EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Zeitoun, located in Cairo, Egypt, provides education and support to Sudanese refugees in the country. Work with refugees began in 2000 when several arrived at the Salesian organization hoping to celebrate Catholic Mass.

The Salesian community welcomed the refugees with open arms. Initially, the Comboni Fathers were responsible for working with the refugees but gradually that work transitioned over to the Salesian community.

Since space is very limited, Don Bosco Zeitoun Oratory organizes activities for refugees three days a week. An average of 250 children attend the oratory, and mothers have their own meetings. On the three days when not working with Sudanese refugees, the Don Bosco Zeitoun Oratory organizes activities for as many youth from the neighborhood as possible.

Recently, Father Alfred Maravilla, general councilor for missions, met with Sudanese refugees at Don Bosco Zeitoun where he celebrated Mass and thanked the refugees for their continued faith. Fr. Maravilla also encouraged parents “to share faith with your children and send them to the Salesian oratory, where they can grow in faith and learn skills to integrate into Egyptian society.”

“Salesian programs across Egypt provide education and social development services for youth and their families living in poverty and for refugees new to the country,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth, regardless of faith and religious background, are able to access the Salesian programs and gain assistance with homework, connect with their peers, and be connected with adults who provide mentorship and support in their lives.”

According to the World Bank, 26 percent of Egypt’s population lives in poverty while 49 percent of those living in Upper Egypt cannot provide for their basic needs of food and shelter. For the nearly third of Egyptians living in poverty, and the millions more in poor conditions, the country’s current economic difficult mean life is much harder with many struggling to put food on the table.

The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Egypt – General Councilor for Missions meets with Sudanese refugees

Salesian Missions – Egypt

World Bank – Egypt

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EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian oratory in Alexandria, Egypt, is attended by many youth, most of whom are Muslims. Many of the staff and volunteers who work with youth there are also Muslim. The oratory has become a place where Muslims and Christians come together to connect with their peers and participate in activities organized by the Salesians.

During a recent visit to Salesian communities in Egypt, Father Alfred Maravilla, general councilor for missions, met with staff at the Salesian oratory. Fr. Maravilla urged them to treasure the universal and human values they learn in the oratory. He said, “Today in the world many consider anyone different from themselves as a threat. Instead, here in the oratory, you show that difference lived with respect and friendship can become an enrichment for everyone.” He also encouraged Salesians to continue making the oratory a true place where fraternity is built.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Egypt for more than 120 years. Primary and secondary education, high-quality vocational and technical schools, and youth centers are accessed by both Muslim and Christian youth, as well as refugees in need of services.

The Salesian House in Alexandria was founded in 1896 by Father Rua to provide education to the many Italian migrants who lived there. Today, the Don Bosco School in Alexandria educates close to 900 students, mostly Muslim, in classes ranging from primary school to vocational training. The courtyards and playgrounds of the Salesian House are filled with students after school who connect with their peers in a safe and supportive environment. The institute is recognized, and partially funded, by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Salesian programs across Egypt provide education and social development services for youth and their families living in poverty,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth, regardless of faith and religious background, are able to access the Salesian program and gain assistance with homework, connect with their peers, and be connected with adults who provide mentorship and support in their lives.”

According to the World Bank, 26 percent of Egypt’s population lives in poverty while 49 percent of those living in Upper Egypt cannot provide for their basic needs of food and shelter. For the nearly third of Egyptians living in poverty, and the millions more in poor conditions, the country’s current economic difficulty means life is much harder with many struggling to put food on the table.

The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad.

Despite visible progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Egypt has not reached the anticipated targets for poverty reduction, environmental protection and gender equity. Egypt is still working on issues related to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Egypt – General Councilor for Missions visits Salesian Oratory in Alexandria: a true place where fraternity is built

Salesian Missions – Egypt

World Bank – Egypt

The post EGYPT: Muslim and Christian students connect first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries continued offering training to assist refugees in gaining the skills needed for employment or self-employment in Egypt through the Sunrise Project for Cairo’s Urban Refugees and Vulnerable Hosts. The project is possible thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo.

The project was first funded through Salesian Missions in 2014. To date, the project has improved the livelihoods and quality of life of more than 3,000 Sub-Saharan African, Yemeni and Syrian refugees and vulnerable Egyptians.

The Sunrise Project is popular among refugees with more than 2,000 applicants trying for the limited number of trainee openings. From the over 700 who were accepted and who completed baseline assessments, more than 500 received technical and vocational training. This led to 426 successful graduates from September 2020 to September 2021. In addition, 65 trainees received a seed grant and one-on-one mentoring, and 16 microentrepreneurs and past alumni received small business development grants.

In addition to financial support, the project also rented tables at three local bazaars so that microentrepreneurs could market their wares and services. These bazaars were particularly helpful for female microentrepreneurs who could display their sewing and handicrafts products or offer hairdressing or henna services. Fifteen beneficiaries participated across the three bazaars. Additionally, the markets enabled beneficiaries to distribute their business cards for networking and potential future customer sales.

This year, the project team also helped microentrepreneurs build brand partnerships with local businesses to display their products. Using the Sunrise Project’s network of partners, the team screened potential local partner stores and then matched small business owners based on product type, customer target, and quality. In the first year of this initiative, they successfully connected two microentrepreneurs: a Sudanese sewing small business was able to sell amigurumi (crocheted stuffed) dolls at a downtown gallery, and a Sudanese handicrafts small business was connected with the Souq Al Foustat shops that sell local artisanal goods.

Horreya Mohamad, from north Sudan who made and sold the amigurumi dolls, said, “I came to Egypt in 2018 and took the sewing course. I learned many new things. Since I was a child, I loved to design, but I did not know how to use a sewing machine. Now, through the course, I’ve started my own business where I sew bed sheets, bags, dolls, embroidered wedding napkins and other kinds of embroidery. Through the microenterprise training, I learned how to market my products, how to calculate my profits and how to deal with customers. This training changed a part of my life, and I am now more confident and can pay all of my bills.”

The Sunrise Project also provides life skills training, health awareness, entrepreneurship literacy workshops, job panels, seed grants, and violence prevention training to help refugees build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adjust to their new urban environments. One of the great successes of the project is the additional social services, including transportation vouchers for travel to and from courses, fully funded for participants. Those engaged in the training are also provided gender-specific hygiene kits and vouchers to purchase groceries and other essentials from a local store. This helps to ensure that basic needs like nutrition are met.

Each participant also receives a primary care checkup and eye exam with a doctor who comes to the school. Some medicine prescriptions are included as are referrals for secondary care as needed.

Egypt serves as both a destination and a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers. As of December 2021, there were 271,102 people of concern from over 60 countries registered by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Syrians comprise more than 50 percent of the total number of people of concern. The rest are from Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea and other countries.

The vast majority have fled wars and conflicts in their homelands and have come to Egypt seeking shelter and safety before moving on to their next destination. Many end up in Cairo’s slums without the means to make a living due to restrictive national labor laws for refugees and discrimination by Egyptians. Many of these refugees are women and children who have been forced into poverty with little means to provide for themselves.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Egypt

UNHCR – Egypt Global Focus

The post EGYPT: 426 refugees finish technical skills training for stable employment through a Salesian Missions project in Cairo first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Students attending Salesian schools in Egypt have received scholarships thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. In total, 235 scholarships were provided for Sudanese and Egyptian students attending Salesian schools including the Don Bosco Center Zeitoun, Don Bosco Alexandria Institute, and a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo.

The Salesian technical and vocational training center provides education to 859 young Egyptians to help them acquire professional and technical skills and expertise through five-year or three-year study paths. The Don Bosco Alexandria Institute provides education to 986 Egyptian students enrolled in kindergarten, primary, preparatory and secondary schools. Finally, the Don Bosco Center Zeitoun provides Sudanese and Egyptian youth recreational and educational activities. It welcomes 200 Sudanese youth and 220 Egyptian youth who benefit from psychological counseling and sustainable livelihood opportunities each year.

All of the students who received scholarships were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and struggled to pay their school fees due to the economic circumstances of their families. The funding also helped provide 13 projectors and 13 smartboards helping 50 teachers to have access to better technology to provide remote online learning for students.

One the students who received the scholarship said, “Economically speaking, I benefit from a scholarship due to my dad’s incapacity to cover the expenses, and also because I have another brother and my mum has a chronic disease. Because of this, we have many expenses and educational needs.”

Other students who received the scholarship funding come from single parent households and paying for school fees is a challenge. A student said, “I have a sister and we live with my mum, who is divorced. My mum’s income is not enough for us, since she pays the institute fees and my sister’s educational fees as well, and we don’t have anyone else to support us. In addition to this, there are also the daily expenses.”

Another student noted his academic achievement. “I applied for the Merit Scholarship because I have done my best, so that I could be the top of the class, and I finished my studies. Therefore, the scholarship will decrease the burden of the educational fees that my dad must pay.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in Egypt for more than 100 years. Primary and secondary education, high-quality vocational and technical schools, and youth centers are accessed by both Muslim and Christian youth, as well as refugees in need of services.

Egypt serves as both a destination and a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers. Egypt hosts more than 265,000 registered asylum seekers and refugees from 65 countries. The majority are from Syria, followed by Sudan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Yemen and Somalia according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The vast majority have fled wars and conflict in their homelands and have come to Egypt seeking shelter and safety before moving on to their next destination. Many end up in Cairo’s slums and other urban settings without the means to make a living due to restrictive national labor laws for refugees and discrimination by Egyptians. Many of these refugees are women and children who have been forced into poverty with little means to provide for themselves. Egypt’s economic conditions have also increased the vulnerability of both refugees and host community members.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Egypt

UNHCR – Egypt

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EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are able to offer training to assist refugees in gaining the skills needed for employment or self-employment in Egypt, thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo. In 2020, 629 individuals were registered for technical and vocational courses and 60 for the micro-enterprise part of the project.

Due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Salesians had to change how they provided the training with some courses provided online, one in a small group and some courses suspended until December when they resumed once again.

This hampered some students from gaining the hands-on skills needed for their courses. It also made finding work and starting businesses difficult for the micro-enterprise participants. Salesians handled the coordination and distribution of much-needed cash assistance, as well as provided health and safety precautions for those in the program.

The project was first funded through Salesian Missions in 2014. To date, the project has improved the livelihoods and quality of life of more than 3,000 Sub-Saharan African and Syrian refugees and vulnerable Egyptians.

Rimonda Nadi, a sewing course student from Egypt, said, “After the course, I started to buy fabrics and make baby clothes. Then I started to put my products in different clothes shops for sale. This is something that brought me extreme happiness and pride because I can finally depend on myself and start to work.”

Another student, Hebba Abbas from Sudan, enrolled in the make-up and hairdressing course. She explained, “Now I am able to do full makeup for girls and brides. I have an assistant working with me too. I do the makeup and Hanady does the manicure, pedicure and different hairstyles. We are searching for more opportunities to expand our business.”

The training is also helping students connect to better jobs in the market. Khaled Raafat, an Egyptian student in the electricity course, said, “Every time I tried to apply for jobs related to electrical work, I was passed over. Since taking the course and learning life skills, I went to a job fair and had success. I’m now in a training program for a multi-national company and a senior operator in that company.”

The project also provides life skills training, health awareness, entrepreneurship literacy workshops, job panels, seed grants, and violence prevention training to help refugees build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adjust in their new urban environments. One of the great successes of the project is the additional social services, including transportation vouchers for travel to and from courses, fully funded for participants. Those engaged in the training are also provided vouchers to purchase groceries and other essentials from a local store. This helps to ensure that basic needs like nutrition are met.

Each participant also receives a primary care checkup and eye exam with a doctor who comes to the school. Some medicine prescriptions are included as are referrals for secondary care as needed.

Egypt serves as both a destination and a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers. More than 221,675 people of concern from over 60 countries are registered by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)—a population increase of over 44 percent since 2016. Syrians comprise 57.8 percent of the total number of people of concern. Of the rest, 49.5 percent are from South Sudan and Sudan and 36.5 percent are from other countries in the Horn of Africa.

The vast majority have fled wars and conflict in their homelands and have come to Egypt seeking shelter and safety before moving on to their next destination. Many end up in Cairo’s slums without the means to make a living due to restrictive national labor laws for refugees and discrimination by Egyptians. Many of these refugees are women and children who have been forced into poverty with little means to provide for themselves.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Egypt

UNHCR – Global Focus Egypt

The post EGYPT: Refugees gain employment skills first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Kedr, a 24-year-old man from Somalia who lives in Egypt, was able to get stable employment in the field of auto mechanics and earn enough of a living to support himself thanks to a project funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo.

Kedr was in housekeeping and couldn’t find a better paying job. As a result, he could not afford to meet his basic living expenses. Kedr was challenged by being in a new community and found it hard to integrate into Egyptian society with both language and cultural barriers.

Kedr enrolled in the mechanics course and received scholarship funding through the project. He said, “I didn’t know anything about mechanics, but now I am like a doctor to the car.”

After Kedr finished the course, he started work as an intern and now has a permanent job and a fixed salary in the same shop. His income increased by more than 50 percent after finishing the course, and he can now afford his basic needs. Kedr no longer has to take loans or depend on his friends for his expenses.

Through the project, Salesian missionaries offer vocational and technical training to assist refugees in gaining the skills needed for employment in their new host countries, which for many is particularly challenging due to labor laws and a lack of established social and professional networks.

“The technical training has allowed many participants to increase their skill level and find stable employment that earns them a decent living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “The additional social services provided through the project have also been a real success, ensuring that participants have the health screening they need as well as the nutrition in order to focus their attention on the training.”

This project also provides life skills training, health awareness, entrepreneurship literacy workshops, job panels, seed grants, and violence prevention training to help refugees build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adjust in their new urban environments. One of the great successes of the project is the additional social services, including transportation vouchers for travel to and from courses, fully funded for participants. Those engaged in the training are also provided vouchers to purchase groceries and other essentials from a local store. This helps to ensure that basic needs like nutrition are met.

Each participant also receives a voucher for a primary care checkup and eye exam with a doctor who comes to the school. Some medicine prescriptions are included as are referrals for secondary care as needed.

The project was first funded through Salesian Missions in 2014. To date, the project has improved the livelihoods and quality of life of nearly 2,500 Sub-Saharan African and Syrian refugees and vulnerable Egyptians.

Egypt serves as both a destination and a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers. More than 221,675 people of concern from over 60 countries are registered by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)—a population increase of over 44 percent since 2016. Syrians comprise 57.8 percent of the total number of people of concern. Of the rest, 49.5 percent are from South Sudan and Sudan and 36.5 percent are from other countries in the Horn of Africa.

The vast majority have fled wars and conflict in their homelands and have come to Egypt seeking shelter and safety before moving on to their next destination. Many end up in Cairo’s slums without the means to make a living due to restrictive national labor laws for refugees and discrimination by Egyptians. Many of these refugees are women and children who have been forced into poverty with little means to provide for themselves.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

UNHCR – Global Focus Egypt

The post EGYPT: Young refugee earns a stable living thanks to technical training he received through a Salesian Missions project in Cairo first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical Institute in Cairo, Egypt, has new bathrooms and access to clean, fresh water thanks to funding from Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Every year, Don Bosco Technical Institute welcomes more than 4,000 people who regularly attend classes and other activities, and they will now benefit from clean water access and proper sanitation.

Don Bosco Technical Institute’s bathrooms had dramatically deteriorated over the last few years. The toilets had cracks and bumps, and the floor insulation was losing its function due to high and frequent exposure to moisture and water accumulation under the floor. In addition, the materials used in the plumbing systems were showing signs of corrosion and deterioration which caused frequent leaks.

With Salesian Missions funding, Don Bosco Technical Institute improved and renovated the two bathrooms and installed two safe drinking water supplies. The project also entailed dismantling the old facilities and upgrading both the plumbing and electrical systems, including the use of LED lighting, which will provide a drastic reduction in energy costs and maintenance. Walls were plastered and a new concrete slab was poured. Five new toilets were provided in each bathroom in addition to new sinks. The school also hung posters above the sinks to remind students to practice good hygiene.

Don Bosco Technical Institute also purchased and installed two steel 240-liter water coolers, each of them with three taps. One will be placed inside the locker room and the other in the courtyard so students have water access during and after physical education sessions and during recreation.

“From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This water project in Egypt and others around the globe ensure Salesian centers have the water they need so staff and students can work and learn in a healthy environment.”

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 32.5 percent of Egyptians lived below the poverty line in 2018, up from 27.8 percent in 2015 and 16.7 percent in 2000. Just more than 6 percent of Egyptians live in extreme poverty.

Egypt’s unemployment rate has reached 13.2 percent and that number almost doubles for women at 24.2 percent. Egypt, the 15th most densely populated country in the world, has been experiencing a rise in poverty and food insecurity, according to reports released by the United Nations food agency and its partners.

The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad.

Despite the visible progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Egypt has not reached the anticipated targets for poverty reduction, environment protection and gender equity. Egypt is still working on issues related to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Cairo

Salesian Missions – Clean Water Initiative

Salesian Missions – Egypt

UNDP – Egypt

The post EGYPT: Don Bosco Technical Institute has access to clean, fresh water and improved sanitation thanks to Salesian Missions ‘Clean Water Initiative’ first appeared on MissionNewswire.

EGYPT

(MissionNewswire) Nawal, a 47-year-old Sudanese single mother of four children, now has a small tailoring business thanks to a scholarship she received for training from a project funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) through a Salesian technical and vocational training center in Cairo, Egypt.

Before accessing the training at the Salesian center, Nawal worked as a maid, and she faced many hardships and challenges. She wasn’t able to cover the expenses of her children and struggled to find a job in her new community. Nawal started her course in 2018, and when she finished, she looked for a job in her field. First, she worked in a factory as an assistant, but after gaining more experience, she started her own business tailoring and making clothes.

Nawal now has an income that can cover her expenses and her children’s expenses. She also learned a lot from the life skills taught through the project. The life skills training helped her to deal with her children in a calm way. She also learned how to motivate herself and communicate with people in an effective way.

Nawal said, “People working in the center gave me faith in humanity all over again. They treated me like a human being and were professional in delivering the courses.”

Salesian missionaries offer vocational and technical training to assist refugees in gaining the skills needed for employment in their new host countries, which for many is particularly challenging due to labor laws and a lack of established social and professional networks.

In addition to the technical training, the project also provides life skills training, health awareness, entrepreneurship literacy workshops, job panels, seed grants, and violence prevention training to help refugees build the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and adjust in their new urban environments. One of the great successes of the project is the additional social services, including transportation vouchers for travel to and from courses, that are fully funded for participants. Those engaged in the training are also provided vouchers to purchase groceries and other essentials from a local store. This helps to ensure that basic needs like nutrition are met.

Each participant also receives a voucher for a primary care checkup and eye exam with a doctor who comes to the school. Some medicine prescriptions are included as are referrals for secondary care as needed.

The project was first funded through Salesian Missions in 2014. To date, the project has improved the livelihoods and quality of life of more than 1,300 Sub-Saharan African and Syrian refugees and vulnerable Egyptians.

Egypt serves as both a destination and a transit country for refugees and asylum seekers. More than 221,675 people of concern from over 60 countries are registered by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)—a population increase of over 44 percent since 2016. Syrians comprise 57.8 percent of the total number of people of concern. Of the rest, 49.5 percent are from South Sudan and Sudan and 36.5 percent are from other countries in the Horn of Africa.

The vast majority have fled wars and conflict in their homelands and have come to Egypt seeking shelter and safety before moving on to their next destination. Many end up in Cairo’s slums without the means to make a living due to restrictive national labor laws for refugees and discrimination by Egyptians. Many of these refugees are women and children who have been forced into poverty with little means to provide for themselves.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

UNHCR – Global Focus Egypt

The post EGYPT: Mother of 4 from Sudan starts tailoring business thanks to Salesian Missions project in Cairo first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“We are carrying on with our regular activities and every Friday, close to 300 boys and girls from elementary school through high school attend catechism classes,” says Father Munir El Rai, Provincial of the Middle East. “The number of young people connecting with Salesian centers in Syria is increasing. One of the reasons is our youth center has been relatively safe so far compared to other parish youth centers.”

“However, in February our area was hit by five mortars, three of which fell within fifty meters of the school,” adds Fr. El Rai. “Nine civilians were killed, including four young people, and more than thirty-five people were injured. All citizens of Aleppo are at risk and no area is completely safe or far from war.”

Despite the ongoing violence, Salesian centers continue to meet the needs of their communities through the distribution of food, economic aid and scholarships to help young people continue with their schooling. Salesian missionaries have noted the absence of youth in the area due to many fleeing to safety in other areas of Syria and in neighboring countries.

“Emigration continues to increase, and the absence of young people between 20 and 30 years is noticeable,” explains Fr. El Rai. “Young people leave the country to look for work, for safety and a life of dignity. It is a very sad, because a country cannot grow without the presence of its young people.”

Since the March 2011 outbreak of civil war, close to 9 million Syrians have fled their homes in search of safety, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). More than 6 million of those affected are children who have been put at risk of violence and are subject to a lack of essential supplies and destroyed infrastructure that has closed schools and hospitals.

Close to 6.5 million people are internally displaced within Syria. More than 2.5 million have fled to the neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq and just under 100,000 have declared asylum in Europe. Refugee camps in these bordering countries are overflowing with families in need of basic supplies, adequate shelter and safety as well as technical skills training so they can begin to earn a living in their new host countries.

“With all these difficulties it might seem that we are losing hope, but not so,” adds Fr. El Rai. “The young people who are still here in Syria continue to live their lives with great strength, courage and will to live. They continue to go to college, to study and to come to the youth center, helping out in the various activities. Their presence gives us courage and strength to carry on.”

In addition to Salesian centers within Syria, Salesian missionaries have been helping Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt since early 2012 assisting between 400 and 800 refugees each day, many of whom are women and children. At these refugee sites, missionaries provide emergency relief by meeting basic needs and providing shelter, safety and medical assistance. Missionaries also offer technical skills training to assist refugees in the task of finding stable employment in their new host countries which for many is particularly challenging due to labor laws and a lack of established social and professional networks.

“Salesians are particularly focused on providing care and support services to urban refugees,” says Neill Holland, program officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. “Urban refugees, like those fleeing Syria and other areas, are particularly vulnerable to economic insecurity, subject to long-term unemployment and high costs for basic necessities like shelter and food. What’s more, urban refugees intent on joining host country commerce out of the need to support dependent family members, often despite host country labor laws, are significantly at risk of exploitation and compromising situations.”

Salesian missionaries seek to assist the most disadvantaged and vulnerable refugees, particularly those living outside of protected camps who take risks in order to support elderly parents, wives and children. Offering skills training, advocacy and counseling programs, Salesian centers provide safe spaces for vulnerable refugee families to find a sense of community and peace.

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Photo: (Getty Images © AhmadSabra) Beqaa, Lebanon – May 03, 2013: Syrian Refugee children in one of the tented camps in Beqaa Lebanon. One of the children showing signs of Leishmania.

Sources:

ANS –  Syria – “The young people gives us courage and strength”

UNHCR – Syria Regional Refugee Response

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post SYRIA: Salesian Missionaries Continue to Provide for Syrian Youth and Families in Need at Three Centers within Syria first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Close to 6.5 million people are internally displaced within Syria. More than 2.5 million have fled to the neighboring countries of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq and just under a 100,000 have declared asylum in Europe. Refugee camps in these bordering countries are overflowing with families in need of basic supplies, adequate shelter and safety as well as technical skills training so they can begin to earn a living in their new host countries.

Salesian missionaries were well established at three sites in Syria well before the civil war started and they continue to provide for those in need. Two of the sites are in Aleppo and Damascus, particularly high conflict areas, and the third is in Kafroun. Salesians still working within Syria assist with trauma counseling and emergency shelter as well as nutrition and medical referrals.

Salesians have been helping Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt since early 2012, where each day they assist between 400 and 800 refugees, many of whom are women and children. At these refugee sites, Salesians provide emergency relief by meeting basic needs and providing shelter, safety and medical assistance. Salesians also offer technical skills training to assist refugee families with finding stable employment in their new host countries. This is urgently needed as individuals find it challenging to locate long-term formal employment, or draw on established social and professional networks, as a result of evacuation and host country labor laws.

“Salesians are particularly focused on providing care and support services to urban refugees,” says Neill Holland, program officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. “Urban refugees, like those fleeing Syria and other areas, are particularly vulnerable to economic insecurity, subject to long-term unemployment and high costs for basic necessities like shelter and food. What’s more, urban refugees intent on joining host country commerce out of the need to support dependent family members, often despite host country labor laws, are significantly at risk of exploitation and compromising situations.”

Salesians seek to assist these most disadvantaged and vulnerable refugees, particularly those living outside of protected camps who take risks in order to support elderly parents, wives and their children. Salesian programs offer support though skills training, advocacy and counseling as well as by providing safe spaces where refugee families have a place to play and commune peacefully.

One of the biggest challenges Salesians face when providing assistance for Syrian refugees is managing the relationship between the refugees and the local community. Salesians work with community residents and refugees to provide support and empower the communities to care for their most vulnerable members.

“Although many refugee hosting situations are known to be fraught with discontent over competition for basic needs items such as housing, food, education and earnings, which increases in scarcity for both local residents and refugees during displacement, the Salesians are well positioned to counsel the host and refugee community alike,” says Holland.

“Salesians work to promote non-violent conflict resolution and mutual understanding through inter-community sports and learning exchanges,” adds Holland. “This central effort, to promote peace while improving quality of education and health, livelihood and life in general, is the reason that Salesian programming for refugees is so successful.”

Through this work, Salesians have had the opportunity to build capacity and strategic partnerships by collaborating with partners from the Egyptian government, Caritas, groups of private industry CEOs and others, all with the goal of improving quality of life, protection and livelihood opportunities for vulnerable refugees.

Due to their ongoing work and infrastructure supports, Salesians have been able to connect Syrian refugees in their programs with additional assistance provided by host governments and international organizations like UNHCR. The visibility and networking afforded by Salesians is critical to the design of a comprehensive response to the Syrian Refugee crisis by the global development community.

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PHOTO SHOWS SIMILAR PROGRAM IN EGYPT, A COUNTRY WHERE PROGRAMS WILL ALSO BE ASSISTING SYRIAN REFUGEES.

Sources:

UNHCR – Syrian Regional Refugee Response

*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

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Initially, a retreat to Alexandria had been planned for the Salesians in Egypt. Given the great uncertainty of the situation, the Salesians decided to stay in their own communities and to retreat to three Salesian houses instead.  Currently, all the Salesians in the communities in Egypt are well. There have been close calls, as just the other day, a tear-gas canister fired from the street came into a Salesian courtyard in Alexandria.

“Certainly we are following developments with some anxiety and we hope that soon things will quiet down,” Fr. Spreafico writes. “However, everyone is convinced that these events have seriously de-stabilized the country and now its future is uncertain. We Salesians have been in Egypt since 1896 and we love this country.”

In Egypt, the Salesians have a community in Alexandria and two houses in Cairo belonging to the Middle East Province which also includes Turkey, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. There are 16 Egyptian Salesians, 13 working in the Province and three others elsewhere.  “We are thinking very specially of them at this delicate and difficult time for the country,” Fr Spreafico concludes.

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