bosco Educational Center has served around 2,000 families with basic food packages and hygiene kits. More than 1,000 people have needed assistance services from the Salesian organization, and they are vulnerable to social and economic risk.

“Salesians in Brazil and around the globe are working to ensure that families have the basic necessities to get through this challenging time,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries live in the communities in which they work so they are perfectly positioned to assess local need and ensure that relief supplies make it to the families who are most in need.”

Relief work has been happening in Salesian centers and institutions across the country since March. The Salesian Network, in collaboration with partners, provided 460 youth and their families with food assistance in the city of Manaus on the banks of the Negro River in northwestern Brazil. Families in need were tracked and identified through an app. More than 800 baskets of food were delivered, with deliveries observing the guidelines for coronavirus prevention provided by the World Health Organization. This is just one of many examples of how Salesian organization have rallied together, connected with their networks and helped families in need.

Brazil has one of the strongest economies in Latin America and is an important agricultural and industrial power in the region. Just over 15 percent of Brazilians live in poverty, with the majority living in the rural northeast of the country, according to the World Bank. While Brazil is making positive changes, there are still large gaps between the poor and the rich, and issues of income inequality and social exclusion remain at the root of poverty.

Inequalities also exist in access to education and educational efficiency. These inequalities are greatest for children and youth who are poor, live in rural areas or who have an incomplete compulsory education. Salesian missionaries working with poor youth and their families in Brazil develop programs and provide youth opportunities for furthering their education and skills.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Brazil – “Dom Bosco” Educational Center distributes food parcels

ANS – Brazil – “Solidarity Bus” campaign donates 250 packages of basic necessities to needy families

Salesian Missions – Brazil

World Bank – Brazil

The post BRAZIL: Dom Bosco Educational Center in Gramoré provides food packages to families assisted by local Salesian oratory first appeared on MissionNewswire.