INDIA: Don Bosco Navajeevan provides educational support for 300 youth
Project also ensures access to healthcare, nutritional support
INDIA
(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Navajeevan, located in Hyderabad, India, has been able to provide educational support for 300 youth who are vulnerable thanks to Mission Don Bosco in Turin, Italy. These youth have found a safe space in educational centers, reducing their risk of dropping out of school, increasing their motivation to study and improving their interpersonal skills. The project also helped to ensure regular access to healthcare and nutritional support.
A Salesian explained, “There is a high rate of school dropout among youth growing up in informal settlements, and it is a direct consequence of a pressing economic need. These youth must work instead to help contribute to the family income. Often, it is the parents who are forced to prioritize their children’s work over their education, unwittingly fueling a vicious circle of illiteracy and poverty and exposing youth to situations of grave danger and exploitation.”
Don Bosco Navajeevan has been working for years to tackle this social crisis and provide practical solutions. Supported by a multidisciplinary team of educators, social workers and lawyers, Salesians are on the ground to ensure the safety, protection and dignity of the inhabitants of 10 urban shanty towns.
As part of this project, youth in these towns were provided two hours of after-school activities each day, during which they did their homework, caught up on learning and received a nutritious snack. Through youth club activities that are held twice a month on Saturdays, summer camps, and workshops on self-esteem and managing emotions, youth strengthened their interpersonal skills. A nurse also visited the centers regularly to provide basic health checks and health education.
In addition, 50 youth, who were identified as particularly vulnerable, were given specific food kits to combat malnutrition and anemia. The project sought the active participation of families through the creation of several committees including Children and Adolescents’ Parliament, the Mothers’ Committee and the Local Action Committee, as well as public events during Children’s Rights Week.
The Salesian noted, “The growing involvement and educational partnership with families has strengthened the sense of shared responsibility within the community, an element that provides a solid foundation for ensuring that the benefits of this initiative are sustained in the long term.”
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – India
World Bank – India
