Boys receive supplies to prepare for school year

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Home, located in Sunyani, Ghana, provides social support and education for boys in the care of Salesian missionaries. The center, which currently houses 65 youth ages 4-24, was established in 1989 for the rehabilitation of at-risk homeless youth. Services are based on the needs and situation of each individual.

During the January to March 2023 term, Salesian International Volunteering for Development (VIS), donated 88 textbooks, 100 notebooks, and many pens, rulers, crayons, erasers and pencil cases for the youth at the Don Bosco Boys Home. The distribution of school supplies was necessary for the new academic year and helped youth be prepared for their studies.

VIS volunteers also worked with the boys to plant 10 mango trees on the home’s property. The trees were donated by the Caracol Association. VIS volunteers wanted to increase the well-being of youth and raise awareness on the importance of protecting the environment. VIS has also launched projects around organic agriculture and ecotourist activities.

One Salesian noted, “It was good to get the boys in nature for the tree planting. They were taught how to take care of the mango trees and plant the trees properly. The fruit from the trees will also be used to feed the boys.”

While Ghana’s economy continues to improve, nearly 45% of the population lives on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. Rural poverty remains widespread in the dry savannah region that covers roughly two thirds of Ghana’s northern territory. Small-scale farms suffer from a lack of infrastructure and equipment, both of which are needed to shift from subsistence farming to more modern commercial farming which would yield greater incomes and a chance to escape poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects

Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter January – March 2023

Salesian Missions – Ghana

UNICEF – Ghana