(MissionNewswire) Hadidi Lakbir, a 30-year-old married father of a child, arrived in Italy from Morocco 25 years ago to join his father who worked for a local business. Today, Lakbir is an entrepreneur and graduate of the Salesian Institute San Domenico Savio, located in Bra, a town in the northwest Italian region of Piedmont.

Lakbir has been working on his own for almost 10 years running his company, Omh Soluzioni Tecnologiche, in the town of Cavallerleone. The company provides services to mechanical production companies in the provinces of Cuneo and Turin. Lakbir is grateful for his Salesian education and says, “They have helped me a lot in my role as an entrepreneur. My technical and human formation was guided during the three years I attended.”

When talking about his past and arrival in Italy, Lakbir notes, “I joined my family in Sommariva Bosco about 25 years ago. My father, who had arrived from Morocco, was working at a company in Ceresole d’Alba when we reached him in Piedmont. I remember with pleasure the elementary schools with the teachers who helped us a lot. I also remember with gratitude the Salesians of Bra who educated me, even if I am of a different religion from the Christian one, and they trained me as a technician.”

Lakbir’s testimony highlights the importance of quality education. He adds, “I have learned a lot from the Salesians, both from a professional and a human standpoint. I’m of foreign origin, but thanks to this education I managed to fit perfectly in the production sector in which I have been operating for many years.”

During the graduation ceremony for young students of Salesian vocational schools, Lakbir received a prize from the general director of the National Salesian Center for Vocational Training and Ongoing Education located in Piedmont. During his speech, Lakbir addressed the students who have attended similar workshops to the ones he completed. He noted, “I wish all the students present to find their way to work as I did. I thank the Salesians of Bra again for what they have provided to me on my path to success.”

Italy, Europe’s third-largest economy, has close to 2 million children living in poverty, according to UNICEF. The poverty rate has risen in the wake of Europe’s economic crisis. Unemployment is at its highest level since the late 1970s with the overall jobless rate at 12.5 percent and youth unemployment as high as 41 percent.

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

According to UNICEF, a growing number of youth are living away from their families in temporary shelters and within government and charity programs because of inadequate support from or neglect by their families. Salesian programs work to combat these challenges by providing shelter, nutrition, education and workforce development services for youth in need.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Italy – Hadidi: from Morocco to businessman via Salesian education

UNICEF – Italy Poverty