Programs offer options for families with few financial resources

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in 18 communities in Hyderabad, India, organized summer activities for youth that are out of school during this time. More than 1,800 youth attend these summer sessions. Many youth are left home alone because school is out but their families still have to work. These families have no options with few financial resources.

The Salesian summer programs, held during April, May and June, offered a supportive solution by providing youth with the opportunity to participate in creative activities and personal development sessions, working on holistic growth and social skills in a pleasant environment.

A Salesian noted, “Salesians strongly believe in the power of group activities to promote collaboration and respect among peers, which is fundamental in the development of children. The goal is to provide a safe and stimulating environment during the summer holidays through educational course to teach foreign language skills and computer literacy, creative workshops in art, dance and music, and sports. Salesians also plan small trips and picnics to visit places of cultural interest in the area.”

Salesian summer camps not only contribute to improving the general well-being of youth but also plays a crucial role in preventing the potential abandonment of youth by their families and child labor exploitation during these school holidays.

Salesians encourage local communities to participate as volunteers, which help to reduce operating costs and foster a sense of belonging. The Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy is sponsoring these activities and have launched a campaign among its benefactors to support it.

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.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22% of the country lives in poverty. About 31% of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a 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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – India – INH Salesians’ commitment: a safe and happy summer for all children

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India