(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Media has begun offering a free course on the basics of sound engineering. The course is offered for the many youth who are managing the audio systems in 35 different parishes in the archdiocese of Shillong, India. The course lasts until December and will be followed by a similar course starting in February 2019 for youth active in the parishes of the dioceses of Jowai and Nongstoin.

Don Bosco Media is a center for art, media and communications in Trichy in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. Through the center, Salesian missionaries are building a media consortium that is equipped with higher-end technology and the knowledge and skills to empower youth with the best education in media and art. In addition to offering workshops and courses, Don Bosco Media produces a range of marketing and promotional materials including documentaries, short films, TV programs, books, music, marketing, photography and more.

“As with any vocational and technical training provided to youth, the goal is always to help them develop skills for stable employment,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Don Bosco Media works collaboratively with Salesian centers and training institutes in India to provide media and arts education to youth who have a passion and interest in pursuing these kinds of careers. They provide both classroom learning and hands-on application in the field.”

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a new report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

India’s youth also face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

Child labor continues to be a serious issue in the country with more than 10 million children in the workforce, as reported by aid agencies. An estimated 11 million children live on the streets facing the daily horrors of rampant exploitation, forced labor, widespread substance abuse and physical violence. For many, it is difficult to imagine a better life.

Salesian missionaries living and working in India place special emphasis on rescuing and rehabilitating children engaged in child labor. There are Salesian-run programs throughout the country that have helped hundreds of thousands of vulnerable youth through the years, and this work continues today.

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Sources:

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

ANS – India – Free Sound Engineering course for young students

Don Bosco Media

UNICEF – India