Don Bosco Care Home was started as an extension of Don Bosco Anbu Illam, which provides shelter, counseling, education and support services to poor youth in the region. Having been established in the local community for many years, Salesian missionaries in Salem were able to assess the critical needs of poor youth and create specialized programs to meet those needs.

Many of the youth in the program were living on the streets having been rejected by their families once their disease was diagnosed. Because they have been abandoned by those who are supposed to care for them and are living with HIV/AIDS, almost all of the youth feel stigmatized and shameful. At the home, boys receive counseling, recreation opportunities, medical observation and critical antiretroviral therapy treatments (ART). Some of the boys live at the home and access services and educational programs while others—including those who attend the local polytechnic college—have access to the program’s ART treatments and then return to their own homes.

“Salesian missionaries are excited about the success of this program and are eager to engage in the continued care of these youth,” says Salesian Father Daniel Sebastian, director of Don Bosco Care Home. “We’ve learned through this program that our strength in youth development, psychosocial counseling and coalition building between local communities, the private sector and state-run agencies translates well into improving the lives of those affected by HIV/AIDS.”

Reaching people with HIV/AIDS is half the battle in India. There is such a stigma surrounding HIV that most people do not wish to discuss it and are hesitant to seek out information, counseling and testing. Don Bosco Care Home also promotes public awareness campaigns in the community to help educate and sensitize people about HIV/AIDS and issues surrounding the diagnosis.

The program has been particularly effective because the youth are able to study and build peer relationships in a safe and supportive environment free from the stigma and rejection they previously encountered. In 2013, Bosco Care Home was granted an award by the district of Salem for the best service in the field of HIV/AIDS.

“This program has a unique impact on the community by influencing attitudes and cultural stereotypes away from the maltreatment of individuals affected and toward a more informed and supportive stance. When it comes to children’s care, this couldn’t be any more important,” adds Fr. Sebastian.

The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in India in Tamil Nadu in 1986, and today there are 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS in country, according to UNICEF. Close to 38 percent of those infected with HIV are women, and 55,000 to 60,000 children are born every year to mothers who are HIV positive. UNICEF notes that without treatment, these newborns are at a 30 percent risk of becoming infected during the mother’s pregnancy, labor or through breastfeeding after six months. It is estimated that India has more than 220,000 children infected with HIV/AIDS.

Entrenched gender inequalities, chronic and debilitating poverty and stubborn persistence of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination significantly contribute to the continuing spread of the infection and hinder those who test positive from seeking treatment. Even young children with HIV/AIDS have been rejected by their families and local communities.

The Don Bosco Care Home is located in the village of Nilavarapatti in the district of Salem in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India.

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Sources:

ANS – India – Hope for children who suffer from HIV

UNICEF – India HIV/AIDS

The post INDIA: Don Bosco Care Home Provides Education, Programs for 63 Boys with HIV/AIDS first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian Missions has made building wells and other projects that supply fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.”

The construction of a simple well improves the health of residents, increases agricultural production and leads to a better quality of life for families, especially for girls and women. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in communities without access to local wells are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

Salesian well projects in Ethiopia utilize construction techniques compatible with cultural traditions, practices and customs of the region and use locally sourced materials. The new wells will improve sanitation and provide safe drinking water and water for agriculture and food production.

Residents of the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia are experiencing chronic food insecurity made worse by recurring periods of drought, low soil fertility and an unsustainable use of natural resources. Agriculture is the primary source of sustenance and survival for communities in this region and the onset of drought has negatively impacted all aspects of family life. In order to address this situation and provide access to clean, safe water, Don Bosco Missions in Turin, Italy is planning to implement a well project. Each well equipped with pump is expected to cost just over $11,000 U.S.

A collaborative project between Salesian missionaries and International Voluntary Service for Development (VIS) volunteers began in 2011 and has successfully completed five wells in the Gambella area of Ethiopia. The wells are operated by a hand pump and are between 50 and 60 meters deep, guaranteeing water to local villages that will benefit close to 1,200 people. To ensure that the wells last as long as possible, a village committee has been set up to oversee their management and maintenance.

Salesian missionaries have a long history of providing educational and support services to poor youth in Ethiopia. Missionaries operate six primary schools, three secondary schools and six vocational training centers in the country. At all these Salesian-run educational facilities, youth are able to gain an education while accessing support services including family sponsorship and school feeding programs. These supports reinforce the missionaries’ goal of keeping youth in school as long as possible. Missionaries at these programs continue to assess water and sanitation issues for the programs and surrounding villages. New water well projects are planned and implemented as needs arise.

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than 38 percent of its population living in poverty, according to Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative. Close to 85 percent of the country’s workforce is employed in agriculture but frequent droughts severely affect the agricultural economy leaving more than 12 million people chronically, or at least periodically, food insecure. In addition, more than two-thirds of the population is illiterate.

The country has 4 million orphans which account for nearly 12 percent of all children and according to UNICEF, more than half a million of these were orphaned as a result of the HIV/AIDS crisis that has affected the country. Thousands more children run away each year seeking a better life on the streets.

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Sources:

ANS – Spain – Wells in Ethiopia to improve the lives of people in the poorest regions

UNICEF – Ethiopia

The post ETHIOPIA: Water Well Projects Provide Safe Drinking Water and Improved Sanitation during Recent Droughts first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), close to 5.8 million Indians die each year from heart and lung diseases, stroke, cancer and diabetes. One in four Indians are at risk of dying as a result of a non-communicable disease before they reach the age of 70. Doctors in the country are also finding that people are being affected by heart disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases at younger ages.

The WHO notes that globally, more than 4 million deaths are caused by exposure to indoor household air pollution and 3.7 million deaths are attributed to outdoor air pollution each year. Approximately 40 percent of the deaths from indoor air pollution and 25 percent of those attributed to outdoor air pollution occur in Southeast Asia. The poor in India who live near busy roads and industrial sites are disproportionately affected by air pollution as are women and children who spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from cooking stoves.

HIV/AIDS is also a serious concern in India. According to UNICEF, the disease was first detected in the country in 1986 and today there are 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS in India. Close to 38 percent of those infected with HIV are women and 55,000 to 60,000 children are born every year to mothers who are HIV positive. It is estimated that the country has more than 220,000 children infected with HIV/AIDS.

Salesian missionaries care for the sick in nearly 100 clinics and hospitals, located mostly in rural areas, around the globe. The new mobile medical project provided by Salesian missionaries helps address a number of serious and sometimes chronic health concerns faced by youth living on the streets. For some, this is the only medical care they receive.

According to Father Jose Matthew, a Salesian missionary overseeing work in New Dehli, the mobile medical team covers four locations per day. With two in the morning and two in the afternoon, it provides care for more than 20 young people each day. Prepared to address any number of medical conditions, the team  most commonly treats malnutrition but also tends to those with malaria, traumatic injuries, upper respiratory infections, scabies, abdominal pain, abscesses, seizure disorders, conjunctivitis, anemia, viral fevers and infected wounds. Fr. Matthew adds that in addition to medical help, the team provides youth information and counseling on substance abuse including alcohol, chewing tobacco, drugs and the sniffing of correction fluid (a serious problem in India in recent years) as well as educational sessions on health and hygiene that teach preventive measures to maintain a healthy body and mind.

With more than 1.2 billion people, India has the world’s fourth largest economy and according to UNICEF, is home to one-third of the world’s poor. Close to 217 million of India’s poor are children. Although more than 53 million people escaped poverty between 2005 and 2010, most remain vulnerable to falling back below the poverty line.

Lack of educational opportunities in India are often due to issues of caste, class and gender and with 44 percent of the workforce illiterate, there is much work to be done. Less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education and too many secondary graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

UNICEF – India – HIV/AIDS

PHOTO: Getty/iStock 2014: Children play in the streets of a Delhi shanty town

The post INDIA: Salesian Missionaries Develop Mobile Medical Project Providing Health Care for Youth Living on the Streets first appeared on MissionNewswire.

In 2005, in partnership with South Africa’s Departments of Health and Education, Life Choices was established to provide youth living in the southwestern port city of Cape Town with education, training and support around the issues of HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, violence and unemployment. The organization’s programs are offered to youth in the communities of Athlone, Delft and Manenberg and are based on the belief that sustained and positive behavior change requires significant investment of time, one-on-one support and resources.

According to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, South Africa has been the country hardest hit by HIV/AIDS worldwide. There are 6.1 million people living with HIV in the country but the rate of new transmissions of the virus has slowed. UNAIDS data shows that new HIV infections have been reduced from 540,000 new infections in 2004 to 370,000 in 2012. That same year, according to South Africa’s National Department of Health, some 2.2 million people were accessing HIV treatment, making it the largest HIV treatment program in the world.

Life Choices programs are offered in schools and students in grades 4 through 12 participate in educational workshops and activities designed specifically for each age group. The programs benefit youth by employing a multipronged approach to HIV/AIDS prevention. This approach not only offers health education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also life skills training, parental/teacher/community support, recreational activities, sports, youth camps, counseling and job placement services.

For youth like Sinethemba who very early on in life joined a Cape Town gang, his life was a cycle of substance abuse, theft and violence. He was born to young and absent parents and abandoned by his extended family. He began drinking at the age of 13, was first arrested for robbery at 16 and was back on the streets within five months and this time with gang affiliation.

“I didn’t have any family to stop me,” says Sinethemba. “And the gang gave me a sense of belonging. It supported me financially and made me feel safer out on the streets. I felt powerful and respected and no longer a nobody.”

Thanks to a prison outreach program offered in parallel with the life-skills and vocational training programs provided by Life Choices, Sinethemba found his way out of despair and gained a renewed sense of belonging. Today, Sinethemba has become the role model he never had and aspires to be a leader and a good father one day. He is studying electrical engineering and theology and works directly with youth involved in substance abuse and gang activity.

“Salesian missionaries understand how important it is for youth to have the skills and knowledge to make healthy choices in life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The training and education provided by the Life Choices programs help young people of all ages gain the skills needed to make positive changes while understanding the consequences of their actions.”

Poverty is extensive in South Africa with more than 45 percent of the population living below the poverty line, according to UNICEF. A significant percentage of the population struggles to survive on less than one dollar a day. The country is plagued by high crime rates and violence against women and girls and has been the hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis in the world. There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus and to help lift youth out of poverty.

Salesian missionaries have been working to restore hope in South Africa, particularly among poor youth. From empowering girls and young women to building schools and teaching trade skills, Salesian missionaries have a long history of affecting change in the country.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – South Africa: From Gang Member to Role Model

Salesian Institute’s Youth Projects

UNICEF – South Africa

The post SOUTH AFRICA: Salesian Life Choices Program Provides Hope and a Better Future for At-Risk Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, there were more than 75,000 people living with HIV in Cambodia in 2013. Children under the age of 14 made up 5,200 of the HIV cases in the country. Through Project HIV/AIDS, the Don Bosco Children’s Fund aims to provide holistic and proactive programs on primary healthcare and education, improve children’s health and welfare with anti-retroviral therapy and encourage public awareness and community involvement.

“Access to healthcare and education as well as supportive services to help youth affected by HIV/AIDS is critical to improve quality of life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “It is important for young people to acquire the coping skills that enable them to continue on with their lives, attend school and integrate with their peers.”

Youth attending the program have access to a Salesian-run health clinic as well as counseling services. In addition, those who have no family support live in an orphanage run by Salesian missionaries which provides for all their basic needs as well as grants access to education, recreational activities and life skills training to help prepare them for the future.

Started in 1992, the Don Bosco Children’s Fund provides a variety of services and supports to assist poor youth between the ages of six and 15 who are either unable to go to school or have had to drop out due to poverty. Through the fund’s programs, youth not only receive support to continue their education, they also receive a monthly assistance package consisting of goods and cash. Social workers ensure that youth make progress and remain in school and those with special aptitude are further supported and encouraged to pursue college coursework.

In a country where less than half of children finish primary school, more than 50,000 children have received the encouragement and support needed to complete an elementary education through the Don Bosco Children’s Fund since its inception.

The Fund also operates both a primary and secondary school in Battambang with a focus on making sure young girls have access to education. With even a basic education, girls are better equipped to face the often 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 and continued vocational and technical training through the Don Bosco Children’s Fund bringing the possibilities of jobs and independence within reach. In addition, hundreds of students at four specialized schools for young women are opening new doors for themselves by developing secretarial, printing, electronics and sewing skills.

“Many parents in Cambodia did not have the same opportunities for education as their children do today so they do not see staying in school as a priority, particularly when many children have been forced to work to bring in extra money for the family,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Youth need the extra support to stay in school and get an education. The Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco Children’s Fund provide that much needed support and stability to help youth achieve.”

Cambodia has a long history of violence that has resulted in a quarter of Cambodians living in poverty and surviving on less than $1 per day, according to the World Bank. About 80 percent of the country’s population resides in rural areas and has limited access to education, healthcare and other public services.

Today, close to a quarter of Cambodians over the age of 15 are illiterate. With very little access to education, poor youth find it especially challenging to break the cycle of poverty. To provide youth with greater opportunity, Salesian missionaries in the country operate 45 schools in poor, rural villages through a partnership between Salesian Missions and the Ministry of Education. In addition, Salesian missionaries operate seven vocational training centers that impart much needed job skills.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Children’s Fund

UNAIDS – Cambodia

World Bank – Cambodia 

The post CAMBODIA: Don Bosco Children’s Fund Supports More than 840 Youth Affected by HIV/AIDS first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Mukoya initially traveled to the area to cover stories related to the proposed disarmament process by the United Nations (which has yet to happen). Instread, he decided to focus his attention, and his lens, on children affected by the instability in the region. His research brought him to the Salesian-run Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma.

Children are extremely vulnerable when it comes to civil war and violence. Many were abandoned during the recent fighting between the Congolese army (known as the FARDC) and the M23 rebels. For many of these abandoned children, Don Bosco Ngangi has become a safe haven.

Established in 1988, Don Bosco Ngangi hosts more than 3,000 abandoned children and HIV/AIDS victims. According to Father Piero Gavioli, the center’s director, young victims with nowhere else to turn continue to arrive at the center.

“Father Gavioli told me that when the rebels took over Goma in December 2012, the center was not affected,” said Mukoya. “Not a single bullet was fired towards the facility that played host to running refugees from the different villages of North Kivu. The work happening at the center is very important.”

Father Gavioli—who Mukoya described as having a “very kind personality”—gave the Reuters photographer a tour of the facility, including the kitchen where dinner was being prepared, the outside space where groups of older kids were playing and laughing and a nursery where young orphans were being cared for by the Salesians.

“Immediately entering the children’s room I was touched by this 18 month old child named Imani,” said Mukoya.

The toddler, whose name translates to “Faith” in English, was “playing in his baby-cot and always smiled to the camera,” he added.

“The children are gorgeous and it was moving to see how much they liked visitors and were interested in my cameras,” Mukoya said. “I was inspired by the way young children lived and played together as a family.”

The photos were initially posted on Trust.org, a site of the Thompson Reuters Foundation.

THOMAS MUKOYA’S PHOTOS ARE BELOW:

(ABOVE) An abandoned child drinks milk at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(ABOVE) Abandoned children play at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(ABOVE) Michelle Sodiki, an abandoned child, rests in his cot at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(ABOVE) A youth jumps through the air as he plays at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(ABOVE) Imani, an abandoned child, plays in his cot at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(ABOVE) A worker prepares food “ugali” at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

(LEFT) A medic treats an abandoned child at the Don Bosco Ngangi community center in Goma, North Kivu region. (August 6, 2013) REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

The post DR CONGO: Reuters Photographer Captures Life at Center Where Salesians Care for More than 3,000 Abandoned Children, HIV/AIDS Victims first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“I see Africa on the rise. I welcome great progress on development, good governance and human rights,” Mr. Ban told correspondents on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Ethiopia, during a day devoted to security in the Great Lakes, malaria, poverty and a gamut of other issues.

“We have 1,000 days to reach our Millennium Development Goals,” Mr. Ban said of the time remaining until the 2015 deadline for the program to slash extreme poverty and a raft of other global ills. “Now is the time to finish the job by accelerating progress,” he urged.

Affirming the UN’s continued commitment to support those efforts, he added: “The United Nations has been Africa’s strongest partner throughout this half century. We are firmly committed to standing with Africa now in the future.”

Mr. Ban said that he had “very successful” meetings today on malaria and yesterday on maternal and child health, recalling that this week also saw the launch of an initiative to help Africa train and deploy a million community health workers by 2015.

“We are working for a future where virtually all African mothers survive childbirth and raise their HIV-free babies into healthy adults,” he said.

He also called on African leaders to join in ending the silence and denial surrounding sexual violence in conflict. “I call on African leaders to join me in raising our voices on behalf of victims. They need our unrelenting advocacy,” he said.

He added that women must play a significant role in peace-building in conflict societies. “The African Union took an historic step when it appointed its first female Chairperson,” he said, congratulating Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa on her appointment.

Commenting on a range of African conflict situations, Mr. Ban welcomed what he called the “decisive action” of the French Government in Mali and pledged the UN’s readiness to undertake a “major, system-wide effort” for peace-building, governance, security sector reform, physical reconstruction and regional cooperation for the Sahelian country.

While in Addis, Mr. Ban met with some 20 national leaders. In a meeting today with Boni Yayi, President of Benin, he commended Mr. Yayi on his accomplishments as outgoing President of the AU and discussed regional initiatives to fight piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, according to information provided by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson.

The spokesperson said that in his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Secretary-General welcomed progress in the country and discussed the future of the UN presence there, encouraging the Government to strengthen its political authority throughout its territory.

With the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, he commended efforts to find a durable solution to the crisis in the east of the country, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to address remaining challenges. He also discussed the situation in the Great Lakes region with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, in separate meetings.

The Secretary-General noted that leaders had planned to sign a political framework on the DRC earlier today. There were no fundamental differences over the content of the framework, but some procedural issues did arise, and the Secretary-General said that the parties have agreed to postpone the signing.

Also, Mr. Ban and Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete discussed issues in Madagascar and Zimbabwe, in light of the security leadership role the country is currently playing in the South African Development Community (SADC), the spokesperson said.

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UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The post UNITED NATIONS: Welcoming ‘Africa on the rise,’ Ban Urges Achievement of Development Goals first appeared on MissionNewswire.

This year’s theme Getting to Zero focuses on the Millennium Development Goal to halt and begin to reverse the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2015. A new Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) report shows that unprecedented acceleration in the AIDS response is producing results for people. The report notes that there has been more than a 50 percent decrease in new HIV infections across 25 countries.

Women and children are the primary focus of this year’s Worlds AIDS Day. According to UNICEF, AIDS remains a leading cause of death among women of reproductive age globally and the main cause of child mortality in countries with high HIV prevalence. The good news is, according to the UNAIDS report, the area where the most progress is being made is in reducing new HIV infections in children. Half of the global reductions in new HIV infections in the last two years have been among newborn children.

The UNAIDS report also shows that antiretroviral therapy has emerged as a powerful force for saving lives. In the last 24 months, the number of people accessing treatment has increased by 63 percent globally. The report further noted that ending the pandemic was now “entirely feasible” and achieving an AIDS-free generation is possible.

Further noted in the UNAIDS report, worldwide some 34 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2011. Deaths from AIDS fell to 1.7 million in 2011, down from a peak of 2.3 million in 2005 and from 1.8 million in 2010.

“We must make information, testing and treatment available to all, so every man, woman and child can enjoy their fundamental right to the medical care and essential services that will end this devastating epidemic,” said Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General in a statement observing World AIDS Day.

The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, launched by former President George W. Bush in 2003, has been a catalyst for advancing HIV treatment, particularly in Africa.

The Salesian Missions “Life Choices” program targets youth ages 10 to 19 with core messages of abstinence and be faithful to prevent HIV infection. The program also benefits youth by employing a multipronged approach to HIV/AIDS prevention. This approach not only offers youth health education on HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, but also offers life skills training, parental/teacher/community support, recreational activities, sports, youth camps, counseling, and job placement.

To mark World AIDS Day, the Salesian Missions Office of International Programs is highlighting some of the successful PEPFAR programs:

Ethiopia

Ethiopia is home to more than four million orphans, or 12 percent of all children.  More than half a million of these were orphaned as a result of AIDS, according to UNICEF. The Salesian Missions “CARING Orphans and Vulnerable Children” project helps to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. The program increases access to youth orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, and provides holistic care, community reintegration, and support for 60,000 orphans, street youth and children who have been made vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS. To date, more than 13,000 orphans and vulnerable children have received services ranging from shelter and care, formal education, non-formal education and economic empowerment activities.

Kenya

In Kenya, peer education is an effective tool for reaching youth with key disease prevention messages. The Salesian Missions “Life Choices” program in Kenya focuses on abstinence and faithfulness. Gender is also an important component, and programs include a focus on sexual violence. The program extends to youth centers, schools, orphans and vulnerable children centers and in community/social outreach programs. More than 40,000 youth have learned about HIV/AIDS prevention through the program.

South Africa

South Africa is the country hardest hit by HIV/AIDS worldwide, according to UNICEF. The “Life Choices” program here is based in schools from grades 4-12. An important component is voluntary counseling and testing as an effective method of preventing new infections. In addition, the program offers one-on-one mentoring, career and guidance counseling, parental skills workshops and teacher sensitivity.

Tanzania

In Tanzania, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is nearly nine percent. The virus has orphaned nearly a million children and forced others to assume household responsibilities beyond their years, according to UNICEF. To help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, students in 79 schools across Tanzania take part in the “Life Choices” program, as part of the U.S. PEPFAR program through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Of the 79 schools, 47 are primary, 23 are secondary and 9 are vocational training centers.

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Sources:

UN – World AIDS Day

UNICEF – In Zimbabwe, village health workers play an essential role in the primary healthcare system and the fight against HIV/AIDS

Salesian Missions – Our work

The post WORLD AIDS DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Successful HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs in Africa 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

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During her week-long goodwill tour through South Africa, the first lady’s focus was on the country’s youth and their vital role in its future.

During her June 22 speech addressing the Young African Women Leaders Forum in a Soweto township in Johannesburg, Mrs. Obama touched on the fact that in Africa, “people under 25 make up 60 percent of the population. And here in South Africa, nearly two-thirds of citizens are under the age of 30. So over the next 20 years, the next 50 years, our future will be shaped by your leadership.”

She then paused and asked the audience to think about the meaning of the word “leadership.”

“Because I know that so often, when we think about what that word means, what it means to be a leader, we think of presidents and prime ministers,” Mrs. Obama said in her speech. “And most young people don’t fit that image.”

She went on to talk about her belief that youth can be true leaders, and that the time is now.

“I am here because I know that true leadership—leadership that lifts families, leadership that sustains communities and transforms nations—that kind of leadership rarely starts in palaces or parliaments. That kind of leadership is not limited only to those of a certain age or status. And that kind of leadership is not just about dramatic events that change the course of history in an instant.”

Throughout South Africa, there are programs dedicated to the empowerment of youth—providing education and teaching leadership skills that will reshape the country and the world.

“It is only through the youth, that change truly happens,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, which operates such programs. “Through education and opportunities, we can fight poverty and open doors to a better life for the people of South Africa, and the world.”

The Salesians are providing hope to South African young people, he adds, many of which struggle to find their way in a country hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS crisis and plagued with high crime, and gender-based violence against women and girls.

“There is an urgent need for education to help prevent the spread of the deadly virus,” says Fr. Hyde, noting that the Salesians have been helping the children of South Africa since 1951.

Most recently, the Salesians have been working on HIV/AIDS prevention through a U.S. government-funded project that is part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Working in schools from grades 4 through 12, the “Life Choices” program aims to decrease HIV/AIDS prevalence, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and violence among youth.

“An important component is HIV voluntary counseling and testing as an effective method of preventing new infections,” says Nolawi Eshetu of the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs headquartered in New Rochelle, NY.

“The program also offers one-on-one counseling, career and guidance counseling, parental skills workshops and teacher sensitivity,” Eshetu adds, speaking from his home country of Ethiopia, where he is working on a program similar to the one in South Africa.

In a country devastated by HIV/AIDS and where 10 million people die every year from hunger-related diseases—according to the United Nations—breaking the cycle of poverty is a challenge that requires a comprehensive approach.

“But fighting disease and feeding them alone will not create brighter futures,” says Fr. Hyde. “We work each and every day in South Africa—and around the globe—to teach youth to care for themselves and for others. We work to create educated leaders from youth that otherwise would see little in their futures.”

At the Salesian Missions “Learn to Live” educational program in Cape Town, homeless street children arrive each day eager to learn and escape their lives on the street. Children ages 16 and younger learn math, literacy and life skills. Older students receive technical and vocational training.

“All youth become empowered to permanently leave the streets, continue schooling, obtain jobs and be reintegrated with their families and society,” says Fr. Hyde. “They receive the tools and guidance to do this. But most importantly, they have someone who believes in them.”

Photo: CHARLES DHARAPAK/AFP/Getty Images (2011)

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