EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Dili-Comoro, East Timor, have sheltered 3,000 people who fled from their homes because of floodwater. A flash flood caused by torrential rains crippled areas around the capital city of Dili as well as nearby islands in eastern Indonesia, including the island of Flores and the western part of Timor Island, in the early morning hours of Easter Sunday.

Salesians say that local news sources are reporting more than 160 deaths as a result of landslides and homes buried under the mud. Roads are destroyed and thousands of people have been displaced. In Dili, river water rose as much as two to four meters above the ordinary level. Rescue workers continue to search for missing people and are working to restore the roads and streets in the affected area.

Those who have been displaced are finding shelter in the Comoro Don Bosco compound where they are being provided blankets, food and basic medicines. The entire Salesian community is working to provide for the flood victims. There are 11 Salesian communities within East Timor including technical and vocational education centers, a large oratory, a post-novitiate community with a philosophy study center, and the Salesian provincial house.

“Salesian missionaries are well-positioned in the community to help provide immediate assistance for those in need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are helping to support people now and will be there long after the floodwaters recede, helping families to rebuilt their homes and their lives.”

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war in the country that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

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Sources:

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

ANS – East Timor – Flood victims needs shelter-food-medicines

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

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EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Father Francis Hung, from the province of Mary Help of Christians in China, has taken a special interest in supporting Salesian programs in East Timor. In 2018, Fr. Hung attended an Association of Past Pupils Convention in East Timor and saw firsthand some of the difficulties Salesians face in the country providing for youth in need.

When he returned to China, Fr. Hung collected many theological and philosophical books, equipment for mechanical workshops, and about 100 computers and uniforms that he sent in a first shipment of goods.

In 2019, a second container with more than 10,000 t-shirts were shipped thanks to past pupil Stephen Mok with the coordination of another past pupil, Michael Eng. At the end of 2019, H.P. Chan, another past pupil, moved the headquarters of his factory from Shenzhen to Thailand, leaving factory surplus unused. It included computer numerical control machines, which are extremely useful in industry, and he donated these machines to Salesians in East Timor.

Working with H.P Chan, Salesians shipped seven containers that included the computer numerical control machines, desks, cabinets, workbenches, hydraulic forklifts, projectors, microscopes, chairs, fans and more. A final container, making 10 in total, was shipped during the pandemic and included 300,000 face masks donated by past pupil Andrew Chiu. The shipment also included forehead thermometers, computers for distance learning and many other items.

“I want to express our sincere gratitude and our thanks to Michael Eng and Stephen Mok, who organized the Past Pupils of Don Bosco in Hong Kong to support Salesian programs in East Timor. I would also like to thank Fr. Francis Hung, who is the main driver of this charity work,”  said Father Adriano de Jesus, a Salesian missionary in East Timor.

Salesian missionaries are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as training and certification programs, Salesian missionaries are helping to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Programs rely on donations such as those provided by IRN to keep facilities functional for students and staff.

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war in the country that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

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Sources:

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

ANS – East Timor – A magnificent example of inter-provincial solidarity and in the Salesian Family

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

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EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation in Milan, Italy, has launched a new global appeal to help create an infirmary to take care of the girls living in the Laga Laura Vicuña Orphanage in East Timor, which is run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and named after Blessed Laura Vicuña. Launched in 1996, the orphanage houses 104 girls aged 6-17. The plan is to create an independent area where health services are available, and the girls can be treated with privacy and respect.

In addition, providing a separate space enables girls to be isolated when they are sick and decrease the spread of contagious viruses. Improving the health of the girls also will help them attend school more frequently. Most of the girls are orphans or come from families who abandoned or abused them, and they left home seeking safety elsewhere. If not for the orphanage, many would not be in school.

Through education, including studies such as theater, dance, music, sewing and sports, girls are encouraged to develop their skills and talents. Nutritional meals are provided five times a day thanks to support from donors. Laga has an extensive parish and consists of more than 40 villages, 24 schools and 38 pastoral centers, of which many are difficult to physically access.

“Salesian programs are so successful in part because they remain flexible and diversified to meet of the needs of their students,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The health and safety of students is critical to ensuring they are able to gain an education and live a productive life. It’s especially important now as the world faces a global pandemic.”

Since the liberation of Indonesia in 1999, East Timor has had political freedom, but the living conditions of the people in the country, especially in rural areas, has remained critical. Many women are at risk of dying during childbirth, often because of a lack of a medical care and at times, women refuse health care, preferring the help of relatives and acquaintances. This has only served to increase the number of orphans in the country.

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

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Sources:

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

ANS – East Timor – An infirmary for Laga orphanage

Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation

Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation Facebook

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

The post EAST TIMOR: Salesian-run Opera Don Bosco Onlus Foundation launches appeal to help create an infirmary at the Laga Laura Vicuña Orphanage first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Foundation in East Timor was able to provide food support for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic thanks to funding from Salesian Missions donors. Don Bosco Foundation collaborated with Salesian parishes to identify those most in need, including widows, the elderly, those living in poverty, those with disabilities and orphans.

Support was provided to people in three Salesian parishes including Mary Help of Christian Parish in Dili, Saint Peter and Paul Parish in Lospalos, and Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Venilale. Over three months, a total of 1,174 beneficiaries were supported through these relief efforts.

One of the people supported by the donation is Joana da Costa, who is a widow with seven children. Her husband passed away five years ago from an illness. Since then, she has had to work harder and harder with the responsibility of being both mother and father to the family.

She said, “ln order to feed my kids and pay for their school needs, I am working as a cleaner in one company near my house. The money I’m earning isn’t enough to cover my family’s needs so I’m also working an additional job washing clothes for local families. I also started a small bakery. I finally was able to feed my children as well as have the money for other needs. Unfortunately, during these last few months, I could no longer work because of the pandemic. It caused us much hardship and stress. Thanks to the support of the Don Bosco Foundation, I was able to feed my family.”

Over three months, a total of 1,174 beneficiaries were supported through relief efforts in East Timor.

Salesian missionaries are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers, as well as training and certification programs, Salesian missionaries are helping to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Because they live in the communities in which they work, they are perfectly positioned to help in times of crisis by providing relief materials and support to local populations.

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war in the country that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

The post EAST TIMOR: Salesian Missions donors provide Don Bosco Foundation funding for food support in response to coronavirus pandemic first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) More than 1,200 youth attending Salesian schools and youth centers in East Timor had better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable. The shipment, which arrived in the last quarter of 2019, provided donated rice-meals to ensure students had a healthy meal during the school day.

Don Bosco Technical School Fatumaca, Don Bosco Technical High School Maliana, Don Bosco Training Center of Comoro, Don Bosco Laga Youth Center, Don Bosco Youth Center Baucau and Don Bosco Lospalos Orphanage were all recipients of the donation.

“Hungry students have trouble focusing on their studies and learning,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Proper nutrition is needed to fully take part in classroom and in-field training. Prepared students are more likely to learn valuable skills that will help them gain employment and break the cycle of poverty in their lives while enabling them to give back to their communities.”

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

In the city of Maliana, Don Bosco Technical High School is an important educational center. It serves more than 250 students, 11 percent of whom are girls, who take three-year courses in carpentry, mechanics or electronics. Each year there are more than 400 applications for the 84 student spots. Final year students are required to design and produce a product that encompasses much of what they have learned over the previous three years.

Rise Against Hunger partners with Salesian Missions, which works to identify needs and coordinate delivery of 40-foot shipping containers full of meals, supplemented with additional supplies when available. The partnership was developed in 2011, and since that time shipments have been successfully delivered to 20 countries around the globe. The meals and life-saving aid have helped to nourish poor youth at Salesian schools and programs and care for those in need of emergency aid during times of war, natural disasters and health crises.

East Timor is home to 1.26 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 188 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 42 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Rise Against Hunger

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions

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EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian programs in East Timor have new school furniture thanks to a donation made possible by an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and IRN (Institution Recycling Network). IRN matches surplus items with organizations and people who need them. The donation, which was received in October 2019, included 295 tables and chairs.

Blessed Philip Rinaldi Junior High School in Venilale received 100 items while 50 went to the Don Bosco Senior High School of Laga. The remaining items were sent to Saint Francis of de Sales Philosophy Institution in Dili Comoro.

Blessed Philip Rinaldi Junior High School provides a foundation of education for students to advance to higher levels of learning. The school accommodates up to 200 students but some of the facilities are old and destroyed. The furniture from IRN will ensure students are learning in a good educational environment.

The Don Bosco Senior High School of Laga recently built an additional building, supported by the Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Fund, to accommodate the increased enrollment of students who are accessing this rural school. The school needed furniture to prepare the classroom.

Similarly, St. Francis of de Sales Philosophy Institution is a new Salesian school that required furniture to complete its classrooms. Salesian missionaries in East Timor are grateful to both IRN and Salesian Missions for ensuring that students are able to learn in a comfortable environment.

“Having tables and chairs and the proper environment in the classroom gives our students dignity and allows them to better focus on their lessons,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “We are grateful for IRN and the ongoing partnership we have had to send much needed furniture to Salesian schools and programs.”

IRN was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every educational, commercial and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment. Hundreds of millions of people living in poverty or recovering from natural disasters worldwide are in desperate need of the kinds of surplus goods these very organizations are discarding. IRN makes the match and facilitates the distribution of the surplus into the hands of the organizations and people who need it most.

Salesian missionaries are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as training and certification programs, Salesian missionaries are helping to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Programs rely on donations such as those provided by IRN to keep facilities functional for students and staff.

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war in the country that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

IRS – The Reuse Network

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

The post EAST TIMOR: 3 Salesian schools have tables and chairs thanks to Salesian Missions partnership with IRN first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending Don Bosco Technical School Fatumaca in East Timor have access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable. The shipment was made in the third quarter of 2019.

Salesian missionaries provide educational and social development services at the Salesian complex Don Bosco Fatumaca. Poor youth are able to access a range of programs including health services, nutrition, education and general support services. The school also offers room and board for students who need on-campus housing.

Don Bosco Technical School Fatumaca provides vocational education that helps youth gain an education and prepare for the future. More than 250 students, 11 percent of whom are girls, attend the school taking three-year courses in carpentry, mechanics and electronics. Each year there are more than 400 applications for 84 student spots. Final year students are required to design and produce a product that embraces much of what they have learned over the previous three years.

“The Rise Against Hunger meals are supporting us to meet the basic needs of youth in our programs and enabling them to have full stomachs in order to study and have the energy to take part in different activities to prepare for the future,” says Father Gui Da Silva. “We saw many more students graduate this past year and able to get a job immediately or continue on with us for advanced studies. I enjoy being able to follow up with students and see how they are excelling since we have been providing the Rise Against Hunger rice-meals.”

One of the beneficiaries, 20-year-old Geovanio Goncalves, is very grateful to be studying at Don Bosco Technical School. He is working hard to complete his program of study. The Rise Against Hunger meals ensure that he had enough to eat so he can focus on attending school and having the energy to study. Goncalves admitted there were times that he had to fight for just enough to eat because of the political instability on East Timor. He’s glad now that he’s in a supportive environment and working towards a brighter future.

Salesian missionaries in East Timor have been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild in the wake of a devastating civil war in the country that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

Rise Against Hunger partners with Salesian Missions, which works to identify needs and coordinate delivery of 40-foot shipping containers full of meals and supplemented with additional supplies when available. The partnership was developed in 2011 and since that time shipments have been successfully delivered to 20 countries around the globe. The meals and life-saving aid have helped to nourish poor youth at Salesian schools and programs as well as care for those in need of emergency aid during times of war, natural disasters and health crises.

East Timor is home to 1.26 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 188 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 42 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Rise Against Hunger

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

The post EAST TIMOR: Youth attending Don Bosco Technical School Fatumaca have access to proper nutrition thanks to Rise Against Hunger rice-meals first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries and Salesian sisters living and working in East Timor have three orphanages for poor and homeless youth in the country, as well as a medical clinic. In the wake of the devastating civil war that claimed countless lives, decimated entire communities and resulted in living conditions that are among the worst in the world, the Salesian community has been providing programs to help residents recover and rebuild. Now that the violence has subsided, efforts are being focused on helping the poor, restoring hope and providing new opportunities for the future.

The Venilale Salesian Sisters’ Orphanage accommodates 116 girls, aged 6 to 16 years. The girls are given an education and are encouraged to participate in recreational activities. Through the generosity of donors, two new rainwater tanks have been purchased and installed, saving the girls a daily 2 km walk with buckets to collect water. The water is used for drinking, washing clothes and showering.

At another orphanage focused on ensuring girls have a safe place to live and an education, the Laga Laura Vicuna Orphanage is home to 98 girls, aged 6 to 16 years. Through education incorporating studies such as theater, dance, music, sewing and sports, girls are encouraged to develop their skills and talents. Nutritional meals are provided five times a day thanks to support from donors. Laga has an extensive parish and consists of more than 40 villages, 24 schools and 38 pastoral centers, of which many are difficult to physically access. Parents connect with Salesian programs so their children receive an education that will help them late find and retain stable employment and contribute positively to their communities.

Salesian missionaries also have a specific orphanage for boys. The Lospalos Don Bosco Orphanage accommodates more than 100 boys, aged 6 to 16 years, who are attending local schools. Salesian missionaries help the boys develop survival skills, including after school work in the vegetable garden. It helps boys put some of the skills they learn in the classroom into a real-world environment and teaches them how to provide for themselves.

In addition to these orphanages and technical and vocational training centers, Salesians in East Timor also provide the Maria Auxiliadora Medical Clinic, which offers essential medical care for the poor in Venilale and 13 surrounding villages. There were more than 9,300 patients treated for common ailments such as malaria, tuberculosis, asthma and pneumonia.

The clinic’s priority is to care for mothers and children. Because a high percentage of the population lives in conditions of poverty and experiences food shortages, access to the Salesian clinic is an important alternative to a costly hospital visit.  Health education programs in local schools and villages are also conducted.

“Salesian programs are so successful in part because they remain flexible and diversified to meet of the needs of their students,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Being an integral part of the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries are aware of local needs first-hand and are then able to develop programs to directly address those needs.”

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

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Sources:

Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Aid Fund Annual Report 2018

Photo courtesy of Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Aid Fund Annual Report 2018

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

The post EAST TIMOR: Salesian missionaries provide orphanages and medical care for poor and homeless youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EAST TIMOR

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Agricultural School is educating 1,000 students from elementary to senior secondary grades in the Lospalos district of East Timor. Agriculture education plays an important role in promoting better care of livestock and increasing the yield from crops. The school is aiming to become more self-sufficient by increasing farm production of corn, animal feed, varied horticulture and coconut oil, along with improved livestock intake.

School buildings, however, are in urgent need of renovations. Some are more than 50 years old and the roofs and ceilings need replacement. In the past year work has been done on upgrading the dormitories, but there is still work to be done in the bathrooms. Donations have been directed to the running costs of the school, namely for student fees, scholarships and transport costs, as well as vehicle maintenance. The agricultural program is helping to produce goods on the farm that are consumed in the boarding house.

In Maliana, the Don Bosco Co-educational Technical School, with the generous support of the Montagner Zembruzuski Family Foundation, built a new basketball court for the students for socio-sports education and replaced the roof on the boys’ dormitory. In addition, a training seminar was held for the electrical trade teachers and participants from the Don Bosco schools in Comoro and Fatumaca. The training helped teachers access the most up-to-date information in the field in order to pass that knowledge onto their students.

At the Don Bosco Training Center in Comoro, short-term courses in motor mechanics, building, electrical wiring and IT are provided. Students are able to access on-the-job training. In the last year, students participated in fencing 200 meters around the workshops. Other work experience projects included manufacturing 52 study tables and repairing 20 existing tables and 22 chairs.

“Technical education is important to ensure youth have the skills needed to find and retain long-term stable employment,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students who are able to access education and find work are able to become contributing members of their communities, helping to support their families as well as community development.”

East Timor is home to 1.1 million people and according to the Human Development Index, the country ranked 132 out of 189 for life expectancy, access to education and standard of living in 2018. The World Bank estimates that East Timor has close to 49 percent of its population living in poverty with over one-third of the population regularly experiencing food shortages. In addition, close to 50 percent of the population is illiterate.

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Sources:

Australian Salesian Mission Overseas Aid Fund Annual Report 2018

Salesians of Don Bosco Indonesia-Timor Leste

Salesian Missions – East Timor

World Bank – East Timor/Timor-Leste

The post EAST TIMOR: Vulnerable youth are benefiting from Salesian agriculture and technical skills training first appeared on MissionNewswire.