GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Maria Fidelia Paau, a member of the Maya-Q’eqchi’ ethnic group, was elected Indigenous Queen of Carchá, Guatemala, with the title “Flower of the People” for 2022-2023. After her election, she went to the Salesian boarding school in San Pedro Carchá, where she lived while gaining an education at the Salesian secondary school Talita Kumi. She wanted to thank Don Bosco and the Salesians for her success.

Paau was one of the first girls involved with the local Salesian oratory and who studied in the local Salesian school. She is now studying educational science at the Salesian Mesoamerican University and is among one of the young women who received a scholarship from Mission Don Bosco.

Salesian Mesoamerican University has launched a new course of study each year since it has been in operation. First came a teaching training program, then educational administration and educational sciences. These were followed by social work and bilingual primary education. In 2018, Salesians added an agronomic engineering course followed by a new religious studies course.

The university plays an important role in the Talita Kumi mission to promote leadership and empowerment of thousands of Indigenous women. The broader Talita Kumi project provides services to women and young children. Children attending Salesian community centers in the Guatemalan departments of Quiché, Izabal, Petén and Alta Verapaz receive pre-primary education that is facilitated by volunteers from the community with the help of Salesian staff. Youth then go onto Salesian secondary schools for more skills training.

“Education gives vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth, especially young women who often don’t have access to higher education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Young women who are able to access education are more often able to achieve financial independence and make better and healthier choices that affect not only themselves, but their families and communities as well.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Indigenous Queen” of Carchá thanks Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Young Salesian student thanks Don Bosco for recent success first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Pedro Carchá have been working on a housing reconstruction project since torrential rains and severe flooding decimated rural villages in Guatemala. The storm on Nov. 4, 2020, isolated entire rural communities and devastated crops and housing. Chiachal, approximately 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of San Pedro Carchá and home to 105 Indigenous Q’eqchi’ families, was especially impacted.

In coordination with the Salesian Provincial House and with financial support from Salesians in Central America, donors, and other charitable organizations, Salesian missionaries set out to support this community. The first step was to purchase municipal land for the construction of new housing and the church. The work took the cooperation of the local Don Bosco Center and the Salesian-run Talita Kumi Center.

The Sisters of the Resurrection also purchased land that has since been subdivided into 120 lots, where 105 new houses, three churches, a school, a health center, and a community hall have been built. Each family was granted a family farm and farm animals. A cardamom processing cooperative project, including a dryer, is also underway.

“Salesian missionaries are living among these rural villages and saw firsthand the destruction the rains and flooding caused to these communities,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “With support from donors and other organizations, Salesians have been able to rebuild for these families. The area is so remote that there are few services and supports. Salesians ensure communities have access to basic needs and education.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – Chiachal, an indigenous Qeqchi community reborn after the deluge

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries help rebuild homes for Indigenous communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Casa Betania, located in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, welcomes thousands of people every year, most of them migrants in search of a better life. Children, youth, adults, pregnant women, families, and the elderly find support and relief thanks to a group of volunteers.

One of these volunteers, Rosa Forlán, said that in the three weeks she worked at the Salesian facility she witnessed the tragedy experienced by thousands of people. She said, “Esteban arrived with his feet seriously injured by the long walk. Matias was picked up at the door, dehydrated, almost dying, and it was necessary to call for medical assistance. Hours later, Maribel arrived, a single mother with two children under 8, and Julia, with her three daughters. The eldest, aged 11, had a hand injured from a fall on the way across the border. I also met Luis, who appeared alongside Oscar, Lucas and William, who said they were unemployed, but with a desire to work and improve despite their poor education.”

Every day, Salesian volunteers listen to stories of migrants who arrive exhausted and tired, due to the high temperatures, hunger and thirst. At Casa Betania, they receive accommodation, food, rest, psychological assistance and other services.

“Collaborating in the restaurant, laundry, reception and cleaning service allowed me to get to know a reality that is sometimes little told,” said Forlán. “Migrants are not looking for a dream, they are going through an ordeal, asking for justice and understanding. But understanding is only possible ‘walking with them’ in a silent and supportive accompaniment, making oneself available to listen without judgment because each person brings a heavy burden that only he or she knows.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Casa Betania”: an oasis for migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Migrants find support and relief first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Maya Q’eqchi’ Indigenous families in the rural area of San Pedro Carchá, Guatemala, have received support after the devastating effects of Hurricane Eta, thanks to donor support through Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Hundreds of poor Indigenous families lost their gardens, farms and homes due to rising floodwaters caused by the hurricane.

A few people who had mobile phones called Salesian missionaries for help, but it was impossible to reach the community because the roads were blocked by the flood. Later, Salesians were able to reach people by walking through mountainous paths. Families were provided kits of food, clothes, blankets and personal hygiene items. Some who had lost their homes sought shelter with relatives and friends while others improvised shelter with only a piece of nylon for the roof.

Salesian missionaries organized relief work around the words of Pope Francis: “Techo, Terreno, Trabajo” (Roof, Land, Work). Salesians provided funding for prefabricated houses on land safer from floodwaters. There was also donor funding to help these families start their family farms and vegetable gardens. Through donor funding from Salesian Missions, Salesians have been able to assist 48 families with small farmhouses and vegetable gardens, but hundreds more families are in need.

“The stakes are high for those impacted by these hurricanes, especially now when we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They know the local landscape and can ensure that relief aid is provided to those most in need.”

In addition to direct support, Salesian missionaries are also providing agricultural and livestock technical assistance to families to help production output for food security. Salesians are also bolstering local economic agriculture initiatives while focusing on environmental sustainability.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools that are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

Salesian missionaries in these local communities are still assessing the damage and working to respond to people in need. In support of this work, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to donate online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Donor funding supports Indigenous families in need after hurricane first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén operate the Casa Bethania for Migrants, one of two homes for migrants in Petén, Guatemala. In addition, two Salesian parishes on the border in Naranjo and Melchor are stopovers for migrants who cross the country on their way to Mexico and the United States.

“At the moment, the flow of migration is very strong as everyone wants to try to reach the ‘American Dream’,” said Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in charge of the Salesian house in San Benito. “We have also prepared the corridors of the house so that people can sleep there. They have a clear goal and do not want to delay their journey. They just want to eat something, sleep and move on.”

Casa Bethania, which complies with all COVID-19 safety regulations, normally serves 55 people a day. Given the safety precautions, now only 30 people are served each day. They receive food and a place to sleep as well as medical care from a volunteer nurse from Spain. In the home, migrants also receive psychological support and those who may need asylum are identified. People whose life is in danger are classified as refugees as they are fleeing situations of violence in their countries.

The house functions thanks to volunteers from the parish who help cleaning the rooms, preparing food and collecting food. The house has been active for about four years and has served close to 18,000 meals. Currently, most of the migrants come from Honduras, and in many cases, are people who were hard hit by Hurricanes Eta and Iota last year.

“There are people who have lost everything including their homes,” added Fr. De Nardi. “A young man told us how he saw his partner die as she was being carried away by the strong current of a river. She was all his family. They come in large groups, entire families, even with grandparents. In their passage through Guatemala, they had problems with the police, mistreatment, and everything was very difficult for them. Right now, the only goal they have is to get to the United States. They want nothing else and are not interested in any other option.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Casa Bethania”: support for migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Migrants supported with food, care on their journey first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, are providing food aid to those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 100 families have been provided food support thanks to help from the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, Spain, and Canadian Food for Children.

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started in 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Salesian missionaries also operate a summer youth program that offers classes in Spanish and English, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, and music and dance, as well as provides organized games for participants. Operated out of a Salesian youth center in San Benito, youth in the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability.

Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén, also recently started a refectory for the poor that aims to reach the most vulnerable. The refectory is helping hundreds of people who are without resources.

“During the pandemic, we want to continue helping the most vulnerable people,” said Fr. De Nardi. “To this end, the arrival of a container with non-perishable food will be essential in these days. In addition, we want to buy vegetables, condiments and some meat, so that families can eat meat once a week.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “The solidarity of the population is seen in the collaboration they offer us with the delivery of non-perishable products that are then distributed. Rice, beans, eggs, oil and pasta arrive every day at the refectory thanks to the generosity of the population.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed sixth grade. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – Salesian parish of San Benito distributes food to needy

GUATEMALA: Salesian parish in San Benito Petén launches refectory to provide food to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: More than 100 families receive food aid first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) In November, Central America was hard hit by two Category 4 hurricanes. Hurricane Eta hit on Nov. 3 and Hurricane Iota hit less than two weeks later on Nov. 16. Hurricane Eta made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, and then Iota made landfall less than 15 miles south near the town of Haulover. The torrential rains brought deadly landslides, flash flooding and destruction across Central America. More than 200 people have died as a result of the storms with millions more impacted and in need of help.

Salesian missionaries across Central America, including Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, are responding locally to help those in need with shelter, food, clothing and more. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched a new fundraising campaign to help with this relief work.

Salesian missionaries across Central America are responding with shelter, food, clothing and more for those in need of hurricane relief.

“The stakes are high for those impacted by these hurricanes, especially now when we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They know the local landscape and can ensure that relief aid is provided to those most in need.”

The Salesian community of Carchá, Guatemala, has eight priests who serve 350 villages, including more than 5,000 Indigenous students. At least 40 of the villages have been directly affected. The rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged houses with some completely destroyed under flood water. Many roads have been lost and some communities are no longer reachable. People have lost everything and are facing a challenging road ahead. Villages have opened their schools and churches to welcome displaced people.

Right after Hurricane Eta, Father Vittorio Castagna, a Salesian missionary stationed in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, said, “It hasn’t rained for three days, yet the water continues to rise and people are unable to go out. I saw some of them with deep sadness, feeling alone and insecure. The displaced people are now crowded into a very small place. It is a very uncomfortable environment, and this is indeed a trial for them.”

In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, students in the 2021 graduating class at San Miguel Salesian Institute launched a fundraiser to support the people affected. With COVID-19 safety measures in place, more than 1,000 people from the Francisco Morazán and Cortés departments were provided food, personal hygiene items, clothes, shoes, sheets, bedspreads, mats and bio-safety equipment.

The initiative also received the support of the Past Pupils Association from the María Auxiliadora Salesian Institute and San Miguel Institute in collaboration with Mis Manos Son Tus Manos Association. Rector Father Horacio Macal and the entire Salesian community also participated.

Salesian missionaries in these local communities are still assessing the damage and working to respond to people in need. In support of this work, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to donate online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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

ANS – Honduras – Pupils from “San Miguel” Salesian Institute help over 1000 victims of Hurricane Eta

GUATEMALA: COVID-19 pandemic complicates Hurricane Eta response

Salesian Missions

The post CENTRAL AMERICA: New appeal to help people impacted by hurricanes first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

Salesian missionaries responding after devastating Hurricane Eta impacts millions in Central America, especially hard-hit Indigenous communities

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Guatemala are working to assess damage and provide support in the wake of Hurricane Eta. The hurricane struck Guatemala after making landfall on Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast on Nov. 3 as a Category 4 storm. Hurricane Eta then caused widespread flooding and damage in Guatemala, Honduras and Panama before inundating roads and knocking out power in Florida.

According to news reports, millions of people in Central America, many in rural Indigenous communities, have been affected and at least 120 lives have been lost across the region. Many more are missing and presumed dead after landslides submerged villages.

“Even now, we have no idea of ​​the exact number of communities affected,” said Father Vittorio Castagna, a Salesian missionary stationed in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

The Salesian community of Carchá has eight priests who serve 350 villages, including more than 5,000 Indigenous students. At least 40 of the villages have been directly affected. The rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged houses with some completely destroyed because they are under flood water. Many roads have been lost and there are communities that are no longer reachable. People have lost everything and are facing a challenging road ahead.

Villages have opened their schools and churches to welcome people displaced by Hurricane Eta in Guatemala.

“It hasn’t rained for three days, yet the water continues to rise and people are unable to go out,” explained Fr. Castagna. “I saw some of them with deep sadness, feeling alone and insecure. The displaced people are now crowded into a very small place. It is a very uncomfortable environment, and this is indeed a trial for them.”

The people who managed to escape from the villages are now in shelters, while the rescue helicopters are still looking for ways to get people to safety. Villages close to the flooded ones have opened their schools and churches to welcome the displaced.

Fr. Castagna added, “We are happy that, although there was no direct indication, the people of the villages have organized themselves to help the surrounding communities. They offer them three meals and a dry place. I was happy to see this spontaneity of the church which is becoming a sister, close to the people.”

It is currently not possible to calculate the number of shelters, as every possible option has been used to accommodate people. Salesians are receiving help from Guatemala City and Central American countries. Delivering relief supplies is challenging since telephone services has been interrupted and needs are only being discovered once missionaries reach each location.

This is a high-risk situation, not only because of the rains, but also because of the pandemic. Many people in shelters without the necessary protection could increase the spread of COVID-19. “We ask the Lord to give us a hand in order to help the many people who need us,” concluded Fr. Castagna.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its Indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

In response to the overwhelming need, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to make a donation online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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

ANS – Guatemala – Fr Castagna, SDB: “We ask the Lord to give us a hand”

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: COVID-19 pandemic complicates Hurricane Eta response first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Central American Province are focused on the psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being of Salesian staff. They launched the Artemide Zatti project to address challenges with the support of Nicaraguan psychologist Erick Calero. The project is named after Blessed Artemide Zatti, an Argentine Salesian brother who spent his life as a nurse helping the patients of the San José Hospital in Argentine Patagonia.

The Artemide Zatti project aims to address health risk factors through psycho-education initiatives and anxiety, depression and spirituality through individual and group therapeutic support initiatives. Leadership teams under the direction of Father Javier Rivas, vicar of the province, play an important role in this initiative.

A diagnosis, if appropriate, is the first step in the process after assessing emotional health and risk factors of Salesian staff. This is done through standardized and validated psychometric scales and tests. The diagnosis provides valuable information, identifies risk factors that could be amplified by the pandemic, and notes levels of anxiety and depression.

After a diagnosis, Salesian staff then have an opportunity to engage in a program crafted to address their specific challenges and help support their psychological, emotional and spiritual well-being. The execution of the program is guided by the psycho-pedagogical, didactic, pastoral and Salesian teams of each house.

Currently, 912 teaching, administrative and operational staff members have benefited from this project, which aims to help support even more Salesian staff. By 2021, the goal is to hold online meetings and webinars with teams of psychologists to discuss the outcome of the project and share successful practices to launch new initiatives that address the emotional health of Salesian staff.

“The health of staff in Salesian centers and institutions is paramount in administering educational programs effectively,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian staff are dealing with much more than educating students. Many of the youth in Salesian programs come from difficult and challenging backgrounds, and we rely extensively on the support of staff. Ensuring they have what they need to do their job and that we are taking care of them contribute directly to how well we care for youth in our programs.”

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Artemide Zatti” project for psycho-physical well-being of collaborators of Salesian works

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: New project launches to help support the emotional and psychological health of Salesian staff first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries at the Salesian parish in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, are working to help those who have been left vulnerable in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The lockdowns, curfews, restrictions on mobility and slowdown in economic activity have left millions of families in poverty around the globe. Without being able to work, people have no food to eat.

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started in 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén, has recently started a refectory for the poor that aims to reach the most vulnerable. The refectory will help hundreds of people who are without resources because of the coronavirus.

With public transportation closed and the curfew of the past few weeks, Guatemala is trying to control the spread of coronavirus nationwide. Salesian missionaries have found ways to continue offering their pastoral support and social services to people. In addition to the refectory, Salesians hold daily online broadcasts of the Mass, initiated the procession with the Blessed Sacrament by car through the city and have distributed food on the weekends.

“During the pandemic, we want to continue helping the most vulnerable people,” said Fr. De Nardi. “To this end, the arrival of a container with non-perishable food will be essential in these days. In addition, we want to buy vegetables, condiments and some meat, so that families can eat meat once a week.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “The solidarity of the population is seen in the collaboration they offer us with the delivery of non-perishable products that are then distributed. Rice, beans, eggs, oil and pasta arrive every day at the refectory thanks to the generosity of the population.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – Refectory in San Benito Salesian parish serves most vulnerable during pandemic

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian parish in San Benito Petén launches refectory to provide food to those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Dr. Venancio de León, who attended Salesian schools, is working with COVID-19 patients in Guatemala. In January 2019, de León ended his term as president of the National Association of Past Pupils of Don Bosco. He also chaired the Alberto Marvelli Foundation, which manages the Father Bartolomé Ambrosio Vocational Training Center in Guatemala City.

In Guatemala, COVID-19 cases have increased, and there are now 5,500 new cases in the last few days. Faced with this situation, de León is working among the poorest and the working class populations, many of whom cannot afford to pay for the medical care he provides.

“In addition to his professional qualities as a doctor, past pupil and person, Dr. de León has a great Salesian formation and human quality,” wrote Raúl Vázquez, director of the Bartolomé Ambrosio Center. “He now works with COVID-19 patients, leaving his family to go to a hospital that is five hours from the capital and then he returns to work in the hospital that has national responsibility for the infected.”

Vázquez added, “He is always smiling. He always talks about Don Bosco, Artemide Zatti and Mary Help of Christians. He is a doctor who lives an extraordinary spirituality and with truly admirable serenity.”

In Guatemala, where more than half the population lives on less than a dollar a day, health is not a recognized right. There are very few public facilities where people can be treated, and the first causes of death among children are intestinal and respiratory infections.

Because of the scarce availability of drinking water and the precariousness of hygiene, diseases are widespread including tuberculosis, typhus, malaria, worms, diarrhea and skin diseases. The risk of rapid spreading of COVID-19 is high. Because women and children are the most vulnerable citizens, they are most commonly the ones to be afflicted with many diseases. Children are particularly vulnerable because the country has the highest rate of chronic infantile malnutrition in Latin America with 49.3 percent of children under the age of 5 suffering from a lack of food, according to the World Food Program.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent lives below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools, as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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ANS – Guatemala – Passion for medicine in time of COVID-19 without forgetting to be a past pupil of Don Bosco: Dr Venancio de León

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Former president of the National Association of Past Pupils of Don Bosco is working with COVID-19 patients first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Pedro Carchá are making improvements to the physical structures of their mission in the city. Salesians have been working in the Alta Verapaz Department, located within the northern region of Guatemala, since 1935. Carchá and Chisec are small cities in this region that have around 270,000 people, the great majority from the Qeqchí ethnic group. These individuals live across 433 rural communities.

To launch this project, Salesian missionaries developed a team made up of a chief engineer, bricklayers and 30 students from the Don Bosco Center in Carchá. The team first cleared the area, removing weeds and old trees, as well as demolishing crumbling buildings. They also put up a fence around the property. Next, they will begin building new structures.

Once construction is completed, the main Salesian house will have a parish office and rooms. The construction will raise the church roof, reconstruct a large meeting room and replace benches with chairs. There will also be a system built for water storage.

“In the not too distant future, we’re thinking of renting or buying land nearby that has an aquifer. And as a promising dream, we hope to construct a Don Bosco Center near the church,” said a Salesian in charge of the project.

The entire project required significant funds. Salesian houses within the province provided monetary resources. Nearly 100 of the local villages also contributed, even in the face of their own poverty. The Don Bosco Center provided the volunteer student labor to experience practical training of their skills in masonry and electricity. In addition to the construction effort, Salesian missionaries are reviving the Qeqchí Ministry with reorganization and education for its numerous local leaders and committees.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a sixth-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools, as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – “Campur rejuvenece”: promising dream to benefit hundreds of young people and families

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Improvements and reconstruction efforts underway at the Salesian mission in San Pedro Carchá first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GUATEMALA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, have been providing support for migrants from Honduras who are trying to reach Mexico. Central American migrants, mostly Hondurans, are part of a new caravan and have been looking for alternative ways to enter Mexico. They are passing through the Petén department in northern Guatemala with the intent to go through the Mayan forest and enter the Mexican state of Tabasco.

“It is an extraordinary influx,” said Father Giampiero De Nardi, an Italian Salesian missionary active in San Benito Petén. “We are offering services at the local migrant house in the municipality of Santa Elena. The structure has a capacity of about 50 people, but we’ve had to cope with the arrival of 300 migrants. We are doing everything possible to guarantee them a bed and hot meals. At a certain moment, there was nearly almost no food left.”

Fr. De Nardi added, “Fortunately, a container arrived from Canada, which was needed for my mission and we diverted it for this humanitarian emergency.”

The Salesian mission in San Benito Petén was started at the end of 2011 to provide education and social development programs for at-risk youth. Salesian missionaries operate a youth program that offers classes in Spanish and English, mathematics, computers, arts and crafts, music, and dance, as well as provides organized games for participants. Youth in the program are able to get away from difficult home situations or playing on the streets to engage in productive activities in a family atmosphere that fosters peace and stability.

Salesian missionaries have also started several new projects including the construction of a new youth center and distribution of ecological filters for water purification. Now missionaries are in the position to be able to help migrants traveling through the community.

Msgr. Jaime Calderón, Bishop of Tapachula, in the state of Chiapas close to the border with Guatemala, made an appeal to priests, religious people and laypeople after hearing the news regarding a new caravan. He said, “All those who are part of this diocesan family, each according to his or her possibilities and responsibilities, ensure that these migrant brothers do not lack a piece of bread, are not raped or attacked in passing through our diocese, do not receive manifestations of refusal. God will reward everyone’s effort to see them, hear them and treat them like brothers.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. While 70 percent of Guatemalan citizens live below the poverty line, the number is as high as 91 percent for its indigenous population. Many rural residents in Guatemala have only completed a 6th-grade education. This is largely due to the expenses required to send children to schools which are often located far from their homes.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes, and primary and secondary schools as well as operate technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities in the country.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Guatemala – Salesian mission of San Benito Petén help caravan of migrants

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian missionaries in San Benito Petén providing support for migrants from Honduras first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in San Benito, noted remarkable progress made by a girl from a home for children during her participation in the summer program. Having previously lived with a violent father, she hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with the program. Eventually, she became interested and engaged in the program and found her situation improving. This year, Fr. De Nardi noticed she was actively engaging with the other children and enjoying all the activities.

“Today I took her picture and showed it to her letting her know how good it turned out. Her eyes lit up and she hugged me – something she had never done before. She had never hugged anybody. She had not learned the meaning of a hug,” says Fr. De Nardi.

In addition to the summer youth program, Salesian missionaries in the region offer educational programs and social development services. They have also started several new projects including the construction of a new youth center and distribution of ecological filters for water purification.

Due to complications securing land, construction of the new youth center in San Benito faced many delays. Now that the land has been secured, construction is underway and once completed, the youth center will provide poor and at-risk youth additional educational and social supports and a meeting space to build relationships with peers and engage in safe after-school activities. Tutoring and life skills training as well as recreational activities and sports will also be available.

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/ AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries continue to seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – “Peten was really waiting for waiting Don Bosco”

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Children Find Hope at Salesian-run Summer Youth Program in San Benito first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Rural life in Guatemala is often associated with extreme poverty. However, rural Q’eqchi are among those in the community looking to improve their lives. Through Salesian programs, Q’eqchi are learning new skills that can lead to additional income for their families while increasing the capacities of their communities.

The Don Bosco Center is the male counterpart to a local educational project for girls known as Talita Kumi which was started by a Salesian missionary from India, Father Jorge Puthenpura, and is now run by the Salesian Sisters of the Resurrection. This program works to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“Both of these educational efforts are part of the much broader mission developed by the Salesian community in Guatemala,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian educational programs have been very successful with the number of schools in the region doubling, allowing for more children than ever before to have the opportunity for a brighter future.”

Under the leadership of Salesian missionary, Father Anthony De Groot, the Don Bosco Center has also developed an extensive teacher training program. Father De Groot came to the Carchá mission in the Alta Verapz region of Guatemala in 1975 and has been helping youth break the cycle of poverty and improve their lives through education ever since.

Upon his arrival in Guatemala, Fr. De Groot was immediately struck by the extreme poverty and deprivation in the mountain communities. What started for him as an effort to provide support to remote villages neglected during a civil war, turned into an educational revolution resulting in the training of hundreds of teachers while offering poor youth a second chance.

“Determined to make a difference, Fr. De Groot began visiting the villages to build hope and offer support,” adds. Fr Hyde. “After a while, he realized much more needed to be done especially for the sake of the children. He started to build schools and initiated a teacher training program.”

Today, more than 850 local students are enrolled in a series of teacher training courses. Upon receiving their teaching certificates, these students will go on to teach in some of the 600 villages throughout Guatemala that participate in the program.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food.

For the country’s indigenous population, the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources. Salesian missionaries have been working in Guatemala for many years, particularly with indigenous populations, to help break the cycle of poverty and provide access to basic needs and education.

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World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: More Than 800 Indigenous Q’eqchi (Mayans) Receive Technical Training at Don Bosco Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Due to complications securing land, construction of a new youth center in San Benito was a long time in the making and faced many delays. Now that the land has been secured, construction is underway and once completed, the youth center will provide poor and at-risk youth additional educational and social supports and a meeting space to build relationships with peers and engage in safe after-school activities. Tutoring and life skills training as well as recreational activities and sports will also be available.

“After so many battles with the municipality to get the ground to build our youth center, we are finally starting work,” says Father Giampiero De Nardi, a Salesian missionary in San Benito. “We have cleared the land, made measurements and started to level the ground. Next we will build the fence and wait for the architect to prepare the final plans and make our dream something more concrete. We are hoping that people will help us financially to be able to complete this program for the good of the young people at risk in Petén.”

In addition to the development of a new youth center, Salesian missionaries in San Benito are distributing ecological filters for purifying water. Since the local water is unsafe and often sickens those who drink it with dysentery and disease, the filters are vital for the many poor families in the area who cannot afford to buy bottled water. The new filters last for five years and produce enough drinking water for five or six families. Close to 50 filters have already been distributed through the project which was generously funded by donors from Italy.

“Water is essential for life and clean water projects have been a focus for Salesian missionaries around the globe,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Water is at the core of sustainable development and relates directly to the viability of poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. For those who have no access to clean water, water related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year globally from water related disease.”

Additional Salesian-run programs in the El Petén region continue efforts to prevent HIV/ AIDS and provide treatment for those who have the disease. The area has the third worst incidence rate for contraction of HIV in Guatemala. Despite the fact that the project that financed this work has ended, Salesian missionaries continue to do prevention work and offer medical care and other social services for those infected with the virus. Missionaries continue to seek additional funding and are working with the Office for the Prevention of AIDS of the Episcopal Conference of Guatemala which is operating many of the existing prevention programs for women in the country.

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for the basic needs of Guatemala’s youth while helping to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. They work extensively with poor youth and their families at youth centers, orphanages, parishes and primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities. Additional social and educational programs help provide for youth living on the streets and those living in poor indigenous communities.

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – A New Centre for the Young People of Petén

World Bank – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missionaries Have Undertaken New Projects Helping Poor Youth and their Families in San Benito first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In May 2012, TOMS began distributing shoes to youth in communities served by the Talita Kumi Foundation. Talita Kumi is present in more than 1000 indigenous communities in Northern Guatemala and serves more than 88,000 school-aged children. TOMS shoes are provided to families that participate in Talita Kumi’s education, health and economic development programs.

Youth living in rural Guatemalan communities are constantly on the move but lack options for transportation and normally do not have enough money to buy shoes. To get to school, students must walk close to 30 minutes on rocky, wet trails through the mountains. While at school, students participate in classroom learning while also engaging in outdoor sports and recreation activities. After returning home, students are often expected to help their parents perform tasks such as farming, milking cows, caring for animals and gathering wood for fires. Without shoes, these young people are at-risk for injury and diseases such as parasites, skin fungus and respiratory diseases, among others.

“When children are protected from the various illnesses and injuries associated with traveling barefoot they are better able to participate and focus in classes,” says Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs. “Many schools ask parents to invest in required school clothing forcing families to prioritize which children they can send to school. Distributing shoes will open the way for more children to attend school, especially for girls who are often left behind at home.”

As a result of TOMS shoes, youth enrollment and participation in school has increased and students are more prepared for school activities. Shoes also provide students with a sense of dignity. Angel, an 11 year old recipient of TOMS shoes, previously endured a painful walk to school barefoot in mud, rain and over rocks. As a result of the shoes, the trip to school is safer and easier.

“I was so excited, I really like them because they are very comfortable, soft, and weigh nothing. I would like to have them for a long time to go to school with. I no longer have diseases on my feet and I use them to play with my friends at school,” says Angel describing the new shoes.

The Talita Kumi Foundation’s health programs currently serve more than 80,400 school-age children. Salesian missionaries at the Foundation work to combat malnutrition among its program participants and decrease the rates of maternal, infant and general mortality through primary health-care and training of families and community organizations. When youth are suffering from diseases contracted by walking around barefoot, it is more difficult to combat malnutrition. By improving the health of the children, Talita Kumi can alleviate the physical and economic strain of repeated medical visits and improve the food security and nutrition of the population, especially among women and children.

“One of the methods that Salesian missionaries teach on the topic of health and welfare is the use of footwear for children,” adds O’Connor. “However, many families cannot afford to buy shoes for their children. By distributing shoes to the children in Salesian programs, we can improve the health of individual children while also stressing the importance of wearing shoes among the community in general.”

Rural poverty hasn’t changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources.

Salesian missionaries working and living in the country have been providing for poor youth’s basic needs while helping them to break the cycle of poverty. Through Salesian youth centers, orphanages, parishes, primary and secondary schools as well as technical schools, vocational training workshops and two universities, Salesian missionaries work extensively with poor youth and their families. In addition, there are many Salesian programs throughout the country, some of which help provide for youth living on the streets while others offer social and educational opportunities to those living in poor indigenous communities.

ABOUT TOMS:

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in a village in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One®.

Five years later, TOMS realized this movement could serve other basic needs and launched TOMS Eyewear. With every pair of eyewear purchased, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need. One for One®. As more everyday choices have the power to impact the lives of those around the world, the TOMS movement will continue to grow and evolve.

In 2013, Blake Mycoskie announced that through its Giving Partners, TOMS has hand-placed over 10 million pairs of new shoes on children in need and has helped give sight to over 150,000 people around the world. The success of TOMS’ One for One® business model has led to a continued evolution of its giving efforts, with the company making major investments in its shoe manufacturing, economic empowerment and commissioned field research while developing product partnerships that have raised millions of dollars for non-profit organizations.

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS:

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Students Receive TOMS Shoes, are Healthier and Better Prepared for School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

Recently, the University’s biomedical engineering program received recognition and five-year accreditation by the Central American Accreditation Agency for Architecture and Engineering. The program is recognized for its academic standards and was evaluated for its curriculum, process of teaching and learning, research and technological advances and the physical and technological infrastructure that integrates the practical skills of students and specialized teachers.

“Don Bosco University was the first university accredited at a national level that is part of the worldwide Salesian University Network,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “By offering a biomedical engineering program, Don Bosco University brings advanced educational and employment opportunities to vulnerable youth which in turn prepares them for participation in the country’s continued economic development.”

The University is the only institution of higher education in El Salvador that offers a biomedical engineering program which trains professionals in the design, analysis and management of the technologies and systems that contribute, from an engineering perspective, to the improvement of medical applications. To date, 191 students have graduated as biomedical engineers and many have already distinguished themselves in El Salvador and abroad.

Almost all of the graduates of the program either go on to acquire masters degrees or PhDs or are employed directly in the biomedical engineering sectors. Twenty of the University’s graduates are professionals employed in cutting-edge biomedical companies in the United States and Europe. More than 65 percent of graduates are working in the private health sector. Others are serving as consultants for the acquisition of medical technologies or developing business management technologies.

“The program at Don Bosco University has been successful in providing the education and skills necessary to help its graduates either directly enter the workforce or continue on for advanced degrees,” adds Fr. Hyde. “The accreditation and continued recognition helps support the University’s main objective to provide educational programs that increase the professional skills of its students while contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.”

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

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ANS – El Salvador – Biomedical Engineering at UDB receives second international accreditation

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University Biomedical Engineering Program Receives Recognition for Excellence in Academics first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014, when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and a sense of family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Don Bosco University is working to provide opportunities for advanced education and employment for disadvantaged youth in El Salvador. The university offers degrees in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The donated furniture, shipped late last year in preparation for a new faculty building, was installed in October. The furniture will help provide students and faculty a better working and learning environment.

In addition to this donation, Salesian programs around the globe have received school and office furniture as well as workstations thanks to the partnership between Salesian Missions and IRN. In recent months, IRN has sent shipments of furniture and workstations to Salesian sites in Haiti, the Philippines, Liberia and the Dominican Republic. Additional shipments have been sent to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay and Togo.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

Salesians 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, Salesians 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.

The Institution Recycling Network 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.

“There is a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

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Don Bosco University El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

Institution Recycling Network

The post EL SALVADOR: University Students, Faculty Benefit from Furniture Donated by Institution Recycling Network first appeared on MissionNewswire.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014 when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of family and belonging that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

The Don Bosco Integrated Education Youth Program, operated by the Salesian Savior of the World Foundation, recently celebrated 10 years of service providing education and social development services to at-risk children and adolescents. The program was established in San Salvador, El Salvador’s capital city, and primarily services youth from the neighborhoods of San Miguel, Santa Ana and Soyapango.

Participating students are enrolled in educational programs that complement the formal education system in El Salvador. To date, 55,743 youth from 120 schools have participated in activities. Included in the program is access to a center for youth in need of extra family support, a school of the arts which includes a music club and chamber orchestra, a school of theater and painting and a sports center. The goal is to help youth apply skills they learn at school in a community setting. The different educational programs teach leadership and problem solving skills as well as communication and teamwork, which help to prevent violence.

“Teaching our youth to be leaders is important for their personal development and their communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth learn leadership skills and then apply them in the real world, helping to shape their environments and give back to the communities they grew up in.”

The program also provides management and mediation training and assists youth in finding and retaining employment or starting their own business venture. These tools provide an alternative to life on the streets, criminal activity and gang violence. Students find opportunities available to them and connect with adults who serve as mentors, helping them achieve their goals and dreams.

“Education is a path out of poverty,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Youth who access Salesian programs are given an educational foundation, skill training and life and social skills to help them excel in the workforce. They are then able to break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.”

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ANS – El Salvador – Don Bosco Integrated Education Youth Programme celebrates 10 years

Reuters – Murders in El Salvador spike to record high for May

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: More Than 55,000 Students Provided Education and Leadership Training at Don Bosco Integrated Education Youth Program first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The El Niño weather cycle has caused a prolonged heat wave in what otherwise would be Central America’s rainy season, killing thousands of cattle and drying up crops across the region. Farmers growing peas, green beans and broccoli estimate that they will lose up to 40 percent of their crops this year. In addition, almost 80 percent of corn and beans, staples of the Guatemalan diet, are anticipated to wither on the stalk this season leaving little to be harvested.

The drought has also affected parts of Honduras and El Salvador. Close to 2.8 million people in Central America will need food assistance due to the combined impact of severe drought, the Coffee Rust plague and a spike in food prices, according to the World Food Program.

“They are subsistence farmers and day-to-day laborers who are in a critical situation due to the combination of three factors,” said Miguel Barreto, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the World Food Program, in a recent article about the drought. “First, they lost their subsistence crops, mostly beans and maize, to the drought. Second, due to the outbreak of the Coffee Rust plague in 2012, coffee production dropped and so did the demand for jobs and the families’ income. And finally, a shortage of beans and maize has caused a rise in food prices in all countries.”

“Some families resort to dangerous survival tactics, such as skipping or reducing the size of meals. Others simply stop sending their children to school to save money. Others send the head of households to Mexico or the United States to find jobs,” added Barreto in the same article.

Because of the drought and food shortages, an estimated 500,000 children under the age of five are at imminent risk of starvation which is devastating in a country that already struggles with chronic undernutrition. According to World Food Program, the chronic undernutrition rate for children under five is 49.8 percent, the highest in the region and the fourth highest in the world.

Salesian missionaries already working and living in Guatemalan communities are perfectly positioned to respond to the crisis. Missionaries in the municipalities of Alta Verapaz, Peten and Quetzaltenango are mobilizing to assist more than 130,000 people in desperate need of food aid and other basic assistance.

“Salesians are on the ground already working with local populations so the response to emergencies like this is usually very quick,” explains Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Because of our existing infrastructure, our partners trust us to be able to get supplies to people in need.”

Emergency situations aside, Salesians have been providing ongoing assistance and education to poor youth and their families in Guatemala for many years through Salesian youth centers, primary and secondary schools and programs for indigenous populations throughout the country.

“Salesian programs are flexible and adaptable to the communities and countries we serve,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Communities have different needs and we help as we can, all the while working to help people break the cycle of poverty and lead productive, healthy lives.”

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Sources

Salesian Missions – Guatemala

World Food Programs – Central America Battles Impact Of Drought And Coffee Rust

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missionaries are Mobilizing to Assist More Than 130,000 People in Desperate Need of Food Aid Due to Recent Drought first appeared on MissionNewswire.

As reported by the Pew Research Center, the DHS report details, “For example, many Guatemalan children come from rural areas, indicating they are probably seeking economic opportunities in the U.S. Salvadoran and Honduran children, on the other hand, come from extremely violent regions where they probably perceive the risk of traveling alone to the U.S. preferable to remaining at home.”

Poverty is also a primary factor as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are among the poorest nations in Latin America with Honduras having 30 percent, Guatemala, 26 percent and El Salvador, 17 percent of people living in poverty on less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank.

To meet the needs of youth who have fled their Central American homes alone to make their way to Mexico, Salesian missionaries already working in border towns in Mexico such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Nogales, Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Acuña and Nuevo Laredo (among others), are responding with emergency shelter, food and other assistance. The journey these young people take from their Central American communities into these Mexican towns is fraught with danger. Many youth have died or have become seriously injured along the trip and others, faced with little food and water along the way, have fallen prey to theft, sex traffickers and other violence.

Once youth reach the border towns, Salesians there provide the essential first step of meeting their basic needs and offering them a safe place to stay. After settling into Salesian shelters, youth can access other Salesian services such as structured recreation and social activities that provide a way for them to bond with their peers and develop additional interests and skills.

“We reach out to them to provide a home, a school, a parish and a place where youth can meet and share as friends,” says Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez, S.D.B., Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. “Our goal is to address their essential needs.”

For decades, Salesian missionaries have been working throughout Central America on behalf of impoverished youth to tackle the root problems that have caused so many of them to flee. Much of this work focuses on improving economic opportunity through education and workforce development, teaching youth the skills necessary to find and retain long-term employment and become contributing members of their communities.

A cross with a kite attached to it marks where a child died tried to make it into the United States by crossing the Rio Grande in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The river is lined with similar heart-breaking memorials to lost children.

In San Salvador, El Salvador, the Don Bosco Worker Technical Institute offers free education and job training to marginalized youth at risk of joining gangs. As an alternative to criminal activity, more than 400 students pursue training in electricity, mechanics, carpentry, welding and tailoring.

“We cannot change the culture of violence and drugs — the same culture that so many youth migrants are fleeing — with an iron fist,” says Father Jose Moratalla, S.D.B., director of the institute. “Instead, we must use education to produce a new generation of entrepreneurs who can respond positively to the challenges and needs of their country.”

In Guatemala, Salesian missionaries are leading a broad and intensive educational effort that is training hundreds of teachers. In rural mountain villages throughout the country, 835 local students are enrolled in a three-year teacher training course. Upon receiving their certification, the new teachers will serve as many as 600 villages.

“Since this program was initiated, the number of schools in the Alta Verapaz region has doubled,” says Father Tony DeGroot, S.D.B., who founded the initiative. “Now, children who were previously destined to be trapped by a lifetime of illiteracy can see the path to a productive future.”

In Honduras, Salesian missionaries have been working for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate impoverished youth and their families. In a country where one in four residents struggles with chronic malnutrition, food assistance plays a critical role in as many Salesian-run programs as possible.

“While the recent surge of unaccompanied minors traveling to the U.S. has drawn the nation’s attention to the daily horrors these children face — rampant gang-related violence, brutal murders and devastating poverty — the reality is that these conditions have existed in Central America for a very long time,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Any resolution to this complex situation demands a multi-dimensional response, one that upholds our moral obligation to the children who have already arrived, and one that works to effect systemic, sustainable change on behalf of those who remain in their home countries.”

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Sources:

Pew Research Center – DHS: Violence, poverty, is driving children to flee Central America to U.S.

Salesian Missions – Hope for Central American Child Migrant Crisis

The post CENTRAL AMERICA: Salesian Missionaries Assist Youth Fleeing Poverty, Violence by Focusing on Prevention first appeared on MissionNewswire.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014, when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and a sense of family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

To address the rising rates of youth violence, close to 1,000 youth who live in violent, crime-ridden areas of El Salvador have turned to the Don Bosco Youth Symphonic Orchestra as an alternative to becoming involved in the conflict and violence. The orchestra started last year in San Salvador, the country’s capital, and is financed by a $1 million grant from the Social Fund for the Development of Japan, administered by the World Bank.

Salesian Father Jose Maria Moratalla Escudero, known as Father Pepe, runs the orchestra and is president of the Salvadoran Education and Work Foundation. Bryan Cea, the 25 year old orchestra director, has had a similar experience to most of his students, growing up in the local area surrounded by poverty and violence.

Youth in the orchestra range in age from 8 to 20 and are students at various public schools in San Salvador. About 470 youth take part in the music program, with 220 of them in the symphony orchestra and 250 in the choir.

Existing school rivalries and conflicts are left behind when students enter the orchestra program located at Don Bosco Industrial Polygon. Unity and a sense of cooperation prevail as geographic and other differences are put aside and the young people live and work together peacefully.

The orchestra has become very important to San Salvador and its surrounding communities as a peaceful learning alternative for youth who have grown accustomed to violence.

“So this music project is fantastic because it keeps kids occupied all day long. First during school hours and later during their free time, giving them the chance to freely be in an environment where they can get the kind of music classes that most interest them,” said Fr. Pepe in a recent Catholic News Agency article about the program.

According to the same Catholic News Agency article, youth in the program explain that the orchestra has kept them away from violence. Carlos Palma (20), a violinist, notes that projects like this help the country and allow him to grow from a cultural point of view. Madelin Morales (15), a flautist, says that being part of the orchestra has helped her a lot because she has made great strides in her studies and has gained a better perspective on life.

The orchestra program continues to grow. Instructors at a conservatory in Spain are in communication with the program about coming to El Salvador to offer training to new instructors. In November of this year, the symphonic orchestra is scheduled to travel to Washington, D.C. to perform in concerts at the Kennedy Center and other venues. The orchestra is also planning on writing, composing and performing an ambitious musical with close to 3,000 actors.

“Let’s say it’s a gigantic explosion of a vitality that seemed to be dormant in the children, teens and young people of El Salvador and that, thanks to this project, is being awakened,” adds Fr. Pepe in the Catholic News Agency article.

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Sources

ANS – El Salvador – Children and young people fighting violence with music

Catholic News Agency – El Salvador youth saved from violence by music

Reuters – Murders in El Salvador spike to record high for May

World Bank – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco Symphony Orchestra Provides Learning Environment As Alternative to Violence on the Streets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Those living in rural areas make up close to 75 percent of the country’s poor and the World Bank classifies Liberia as a low-income, food-deficit country, reporting that half of the population is food-insecure or highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Orphans, street children and adolescent ex-combatants often find themselves on their own facing adult responsibilities with little support and no education.

Salesians have been working in Liberia since starting a vocational institute there in 1979. Since then, Salesians in the country have been developing programs with a focus on providing youth with the education and skills necessary to transform their lives and their country.

Recently, Salesian-run Don Bosco Technical High School and Mary Help of Christians Catholic High School, both located in the capital city of Monrovia, received desks, chairs and other furniture thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and the Institution Recycling Network (IRN). More than 1000 students at both schools benefited from the new furniture in their classrooms, libraries, laboratories and school offices.

“The children have comfortable tables and chairs to use and students, especially those in the elementary grades, are very happy with the improvement,” says Father Sony Joseph Pottenplackal, rector and principal of Don Bosco Technical High School. “The furniture has contributed greatly to their discipline and learning environment, and has brought a smile to the faces of many of the young students. This has been a great contribution to the school.”

Desks and chairs help to provide a more dignified and organized educational environment for students to complete their studies. As a result, students are often more focused on their classroom work and more prepared for their lessons.

Salesian Missions’ partnership with IRN has provided valuable furniture to equip Salesian classrooms, offices and administrative buildings around the world, including desks, bookshelves, workstations, chairs, whiteboards, filing cabinets, auditorium seating and more.

“There was a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every education, commercial, and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment they need to get rid of. 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.

IRN partners with nonprofits who are known to be reputable and effective providers of relief and development assistance, and who are able to use the types of surplus that IRN can provide. The organization has a “wish list” from each of its nonprofit partners of the types and quantities of surplus they can use.

In addition to the donation in Liberia, IRN has sent shipments of furniture and workstations to Salesian sites in Haiti, Guatemala, the Philippines, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Togo as well as other sites around the globe.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

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Sources

Salesian Missions – Liberia

World Bank – Liberia

The post LIBERIA: More Than 1,000 Students Benefit from New School Furniture first appeared on MissionNewswire.

For the country’s indigenous population the poverty rates jump even higher with almost 90 percent facing crippling poverty and few resources. The Salesians have been working in Guatemala, particularly with indigenous populations, to help break the cycle of poverty and provide access to basic needs and education.

Recently, the mountainous area of La Tinta was affected by devastating floods. Many families across four remote villages lost everything and were struggling to meet even their most basic needs of food and shelter.

The Salesians working in Altaverapaz, an area with 250,000 Q’eqchi’ indigenous inhabitants, offered assistance to those in need. A food delivery arrived before the floods thanks to a partnership between Feed My Starving Children and Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. So the Salesians were able to respond to the emergency immediately with a large quantity of protein-enriched rice.

“The Salesians are on the ground already working with local populations so the response to emergencies like this is usually very quick,” explains Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Because of our existing infrastructure our partners trust us to be able to get supplies to people in need.”

One of the biggest challenges in the delivery of the rice was navigating the mountainous terrain surrounding the remote villages. Much of the usual path from Altaverapaz to La Tinta was wiped out by landslides. Father Vittorio Castagna, working on behalf of the Salesians, was able to reach the villages of Kaqiha’ and Samiha after a four hour drive combined with a three-hour hike. When he arrived at the affected area he was met with a scene of total devastation.

“Unfortunately, the residents of these villages are forgotten by the international media but the Salesians have been here to provide for them,” says Fr. Castagna. “We have come to provide assistance in many circumstances. This time we were able to help close to 50 families affected by the landslides.”

Emergency situations aside, the Salesians have been providing ongoing assistance and education to the indigenous Q’eqchi’ people for many years. They are most focused on increasing the capacity of the local communities. With the assistance of Q’eqchi’ promoters, community groups are educated in self-management on projects benefiting family and community.

The Salesians also work with the Foundation for Advancement of Indigenous Women in Guatemala (Talita Kumi) to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“The Salesian work is flexible and adaptable to the communities and countries we serve,” says Fr. Hyde. “Communities have different needs and we help as we can, all the while working to help people break the cycle of poverty and lead productive, healthy lives.”

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – Humanitarian Mission for Flood Victims

World Bank – Guatemala

Salesian Missions – Work in Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Salesian Missions, Feed My Starving Children Delivery Arrives Just in Time to Help Flood Victims first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Shipments are already on the ground in Haiti, Guatemala, Madagascar, Philippines, Sierra Leone and Zambia. Salesian-run orphanages and youth centers are able to utilize the aid for the homeless children and at-risk youth they serve. From primary and secondary schools to vocational and technical training centers, students are able to get more out of the educational opportunities the Salesians provide, knowing they will not go hungry.

Stop Hunger Now operates meal packaging locations in 17 cities throughout the U.S. and in international locations in South Africa and Malaysia. Later this year, the organization plans to initiate the meal packaging program in new locations including Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Bologna, Italy.

Stop Hunger Now helps break the cycle of poverty for meal recipients through education, skills development and health care, while providing much-needed nutrition. The majority of meals go to support school feeding, vocational training, early childhood development programs, orphanages and medical clinics.

Stop Hunger Now’s goals are to provide food and life-saving aid to support sustainable education and development programs and to create a movement of educated volunteer advocates that are actively involved in poverty and hunger related issues.

“Salesian Missions is a good match for our mission to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-saving aid while creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources,” says Chessney Barrick, director of marketing and communications at Stop Hunger Now.

Salesian programs operate in more than 130 countries around the globe. Salesian Missions helps support programs that promote education, encourage children to attend school, improve the health and nutrition of students, address gender inequalities, combat child labor, spur economic growth and create a platform to address global issues.

Because of the partnership and its resulting shipments, Salesians in the Philippines were able to help feed 3,155 poor youth and their families with the 660 boxes of fortified rice-soy meals they received. The shipment also included shampoo and eyeglasses, helping close to 700 people in need. Twenty-eight Salesian organizations throughout the Philippines were supported through the shipment which was coordinated by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The fortified rice-soy meals not only feed hungry children, they give them the energy to participate fully in educational programs and activities.

“Feeding hungry children is often the first step in providing an education,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “When children have their most basic needs met, they are then able to concentrate on their studies and further their education.”

For Keisha Mae, a wood and furniture technology trainee in the Philippines, the fortified meals make a significant difference to the quality of her educational experience.

“I often go to school with an empty stomach as there is no food available in the house. During snack time some of my classmates share whatever they have,” explains Keisha Mae, “But since this Rice-Soy Casserole was donated, the training center served it to the trainees during snack time. Its vegetable ingredients make it look so nutritious and satisfy our starving stomachs.”

For parents of those enrolled in programs run by the Salesians of Don Bosco in Freetown, Sierra Leone, this critical food aid gives them peace of mind knowing that despite living in poverty, they are able to give a nutritious meal to their children. Many parents allow their children to attend school simply because they know they will be fed there. Offering just one plate of food, Salesian staff managed to persuade one mother living in poverty to allow her young son to attend activities at the informal school in the youth center and enter the first level of pre-school. Nineteen pallets of rice meals were delivered to programs in Sierra Leone, benefitting close to 1,200 youth.

In another shipment, the City of Hope in Zambia was able to provide for 4,320 people ranging from infants to the elderly. The Salesian center there includes an orphanage and vocational training programs as well as a primary and secondary school. The meals provided by Stop Hunger Now allow the organization to divert money previously used on food to other critical program needs. Money saved was also used to increase the size of the programs provided and number of students admitted.

The Salesian Sisters who run the City of Hope reported that the children receiving the meals are much healthier and have less headaches and hunger pains. In addition, they are better able to focus on their school work and their grades are improving.

“Stop Hunger Now is one of our favorite partners to work with because they are very flexible. They actively seek out opportunities to enhance shipments with additional donated items that the beneficiaries need, and they go the extra mile to help Salesian Missions meet any additional emergency requests for food that we receive,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer at the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs.

With programs in more than 130 countries around the globe, Salesian Missions has one of the largest networks that Stop Hunger Now works with. They also have extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to aid shipments. The Salesians are an integral part of the existing infrastructure in many countries and Salesian Missions plays an important role in making sure aid from the United States reaches its destination country and gets into the hands of those who need it most.

“The partnership with Stop Hunger Now allows Salesian Missions to expand its scope of services to youth in need,” adds O’Connor. “The shipment of packaged meals helps us to improve the nutrition of orphans and other vulnerable children. Operating feeding programs for youth in Salesian schools whose families cannot afford to feed them is very important and integral to the success of our students and their ability to gain an education.”

ABOUT STOP HUNGER NOW

This year, Stop Hunger Now is celebrating its 15^th anniversary in its ongoing work to create a movement to end hunger. More than 100,000,000 meals have been packaged and distributed with other life-saving aid to 65 countries, impacting millions of lives. The organization is driven by a vision of a world without hunger and a mission to end hunger in our lifetime by providing food and life-saving aid to the world’s most vulnerable and by creating a global commitment to mobilize the necessary resources.

In its efforts to respond to emergency needs around the world Stop Hunger Now receives and distributes significant donations of in-kind aid. These donations are large quantities of food, medicines, medical supplies and other such items as may be of use in fighting hunger and providing relief in a crisis. For more information visit www.stophungernow.org.

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.

The post Salesian Missions, Stop Hunger Now Partner to Deliver Critical Food Aid in More Than 10 Countries first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

The Salesians are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as youth training and certification programs, the Salesians help 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.

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every education, commercial, and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment they need to get rid of. 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.

“There was a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

IRN partners with nonprofits who are known to be reputable and effective providers of relief and development assistance, and who are able to use the types of surplus that IRN can provide. The organization has a “wish list” from each of its nonprofit partners of the types and quantities of surplus they can use.

When a project comes to IRN, it makes a match against these wish lists and offers the surplus to the most appropriate nonprofits. At this point it is first-come-first-served; the first nonprofit(s) to express interest in the surplus project is the one to receive it. In many cases a single nonprofit will claim the entire project but in some cases, the surplus will be split among two or more nonprofits.

“There is almost infinite demand in the U.S. and worldwide for good quality surplus so IRN’s surplus program will continue to grow,” says Lennon. “The school or company that supplies the surplus pays IRN for the service of matching their surplus with our nonprofit network. In almost all cases they pay IRN much less than they would pay to bring in dumpsters and throw the surplus away.”

There is a three pronged benefit to the work that IRN does. The generating organizations profit by disposing of their surplus for less than the cost of throwing it away, while the recipient organizations profit from a very low cost source of quality furniture and equipment. Impoverished and disaster-stricken people benefit from furniture and equipment they otherwise would have no access to. And finally, the planet benefits from reuse of important resources.

“We know of no other organization in the country other than IRN that is able to match large quantities of surplus with qualified recipients, and then manage the entire project to remove and load the surplus for shipment,” adds Lennon.

About Institution Recycling Network (IRN)

IRN is headquartered in Concord, NH and is a cooperative recycling organization that works with more than 350 colleges and universities, hospitals, K-12 schools and private companies to improve the performance and economics of recycling. IRN negotiates transportation, processing and marketing of recycled commodities and provides a single point of contact to recycle dozens of different materials. IRN handles over 75 commodities – everything from cardboard and fluorescent lamps to concrete and Astroturf. IRN is known particularly for its effective recycling of unusual and complex commodities such as electronic equipment, construction and demolition wastes and surplus property. For more information about IRN, visit www.IRNSurplus.com.

About Salesian Missions

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for its international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople – all dedicated to caring for poor youth throughout the world in more than 130 countries, helping them become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million young people have received services funded by Salesian Missions. To learn more visit www.salesianmissions.org.

The post GLOBAL: Salesian Missions Partners with Institution Recycling Network, Benefitting Programs Around the Globe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Poverty and lack of opportunity keep generations in the cycle of poverty. According to USAID, El Salvador’s per capita income is the fifth lowest in the Western Hemisphere when adjusted to reflect the cost of living. The poverty rate sits close to 42.5 percent of the population.

The Salesians are working hard in El Salvador to empower youth to create their own opportunities for success now and later in life. Salesian programs focus on academic and trade education to help students find stable employment upon graduation.

Student input, innovation and involvement over the years has resulted in exceptional programs that are enabling youth to overcome poverty and realize their full potential. Salesian partnerships with government-funded facilities are further strengthening the positive impact on young people.

Most recently, youth leadership has been a focus. Fifty-six youth, former graduates of Salesian schools, gathered in San Salvador for an in-person training session that is part of an overall 16-month leadership training program. Alumni came from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to learn and share their life experiences with one another. The leadership program focuses on ethics, social engagement and character building as well as leadership skills. Students learn primarily through a virtual platform but have two in-person meetings, one that just took place earlier this year and another scheduled in Costa Rica in 2014.

“Developing our youth to be leaders is important for their personal development and their communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth learn leadership skills and then apply them in the real world, helping to shape their environments and give back to the communities they grew up in.”

There are currently 123 alumni enrolled in the leadership training program, which is coordinated by the Past Pupils Executive group from El Salvador. Salesian Past Pupils Associations are made up of graduated Salesian alumni who work together to give back locally and pay the lessons they learned forward to other poor youth currently being educated in Salesian-run programs. The leadership program has been developed to further the associations’ work in education and community building.

“We encourage all of the youth we have worked with over the years to give back to their local communities,” says Fr. Hyde. “The alumni are showing what a difference someone can make when they apply the skills learned at Salesian-run schools. We are very proud of our former students.”

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Sources

ANS – El Salvador – Young pupils trained as leaders

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

USAID – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Youth Leadership Training Helps Salesian Alumni Give Back to Local Communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Upon his arrival in Guatemala, Fr. De Groot was immediately struck by the extreme poverty and deprivation in the mountain communities. What started for him as an effort to provide support to remote villages neglected during a civil war, turned into an educational revolution resulting in the training of hundreds of teachers while offering poor youth a second chance.

The Salesians are working hard to reduce poverty in Guatemala where, according to UNICEF, the percentage of children living in poverty has not improved over the past 20 years. One in five families makes less than $1 a day and rural communities are desperate for new programs and resources that will benefit their impoverished citizens.

“Determined to make a difference, Fr. De Groot began visiting the villages to build hope and offer support,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “After a while, he realized much more was needed to be done especially for the sake of the children. He started to build schools and initiated a teacher training program.”

Today, 835 local students are training to become teachers by enrolling in a series of courses that span a three-year period. Upon receiving their teaching certificates, these students will go on to teach in as many as 600 villages throughout Guatemala.

In addition to the teacher training program, the Don Bosco Center offers classes in basic school subjects, giving special attention to technical skills that are useful in the local economy.

The Don Bosco Center is the male counterpart to a local educational project for girls known as Talita Kumi, started by a Salesian missionary from India, Father Jorge Puthenpura, and now run by the Salesian Sisters of the Resurrection. This program works to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

“Both of these educational efforts are part of the much broader mission and activities developed by the Salesian community in Guatemala,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Our educational programs have been very successful. Since the teacher training program was initiated, the number of schools in the region has doubled, and more children than ever are getting the chance to build a brighter future.”

Learn more about Salesian Missions programs in Guatemala >

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Sources:

ANS – Guatemala – A new male, indigenous Congregation is born

Salesian Mission – In Guatemala: An Educational Revolution

Saleisan Missions – Guatemala

UNICEF – Guatemala

The post GUATEMALA: Teacher Training Program Gives Youth Second Chance first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year focuses on a particular theme. This year the United Nations chose Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting Empowerment and Building Peace, which was chosen to highlight the link between poverty and social unrest. It also focuses on the need to provide people with the necessary skills to contribute to society.

“Poverty is easy to denounce but difficult to combat,” says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a recent UN article highlighting International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. “Those suffering from hunger, want and indignity need more than sympathetic words; they need concrete support.”

Ban further stressed in the article that that during times of economic austerity it is even more crucial to put policies in place that will protect the most vulnerable.

“As governments struggle to balance budgets, funding for anti-poverty measures is under threat. But this is precisely the time to provide the poor with access to social services, income security, decent work and social protection,” he says in the UN article. “Only then can we build stronger and more prosperous societies—not by balancing budgets at the expense of the poor.”

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed annually since 1993. The UN General Assembly designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in every country.

During the last decade, millions have overcome extreme poverty and have improved access to health care and education. Extreme poverty rates have decreased in every region of the world. More than 39 million children attend primary school and access to clean water has increased to 89 percent. But in spite of these important gains, several critical gaps remain.

Poverty alleviation, education, gender equality, child and maternal health, environmental stability, HIV/AIDS reduction, and a ‘Global Partnership for Development’ were further noted in the UN article as the eight Millennium Development Goals selected by world leaders at the UN summit in 2000.

The Salesians working at the ground level within communities ravaged by poverty see their efforts and these improvements first hand.

“Whether giving food and shelter to street children or building schools and teaching job skills to youth in poverty, the Salesians are giving youth hope for a new future,” says Fr. Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our work gives youth the access to learn employable skills and provides the opportunity for them to break the cycle of poverty in their lives.”

Here are some highlights of Salesian programs around the globe that fight extreme poverty by providing hope and opportunity to youth and their communities:

CAMBODIA:

In Cambodia—through the Don Bosco Children’s Fund—the Salesians provide assistance to children ages six to fifteen who are at risk of dropping out of school due to extreme poverty. Each year approximately 5,000 children receive assistance in the form of medicine, nutritional meals, clothing and personal items. Many children have lost one or both parents to HIV and are currently living with extended family members with elderly grandparents or neighbors. Often they receive little direct supervision, leaving them extremely vulnerable to outside influences. Without support from the Don Bosco Children’s Fund, many children would be forced to beg or turn to street crime in order to support themselves.

COLOMBIA:

In Colombia, 18 percent of school age children have no access to education. One town that previously lacked access is Condoto, a remote village nestled in the middle of a tropical rainforest in western Colombia. Most of the 30,000 inhabitants are descendents of Africans who escaped the slave trade. Mining is the main source of income – with low pay and harsh working conditions. There, Salesian Missions has built the first and only schools in the area which are improving the lives of the students and all members of the communities – and will continue to do so for generations to come.

ECUADOR:

In Ecuador, at Salesian “Project for Street Children” sites throughout the country, vulnerable and at-risk children gain an all-around education that allows them to take the lead in developing their own skills and potential. The project uses an active presence on the streets, technical training and schools and the support of families and communities that care for the boys and their rehabilitation. Specialized programs for youth in need include: prevention of addiction and care for addicts, rehabilitation of youth gang members and hostels that provide an alternative to living on the street. Thousands of children and adolescents are supported each year.

ETHIOPIA:

More than 150 street children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have a place to call home. And 750 more at-risk children benefit from a variety of programs designed to instill confidence and self-respect. That’s because exciting plans are underway for a new Salesian Center that will feature dormitories, classrooms, a recreation hall and cafeteria. When it opens, the Center will serve hundreds of needy children by providing the immediate basics of food and shelter.

GUATEMALA:

In Guatemala, more than 21 percent of the population had an income of less than $1 a day in 2004 – no improvement since 1989 according to the Pan American Health Organization. Extreme poverty is often associated with rural life. Rural Q’echi (Mayans) are among the rural populations looking to improve their lives.  Through Salesian Missions programs, they are focusing on increasing the capacity of their communities. With the assistance of the Q’echi promoters, community groups are educated in self management for projects benefiting family and community. Salesians also work through the Foundation for Advancement of Indigenous Women in Guatemala (Talita Kumi) to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

KENYA:

In Kenya, homeless youth join “Bosco Boys” programs dedicated to creating positive change. Three centers provide services for youth at different stages. Bosco Boys Kariua runs a nursery school and weekend program where street children gather for sporting events and to wash their clothes. Bosco Boys Langata is a rehabilitation center where new boys can overcome addictions and behaviors learned on the street. Bosco Boys Kuwinda provides education and training opportunities for street children, as well as poor children from the neighborhood.

MEXICO:

In Mexico City, girls and mothers face severe dangers living on the streets. Through the “Yolia” program, girls and women become regulars at the day center. There, they have meals, receive tutoring, obtain therapy, and learn job skills such as jewelry making and hair styling. Some girls may also choose to live in the residential area, where they receive additional education and services while building a sense of dignity and self worth.

SIERRA LEONE:

Sierra Leone is still recovering from a brutal 10-year civil war.  More than 500,000 people were displaced and more than 60,000 children were orphaned and homeless. In the 2008 Human Development Index, Sierra Leone ranks last among 179 countries for the well-being of its people. The Don Bosco Fambul program aims to change the lives of children. It directly addresses issues facing street children – including emotional trauma from the war and lost family. With the goal of reuniting with their families, youth participate in a 10-month program which includes counseling and medical care – as well as education. These young people attend classes during the day, according to their level of ability and any previous schooling. In the evening, they are responsible for helping each other with homework.  The youth are tested each month and receive encouragement for progress — building self esteem and motivation – and hope for the future.

TANZANIA:

For more than 20 years, Tanzanian children and youth have had access to education through Salesian Mission facilities. Programs are developed based on the most critical needs of the community. For example, AIDS orphans who have dropped out of regular school learn a trade at a vocational school, and girls attend secondary school in Didia, where previously there had been no secondary school within 40 miles. Schools and other facilities are providing new opportunities to children, youth and families in communities throughout Tanzania where nearly one million children have been orphaned due to AIDS, according to UNICEF. Many of these children are forced to leave school due to poverty or to care for their families. At Salesian technical and secondary schools and youth centers, youth develop skills to overcome obstacles. They learn a trade of their choice and to stand on their own to create a productive life. For more than 20 years, Salesian Missions has been a leader for vocational training and currently provides education and leadership opportunities to youth in communities throughout Tanzania.

UGANDA:

Uganda ranks 157 out of 182 countries in the 2007 Human Development Index. The people of Uganda are working to rebuild after decades of war which left many displaced, as well as to combat the serious increase of HIV/AIDS, which has left millions of children orphaned. The Don Bosco Children & Life Mission offers hope to at risk boys, ages 8-17, through a variety of programs. As they grow and develop, boys move through different stages until they reach the final goal of an independent, productive life.

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Sources

UN News – On Day for Eradication of Poverty, UN highlights needs for a holistic approach to helping word’s poor

ANS – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: Ending the Violence of Extreme Poverty

The post WORLD POVERTY DAY: Salesian Missions Reports on Programs that Fight Extreme Poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Day of the Girl was established by a vote of the United Nations General Assembly in 2011 to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. One of the issues that drew focus was that of child marriage. For the first time, UN member states recognized that child marriage is a human rights violation and is a serious health risk for young girls whose bodies are not fully developed for motherhood.

“This puts them and their babies at risk,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Early marriage also prevents young girls from continuing their education and contributes to many of them remaining in poverty throughout their lives,” he adds, noting that the achievement of their full potential is hindered when girls are forced to assume all of the domestic duties and raise children while they are still children themselves.

A special exhibit on child marriage has been installed at UN Headquarters in New York to help raise awareness and encourage advocacy and action both on the part of member states and those who visit the UN daily.

In spite of many advances in changing the status and perception of women and girls, much more needs to be done to address the serious issues the girl child faces, according to Fr. Hyde. Among these are: limited educational opportunities, illiteracy and school dropout, physical and sexual violence, lack of role models, forced labor and limited work opportunities, trafficking, negative media images and most importantly, inequality.

“Girls are asking to be seen as and treated as equals,” says Fr. Hyde. “They want to participate more fully in decision making, especially in decisions that affect their lives in their families and communities.”

Salesian Missions cares about the growth and development of women in the communities they serve. Women are the backbone of the family structure and by providing women necessary education, training skills and support, families are made stronger. Social outreach programs, child care support, and job training allow for women to work at every level of production and management jobs supporting and keeping their families intact.

To mark the first-ever International Day of the Girl Child, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight some of its programs around the globe that empower girls through education:

CAMBODIA: In Cambodia, education for girls opens doors to opportunities. With basic education, girls are better equipped to face the daily dangers of human trafficking, child prostitution and substance abuse. Today, more than 2,000 girls who live in poverty have access to basic education through the Don Bosco Children’s Fund. In addition, with vocational and technical education, they see possibilities for jobs and independence. Hundreds of students at four specialized schools for girls/young women will open new doors with skills in printing, electronics, secretarial skills and sewing.

COLOMBIA: The “Right to Dream” program is providing aid to many poverty-stricken children in Medellin, Colombia. One such child is Alejandra – who now has access to social support and educational programs previously unimaginable to her and her siblings as they worked on the streets to help their family survive. One hundred students ages 7-18 receive vocational training and hot meals.

GUATEMALA: Extreme poverty is often associated with rural life in Guatemala. Rural Q’echi (Mayans) are among the rural populations looking to improve their lives. Through Salesian Missions programs, they are focusing on increasing the capacity of their communities. With the assistance of the Q’echi promoters, community groups are educated in self management for projects benefiting family and community. Salesians also work through the Foundation for Advancement of Indigenous Women in Guatemala (Talita Kumi) to raise the status of women and empower them to become household and community decision-makers.

KENYA: At the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, girls and women receive training opportunities and learn about the important role they play in society and the community. The microfinance program funded by UNHCR and Caritas Italiana offers graduates, women and other refugees an opportunity to establish small business ventures using skills learned.

MEXICO: In Mexico City, girls and mothers face severe dangers living on the streets. Through the “Yolia” program, girls and women become regulars at the day center. There, they have meals, receive tutoring, obtain therapy, and learn job skills such as jewelry making and hair styling. Some girls may also choose to live in the residential area, where they receive additional education and services, while building a sense of dignity and self worth.

PERU: Since 1982, Salesian Missions has offered training for girls at a vocational school in Yanama, Peru. Currently, there are more than 300 students enrolled in these schools, which are now located in parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador, as well as Peru. Girls are trained in using alpaca and sheep wool to make sweaters, rugs, gloves and other articles, which are marketed locally and abroad. Upon graduating, they receive a weaving machine as the first step in a new career.

SRI LANKA: Mary Help of Christians in Sri Lanka is home to 173 girls who were soldiers during the country’s civil war. They are the innocent victims of a 25-year civil war that ended in 2009 and generated more than 200,000 young refugees. Today, these girls are safe but have a long recovery process ahead of them. Few people realize that 40 percent of the children kidnapped by guerrilla fighters and forced to fight in the war were girls. The youngest were enslaved as maids to cook and clean for the soldiers. As they got older, the girls were forced to act as spies and informers. By the time they reached puberty, many of the girls were trapped into abusive and humiliating marriages with guerrilla leaders.

Learn more about Salesian Missions at the United Nations >

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SOURCES:

Salesian Missions

ANS (Salesian Info Agency)

The post DAY OF THE GIRL: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs around the Globe that Empower Girls through Education, Opportunity first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) International Women’s Day—created by the United Nations and celebrated by organizations and countries around the globe—is observed each year on March 8.

According to the United Nations, “it is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.”

It is also a day for celebrating organizations and people who work year round to empower women and girls in an effort to make the world a better place. It is work that too often goes uncelebrated.

Salesian programs empower girls in impoverished countries around the globe by helping them build a sense of dignity and self worth, says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

“Education builds self esteem and opens the door to opportunity,” he says. “By providing girls with the opportunity to learn life skills and a trade, they become self sufficient and are able to care for their families. When girls have access to education, families are made stronger and have more opportunities to remain together—breaking the cycle of poverty and improving entire communities.”

Salesian Missions has programs helping the poor in more than 130 countries around the globe, including programs to empower women and girls. Here are some examples of that work:

BOLIVIA

In Bolivia, women face more difficulties finding good education and productive jobs, according to the 2003 Human Development Report on Gender. In addition, education of women and girls impacts the health and education of their children.

Through the innovative “Girls in the Vanguard” initiative of Salesian Missions and USAID, more than 1,000 girls in five key countries – including Bolivia – were given the opportunity to receive training and obtain jobs in the private sector. Training focused on jobs with advancement potential, in areas that were often male-dominated. Special business advisory councils and past pupil associations were formed at each site to provide additional assistance. The program took place from 2001-2006, giving girls and young women in Bolivia the skills needed for a better future for them, their families and their communities.

CAMBODIA

In Cambodia, education for girls opens doors to opportunities. With basic education, girls are better equipped to face the daily dangers of human trafficking, child prostitution and substance abuse. Today, more than 2,000 girls who live in poverty have access to basic education through the Don Bosco Children’s Fund. In addition, with vocational and technical education, they see possibilities for jobs and independence. Hundreds of students at four specialized schools for girls/young women will open new doors with skills in printing, electronics, secretarial skills and sewing.

COLOMBIA

The “Right to Dream” program for many poverty-stricken children in Medellin, Colombia. One such child is Alejandra – who now has access to social support and educational program previously unimaginable to her and her siblings as they worked on the streets to help their family survive. One hundred students ages 7-18 receive vocational training and hot meals.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

In the Dominican Republic, women striving for a better life find support with the “Madres Project” in Santo Domingo.  The project addresses the root causes of street children by working with mothers. By learning skills to earn a living wage in the workforce, women in charge of families can improve their living conditions and keep their children off the streets.  Women complete courses in literacy, post-literacy, health care and various modules of computer studies.  All training modules include lessons in human rights. The program is a partnership with Salesian Missions and the International Volunteer Movement for Development.  In addition, they run a training program for youth in the poorest areas of the city called “Boys and Girls with Don Bosco.”

GHANA

Girls in Ghana find less opportunity than boys to improve their lives through education. In many cases, girls are expected to contribute to the family’s income – which takes priority over attending classes.

Through a boarding school for girls in Odumase, girls have the opportunity to continue their studies while learning job skills that will also help their family.

GUATEMALA

More than 21% of Guatemalans had an income of less than $1 a day in 2004 – no improvement since 1989 according to the Pan-American Health Organization. Extreme poverty is often associated with rural life.

Rural Q’echi (Mayans) are among the rural populations looking to improve their lives.  Through Salesian Missions programs, they are focusing on increasing the capacity of their communities. With the assistance of the Q’echi promoters, community groups are educated in self management for projects benefiting family and community. Salesians also work through the Foundation for Advancement of Indigenous Women in Guatemala (Talita Kumi) to raise the status of women and empower them to become house hold and community decision-makers.

INDIA

In India, education can help overcome inequities in jobs and income that are related to gender. Nisha’s story is an example of how one woman’s achievement helps contribute to the community as a whole:

Nisha, strong and confident, works in her beauty salon doing manicures, styling hair and doing facials in Pune, an Indian town with more than a million inhabitants. “Finally I am able to work for my own living and to offer my children a good education,” Nisha says. But it was not always so. Married as a young girl, Nisha worked as a maid and had to take care of her husband after a severe accident. Her life took a new direction after she became acquainted with the self-help groups founded by the Salesians of Don Bosco and now supported by Jugend Dritte Welt, an NGO affiliated with the Salesians. “Suddenly I wasn’t alone and found a new perspective for my life,” says Nisha. After completing a cosmetics course, Nisha opened her own beauty salon. Today she is able to repay her microcredit loans that she owed to the support group. More than 900 women participate in the microfinancing and skills training groups.

KENYA

At the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, girls and women receive training opportunities and learn about the important role they play in society and the community. The microfinance program funded by UNHCR and Caritas Italiana offers graduates, women and other refugees an opportunity to establish small business ventures using skills learned.

MEXICO

The Salesians in Mexico are directing their efforts toward the country’s at-risk population, including girls and young mothers who face severe dangers on the streets. Innovative programs are preventing poor children from dropping out of school and are providing important opportunities to keep their lives on the right track.

In Mexico City, girls and mothers face severe dangers living on the streets. Through the “Yolia” program, girls and women become regulars at the day center. There, they have meals, receive tutoring, obtain therapy, and learn job skills such as jewelry making and hair styling.  Some girls may also choose to live in the residential area, where they receive additional education and services, while building a sense of dignity and self worth.

PERU

The number of women in the Peruvian workforce is increasing, according to the Pan-American Health Organization.  So, too, is the need for job training for marketable skills that will help women support themselves and their families.

Since 1982, Salesian Missions has offered training for girls at a vocational school in Yanama. Currently, more than 300 students enrolled in these schools, which are now located in parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador, as well as Peru.  Girls are trained in using alpaca and sheep wool to make sweaters, rugs, gloves and other articles, which are marketed locally and abroad.  On graduating, they receive a weaving machine as the first step in the new career.

PHILIPPINES

In the Philippines, drop-out rates double as children reach secondary school, according to UNICEF, and there are more than 11 million out-of-school youth.

Salesian Missions’ Tuloy Foundation provides another chance for at-risk youth to succeed in school.  Street children are able to take part in an alternative learning module with five levels of instruction in six subjects.  Children progress from first grade through high school. Older youth pursue vocational training in a variety of technologies, including automotive, electrical, welding and woodworking.  The school developed specialized classes focused on female students, including bag making courses.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has one of the world’s highest crime rates, according to UNICEF. While violence impacts everyone, gender-based violence is a significant problem.  Girls who live on the street face violence, drug addiction, abuse and other dangers. The “Unwind Your Mind” camps are specifically-designed to encourage girls to talk about what brought them to the street and consider their goals for the future.  They also looked at the importance that young women play in society.

TANZANIA

When a Salesian Missions secondary school opened in Didia, Tanzania, it was the first secondary school within a 40 mile radius. Just as important, girls had the opportunity to take part in classes at the co-educational facility.

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The post INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs that Empower Women Through Education, Opportunity first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“Agriculture is the most effective way to drive inclusive economic growth of the poorest communities”, which too often include women and children, said Sara Immenschuh of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a partner in compiling the index.

The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index is a partnership between the US government’s Feed the Future initiative, US Agency for International Development (USAID), IFPRI and Oxford University’s Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI). It uses five criteria to measure the empowerment of developing country women in agriculture, and in their own households.

Pilot programs in Bangladesh, Guatemala and Uganda studied how engaged women were in decision-making about agricultural production, what sort of access they had to resources and how involved they were in resource-related decision-making; the extent to which they controlled how income was used; whether they were able to have a leadership role in the community; and how they used their time.

If a woman scored well on four out of five indices, she was considered empowered. The results differed from country to country, and the reasons for low or high levels of empowerment also varied.

In Bangladesh, just less than a third of women were empowered, with lack of control over resources, weak leadership and influence in the community, as well as lack of control over income the main reasons.

In Guatemala, the number was less than 25 percent. The less educated a woman was and the younger she was, the more likely she was to be lagging behind in empowerment. On the other hand, the more empowered a Guatemalan woman was in agriculture, the greater the influence she had in other key areas of daily life.

Respect and resources

Lack of leadership in the community and control over use of income were the two biggest factors contributing to disempowerment in Guatemala, the report says.

In Uganda, 37 percent of women were empowered in agriculture and more than half enjoyed gender parity at home.

However, many women in Uganda said widowhood empowered them – because they did not have to waste time asking their husband’s permission to do things but just got on with them.

Ugandan women “who are empowered in agriculture also reported significantly greater decision-making and autonomy with respect to almost all domains”, says the report.

Surveys were conducted in 450 households in southern Bangladesh, and 350 each in the western highlands of Guatemala and northern, central and eastern Uganda, between September and November 2011.

One aim of the project is to help US government agencies and anti-poverty organizations to measure just how successful their programs are at fighting hunger and poverty.

“We want to improve gender parity not by disempowering men but by bringing women up to the level of men,” said IFPRI senior research fellow, Agnes Quisumbing.

Although they make up 43 percent of the agricultural labor force, women in developing countries own less land, are limited in their ability to hire farm workers and have less access to credit, among other issues.

“Without addressing those inequities, women will be unable to effectively contribute to reducing global poverty and hunger,” said Immenschuh.

The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index was launched on Feb. 28, 2012, at the UN in New York.

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This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

See this article at its original location.

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