2 Salesian centers in Abuja provide support for poor youth

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are working in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, to provide education and support to youth who deserve a second chance at life. The first Salesians started parishes which have grown to larger educational facilities where youth go to get an education and skills for future employment.

In Gaduwa, Salesians began in 1992 with three families praying together. Today, a Salesian said, “The Salesian parish is now a full center with catechesis and social programs for the poor. Special attention is given to young people. For them, in the limited space available, there are small facilities for recreational, social and cultural activities, after-school activities, and opportunities to acquire manual skills.”

The St. John Mary Vianney Parish in Kubwa is the second Salesian location. It is located in a populous suburb characterized by a wide variety of ethnic groups from all over Nigeria. The parish was entrusted to the Salesians in 2017. It’s an established parish that is quickly growing, and new church is under construction to meet the needs of the community.

A Salesian noted, “The new large spaces available will allow us to further open our oratory, which has become a meeting point for the whole neighborhood. Recreational, cultural and educational activities help to create a spirit of peaceful coexistence, which breaks down ethnic barriers and makes social integration easier.”

Don Bosco Technical Institute is a part of this parish and offers a variety of courses for youth including electricity, solar technology, construction, plumbing, tailoring, aesthetics, catering, IT and communication. It was opened in 2023, and the demand for an education there is great.

The Salesian explained, “Faced with the difficulty of obtaining a degree in the country, a growing number of graduates without employment, and industrial complexes in search of skilled workers, youth are leaning increasingly toward the acquisition of a technical qualification that allows them immediate access to a job. The institute has fully responded to this new growing need.”

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050. While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day.

About 64% of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32% of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Missioni Don Bosco

ANS – Nigeria – The two Salesian presences in Abuja, outposts of education, evangelisation and development

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria