COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Child Jesus Center, located in the San Pedro Claver Province of Bogotá, Colombia, organized an event for the more than 30 women, single mothers and entrepreneurs, who received their certification after training.

The women completed training programs on gender and employability as well as entrepreneurship and business culture. The event was attended by the heads of the different projects and Father Leopoldo Gómez, provincial economer, who shared in this significant moment for the participants.

A Salesian said, “This training not only strengthened their professional and entrepreneurial skills, but also contributed to their personal growth, the recognition of their rights, and the development of an entrepreneurial culture oriented toward building dignified and sustainable lives.”

These programs are the result of the collaborative work of the Salesian Employment Bank, with the support of the German development agency BMZ and Don Bosco Mondo, in partnership with the Social Pastoral Ministry of the Salesian Child Jesus Center, the Salesian University Foundation and the Youth Service Foundation.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries are working to empower youth and women to give them a chance at a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Women transforming their future: education, entrepreneurship and hope

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: More than 30 women receive certificates from training program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The “FESOR Don Bosco” waste management training project for youth in Bogotá, Colombia, officially concluded with an event to share the results achieved by the project. Feedback was gathered to continue strengthening educational and environmental initiatives focused on the protection of the environment.

During the official closing ceremony, Salesians highlighted the opportunities created by this initiative, including the enhancement of training for youth, as well as the students’ personal growth and awareness in the field of environmental protection.

A Salesian noted, “With optimism and enthusiasm, we foresee the development of a future second phase of the project, which will allow us to continue on this path — equipping new generations with better tools to care for the planet and promoting real opportunities for sustainable employment in a country where environmental issues are becoming increasingly important.”

The event took place at the Don Bosco Obrero Center, which served as the pilot site for the Integrated Waste Management Module for Electrical and Electronic Equipment and a replica of the Solid Waste Management Module. It included organizations that supported the project including the Economic Cooperation and Development Office of the Swiss Embassy, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, and the United Nations Development Programme.

Also present were representatives of national organizations that are leaders in post-consumer strategies and electronic waste management. A special mention went to EcoPartner, one of the main sponsors of the project, which supported the Salesian center throughout all stages of planning, implementation, and monitoring.

Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country. By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries are working to empower youth and given them a chance at a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Conclusion of the “FESOR Don Bosco” Project: Youth Trained to Care for the Planet

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Students gain skills in environmental protection first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, Colombia, works to improve the lives of vulnerable and at-risk youth who have often had their rights violated. Youth find a welcoming home where they are protected, and they receive support for their development and personal growth.

A Salesian noted, “At Don Bosco City, youth have access to quality education, technical training and social service support, all aimed at providing them with the necessary tools to achieve a future full of opportunities. It’s not just traditional school work. Art, culture and the healthy use of free time are fundamental tools for change. Spaces for fun, sports and folklore act as real agents to combat hostile social contexts and vulnerability.”

Don Bosco City has several specific programs for youth. The Building Dreams program, under the specialized protection house, is for youth ages 14-18 who have been removed from organized illegal armed groups and criminal gangs. Most of them come from rural areas of the country. These youth often experience socio-cultural delays, slower learning rates, behavioral difficulties and emotional problems.

The Salesian noted, “As a firm commitment to justice, peace and reconciliation, and in coordination with the state, the center also promotes socializing meetings in an atmosphere of true joy. The main objective of these events is to strengthen the family ties in a safe space while providing an environment for family cohesion as a basis for their reintegration and integral development.”

Don Bosco City also offers the Michele Magone program, which is a boarding school for young men. The program works to restore their rights with an approach that emphasizes school growth, the strengthening of skills and preparation for the transition to adulthood.

The Seeds of Life program ensures the rights of children under age 12 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The program offers tools for personal development, building networks and access to services and opportunities. The goal is to help these children define an alternative life that allows them to recognize themselves as people with rights and duties, with the ultimate goal of achieving their social inclusion.

Finally, the Leaving Footprints program helps with the development of youth through education in the municipalities in Angelópolis and Amagá. Through an approach that includes education, emotional support and recreational activities, this program provides tools to build a safer and more stable future. In addition, it encourages the active participation of families in the process.

Close to 33% of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS – RMG – The social works that give life to Don Bosco today: “Ciudad Don Bosco” Medellín

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Youth at-risk gain education and social support first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian León XIII College, located in Bogotá, Colombia, held its first Entrepreneurial Association Fair for youth to put entrepreneurial skills into practice and hone their talents in running a business. The fair is the result of a Salesian work group that promotes teamwork and service.

The organizers said, “From the beginning, we promoted Salesian youth leadership, encouraging our students to develop their talents in projects with Salesian values. Each group participated enthusiastically, applying collaborative work, critical thinking and communication skills to respond to the needs of the community.”

They added, “Entrepreneurship in the Salesian spirit is more than creating companies, it is a tool of service. Being a Salesian entrepreneur means having creativity, resilience and passion to transform the environment. Each group presented its own entrepreneurial projects, demonstrating that in this house ‘We educate with our hearts’.”

Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country. By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries are working to empower youth and given them a chance at a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – First Business Association Fair at the León XIII Salesian College

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Youth put skills into practice at entrepreneurial fair first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) John Bosco the Worker Center in Ciudad Bolívar, Colombia, offers educational opportunities and a safe haven for local youth in a region impacted by violence and poverty. Established in 1994, the center is today recognized as a leader in technical training and known for teaching the circus arts.

Ciudad Bolívar is one of the most disadvantaged and dangerous areas south of Bogotá. The informal settlements house nearly 900,000 people, and 18% of families are not able to meet their primary needs of food, services, housing and education. Migrants from Venezuela coming to the area have built precarious homes made of plastic, boards, metal and recycled materials. They often face violence and abuse.

A Salesian explained, “The community continues to expand on the slopes of the mountains and is made up principally of youth and mothers with limited resources. Lately, the area has also seen in the influx of thousands of migrants arriving from Venezuela in search of opportunities for a better life. To all of them, the John Bosco the Worker Center offers a way to escape poverty through education and to escape violence through specific courses in values and material aid.”

The center offers 13 technical training programs, cooking classes, sports and artistic activities. Young migrants are also welcomed through the Reception House for Venezuelan Youth. The center aids families as well, including 120 adults and 40 young mothers. On Saturdays, recreational activities are organized in the streets.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – The John Bosco the Worker Centre, a Salesian reference point in the poorest and most violent area south of Bogotá

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Local youth and migrants can find path out of poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Center (Don Bosco City) in Medellín, Colombia, has been CO2 neutral since 2022. It is the first Don Bosco facility in the world that has reduced its CO2 footprint to zero and works climate neutral. The first step in the process toward this achievement was to work with partners to understand and record CO2 emissions.

Following that, Salesians introduced an environmental management system to improve climate balance with concrete measures, such as solar panels for green power, a solar thermal plant for hot water and a green area.

A Salesian noted, “This is how Don Bosco inspires the local people in Medellín. We aim to be an important pioneer in our Don Bosco family. The clear goal is to make all Don Bosco facilities worldwide CO2 neutral by 2030. We want to contribute to the future task of all mankind and to envision sustainability, both big and small, for a human-friendly climate and an environment worth living.”

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized.

Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco City

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Center works climate neutral first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Reiber Sumoza is a 29-year-old Venezuelan who settled in Colombia after leaving his country due to the tough economic circumstances. While he is trained and has worked in maintenance of air conditioners, he discovered the athletic practice of tightrope and has since made a living with this skill. He’s received support for his skills from the Salesians and hopes to build a better life.

When Sumoza left Venezuela to find work, he also left his two children and his wife behind. He explained, “I haven’t seen them in all this time. It is not easy to talk to them every day, or sometimes every week, but I have a dream to be able to go back this year to be with them, even if for a short time.”

Sumoza has practiced tightrope walking for seven years and has showcased his skills on the streets of Colombia.

One day, Salesian Father Luis Fernando Velandia, director of the Juan Bosco Obrero Technical and Vocational Training Center in Bogotá, stopped to ask what he was doing. Sumoza explained, “The second time we met. He gave me a lot of food and every now and then he would come by and we’d chat. He gave me a Superman costume for one of the numbers I do on the rope, so they call me the Superman of the Santa Lucia neighborhood.”

Fr. Velandia suggested Sumoza join the circus school in the center, but despite several attempts he failed. He noted, “It was due to lack of time because I have to work to eat and live. In return, he lets me go to train there and calls me to do shows for the children.”

Life is not easy for Sumoza, but he finds joy and hope in his skills. He concluded, “With the first coin I receive every day, my spirit rises. I may be sad one day, but when I get on the rope and feel the appreciation of the audience, I feel relieved. Of course, it is difficult to do a hundred traffic lights a day, but we must move forward, because God has a purpose for each of us.”

Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country. By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries are working to empower youth and given them a chance at a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – “Reiberman”, the Venezuelan migrant tightrope walker who discovered Don Bosco in Colombia

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Migrant discovers Don Bosco first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are helping former child soldiers and at-risk youth in Colombia gain an education and have hope for the future. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. In addition, the country’s guerrilla warfare has caused more than 300,000 deaths and fueled the growth of powerful drug cartels.

Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, has been working with youth for more than 55 years and has saved more than 1,300 from a life of violence. The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn — how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

Another program focused on similar work is the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center (Don Bosco Center) in Cali. The Don Bosco Center provides a chance at rehabilitation for youth who have been ripped from their families at a young age to become soldiers.

Upon arrival at the Don Bosco Center, youth are given a uniform and tools that correspond to the profession they have chosen to learn. More importantly, they are given a chance to reclaim their personal identity and begin to rebuild their self-esteem and trust in others.

Don Bosco Center has a team of professionals who help youth establish a training plan. Youth can take coursework to become electricians, industrial mechanics, automobile repair technicians, cooks, tailors, beauticians, welders, computer operators, accountants, librarians or commercial secretaries. Workshops serve as the cornerstone of development. Youth learn safety regulations, handle machines and products, and take life skills training to help personally and professionally.

“All youth deserve a second chance in life, especially when they are introduced and forced into violence at such a young age,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through the Salesian programs, they are able to connect with their peers, spend time with trusted adults and learn the skills for later employment.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34% of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps are working to empower youth and given them a chance at a better life.

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Sources:

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

COLOMBIA: Two young women gain an education and become nurses thanks to Don Bosco City

COLOMBIA: 30 former child soldiers rebuild trust in others

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Salesians work to rehabilitate young soldiers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian “Leaving Footprints” program, launched at Don Bosco City in Medellín, Colombia, has been providing education for 170 youth who once spent time in the coal mines. The program focused on the mining area of Sinifaná, where the main economic and livelihood source is coal mining, and in the cities of Amagá and Angelópolis, where mining has been a part of life for generations.

Youth often go into abandoned coal mine tunnels to extract minerals that their families can use for money and in the process are risking their health and their lives. They have become accustomed to walking through abandoned tunnels or digging new, very narrow tunnels where only they can fit. Along with facing the risk of severe health consequences and danger to their lives, half of the school-age children are no longer going to school, leaving one in five to become illiterate. Girls are the most affected.

The program provided recreational activities through interactive workshops to strengthen youth’s interpersonal and social skills. The aim was to address the risks that affect the physical, emotional, social, and psychological integrity of youth so that if they were faced with a risky situation, they would have all possible resources and skills to deal with it in the best possible way.

The program also provided parents training at meetings held every two months. Family visits have also been planned to assess each household based on behavioral, family and social patterns. To date, 41 visits have been conducted.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8-12 living and receiving education at the program.

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Don Bosco’s footprints lead toward change

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Program educates youth who worked in coal mines first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco City in Colombia has won a special award for carbon neutrality during a ceremony for the “Business Recognition in Sustainability” program. This recognition program was created in 2017 to encourage companies to work with greater commitment to local sustainability. The goal is to recognize companies that promote social stewardship and efficient use of natural resources, as well as implement good practices related to sustainable production, consumption and pollution prevention.

There are currently 79 companies certified as carbon neutral in Colombia, including 17 in Antioquia. Don Bosco City is the first Salesian organization in the world to achieve this recognition.

A Salesian representative from Don Bosco City said, “Our Salesian center has been awarded the gold seal for its practices, such as implementing renewable energy that reduces electricity consumption, planting more than 3,000 trees of native species, incorporating the circular economy and waste management. These are institutional dynamics that focus on caring for the common home and sustainable work development through innovation. These are actions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program. The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized.

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – “Ciudad Don Bosco” receives award for renewable energy implementation

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Special award for carbon neutrality received first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) A group of past pupils from Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, Colombia, has developed a project to improve food access for street children. The goal is to guarantee at least one decent meal at least once a week for these youth who live in extreme poverty. Thanks to the leaders of this project, Salomón Brand and Alex Sepúlveda, other past pupils and friends have joined in to support this initiative. Their project, which has grown to 20 people, is now an example for other past pupils who want to launch projects to support those living in poverty.

Brand and Sepúlveda are among more than 83,000 youth that Don Bosco City has rescued since it opened in 1965. The organization is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn — how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

“We are grateful for the efforts that Don Bosco City’s past pupils are making to pay forward the support and lessons they have learned,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “It goes to show the real value of what they learned at Don Boco City and a testament to who they are as people that they are willing and able to lead such an initiative.”

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Past Pupils of “Ciudad Don Bosco” develop a solidarity project

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Past pupils provide meals to street children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian post-novitiate Blessed Filippo Rinaldi, located in Copacabana, Colombia, planted 23 trees to mark the alliance between the Salesian Province of Medellín and the metropolitan area of Valle de Aburrá. The tree planting is part of the project “Promotion and development of environmental culture in the social works and educational services of the Salesian Province San Luis Beltrán of Medellín,” which has been sponsored by Don Bosco Mondo in Germany.

The project will continue to develop alliances with entities promoting sustainability and good practices in the environment, such as tree planting. Salesians worked to develop the alliance with Valle de Aburrá for more than a year in order to use the land for tree planting.

After several inspections to analyze the land and the feasibility of planting, it was found that 3,800 trees could be planted in an area of about 24,045 square meters. The goal is not only to beautify the area but also improve water infiltration processes, take care of water sources, promote the ecological connectivity of the area, and provide shade and food for people and animals.

“These initiatives are among many Salesians have launched around the globe with a focus on greener practices,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Not only do greener practices help the environment and ensure a better life for the youth we serve, but they also help Salesians save energy costs, which is then used to aid programming.”

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Salesian Province of Medellín sows seeds of life

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Tree planting marks alliance first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Youth Services Organization, located in the headquarters of Bosconia, in the Los Martires area of Bogota, Colombia, was able to provide food for more than 60 children and older youth each day during March and April 2022, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is known as the Casa Bosconia Project.

The children and older youth, ages 5-18, live in extreme poverty with their families or are homeless. They are at a higher risk of facing child labor, sexual exploitation, constant homelessness, food insecurity, limited adult supervision, family violence and illegal activities.

To help carry out the nutrition project, Salesians established an agreement with Bogota’s Archdiocese Food Bank to guarantee availability of the required food products. In addition, the Casa Bosconia Project’s health and nutrition team provides an analysis of the current nutritional status of the youth to establish actions that will improve their nutritional well-being. A volunteer nutrition specialist also sets calorie and macronutrient goals for each of the age groups.

José Miguel, one 12-year-old recipient, lives in extreme poverty and is at high risk due to living on the streets. The project served many children his age who were on the street or left locked in at home alone, until their mother or guardian came home from informal jobs with food. During their wait, the children went hungry. Casa Bosconia Project feeds them from Monday to Saturday.

José Miguel said, “I think breakfast is very good and delicious, and so is lunch. I want to thank the foundation because I didn’t eat before.”

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post COLOMBIA: 60 children receive healthy nutrition thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Youth Services Organization, located in the headquarters of Bosconia, in the Los Martires area of Bogota, Colombia, was able to provide food service for more than 60 children and older youth each day thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The children and older youth, ages 5-18, live in extreme poverty with their families or are homeless. They are at a higher risk of facing child labor, sexual exploitation, constant homelessness, food insecurity, limited adult supervision, family violence, and illegal activities.

To help carry out the nutrition project, Salesians established an agreement with Bogota’s Archdiocese Food Bank to guarantee availability of the required food products. The health and nutrition team from Bosconia also monitored the children and assessed them for good health and malnutrition.

Roleidys, age 11 and one of the recipients of the project, would go hungry due to extreme poverty. She spent many hours on the streets and was exposed to dangerous conditions. She is also a victim of family violence by her guardians.

When the Youth Services Organization arrived in her Santa Fe neighborhood, Salesian staff were able to connect Roleidys to the Bosconia program. Once she was welcomed into the home, she accessed shelter, good nutrition, protection, and an environment that offered her the warmth, care, and the assistance she deserves. Since entering the program, Roleidys is no longer hungry and has a team of people around who love and support her.

“Every child deserves a warm meal and a safe place to sleep at night,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “We are grateful for our donors for ensuring that children who are homeless and living in extreme poverty have access to the nutrition they need for good health and to focus on their studies.”

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post COLOMBIA: Children in poverty have healthy nutrition thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, has launched a new project at Don Bosco City in Medellín to keep youth safe from mines in Colombia. Youth often go into abandoned coal mine tunnels to extract minerals that their families can use for money and in the process are risking their health and their lives.

Youth have become accustomed to walking through abandoned tunnels or digging new, very narrow tunnels where only they can fit. Along with the risk of severe health consequences and danger to their lives, half of the school-age children are no longer going to school, leaving one in five to become illiterate. Girls are the most affected.

A Salesian missionary noted, “It is not enough to take boys and girls away from those labyrinths, to give them hospitality and education. It is necessary to act on a far-reaching economic mechanism that calls for a change of a cultural nature.”

The project will focus on the mining area of ​​Sinifaná, where the main economic and livelihood source is coal mining, and in the cities of Amagá and Angelópolis, where mining has been part of families for generations. The project aims to impact 150 families by providing education so they can earn a living another way and protect their children.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8-12 living and receiving education at the program.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – “Don Bosco Missions” project for minors in mines

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

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COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries held an event at the Salesianum House of Spirituality in Bogotá, Colombia for a group of 85 people, including children and older youth along with their families. The Care from a Distance Program provides educational and material support through long-distance adoptions of children and older youth in situations of high vulnerability.

During the year-end event, a Catholic Mass was held along with various educational and recreational activities. At the end of the day, gifts and donations were provided to the children and older youth.

“This is a wonderful end of year celebration for families in the region,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While Salesians primary focus is on education, they know that families are dealing with so much more. This event provided an opportunity for families to enjoy time with their children in a safe and welcoming atmosphere full of celebration.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized, particularly their work in Bogotá. There Salesians operate Don Bosco City, which has saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat.

The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future. Many leave Don Bosco City and go on to advanced education at the Salesian institutes like the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Cali.

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Care from a Distance Program of the Salesians

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: 85 children, youth and families celebrate first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are giving hope for a better life to former child soldiers at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center (Don Bosco Center) in Cali, Colombia. The country’s guerrilla warfare has caused more than 300,000 deaths and fueled the growth of powerful drug cartels. The Don Bosco Center provides a chance at rehabilitation for youth who have been ripped from their families at a young age and forced to shoot, throw bombs, or become servants of officers and sexually abused.

Upon arrival at the Don Bosco Center, youth are given a uniform and tools that correspond to the profession they have chosen to learn. More importantly, they are given a chance to reclaim their personal identity and begin to rebuild their self-esteem and trust in others.

Don Bosco Center has a team of professionals who help youth establish a training plan. Youth can take coursework to become electricians, industrial mechanics, automobile repair technicians, cooks, tailors, beauticians, welders, computer operators, accountants, librarians or commercial secretaries. Workshops serve as the cornerstone of development. Youth learn safety regulations, handle machines and products, and take life skills training to help personally and professionally.

Currently, five Salesians support 30 youth in the program. For security reasons, youth live at the center. Their names have not been deleted from the lists held by the guerrilla leaders, who aim to send them back into service or seek revenge for leaving. In the center, youth learn to re-adapt to normal living—sharing a meal with friends, having free time and understanding the rules of peaceful coexistence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these youth stepped up and put their newfound skills to use creating masks for those in the city.

“All youth deserve a second chance in life, especially when they are introduced and forced into violence at such a young age,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through the Don Bosco Center, they are able to connect with their peers, spend time with trusted adults and learn the skills for later employment.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Cali: Former child soldiers wear Don Bosco’s “uniform”

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: 30 former child soldiers rebuild trust in others first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The environmental and conservation efforts of Don Bosco City in Medellín, Colombia, were recently highlighted in an article in Vatican News. The efforts are in response to Pope Francis’s 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.

Don Bosco City has launched a number of planting and farming initiatives. In the article, Juan Pablo Sandoval, coordinator of projects and institutional development at Don Bosco City, explained, “On the land where the community stands, apart from the various buildings used for hospitality and the school, we have a large area available for cultivation. Thanks to government help, we have planted potatoes, tomatoes and beans. We have managed to plant 6,500 trees, half of them avocado trees, thanks to which we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent.”

Sandoval added, “We have also started projects aimed at improving the catchment area and the micro water basins scattered throughout the mountains and, in addition to this, we have installed a water treatment plant that allows for more efficient management and less waste. We have also invested in sanitary equipment and other materials, which allow us to save money and reduce water consumption.”

Don Bosco City has also developed food security projects by planting small gardens that provide the food necessary to feed more than 300 youth every day. According to the article, Salesians have also focused on renewable energy and developed a project at Don Bosco City to heat water using solar panels to provide a substantial reduction in energy consumption and a significant improvement in the well-being of youth.

“In Don Bosco City, we have developed alliances with supervisory bodies that help us promote an ecological culture with our children and adolescents, directed towards the care and protection of our environmental heritage,” said Robinson Àlvarez, Don Bosco City’s environmental management coordinator in the article. “We have undertaken many concrete initiatives and campaigns that help our youth to develop activities in favor of our environmental heritage, and we have initiated campaigns for the care of water, the efficient use of natural resources, the protection of our fauna and flora, and the differentiated collection of waste. In this way, we have established a research center for the benefit of our youth and have enabled the creation of an ecological focus.”

Don Bosco City has saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future. Many leave Don Bosco City and go on to advanced education at the Salesian institutes like the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Cali.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

Vatican News – “Ciudad” Don Bosco: Helping young Colombians promote a sustainable economy

The post COLOMBIA: Vatican News highlights Don Bosco City first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have opened a youth center in the La Cecilia district of Armenia, Colombia. Armenia is at the center of the Colombian coffee growing axis. The new youth center has served more than 100 youth to date and focuses on educational and pastoral support.

The Salesian youth center was developed in response to a call to launch initiatives that respond to the needs of youth in the area. Many of these youth come from poor families and have few resources. At a Salesian educational center in Armenia, youth already take courses in welding, cooking, tailoring and hairdressing. The new center expands the educational support youth are able to access through tutoring and extra help with their studies. It also provides a space for youth to connect with their peers.

“This new youth center broadens the scope of Salesian support in the region,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth now will be able to access recreational activities, sports, cultural activities, and school, psychosocial and family support. One of the goals is to start addressing some of the addiction and delinquency issues in the region.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war, or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Opening of a youth center – Salesian oratory in Armenia

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: New center increases support for youth in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) At the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center, located in the city of Cali in the Valle del Cauca department, southwest of Bogotá, Colombia, youth liberated from armed conflict wanted to produce masks to prevent COVID-19 infections. Led by Father Jesús Bolaño, youth were provided access to the tailoring workshop to produce the masks, which met health standards.

The masks will be provided to people who do not have the opportunity to obtain masks elsewhere for prevention of the virus. These youth, who once carried weapons in their hands, today are working for the common good of the neediest in their communities.

More than 50 years of armed conflict between Colombia’s many guerrilla movements, including FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN), as well as paramilitary groups and the Colombian government, has left behind some 8 million victims. Thousands of children have been part of these armed groups, forced to fight and kill at a very young age. These children are also victims, having been robbed of their childhoods, exploited and faced with unimaginable violence.

Don Bosco City has saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future. Many leave Don Bosco City and go on to advanced education at the Salesian institutes like the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Cali.

“All youth deserve a second chance in life, especially when they are introduced and forced into violence at such a young age,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The initiative these youth are taking to help others in needs is a true reflection of their Salesian education and their desire to do good in the world.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Youths of Cali “Don Bosco” produce masks

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Former child soldiers making face masks for the prevention of COVID-19 infections first appeared on MissionNewswire.

COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Twenty-two students from the San Juan Bosco Salesian College, located in Risaralda, Colombia, took an educational trip to NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The trip, which was held Nov. 28 to Dec. 4, aimed to foster students’ learning and knowledge.

The students take courses at the San Juan Bosco Salesian College’s Institute of Astrobiology of Colombia. During their NASA trip, they learned about and experienced a virtual simulation of walking on Mars, astronaut training and robot programming. They also visited the launch pad, the Saturn space rocket and the Atlantis shuttle.

The students were accompanied by physics Professor Erick Ortiz and chemistry Professor Daniel Martínez. Together, they are in charge of developing scientific projects that will strengthen the skills of Salesian students and bring awareness of their work to the broader community.

“Through this trip, Salesian students have an opportunity to see how what they are learning in the classroom is applied in the world,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian education helps students, most of whom are from disadvantaged backgrounds, gain the skills needed for employment, which allows them to give back to their families and community.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Colombia has 7.4 million citizens displaced because of ongoing violence in the country. The displacement is mainly caused by ongoing clashes between the military, leftist guerrilla groups and right-wing paramilitary successor groups.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – United States – Students of Salesian college of Dosquebradas at NASA

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Students from San Juan Bosco Salesian College visit NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Juan David recounts that at the age of 6 he collected garbage to support his two younger siblings in Medellín. Today, he is a student at the Latin American Autonomous University where he is enrolled in law courses. He credits Don Bosco City for the transformation in his life – from being forced into early child labor to being able to access an education.

When Juan David was a child, his younger siblings would wait for his return every day so they would have something to eat. He had begun to beg, but still couldn’t quite scrape enough money together to feed them. It was then that he decided to work as a recycler. Juan David says, “It’s the word we use to define children who work in landfills in search of some object that may have an economic value.”

Juan David is the son of his mother’s first husband who died shortly after his birth. His siblings have a different father. He adds, “My mother rarely appeared inside the house, she was very neglected. The problem arose when they got sick and we needed more money for medicines.”

Managing to avoid the rampant drugs, sexual exploitation and paramilitaries preying on children, in 2007 Juan David met Juan Carlos Reigota, coordinator of the Right to Dream project. Through the project, Juan David was selected to study at a Salesian school.

James Alexander Areiza, working with Don Bosco City, explains, “We have been working for 54 years with the most vulnerable population in Medellín, the department of Antioquia and many other areas of Colombia. We are committed Salesians and lay people who do a job of human, academic and professional formation. We are trying to remove these children from the street, from drugs, from sexual exploitation and from war. Many are child soldiers and continue to be threatened by criminal gangs.”

Juan David is thankful for his experiences with Don Bosco City and the connections he has been able to make since gaining an education. He says, “Recently, I met some of my childhood friends and I was surprised to see how many of them have problems with drugs. They were even surprised when they saw me again. They thought I was dead, as happened to many others who they no longer saw. And they were amazed when I explained to them that my life had changed and that I was even studying at university.”

Juan David plans to spend his life helping children and older youth who face the same difficult experiences he once did.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Fantastic story of child working landfill at 6, now studying Law

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City helped one young law student escape from child labor and access education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Catalina and Claudia, both former participants in Don Bosco City’s child soldier rehabilitation program, have become nurses after graduating from a Salesian school. Their stories were highlighted in “Alto de Fuego” (“Cease-fire”), a Salesian-produced film that follows youth who are rebuilding their lives at Don Bosco City after enduring the violence and exploitation of warfare at a young age. Catalina and Claudia are serving as inspiration for minors who seek peace and want to return to their studies in order to have a future full of opportunities.

Catalina, who is 21 years old, has been attending programs at Don Bosco City since she was 16. She had joined guerrilla forces to escape the mistreatment and abuse at home but soon realized that handling a gun, living in the jungle and staying away from her family was even worse. After making the decision to escape, she sought help at Don Bosco City.

Claudia is also 21 years old and began participating in programs at Don Bosco City in 2015. After being without food, walking for days in the mountains and treated poorly, she met with Salesian missionaries. Once at Don Bosco City, she began to feel the family-like affection and to connect positively with her peers.

Catalina always knew she wanted to be a nurse. When she was with the guerrilla army she had attended courses and enjoyed them. Claudia was inspired to become a nurse after the traumatic experience of her father dying from a lack of medical care. Both young women were able to achieve their dreams though Don Bosco City.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12, living and receiving education at the program.

“We know that access to education lays the foundation for a better future,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can. Especially youth who were child soldiers or abandoned and living on the streets because there is no one else ensuring their safety and long-term recovery.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Two girls subtracted from armed conflict graduate as nurses thanks to Don Bosco

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Two young women gain an education and become nurses thanks to Don Bosco City first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian students who are part of the Músico Marcial Don Bosco Band are from the Salesian Technical Agricultural Institute located in Silvania, a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca Department of Colombia. The Salesian band won fourth place in the artistic and cultural tournament and finished second in the percussion battle category.

Many Salesian schools offer band as an organized school activity. Those who join the band have the opportunity to learn a new skill and engage with their peers. Organized band activities often replace idle time when students might engage in less healthy or productive activities. Participating in a band can bring structure to a student’s life while teaching valuable concepts like teamwork and collaboration.

“Participants become an integral part of the band’s larger community and find purpose in working together toward a common goal,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students are able to choose the instrument they are most interested in and receive lessons, play the instrument in recitals and other events and build relationships with like-minded peers.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among one of the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Colombia has 7.4 million citizens displaced because of ongoing violence in the country. The displacement is mainly caused by ongoing clashes between the military, leftist guerrilla groups and right-wing paramilitary successor groups.

One in five children in the country has no access to education and many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Colombia – Big Band Competition in Brazil

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Salesian school students in the Músico Marcial Don Bosco Band recently competed at an international band tournament in Brazil first appeared on MissionNewswire.

It’s not just young men and boys who are sent to work. Many young girls are also faced with labor exploitation and other abuses. Forced to work, they miss out on important opportunities for education leading them to become dependent on others while lacking the ability to take care of themselves. This puts them more at risk of abuse.

Salesian missionaries running the Making Impressions program use an interdisciplinary approach when working with participating youth. They work as a team with volunteers who have knowledge of the local job market and are able to connect with youth in need. These early connections foster values such as understanding, sharing and mutual respect in the children.

Youth in the program are able to access child rights education and use the library which serves as a quiet space for learning and studying. Participants can also take advantage of recreational spaces which help to make free time more productive and aid in building better relationships with peers.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

“We know that access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless and abandoned youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among one of the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Colombia has 7.4 million citizens displaced because of ongoing violence in the country. The displacement is mainly caused by ongoing clashes between the military, leftist guerrilla groups and right-wing paramilitary successor groups.

One in five children in the country has no access to education and many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian Missions helps to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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Sources:

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City Making Impressions program teaches child rights education to decrease child labor in the coal mining industry first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries recently moved the Preparing for Life program to Don Bosco City’s main office in an effort to offer better services and guaranteed access to improved facilities and quality of life. Since the move, the program enjoys improved recreational infrastructure including an artificial-turf soccer field, a coliseum, a pool and an abundance of green space.

In the program, youth engage in recreational activities, play with their peers and are kept safe from dangers such as drugs and violence that plague the area. Participants also engage in artistic activities including handicrafts which help to strengthen ties to identity and traditional beliefs.

In addition, the Preparing for Life program connects youth with program educators and teachers who provide support for their academic progress both in and out of the classroom and offer tutoring and extra guidance when needed. One of the goals of the program is teaching co-responsibility. Teachers facilitate this by connecting with families to encourage and help them support their children in their academic pursuits.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

“We know that access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless and abandoned youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

Just more than 34 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The crisis of street children is at epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

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More than 300 student athletes between the ages of 15 and 17 from the Salesian provinces of San Pedro Clave and San Luis Beltrán took part in this event. Over 30 teams participated, sharing the values of joy and friendship promoted by Don Bosco.

“Sporting events, like this competition and ongoing Salesian socio-sports programs, teach youth both on and off the field,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning and playing team sports encourages leadership skills as well as teaches youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

Salesian missionaries provide a range of primary and secondary education as well as vocational and technical training for poor and at-risk youth in Colombia. Salesian programs also ensure that the most basic needs of youth are met including shelter, food, clothing and medical care.

The Salesian-run Don Bosco City, one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America, has been working with youth for 53 years and has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls since its inception. In addition to street children, Don Bosco City also works with child soldiers. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors continue to be utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat.

Through its programs at Don Bosco City, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

The long rehabilitation process focuses on participants learning three key things—how to trust, how to have hope for the future and how to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with the young participants, giving them the tools for a better future, including providing basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

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

ANS  – Colombia – “National Salesian Games” bring together hundreds of young people

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

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The Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons was adopted in 2010 and urges governments worldwide to take coordinated and consistent measures to defeat human trafficking in all its forms. The UN plan calls for integrating the fight against human trafficking into the UN’s broader programs to boost development and strengthen security worldwide.

UNODC notes that every year millions of children, women and men fall into the hands of traffickers, lured by false promises and deceit. Human trafficking has become a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise affecting nearly every country in the world. Those who have been trafficked are coerced into sexual exploitation, forced labor, domestic servitude, forced begging or stealing.

The International Labour Organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally: 81 percent of them are trapped in forced labor and 75 percent are women and girls.

This year, the theme of World Day against Trafficking in Persons is focused on “responding to the trafficking of children and young people.” The campaign highlights the fact that almost a third of trafficking victims are children.

Part of the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on United Nations World Day against Trafficking in Persons reads, “Trafficking in persons is a vile crime that feeds on inequalities, instability and conflict. Human traffickers profit from peoples’ hopes and despair. They prey on the vulnerable and rob them of their fundamental rights. Children and young people, migrants and refugees are especially susceptible. Women and girls are targeted again and again.”

To mark World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2018, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and prevention and awareness programs. Salesian Missions, headquartered in New Rochelle, N.Y., is the U.S. development arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco.

COLOMBIA

Don Bosco City, one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America, has been working with youth for 52 years and has saved more than 1,300 of them from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors continue to be utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on participants learning three key things—how to trust, how to have hope for the future and how to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with the young participants, giving them the tools for a better future, including providing basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Since its start in 1965, Don Bosco City has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through its program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

GHANA

Salesian missionaries operate two centers in the urban area of Accra, the capital and largest city of Ghana. One is a home for children and older youth who have been victims of child trafficking. Currently, the Salesian home has 51 children ranging in age from 7 to 16 years. Some of the children are known as “wheelbarrow boys” because they come from extremely poor families with many children and work pushing and carrying diverse materials with carts and wheelbarrows. Other children come from the gold and diamond mines where they are utilized for their small size and ability to move about easily in the mines.

Children face a variety of hardships from being exploited as child laborers to being sold by their relatives, often to pay off a debt. In the Lake Volta region, it is estimated that there are approximately 21,000 children and teen laborers who have been prevented from attending school.

Salesian missionaries have also launched the Child Protection Center. Children come to the Child Protection Center via referrals from other nonprofits and from the police, usually following a complaint. The center offers shelter, counseling and education to help children make the transition out of trafficking and into long-term recovery. Often arriving at the center injured, with low self-esteem and little hope for the future, many become comfortable and settled into their new surroundings within a few weeks.

Academic classes are offered in the morning after which students are able to participate in group activities with their peers such as theater, music, dance, sports and games. Through the program, participants learn life skills, gain confidence and prepare for a happy, healthy future.

SENEGAL

Salesian missionaries operate an “Action to combat irregular migration through support of local development in the Tambacounda Region” project in Tambacounda, Senegal, a town of 80,000 people. This is part of the broader “Stop Human Trafficking” campaign Salesian missionaries are operating in several African countries.

In Tambacounda, there are few opportunities and prospects, especially for young people who represent the large majority of the Senegalese population and serve as a primary source of support for families. Many youth leave the area in search of opportunity but can fall victim to exploitation and trafficking.

The project is part of an initiative by VIS and Don Bosco Missions in Turin, Italy to develop projects and launch awareness campaigns to both stop and educate about the dangers of migration related to human trafficking. With a focus on youth leaving countries in Africa in search of a better life in Europe, the campaign aims to prevent young migrants from becoming victims of crime and exploitation.

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

The campaign has already found success in Senegal after research there has shown that nearly 40 percent of youth leaving the country are leaving in search of better educational opportunities. With that knowledge, funds now are being raised through the campaign to provide scholarships to students in Senegal so they are able to access educational opportunities within their own country.

SPAIN

The Salesian Missions office in Madrid, Spain has been working with photojournalist Ana Palacios on a documentary about child trafficking called, “Child slaves, the back door.” The documentary notes there are some 152 million child slaves in the world, 72 million of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. It also notes that 50 percent of these 152 million children are between 5 and 11 years old.

As the documentary explains, human trafficking is considered modern slavery. The term “trafficking” is used in contexts including trafficking in human beings, forced labor, exploitation of minors, recruitment of child soldiers, child marriages, begging, organ trafficking, and sexual exploitation. The common denominator of all these crimes is that the forms of exploitation are varied and different.

Also known as #TheBackdoorProject, the documentary highlights the work of three Spanish non-governmental organizations and religious institutions, including Salesian Missions in Madrid. Salesian reception centers ensure the full transitional protection of exploited youth and carry out research to find their families or to offer alternatives for their social reintegration while also offering them education and social development services to meet their basic needs.

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Sources:

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

COLOMBIA: Salesian Missions highlights work with former child soldiers on International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers

GHANA: Salesian missionaries have 4 centers across the country serving poor youth who are at risk of child labor and human trafficking

SENEGAL: Youth start vegetable garden and small farm together as part of the Stop Human Trafficking Now campaign

SPAIN: New documentary shines light on child slavery in Africa, work of Salesian programs

UN Statement

World Day Against Trafficking of Persons

The post GLOBAL: Salesian Missions highlights programs for victims of human trafficking on World Day against Trafficking in Persons first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The formal education offered through the program is a fundamental aspect of the process of helping youth to reconnect back into school and life with their peers. Salesian missionaries offer grade school and high school level educational services. In addition, once youth are ready, they can advance to more technical skills training. The technical training is also offered with an internship where youth can work to put their classroom skills into practice.

Youth are paired up with jobs in the auto mechanics, woodworking and furniture making, and clothing employment sectors. They are also offered space for rest and lodging, where they are able to take advantage of their free time. It’s also a safe space where they can study, connect with peers and relax.

The Life Outlook program also offers youth the opportunity to belong to youth clubs that foster cultural, environmental, artistic and other aspects within youth. There are currently seven youth clubs. In the ecological youth club, members engage in a walk that allows them to check out the land’s natural riches in terms of fauna, flora and water reservoirs. This teaches youth about the importance of the environment and gives them time to connect with peers with common interests.

Many of the students in this program were once living on the streets or living at risk of violence, drugs and exploitation. Salesian missionaries and lay volunteers have a presence on the streets to reach at-risk youth and encourage them to visit Don Bosco City. Once youth visit the program, the rehabilitation process begins by meeting the young person’s most immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter.

If youth wish to stay at Don Bosco City instead of returning to the streets, they are provided with housing and a remedial education in addition to being taught life skills and how to live with others. After youth are acclimated into the program and have caught up academically, they can access the formal education, job skills training and the internship program.

“We know that access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless, abandoned and at-risk youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The crisis of street children is at epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

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Sources:

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Life Outlook program at Don Bosco City offers youth formal education, skills training and internships to prepare them for the workforce first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict noted in a recent article that “the international commitment to end the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict has led to the release and reintegration of more than 5,000 children in 2017; but tens of thousands more remain.” The article went on to note that despite some progress, children continue to be recruited, kidnapped, forced to fight or work for military groups or armed forces.

“These children experience appalling levels of violence, which is likely to have dramatic physical and psychological consequences for the adults they will become. It is our responsibility to show these children that there is hope outside of conflicts, that they can live in peace and security and be allowed to live their dreams,” said Virginia Gamba, SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict.

The article also indicated that once children are released, they face a complex and long reintegration process into their communities. This is something Salesian missionaries know very well. In countries around the globe, missionaries work with former child soldiers so that they may overcome the traumas of war and reintegrate into society.

Early in 2017, Salesian Father Rafael Bejarano, director of Don Bosco City, and James Areiza, program director for child protection, along with two former child soldiers, visited Rome, Italy to present a documentary on former child soldiers’ journeys toward recovery and reintegration. “Alto de Fuego” (“Cease-fire”), the Salesian-produced film, follows the lives of Catalina and Manuel (pseudonyms for their protection), two former child soldiers, who are rebuilding their lives at Don Bosco City after enduring the violence and exploitation of warfare at a young age.

More than 50 years of armed conflict between Colombia’s* many guerrilla movements, including FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN), as well as paramilitary groups and the Colombian government, has left behind some 8 million victims. Thousands of children have been part of these armed groups, forced to fight and kill at a very young age. These children are also victims, having been robbed of their childhoods, exploited and faced with unimaginable violence.

Nineteen-year old Catalina joined the guerrilla group FARC at the age of 13 after enduring physical abuse by her stepfather and an attempted suicide. When she first joined FARC, she noted that everything was fine, but a mere eight days later, they gave her a gun that was bigger than she was and a week later she took part in her first battle against government forces. She said that eight helicopters attacked her battalion that day.

Manuel spent a year in combat after he joined the guerillas in 2013, when he was just 14. After his brother was killed by his own battalion because he wasn’t good at following rules, Manuel left.

Don Bosco City has been working with youth like Catalina and Manuel for 53 years and has saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future, including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

“We know that access to education lays the foundation for a better future,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can, especially youth who were child soldiers or abandoned and living on the streets because there is no one else there ensuring their safety and long-term recovery.”

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – “International Day against use of child soldiers”: “Ciudad Don Bosco” in Medellín, factory of peace ambassadors

Salesian Missions – Colombia

The Pope Video 12 – Child soldiers – December 2016

Don Bosco City

Reliefweb –  More than 5,000 Children Released in 2017 – International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers

World Bank – Colombia

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

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Don Bosco City has been around for more than 50 years and has saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn—how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future, including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

“When the child decides to leave the armed group, he turns to some institution that takes care of him,” says Fr. Bejarano. “He is then handed over to a family counselor, who decides whether he goes to a guardian family who help in his recovery or to a specialized protection house, such as Don Bosco City.”

The development of this process is determined by an institutional assistance project called the PAI (Individualized Attention Process), which puts the Salesian methodology into practice. The “Building Dreams” project has three phases. The first called Pedagogy of Trust, plays out in the first 45 days of the minor’s entry into the program. In this phase, the entire pastoral and educational community foster spaces of trust and bonds.

The second phase, known as the Pedagogy of Hope, sees the implementation of an action plan with each youth that aims to create a favorable environment for activities such as academic training, vocational training, human formation via workshops on themes such healthy lifestyles, family counseling, personal development and empowerment, being a citizen and also spiritual formation. The final stage, the Alliance Pedagogy, is a wrap-up of the program that helps the youth take all of the skills learned and transition into the next phase of life.

Thanks to the Salesian vocational training, once at work, youth are tied to the different companies collaborating with Don Bosco City. Family reunification is another important factor in the “Building Dreams” project, as some of these children have abandoned their families and family ties, but want to recover them and advance reconciliation and forgiveness.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program.

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – Fr. Rafael Bejarano: “We hope the peace process with FARC allows children to enjoy their status as children”

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City helps youth transition from armed conflict groups to life of peace and stability first appeared on MissionNewswire.

After many years on the streets, Velez found out about a program known locally as “Patio del Gamín” operating at Don Bosco City. The program is specifically targeted toward street children. Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls.

Velez recently addressed youth taking vocational training courses for work and human development at Don Bosco City. He talked about how anyone can overcome their challenges and live out their dreams with study, persistence and a strong decision to overcome adversity. Velez noted to the young students how he was just like them at one point but decided to rebel against poverty and climb to his success.

Velez and youth like him without the support of their families are particularly vulnerable to violence, disease, malnutrition and even death. Many youth find themselves living on the streets with no one to protect them from the dangers of exploitation and violence. Salesian missionaries working in Colombia are making a big impact on the lives of orphaned youth and their efforts have been internationally recognized.

Through the programs at Don Bosco City, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face, along with training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 who are living and receiving education at the program.

Salesian missionaries and lay volunteers have a presence on the streets to reach at-risk youth and encourage them to visit Don Bosco City. Once youth visit the program, the rehabilitation process begins by meeting the young person’s most immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter. If they wish to stay at Don Bosco City instead of returning to the streets, they are provided with housing and a remedial education in addition to being taught life skills and how to live with others. After youth are acclimated into the program and have caught up academically, they can access job skills training or attend local secondary schools.

“We know that access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless and abandoned youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The crisis of street children is at epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – Pablo Andrés: “From abandoned child to successful entrepreneur.”

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Graduate of Don Bosco City returns to give motivational talk to students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year on June 12, the International Labor Organization sets a theme for World Day Against Child Labor corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme “In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labor” is focused the plight of children in conflict zones who are more susceptible to being forced into child labor.

The International Labor Organization reports that in many areas of conflict, homes and schools are destroyed, families lose their means of income, and social protection systems break down, leaving children vulnerable and at-risk of child labor. Children who are forced by circumstance to become refugees and migrants are often at higher risk of child labor and human trafficking, especially if they become separated from their families.

Children who remain in conflict zones or who are left behind are vulnerable to the worst forms of child labor, including in mining or scavenging for metal and minerals in war-torn areas, clearing rubble, or working in the streets, according to the International Labor Organization. Children are often used by armed groups as child soldiers or as spies, helpers and porters or become victims of sexual exploitation and abuse.

“Children who are in vulnerable situations are at greater risk of being denied an education and compelled to work, leaving them at-risk of injury, exploitation, and trafficking,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian programs around the globe aim to combat child labor through education, prevention programs like child rights education, and through programs that directly address the needs of migrants and refugees.”

In honor of World Day Against Child Labor 2017, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that help to eliminate child labor through quality education.

COLOMBIA

Don Bosco City has been working with youth for 52 years and have saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn – how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including providing basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12, living and receiving education at the program. Salesian Father Rafael Bejarano, director of Don Bosco City, and James Areiza, program director for child protection, along with two former child soldiers, recently visited Rome, Italy to present a documentary on former child soldiers’ journeys toward recovery and reintegration

INDIA

Close to 100,000 children have been educated about their rights through 907 special clubs and courses offered in schools across India. This education is thanks to Salesian missionaries’ child rights education programs offered through the CREAM project (Child Rights Education and Action Movement – Action Movement and Education on Rights of Children), which is sponsored by the Office of Development of the Province of Bangalore (BREADS – Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society).

During the course of its four-year history, the project has seen other success including 1,571 dropouts that have been brought back to school, 1,144 youth that have been taken from dangerous child labor working conditions, and 1,473 street children helped through social reintegration programs. The project has also prevented 172 early marriages.

The project was initiated in December 2012 in order to reach the most disadvantaged children in 10 districts in the Indian state of Karnataka, especially in high risk urban rural areas. The goal was to work with youth to build a culture of protection of children’s rights. The project also puts a strong emphasis on improving the potential of minors as well as ensuring the sustainability of activities and results. The project has launched into its second phase working to reach 150,000 youth through child rights education.

KENYA

The Salesian-run Bosco Boys program provides education and technical skills training to former street children in Nairobi, Kenya and is currently serving more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. The program also operates two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Youth living in Nairobi’s slums are at-risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education. The Bosco Boys program provides education and workforce development opportunities. Students in the program who complete their primary education are assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, but can also be at another school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

MEXICO

Since 1987, the Salesian-run Tijuana Project has been providing services to migrants and poor youth living on the border between Mexico and the United States. The goal of the project is to create an extensive educational network in areas where poor youth are at risk of social exclusion, exploitation and child labor. The project took shape through Salesian oratories and educational centers where children grow up learning to share faith, culture and sports within their communities.

Many border towns are plagued by crime and violence such as the illegal trafficking of drugs, weapons, money and people where the consequences of social and political tensions between the two nations are felt. Salesian missionaries have been working in Mexico and in these border towns for more than 25 years and have recently increased cooperation between the Salesian Province of Mexico-Guadalajara and the Province of USA West. The goal is to work together to address the increase of violence and insecurity in the region and launch proposals for education, social integration, drug prevention and combating the effects of organized crime.

Currently, the Tijuana Project is serving more than 9,000 people in six Salesian oratories, a parish and a public dining hall which serves food to close to a thousand homeless and migrant people every day. The entire project is facilitated by six Salesian missionaries with the help of volunteers, local collaborators and benefactors in both Mexico and the United States.

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Sources

Reliefweb International Labour Organization – World Day against Child Labour 2017: “In conflicts and disasters, protect children from child labour”

Don Bosco Salesian Portal – “Protecting Children from Child Labor”

ANS – “Protecting Children From Child Labor”: NO to Child Labor!

ANS PHOTO

The post WORLD DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOR: Salesian Missionaries Highlight Educational and Social Programs that Combat Child Labor first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Crux reports that more than 50 years of armed conflict between Colombia’s many guerrilla movements, with FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN) being the most infamous, as well as paramilitary groups and the Colombian government, has left behind some 8 million victims. Thousands of children have been part of these armed groups, forced to fight and kill at a very young age. These children are also victims, having been robbed of their childhoods, exploited and faced with unimaginable violence.

Nineteen-year old Catalina joined the guerrilla group FARC at the age of 13 after enduring physical abuse by her stepfather and an attempted suicide. When she first joined FARC, she noted that everything was fine, but a mere eight days later, they gave her a gun that was bigger than she was and a week later she took part in her first battle against government forces. She said that eight helicopters attacked her battalion that day.

“We were 44 young people and adults, and by the end of the attack, we were 22. It’s a deep pain I carry with me,” explained Catalina in the Crux article. “We’d look at each other not knowing if it was for the last time.”

After three years, she had the courage to run away, knowing that if FARC found her, she’d be killed. Today, the Crux article notes, Catalina is about to start school to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse.

According to the Crux article, Manuel spent a year in combat after he joined the guerillas in 2013, when he was just 14. After his brother was killed by his own battalion because he wasn’t good at following rules, Manuel left. “I was illiterate, but now I go to school and have a job,” said Manuel in the article.

Don Bosco City has been working with youth like Catalina and Manuel for 52 years and have saved more than 1,300 youth from a life of violence. It is estimated that close to 6,000 minors are still utilized as child soldiers with thousands more having reached their 18th birthday after years of combat. The long rehabilitation process focuses on three things youth need to learn – how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including providing basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

Don Bosco City is  one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12, living and receiving education at the program.

“We know that access to education lays the foundation for a better future,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can, especially youth who were child soldiers or abandoned and living on the streets because there is no one else there ensuring their safety and long-term recovery.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

Crux – What peace means, through the eyes of former child soldiers

The Pope Video 12 – Child soldiers – December 2016

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City Releases Documentary on Rehabilitation of Child Soldiers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The addition of these safe spaces at Salesian programs allows youth to have assistance with homework, enjoy time with their peers in a structured and safe environment, and access other services they might need. The activities provided also help youth to share and to accept each other, learn how to problem solve effectively and handle conflict in productive way. In the future, Salesian missionaries plan to start a sports school and music classes, particularly guitar and vocal technique, to give the youth additional alternatives.

“Salesian missionaries are trying to help youth and their families focus on normal life amid challenges of poverty and violence in their communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In these areas, youth need socialization and entertainment in a safe place as an alternative to the violence on the streets. They also need a quiet place where they can study, play and talk with their peers and supportive adults.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country has no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

The neighborhoods within Neiva are characterized by serious conditions of poverty and social problems. Family violence and the lack of educational and employment opportunities for young people mean that many youth spend their time on the streets often engaged in begging, theft, drug use and fighting. The area is also home to 23 youth gangs, which give rise to much criminal activity. Many young people are addicted to drugs and engaged in prostitution. Domestic violence including both child and marital abuse is widespread. And poor relationships between neighbors are frequent, seriously diminishing the overall quality of life for youth from this area.

In addition, Salesian missionaries report that nearly 50 percent of the population in Neiva is illiterate and local educational institutions often fail to meet the educational requirements resulting in a low socio-economic status for most families. In collaboration with the safe spaces program, Salesian missionaries provide education, skills training and workforce development services so youth can gain the education they need to find and retain long-term employment, breaking the cycle of poverty and giving back to their families and communities.

“Youth in Colombia struggle to gain an education and lead productive lives,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Because of conditions of poverty, youth are vulnerable to exploitation and criminal activity. Education provides the path out of poverty and helps youth gain the jobs skills necessary to find meaningful livable wage employment.”

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SOURCES:

ANS – Colombia – Spaces for people to meet and socialize helping to prevent drug use and violence

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Creating Safe Spaces for Youth to Study, Play (and Escape Violence) first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Many families living in Ciudad Bolivar came to the city to escape the armed conflict between paramilitary groups and revolutionaries operating in Colombia. Many continue to arrive in the city with little education and few chances for employment or a stable future. More than 15 years ago, Salesian Father Jaime García recognized a need for job skill training for youth in Bogotá and expanded the Don Bosco Center to offer professional and vocational education. In addition, Salesian missionaries made connections within the local labor market to help youth transition from the classroom directly into employment.

During the 2014-2015 school year, more than 900 students were engaged in professional training courses at the Don Bosco Center. In 2010, Salesian missionaries became aware of a need for skilled labor for the automobile and transport industries while noting that youth from Ciudad Bolívar were often rejected in the employment selection process. Salesian missionaries identified a gap between the professional needs of these industries and the lack of education in these fields for youth seeking employment.

As a result, Pacto Motor was inaugurated in 2013 at the Don Bosco Center offering a professional degree course in automotive mechanics. More than 150 youth, or 98 percent of Pacto Motor’s first graduating class, found employment after successfully completing the program. As a result of the Pacto Motor program’s success, the Colombian Ministry of Labor is using the Salesian training model to develop additional pilot projects focused on employment industries in other cities in Colombia.

“The Pacto Motor program at the Don Bosco Center has been a great success,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The program is a win-win for both the automotive industry and youth living in poverty. The automotive sector has access to well-trained technical staff and youth have access to free high-quality training that leads to stable employment.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country have no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

Many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

Neglect, discrimination and malnutrition affect orphans more often than their non-orphaned peers. Research shows that orphans are more likely to live in conditions of poverty, be forced into child labor, recruited as child soldiers and subjected to exploitation and violence. Orphaned youth are also less likely to be enrolled in school.

###

Sources:

ANS – Colombia – Hope for vulnerable young people: the Pacto Motor project

World Bank – Colombia

Salesian Missions – Colombia

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco Center Relaunches Successful Pacto Motor Program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Without the support of their families, orphaned youth are particularly vulnerable to violence, disease, malnutrition and even death. Many youth find themselves living on the streets with no one to protect them from the dangers of exploitation and violence. Salesian missionaries working in Colombia are making a big impact on the lives of orphaned youth and their efforts have been internationally recognized.

The Salesian-run Don Bosco City in Medellin is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12, living and receiving education at the program.

“I’m 12 years old and have been at the center for a year,” says Tiago. “I want to study and become a laboratory technician. I’m here because I ran away when my father died and my mother rented out the house because we had no money. I know I have a great opportunity for the future and I do not want to waste it. I am very grateful for the Salesian missionaries that run the program and help all of us.”

Salesian missionaries and lay volunteers have a presence on the streets to reach at-risk youth and encourage them to visit Don Bosco City. Once youth visit the program, the rehabilitation process begins by meeting the young person’s most immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter. If they wish to stay at Don Bosco City instead of returning to the streets, they are provided with housing and a remedial education in addition to being taught life skills and how to live with others. After youth are acclimated into the program and have caught up academically, they can access job skills training or attend local secondary schools.

“We know that access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless and abandoned youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country have no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The crisis of street children is at epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – “Patio formando para la vida”: the Valdocco of Medellín

Don Bosco City

World Bank – Colombia 

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City Provides Shelter and Education for Homeless Youth for more than 900 Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The program is designed for poor and at-risk youth from Santiago de Cali who wish to train as kitchen assistants, work that is highly desirable given the current employment situation in the area. More than 230 youth have graduated from the program with nearly 80 percent of graduates finding employment directly after graduation. The program is 100 percent donor funded and made possible through financial support from the private sector, Colombia’s National Learning Service (SENA), the Governor of Valle del Cauca and the restaurant industry.

Through the Food for All program, students learn a variety of kitchen skills to prepare them for employment while gaining access to life skills training as well as interviewing and resume assistance. An emphasis is placed on building relationships with students from different backgrounds and parts of the region.

“Years ago it was almost impossible to imagine that a young person from a poor rural area could find work in one of the Colombia’s urban centers and now this happens every day,” says Father Germán Londoño, director of the Don Bosco Center. “This program works to develop a sense of trust between students and in turn they begin to trust their communities and their communities trust them. A lot of young people who have gone through this program have set up their own businesses and have reformed their lives. If you learn how to cook well, life is good, and it elevates the spirit.”

In 2008, Rosa Inés Naranjo, then 42 years of age, had lost her job and felt like she had lost everything. After becoming aware of the Food for All program, she decided to explore the idea of turning her love of cooking into a career, something she had dreamed of but never imagined could become a reality.

“The kitchen is a joy,” says Naranjo. “In the kitchen we laugh a lot, learn a lot, get to know each other and discover many things. The kitchen gives peace and happiness, and it’s a place where we forget our problems and focus on the food we are offering to people. If someone says that what you have prepared is delicious, it gives us great satisfaction.”

Many youth enrolled in the Food for All program lacked the education and skills to find viable employment and had nowhere else to turn. Some had previously turned to life on the streets, violence or criminal activity. Through this program and others operated by the Don Bosco Center, participants are given a second chance.

“Youth in Colombia struggle to gain an education and lead productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Because of conditions of poverty, youth are vulnerable to exploitation and criminal activity. Education provides a path out of poverty and helps youth gain the jobs skills necessary to find meaningfully livable wage employment.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country have no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In addition, many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – “Did you know that there is ’Food for All’ in Cali?”

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: Food for All Program Trains Disadvantaged Youth for Work as Kitchen Assistants first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, June 20 marks World Refugee Day, a day that honors the plight of millions of refugees and internally displaced people around the globe. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, noted that at the end of 2014, more than 50 million people had been forced from their homes worldwide. Almost 80 percent of those displaced are women and children.

Established in 2001, World Refugee Day is coordinated by UNHRC and focuses on honoring the courage, strength and determination of men, women and children forced to flee their homes under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. Each year, the day focuses on a particular theme that highlights specific circumstances faced by refugees. This year’s theme, “Get to know a refugee – Ordinary people living through extraordinary times,” aims to bring the public closer to the human side of the refugee story.

“All around the world we are seeing families fleeing violence,” said High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in a recent statement about World Refugee Day. “The numbers are massive – but we must not forget that these are mothers and fathers, daughters and sons. People who led ordinary lives before war forced them to flee. On this World Refugee Day, everyone should remember the things that connect all of us – our common humanity.”

To mark World Refugee Day 2015, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and support for refugees and internally displaced people in need that were developed by Salesian Missions and funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. Salesian Missions, headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, is the U.S. Development Arm of the international Salesians of Don Bosco.

COLOMBIAN REFUGEES

In recent years, more than 450,000 people have fled the violence of Colombia to neighboring Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica. Salesian Missions’ New Beginnings initiative, which started in 2011, has provided more than 1,000 Colombian refugees in these four countries vocational and human development training as well as job placement services.

Many of the Colombian refugees began the program with no marketable skills. Without the prospect of a job, it was hard for them to create stability for their families and build new lives. The New Beginnings program grants each refugee 260 hours of technical training as well as 40 hours of human development workshops. The training programs, coupled with the job placement services, allowed these victims of violence and chaos to start over and build a stable, hopeful future for themselves, their families and their new communities.

SRI LANKAN REFUGEES IN INDIA

For the fifth year, Salesian Missions has received funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration to conduct its New Beginnings program for Sri Lankan Refugees in Tamil Nadu, India. To date, close to 2,500 refugees have received vocational training scholarships through the program. Since 1983, ethnic violence in Sri Lanka has forced tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils from their homeland in search of safety and a new life in Tamil Nadu, India. According to UNHCR, there are close to 140,000 Sri Lankan refugees in 65 countries, with almost 70,000 in refugee camps in Tamil Nadu.

Refugees face many challenges as they begin to make a new life in their host countries. Sri Lankan Tamils are unique in that their host population in Tamil Nadu is also ethnically Tamil. While Sri Lankan refugees share a common language and customs with their host community, they still struggle to gain marketable skills and find livable wage employment.

Since 2010, Salesian Missions has been providing its New Beginnings program for young male and female Sri Lankan refugees who have been living in refugee camps in 15 target districts in India. In 2015, Salesian missionaries are serving 550 individuals by providing vocational training through a network of nine Salesian-run Don Bosco schools spread across Southeast India. In addition, 550 women are benefiting from refugee camp-based small business incubator programs. The New Beginnings program provides market-conscious vocational and technical skills training that results in livable wage employment, allowing trainees to better support themselves and their families. Many refugees enter the program with few, if any, job prospects or with a history of low paid part-time work experience which is typically unskilled and often dangerous and exploitative.

REFUGEES IN KENYA

Kakuma was established in 1992 near Kenya’s border with South Sudan and was a place of refuge for unaccompanied minors fleeing warring factions in what was then southern Sudan. Today, the Kakuma refugee camp has more than 180,000 refugees, well over the 120,000 person capacity for which it was built. More than 44 percent of the refugees at the camp are from South Sudan and arrived after fleeing the country to escape conflict and violence.

Kakuma is operated by UNHCR in collaboration with Salesian missionaries in the country as well as several other humanitarian organizations. The camp offers refugees safety, security and life-saving services such as housing, healthcare, clean water and sanitation. Salesian missionaries at Kakuma refugee camp operate the Holy Cross Parish and the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center where 1,044 young men and women are receiving critical employment and life skills. There are many courses available and those studying welding, carpentry and bricklaying often utilize their new skills helping to build infrastructure within the camp. Salesian missionaries are currently seeking funding to build a new school on a donated plot of land at the refugee camp in order to meet the growing demand.

Salesian missionaries at the camp also operate the Helping Children to be Children program which gathers refugee children and leads them in games, songs and classes held outdoors on the camp grounds. As part of the program, children are offered the opportunity to draw and learn to speak English. Close to 3,000 children benefit from this Salesian program which currently has no steady funding and is run primarily by refugee volunteers.

SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY

Sharing a 500-mile-long border with Syria, Southeastern Turkey has more than 1.6 million Syrian refugees, as reported by the United Nations. Salesian missionaries are providing services at three sites within Syria while also providing for Syrian refugees in Turkey. While many Syrian refugees stay in towns on the Turkey-Syrian border, many find their way to big cities like Istanbul where Salesian missionaries operate a program that currently serves close to 400 Syrian refugees.

At the Don Bosco Center in Istanbul, Salesian Father Andres Calleja Ruiz leads special programs for refugee children and youth from Syria as well as for a growing number of families fleeing ISIS persecution in Iraq. Because most refugees do not speak the local language it is difficult for children to attend school and adults to find work. At the Center, Salesian missionaries provide a school for more than 350 refugee children where they learn English language skills and traditional school subjects such as mathematics, geography and music. Students have access to sports and dance programs intended to help them connect with their peers and find enjoyment and comfort in their new surroundings. In addition, the program provides counseling both for youth and their families to help them overcome the challenges and traumas they have faced.

Technical skills training is a critical component of Salesian work in Istanbul. Many refugees leave the country’s border towns and refugee camps and make their way to Istanbul hoping to find employment and a more stable life. If they fail to find work, refugees are often left in dire circumstances. The Don Bosco Center’s technical skills training program is a critical safety net for those in need.

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Sources:

World Refugee Day 2015

The post WORLD REFUGEE DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Educational Programs Assisting Refugees around the Globe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Known as the “coffee belt” of Colombia, the region has more than half its population under 25 years of age. Unemployment, especially for youth, is commonplace because of a lack of industry in the region. The city of Armenia, largely supported by tourism, has a high rate of prostitution, drugs and other crime and young people are particularly vulnerable because of a lack of educational opportunities.

The Don Bosco Training Center is already making a difference in the lives of its graduates. Carol Tatiana Cuervo, age 22, entered the cosmetology program at the Center after overcoming some personal challenges. She received her certification to work as a hairdresser and has already found employment.

“Youth in Colombia struggle to gain an education and lead productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Because of conditions of poverty in the city of Armenia, youth are vulnerable to exploitation and criminal activity. Education provides a path out of poverty and helps youth gain the jobs skills necessary to find meaningfully livable wage employment.”

The Center was made possible through the financial support of the Leopold Bachmann Foundation and the Salesian NGO, Jugendhilfe Weltweit in Switzerland. The Municipality of Armenia provided the land where the Center resides.

The first phase of the Center’s construction was completed in November and includes classrooms, a library, a sports field and administrative space for staff. Technical courses are currently being offered in the areas of tourism, culinary arts, accounting, information technology, cosmetology, mechanics and welding.

Planning and fundraising is already underway for a second phase of construction. Once construction is completed, additional programs will be offered in electrical work, tailoring, graphic design, cabinet making and handcrafting in Guadua – a special type of bamboo which is plentiful in the area and has high market demand. Training programs have received certification and are recognized by the National Apprenticeship Service, the state body that certifies the skills acquired in the various fields of vocational training in Colombia.

“There are six new laboratories planned to offer additional training opportunities and work for young people,” says Father Jairo Gallo, director of the Don Bosco Training Center. “We always take into account the labor market and direct our training towards the needs of the business community and those industries where our students are likely to find work.”

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country have no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The number of street children has reached epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

Many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – “Opportunities to get a decent job, for young people and their families”

World Bank – Colombia

Salesian Missions – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: More than 250 Students Graduate from New Don Bosco Training Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

Neglect, discrimination and malnutrition affect orphans more often than their non-orphaned peers. Research shows that orphans are more likely to live in conditions of poverty, be forced into child labor, recruited as child soldiers and subjected to exploitation and violence. Orphaned youth are also less likely to be enrolled in school.

At the Don Bosco Center in Ciudad Bolivar, one of the most dangerous areas of Colombia’s capital city, Bogotá, Salesian missionaries provide education, skills training and social development services to poor youth. Many families living in Ciudad Bolivar came to the city to escape the armed conflict between paramilitary groups and revolutionaries operating in Colombia. Many continue to arrive in the city with little education and few chances for employment or a stable future.

More than 15 years ago, Salesian Father Jaime García recognized a need for job skill training for youth in Bogotá and expanded the Don Bosco Center to offer professional and vocational education. In addition, Salesian missionaries made connections within the local labor market to help youth transition from the classroom directly into employment.

Each year since the expansion, more than 800 youth have been accepted into professional and vocational training courses to become electricians, carpenters and mechanics. In 2010, Salesian missionaries became aware of a need for skilled labor for the automobile and transport industries while noting that youth from Ciudad Bolívar were often rejected in the employment selection process. The missionaries identified a gap between the professional needs of these industries and the lack of education in these fields for youth seeking employment.

In 2013, a new program was inaugurated at the Don Bosco Center offering a professional degree course in automotive mechanics. Named, Pacto Motor, the program was made possible thanks to the support of the Salesian organization, Via Don Bosco in Belgium and the French foundation, Saint Paul Apôtre. More than 150 youth, or 98 percent of Pacto Motor’s first graduating class, found employment after successfully completing the program.

“The Pacto Motor program at the Don Bosco Center has been a great success,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The automotive sector has access to well-trained technical staff and youth have access to free high-quality training that leads to stable employment.”

During the 2014-2015 school year, more than 900 students are engaged in professional training courses at the Don Bosco Center. As a result of the Pacto Motor program’s success, the Colombian Ministry of Labor is using the Salesian training model to develop additional pilot projects focused on employment industries in other cities in Colombia.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – The Salesians, contract for employment

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: New Pacto Motor Automotive Training Program Placed 98 Percent of Graduates into Automotive Work first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Many orphaned youth in Colombia live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

Neglect, discrimination and malnutrition affect orphans more often than their non-orphaned peers. Research shows that these youth are more likely to live in conditions of poverty, be forced into child labor, recruited as child soldiers and subjected to exploitation and violence. Orphaned youth are also less likely to be enrolled in school.

Salesian missionaries have been working in the city of Armenia, in western Colombia, since 1999. The area, known as the “coffee belt” of Colombia, has more than 50 percent of its population under 25 years old. Unemployment, especially for youth, is commonplace because of the lack of industry in the region. The city, largely supported by tourism, has a high rate of prostitution, drugs and other crime. Youth are particularly vulnerable because they lack educational opportunities to better their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

To address the need for workforce development programs in the city of Armenia, Salesian missionaries are developing the Don Bosco Training Center which has already begun to offer professional and vocational training programs for disadvantaged youth. The Center was made possible through the financial support of the Leopold Bachmann Foundation and the Salesian NGO, Jugendhilfe Weltweit in Switzerland. The Municipality of Armenia provided the land where the Center is being built.

“Youth in Colombia struggle to gain an education and lead productive lives,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Because of conditions of poverty in the city of Armenia, youth are vulnerable to exploitation and criminal activity. Education provides a path out of poverty and helps youth gain the jobs skills necessary to find meaningfully livable wage employment.”

The first phase of the Center’s construction was completed in November and includes classrooms, a library, a sports field and administrative space for staff. Technical courses are currently being offered in the areas of tourism, culinary arts, accounting, information technology, cosmetology, mechanics and welding.

Planning and fundraising is underway for the second phase of construction. Once construction is completed, additional programs will be offered for electricians, tailors, graphic artists, cabinetmakers and workers in Guadua – a special type of bamboo which is plentiful in the area and has high market demand. Training programs have received certification and are recognized by the National Apprenticeship Service, the state body that certifies the skills acquired in the different fields of vocational training in Colombia.

“Don Bosco Training Center will be a win-win for the local economy and the students. Students will receive the employment training they need to lead productive lives while employers will gain access to highly skilled employees,” adds Fr. Hyde.

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – Completion of the first phase of the Don Bosco Training Centre

World Bank – Colombia

The post COLOMBIA: New Don Bosco Training Center Developed to Offer Professional and Vocational Training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In Medellin, the second largest city in the country, violent drug wars routinely tear families apart. Guerilla groups aggressively recruit and often kidnap young boys and girls, some as young as 8 years old, to fight in the county’s brutal civil war.

Many orphaned youth in the country live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

Neglect, discrimination and malnutrition affect orphans more often than their non-orphaned peers. Research shows that these youth are more likely to live in conditions of poverty, be forced into child labor, recruited as child soldiers and subjected to exploitation and violence. Orphaned youth are also less likely to be enrolled in school.

The Salesian-run Cuidad Don Bosco (Don Bosco City) in Medellin is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its inception in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

Salesian missionaries and lay volunteers have a presence on the streets to reach at-risk youth and encourage them to visit Don Bosco City. Once youth visit the program, the rehabilitation process begins by meeting the young person’s most immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter. If they wish to stay at Don Bosco City instead of returning to the streets, they are provided with housing and a remedial education in addition to being taught life skills and how to live with others. After youth are acclimated into the program and have caught up academically, they can access job skills training or attend local secondary schools.

Recently, the National Association of Institutions for Labor Education and Human Development in Colombia recognized Don Bosco City for its work helping to educate youth and bridge the gap between classroom education and long-term stable employment.

“Don Bosco City’s education programs respond to the local need for technical skills by providing high-quality training courses, which is very much appreciated in the region,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through coursework and additional social development programs, students leave the school with the technical and professional skills and aptitude necessary to excel in the workforce.”

During the past year, Don Bosco City has issued certificates of technical competency to 704 graduates, 462 men and 242 women between the ages of 17 and 35. Graduates have earned degrees in graphic arts, industrial and residential electricity, machine operation for industrial production, automotive mechanics, industrial mechanics, furniture manufacturing and agriculture.

Over the past 10 years, Don Bosco City has developed key partnerships with more than 350 local companies across various employment sectors that have hired the program’s graduates as trainees and apprentices. Many graduates are then offered full-time work at the same company when their training is completed while others have been hired to work in administration at Don Bosco City and other Salesian programs.

“Education and innovation has always been a cornerstone of Salesian work as we address local needs and help students break the cycle of poverty,” adds Fr. Hyde.

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Sources

ANS – Colombia – Training for Work and Human Development

World Bank – Colombia

Cuidad Don Bosco (Don Bosco City)

The post COLOMBIA: Don Bosco City Receives Recognition for Quality Technical Education, Workforce Development Initiatives first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Neglect, discrimination and malnutrition affect orphans more often than their non-orphaned peers. Research shows that these youth are more likely to live in conditions of poverty, be forced into child labor, recruited as child soldiers and subjected to exploitation and violence. Orphaned youth are also less likely to be enrolled in school.

Close to 33 percent of Colombians live in poverty, according to the World Bank. One in five children in the country have no access to education and 800,000 children reside in refugee camps. The crisis of street children is at epidemic proportions and thousands of at-risk youth have been recruited as child soldiers.

In the capital city of Medellin, violent drug wars routinely tear families apart. Guerilla groups aggressively recruit and often kidnap young boys and girls, some as young as 8 years old, to fight in the county’s brutal civil war.

“Without the support of their families, orphaned youth are particularly vulnerable to violence, disease, malnutrition and even death,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Many youth find themselves living on the streets with no one to protect them from the dangers of exploitation and violence.”

Salesian missionaries working in Colombia are making a big impact on the lives of orphaned youth and their efforts have been internationally recognized.

The Salesian-run Don Bosco City in Medellin is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

Salesian missionaries and lay volunteers have a presence on the streets to reach at-risk youth and encourage them to visit Don Bosco City. Once youth visit the program, the rehabilitation process begins by meeting the young person’s most immediate needs such as food, clothing and shelter. If they wish to stay at Don Bosco City instead of returning to the streets, they are provided with housing and a remedial education in addition to being taught life skills and how to live with others. After youth are acclimated into the program and have caught up academically, they can access job skills training or attend local secondary schools.

“We know that equal access to education for both boys and girls lays the foundation for a better future for homeless and abandoned youth,” adds Fr. Hyde. “In Colombia especially, where almost 20 percent of school-age children do not attend school, it is crucial that we offer this opportunity to as many youth as we can.”

Don Bosco City is just one of many Salesian-run programs serving abandoned youth throughout Colombia. In Bogota, the Children of the Street Program serves approximately 9,000 girls and boys each year and in Santiago de Cali, a special vocational training and youth center works to rehabilitate and educate former child soldiers.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Giving Hope to Children in Crisis

UNICEF – State of the World’s Children 2008 – Child Survival

World Bank – Colombia 

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“Luis Bedoya is baby-faced and skinny,” reports the NPR story, by Juan Forero. “And he looks ever the boy when he puts on an industrial-sized apron, thick gloves and a metal helmet — the tools of an apprentice welder at the Don Bosco center in this city in southern Colombia.”

The vocational training and youth center, run by the Salesians of Don Bosco, specializes in rehabilitating child guerrillas. It is one of many such centers in Colombia and offers what Salesians around the world are known for – opportunity for youth through education and vocational training provided by caring adults. For children who have never had anyone care about them before, the center is life changing and life saving.

“It’s a big complex, complete with classrooms, basketball courts, a dormitory and work rooms. It’s home to boys and girls, as well as very young adults, who defected from the FARC rebels or were captured by the Colombian army,” reports NPR.

Children, including girls, have been recruited by guerrilla groups and even kidnapped and forced to do the war’s “dirty work” – often the most dangerous. Human rights groups and humanitarian groups have identified Colombia as a major country of crisis for children.

Many children – who have known nothing but war in their lifetimes – are recruited very young. Teenagers and even younger children are trained to be soldiers, stripping them of their childhoods. Those who survive and escape the nightmare have few places to turn for help.

The story continues: “These days, [Jasmine] is far removed from that life. She’s in cooking classes, and looking forward to higher studies – and maybe someday opening her own restaurant.”

The Colombian war has lasted more than 40 years. It is a brutal conflict between many different armed groups who struggle for power and control over land. All the armed groups have abused the rights of innocent people. About 5,000 people are killed every year, and most of these are civilians, according to Unicef. Massacres occur almost every week. Since 1985, more than 2 million people – or 1 in 20 Colombians – have been forced to abandon their homes because of the war.

While the two sides are in peace negotiations, the recruitment of child soldiers by the FARC rebels seems to be ramping up making programs to help these children essential.

“About 500 children are in programs like this across the country, but if peace is achieved, experts anticipate a much greater need,” NPR reported.

“We pray that peace does happen,” says Father Mark Hyde, the director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “And when that peace causes a need for more programs like this one, the Salesians will be there to help meet that need.”

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PHOTOS: Father Mark Hyde / SALESIAN MISSIONS

Read / listen to the story on NPR’s site: Years Of Combat Experience, and Just Turning 20

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in Colombia >

The post COLOMBIA: NPR Tells Story of Salesian Center Helping Former Child Soldiers Start New, Positive Lives first appeared on MissionNewswire.

An award ceremony presenting the certifications was held on Jan. 30 at the San José Technical and Technological Center’s auditorium and was led by Dr. Alfonso Reyes Alvarado, Rector of the University of Ibagué. The University has an established partnership with the Center. During the ceremony, the Center together with the University of Ibagué, gave a special award to Father Victorino Correa, who has been Rector of the Salesian community in Ibagué for many years.

Of Colombia’s 44 million people, 21 million are poor and six million live below the extreme poverty line, according to UNICEF. Close to one in five children in Colombia has no access to education. For many youth, vocational education offers the brightest opportunities for the future.

Salesian-run programs in Colombia offer youth a variety of options that include; schools for internally displaced persons that offer training in skills such as tailoring, graphic design, electronics, mechanics and information technology; training for street children that focuses on teaching work skills in addition to traditional educational courses; and courses focused on promoting entrepreneurship.

In addition, more formal technical education is offered at institutions like the San José Technical and Technological Center. Here students learn technical trades and are able to obtain jobs and even grow small businesses – all while contributing to improving the future of Colombia.

The Certification from ICONTEC is a management tool that certifies institutional quality and guarantees recognition of San José Center’s quality at an international level in 130 countries around the globe. Other certifications awarded guarantee that its programs respect Colombian technical legislation ensuring that students educated there conform with the requirements of the National Ministry of Education.

The certified programs at the Center include a lab technician course in network management and computer equipment; construction and maintenance of electrical, residential, commercial and industrial systems; garment design and fabrication; advertising graphics communication; and auto-maintenance for gas and petrol vehicles.

“The Salesians are working hard to educate youth in Colombia and provide them a path out of poverty,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The technical programs show how education and training not only benefit the individual student, but also entire communities as the students return home to contribute to the local economy. In this way, the students help themselves and their families and even sometimes go on to train others with the skills they have acquired.”

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Sources:

ANS – Colombia – Quality certification for San José Centre

UNICEF – Colombia

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The biomass, made up of forest residual matter like pine and eucalyptus bark and coffee plant leaves, is compacted into small tubes or cylinders, then used in varied industrial capacities and to generate heat for fireplaces, stoves or heaters.

“This project is a dream come true,” says Father Germán Londoño, director of the Don Bosco Formation Center. “It came into being a year ago when we decided to build a factory to make biomass cylinders. We carried out feasibility studies and now we are ready to export our first products to Switzerland.”

In an area covering 1,400 square meters, five young graduates of the Salesian Center are responsible for the collection of raw materials from forest plantations belonging to the ‘Smurfit Kappa Carton de Colombia’ and from local farmers who provide coffee plant leaves.

The young workers are responsible for cutting and drying wood and running the machines which came from Switzerland, thanks to a donation from the Leopold Bachmann Foundation, in collaboration with the Salesian NGO Jugendhilfe Weltweit. Planning and construction were carried out by Swiss engineer Walter Item, who personally saw to the installation of the plant and training of personnel from Villa Don Bosco.

According to UNICEF, one in five children in Colombia have no access to education and half the population live in poverty—including 6 million who are victims of extreme poverty. The Salesians are working hard to educate youth in Colombia and provide them a path out of poverty.

Currently, 600 youth are students at Villa Don Bosco, where the biomass production plant is located. They come from various communities in the area to study cabinetmaking, motorcycle mechanics and take courses in electrical skills, baking and systems analysis.

Production of the biomass cylinders helps support and educate close to 3,000 youth from Villa Don Bosco and the Don Bosco Formation Center in Cali as well as provide employment for farmers in the area.

It is estimated that around 3,000 tons of wood cuttings will be needed to produce around 1,560 tons of biomass cylinders. Diego Fernando Mogollón, systems technologist and welder, is a graduate of the Don Bosco Center and was trained how to run and maintain the machines in Switzerland. He notes that the possible re-use of bark from pine trees, which was left to rot, and the contributions being made to protect the environment is a cause of great pride for those engaged in the project.

The advantage of biomass lies in it being a one hundred percent natural product that has no need for preservatives or additives, gives off no smoke, produces less ash, is non-toxic and has a higher heat potential than traditional wood-burning.

“A 30 cm cylinder of biomass is able to generate heat for around 12 to 16 hours,” says Paula Andrea Vivas, coordinator of the plant and industrial mechanics technician who graduated a decade ago from the Salesian Center. “So, we are speaking of reduced logging to find wood. This is the coal of the future.”

The sale of biomass cylinders is guaranteed for five years by agreement with the Leopold Bachmann Foundation, which foresees that all production will be exported to Switzerland. After those five years, the market could then be opened for sale and consumption in Colombia.

Learn more about Salesian Misisons programs in Colombia >

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Sources:

ANS Photo

ANS – Colombia – The ’coal’ of the future manufactured at Villa Don Bosco, Cauca

Salesian Missions – Colombia

UNICEF – Colombia statistics

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The report noted that, “More than half of an estimated 3.9 – 5.3 million internally displaced people in Colombia are under 18, rendering them even more vulnerable to the threats that caused them to flee their homes in the first place.” Children in Colombia have been subjected to forced recruitment as child soldiers, sexual violence and rape, physical harm and death. Furthermore, they have been denied humanitarian assistance.

Education is at risk in Colombia. According to the report, schools have been used for military purposes. The national armed forces have occupied school buildings or camped nearby. Instead of being a refuge and a place for learning, schools have been utilized as a method of recruitment. In response, guerrilla groups have planted land mines around the schools without recording their locations, preventing children from attending school altogether.

Teachers are under attack as well. The report detailed that according to the teacher’s union in Colombia, “between 1991 and 2011, 871 teachers were killed, about 3,000 threatened, 1,070 forcibly displaced, and 60 reported missing.”

Without education, youth cannot advance their lives and break the cycle of poverty. They end up on the streets even more vulnerable to forced recruitment and physical harm.

The report goes beyond just identifying the severity of the problems facing children in Colombia. It also provides a series of recommendations to governments, NGOs and donors to help support youth and alleviate their suffering.

For nonprofit organizations like Salesian Missions, who has a long standing investment in humanitarian work in Colombia, the report suggests they should offer pyscho-social assistance and income-generating activities for children formerly associated with armed groups. They also recommend providing survivors of sexual violence, particularly in rural areas, adequate psycho-social, medical and legal care and support.

The report also suggests that programs should offer flexible schooling to allow children from rural areas, poor backgrounds, and those who were internally displaced an opportunity to continue to attend school by adapting the times and curriculum to meet their needs.

The report’s recommendations are work the Salesian Missions know all too well.

“The Salesians have been working with youth in Colombia for more than 40 years,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “We have built schools in places that previously lacked access to education – like the remote village of Condoto. We provide services to homeless children at Don Bosco City in Medellin as well as focus on critical psycho-social and educational services to displaced youth in refugee camps across the country.”

Don Bosco City in Medellin is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Beginning in 1965, Don Bosco City has served 83,000 boys and girls. It began in 1965 with 125 children, and today serves more than 1,500 children, youth and families per year. The program serves both boys and girls and goes beyond traditional homeless shelters by providing a three-stage program, culminating in vocational training.

Fr. Hyde says, “Through this model of education and rehabilitation, youth are able to learn the skills needed to support themselves and break the cycle of poverty.”

In Bogota, an internationally-recognized program helps street children overcome challenges – from where to find a nutritious meal to how to pursue an education and find a job. Through the Children of the Street program from the Salesians Youth Service Foundation, instructors who were once street children themselves provide the support and stability needed for at-risk children and youth to rebuild their lives.

With Salesian efforts that focus on providing educational opportunities to children and youth, students in refugee camps learn valuable job skills which will not only provide income, but also reduce the likelihood they will be recruited as child soldiers. More than 70 percent of graduating students are placed in jobs through Salesian Missions partnerships with community organizations and private sector companies.

“No matter the program or population of youth we serve in Colombia, our aim is always to provide market-driven technical vocational training, preventive and curative health treatment, and counseling services,” explained Fr. Hyde. “Our goal is to help alleviate current traumas and provide a foundation of supports and education that will assist youth in years to come and enable them to provide for themselves and their communities.”

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Sources:

Watch List Report – Children & Armed Conflict in Colombia

Salesian Missions – Colombia: Success stories of former child soldiers

Salesian Missions – Colombia

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“We came because two paramilitary factions and one guerrilla group were wreaking havoc in the area where we lived. They are killing a lot of the local people,” Padilla told UNHCR. Growing numbers of people have been arriving in northern Ecuador‘s Esmeraldas province this year and asking for asylum. Like Padilla, they cite increased violence across the border.

Significant numbers of people have been crossing into the province to seek shelter for years, with government figures putting the number at 1,200 to 1,500 people a month, said Oscar Sánchez Piñeiro, head of UNHCR ‘s field office in Esmeraldas.

But he added that the number had risen due to “the deteriorating conditions” in and around Tumaco, the main Pacific port in south-west Colombia‘s Nariño department. In one week earlier this year, UNHCR estimates that there were 600 arrivals.

Sánchez Piñeiro said that a further 1,000 people are believed to have arrived in Esmeraldas province during the same time, but had not been able to file asylum claims because it was difficult getting from border areas to the provincial capital, Esmeraldas, where the government registers new arrivals.

“The new arrivals say the situation in Colombia remains volatile,” the UNHCR official said. “Among the arriving population there are many women and children who had to flee because of threats, assassinations of relatives or the occupation of their land by irregular armed groups. Many live in precarious conditions, especially due to their proximity to the conflict zone and increasing violence in the border.”

UNHCR visitors met Padilla and his family at a shelter in San Lorenzo, where they were receiving assistance until they could find somewhere more permanent to live and look for a livelihood. They decided to leave Tumaco after one of the armed groups killed three people in their neighborhood, Padilla said, adding: “It was rumored that three more people were missing.”

But Padilla did not have enough money for transport to the border and he and his wife made the tough decision to leave their two oldest children – a 10-year-old girl and a boy aged 13 – with relatives in the hope that they could later reunite in Ecuador. His wife worries about the two children. “It hurt me a lot when I had to leave as I had never been far away from them, never.”

Many of the families arriving in this area stay with local communities on San Lorenzo’s stretch of coast, while others – like Padilla’s family – are provided with temporary accommodation. “We have several locations where we provide shelter for the new arrivals, especially for the vulnerable ones in San Lorenzo,” said Piñeiro, adding that needs surpassed UNHCR’s capacity.

UNHCR offers weekly briefings for the new arrivals in San Lorenzo, which is the first point of entry for many. The sessions include orientation on how to access the asylum process and also arranged information meetings through the provincial Refugee Directorate, which is the state entity in charge of providing registration and conducting the asylum process.

One priority for UNHCR is to work with the protection networks established in the border region to help trace the separated family members and to enhance protection activities along the northern border with Colombia.

Debbie Elizondo, UNHCR’s representative in Quito, noted that Ecuador is the largest refugee-hosting country in Latin America, with more than 55,000 recognized Colombian refugees. But she also expressed concern about the dangers asylum seekers face in the border areas inside Ecuador .

“Many people may think that perhaps there is no more conflict in Colombia , but the reality is that we continue to see thousands fleeing the increasingly volatile areas and fragmented fighting,” she said, adding that the border area was dangerous.

“Just last year, 15 refugees or asylum-seekers were assassinated in the province of Esmeraldas. There is also an increased presence of illegal armed groups along the border and they operate in the region and foster systemic human rights violations,” Elizondo added.

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By Babar Baloch in San Lorenzo, Ecuador (UNHCR) | PHOTO: B. Balach/UNHCR

See this news article in its original location.

See related article: “New Beginnings” Program Expands to Assist Colombian Refugees in Four Countries

The post UNHCR: Violence in Colombia Displacing More People into Ecuador first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The three-year program will focus on Colombian refugees living Ecuador, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Panama due to ongoing internal conflict in Colombia, which has resulted in the displacement of more than four million Colombians in the last two decades.

According to 2011 data from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) more than 90% of the 454,088 known Colombian refugees and asylum seekers now live in the neighboring countries of Ecuador (167,189), Venezuela (215,685), Panama (17,714), and Costa Rica (19,703).

“Many of the Colombian refugees have no marketable skills. They can’t find jobs and the lack of training makes it difficult to start their own business or join with others to form cooperatives. Without jobs, it is hard to find stability for their families and build new lives. For example, younger children may not attend school and the cycle of poverty continues,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Through the “New Beginnings” program, Colombian refugees will receive training and technical skills that will enable them to find gainful employment. In addition, the recipients will receive human development workshops developed through a grant with the WK Kellogg Foundation, as well as job placement services.

According to Fr. Hyde, job placement specialists in each target country will consult with local employers and existing ministry of labor contacts to ensure the job training programs meet the needs of the marketplace.

In addition to the estimated 5,100 students who will receive job training, Salesian Missions expects the program to indirectly benefit 26,520 family members. The program will reach refugees in 18 different regions throughout Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, and Costa Rica.

“Many of these refugees live in rural villages where access to technical training is often difficult to attain,” explains Edson Timana, a program officer with the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. Timana is currently traveling to all program sites throughout the four countries to prepare them to implement the programs prior to the arrival of the refugees.

The program will also ensure that the Colombian refugees are formalizing their status as registered refugees. It is estimated that only around 22% of Colombian refugees are registered and accounted for.

“If a refugee is not counted – or is considered ‘vanished’ – it makes it that much more difficult to provide long-term solutions for them,” says Fr. Hyde. “For example, in the four countries we’ve targeted, only registered refugees can legally work, making the registration component critically important. Our goal is to have one hundred percent of students enrolled in the program formalizing their status as registered refugees and then they can begin to build a new life in their new country.”

Fr. Hyde adds that cultural understanding is another aspect of ensuring refugees long-term achievement in their new country.

“We’ve seen that Colombian refugees face high levels of discrimination because of harmful stereotypes. Discrimination affects the refugees’ ability to find jobs, housing and even basic services. The stereotypes also affect the refugees’ sense of self. That’s why we’re including spaces for positive exchanges, as well as conflict mitigation, between Colombian refugees and members of the local host community in the program,” says Fr. Hyde. This includes integrating refugee students with host country students in courses and workshops, vocational training fairs and sports and cultural activities to promote social interaction.

The “New Beginnings” program is designed to meet the goals of the UNHCR/International Organization for Migration/Ministers Foreign Affairs; Colombia, Ecuador Assistance Plan for Colombian Refugees (December 2010), which seeks to support priorities and pilot programs which will advance the sustainable reintegration of Colombians who decide to return home while improving the living conditions of those Colombians who continue to stay abroad by, “promoting their socio-economic inclusion in society with proper access to employment, basic health services, education and housing.”

The most recent Salesian Missions’ “New Beginnings” commenced at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. The first program was launched in 2005 in Colombia, with a focus on providing vocational training, job placement, and healthcare assistance to persons displaced by the country’s ongoing civil conflict. Last year an additional New Beginnings project commenced in Tamil Nadu, India, providing vocational skills, human development, and job placement assistance to Sri Lankan refugees. In both India and Colombia, students received and continue to receive training in skill areas ranging from video production to carpentry to wind turbine repair and maintenance.

The Salesians are widely considered the world’s largest provider of technical and vocational training. Salesians around the world operate an extensive network of schools: more than 1,316 elementary; 1,400 intermediary and secondary; 32 colleges and universities; 300 industrial skills trade/vocational; 90 agricultural; 860 nurseries; 220 clinics and hospitals; and 1,670 social assistance centers and programs for orphans and street children.

The post CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA: “New Beginnings” Program Expands to Assist Colombian Refugees in Four Countries first appeared on MissionNewswire.