ETHIOPIA: Salesians celebrate 50 years in Gambella region
Activities include 3-month soccer tournament
ETHIOPIA
(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Gambella in Ethiopia* held a soccer tournament in celebration of the 50-year anniversary of Salesians working in the region. The Jubilee Premier League soccer competition brought together various organizations to participate in 12 teams that were created. The event was attended by more than 1,000 people.
The opening match was between the two nongovernmental organizations of World Vision and ZOA. The ceremony was presided over by Alemitu Omod, president of the regional state of Gambella, and Dr. Gatluak Ruon, vice-president. In her opening address, Omod praised the Salesians and recalled the contributions of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia.
A Salesian explained, “The championship matches will continue for almost three months, ending near the feast of Don Bosco in January. The event brought great enthusiasm to the city, thanks to the wide coverage on local media and social networks. On the occasion of the Jubilee Year, a small shrub was also planted and President Omod visited the local Salesian center.”
The Salesian community in Mekele marked another milestone during the jubilee. The school held its first graduation after a five-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic and civil war. The graduation was significant in the region’s journey toward recovery.
The Salesian added, “The Salesian community’s commitment to education and empowerment has been a beacon of hope in the region. Even during the hardest of times of war in the region, the four Salesian communities of the Tigray region always stood with the people and for the people, offering the assistance and the aid that was much needed during that time. As the Salesian congregation embarks on this milestone anniversary, it reaffirms its dedication to serving the people of Ethiopia, fostering education, skills development, and holistic growth.”
Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than 38% of its population living in poverty, according to Feed the Future. Close to 85% of the country’s workforce is employed in agriculture, but frequent droughts severely affect the agricultural economy leaving more than 12 million people chronically, or at least periodically, food insecure. In addition, more than two-thirds of the population is illiterate.
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
ANS – Ethiopia – Salesian community celebrates first graduation after 5-year hiatus
Salesian Missions – Ethiopia
UNICEF – Ethiopia
*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.
