(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are housing refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine at the Salesian house in Kazincbarcika, a city in northern Hungary near the Ukraine-Hungary border. Salesians also have a parish, two schools, a dormitory and several other institutions where they care for poor youth and their families, mostly minority Roma people.

As the mass of refugees started to arrive from Ukraine, Father Béla Ábrahám, director of the Kazincbarcika Salesian House, registered the house as a refugee shelter with the authorities. Shortly after, Salesians started to gather supplies to prepare accommodations for the refugees. Thanks to generous donors, the house includes three washing machines, five refrigerators and four microwave ovens. They began welcoming refugees in early April.

“We were excited to offer shelter for those in need because this was something we have not done before, and we knew that it would certainly have its challenges. The Catholic parish undertook the task of providing nourishing warm meals every day, right from the beginning,” said Father Geza Nadudvari, provincial secretary of Hungarian Salesian Province.

Five families initially stayed with the Salesians. The second group of refugees followed two weeks later, mostly women and children. Salesian students moved to the first floor of the dormitory, leaving the second and third floors reserved for refugees.

Many local people and organizations have helped the Salesians by providing provide food, pastries, sweets, clothes and toys. Some offer their time and skills, helping with administration issues or providing medical support.

Most of the refugees welcomed by the Salesians look forward to going back to Ukraine to resume their lives. Some, however, will not be able to go back to their homes as there is nothing left, and they will have to start over in Hungary.

“The Hungarian Salesian Family will continue to offer all the support that it can to help integrate them into our society and provide a welcoming new home,” added Fr. Nadudvari.

Salesian missionaries around the globe are working to provide financial and material donations to help people still in Ukraine and refugees in bordering countries. Even Salesians in the poorest countries have stepped up in some way to support the efforts.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Hungary – Refugees in Kazincbarcika: “Sheltered by the grace of God”

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) Caritas, with the Salesian Parish in Kazincbarcika, Hungary, recently participated in a food collection drive to help poor families. In the lead up to Christmas, the Hungarian Food Bank held a national food collection program on Nov. 27-29 that brought together 6,000 volunteers who reached out to families, mostly those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 160 villages and towns, 250 collection points were set up, and customers in shops and supermarkets were encouraged to buy extra food items to donate. Volunteers were able to donate 50,000 packages to families in need. Collaborating with a local supermarket, the Caritas team supported the cause and helped those who struggle to put food on the table. Volunteer students from St. Francis de Sales Secondary School and Irinyi János Technical School collaborated with the Caritas team on this effort.

The food collection comes at a significant period when many families have been out of work for months due to the pandemic and needs have risen across Hungary. “It was nice to see so many benefactors wanting to give a contribution and show their generosity, especially because many have faced difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a Caritas representative.

This has not been the only support Salesians have provided in Kazincbarcika. In April, Don Bosco Barcika Tanoda, the study center for Roma people, expanded its mission beyond education to start taking care of families and children in need during the pandemic. Mariann Molnár, the coordinator of the center, noted that in addition to keeping in touch with poor children and their families, enormous efforts have been made to provide them with online education, basic necessities, food and disinfectants.

The World Bank notes that the number of people living in poverty in Hungary is at an all-time low, but the country still has one of the highest poverty rates in the European Union at 12.3 percent in 2019. Even with the falling poverty rates, many youth feel like they have no future in the country. According to a report by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, about half of people between the ages of 19 and 30 would like to work abroad.

Housing prices have soared by an average of 31 percent over the past three years in the country, causing more families to fall into debt. About 44 percent of Hungarians cannot afford basic resources.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Hungary – Hungarian Salesian Caritas collects food to help needy

ANS – Hungary – Salesians assist Roma people during Covid-19 pandemic

World Bank – Hungary

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Odessa, the third largest city in Ukraine and a major seaport and transportation hub located on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea, has been welcoming IDPs from Eastern Ukraine since the start of the conflict. A Salesian Center in the city is caring for many who have been displaced through a program that provides shelter, food aid and clothing. Often, those arriving at the center have come with nothing more than what they could carry, having left all behind when fleeing the fighting. The program, run by Salesian missionaries, works to meet the basic needs of the displaced and then assist in finding them long-term housing and employment to ease the transition to their new lives.

Since the beginning of the program, more than 300 people have found work and Salesian missionaries are in the process of helping another 200 prepare for and find stable employment. Those displaced have received assistance with training, resume creation and interviewing skills while being given access to Salesian resources and partnerships that connect them to employers who are hiring.

“Those displaced have fled their homes, their jobs and their support systems in search of safety and shelter,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The services at the Salesian center in Odessa helps those displaced make the transition to their new community as easy as possible. Salesian missionaries working at the center help them regain stability, employment and hope for the future.”

Salesian missionaries have also opened a children’s center where youth are able to play and connect with their peers. Designed specifically for young people, the space is suitable for games, activities and educational workshops. It also offers individual psychological support to close to 20 children who have been traumatized by war and the abrupt changes in their lives.

Christian families already living in Odessa have been supportive of both Salesian programs and those displaced. Many have taken in displaced families and have helped them acclimate to their new surroundings and communities. Their assistance has decreased the number of displaced families forced to live on the streets.

“Having residents of Odessa assist those who are new to the city has significant results,” adds Fr. Hyde. “They know the landscape and are able to create a support system that includes a network of new neighbors, job prospects and assistance for the future.”

In addition, many military personnel, especially young soldiers, have been in need of medical care and rehabilitation since the fighting began. To help aid these soldiers, Salesian missionaries have started a project to help them access the services they need. Partnering with the local Odessa hospital, the Salesian project is providing funding for medical care and for the purchase of medical equipment like hearing aids for soldiers in need.

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Sources:

ANS – Ukraine – Refugees are the priority for the Salesians in Odessa

UNHCR – Ukraine internal displacement nears 1 million as fighting escalates in Donetsk region

PHOTO: 01-26-14 © palinchakjr

The post UKRAINE: Salesian Missionaries Providing Shelter and Job Placement Services to Those Displaced by Ongoing Conflict first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to the World Bank, Slovakia’s primarily manufacturing-centered economy, focused on exports, has allowed the country to weather the post-2008 global economic crisis better than most in the European Union. The World Bank also notes that while most families living in the country are generally prosperous, close to 11 percent are living below the poverty line and for many of those, living conditions worsened significantly in the years following the global economic crisis. The country has an unemployment rate of  just over 13 percent and one third of all those unemployed are between the ages of 15 and 24.

Salesians in Slovakia are working to educate youth while providing support for their families at Center Mamateyoya in the city of Bratislava in the western part of the country. Here, Salesians aim to develop students’ problem solving and team working skills while offering educational supports such as after-school tutoring.

The Center is run by more than 70 volunteers from local high schools and the local university in addition to the Salesian staff. Programs are designed for three age groups, children under the age of 16, youth 16 to 27 years old and families. Recreational activities are also available through the Center such as football, basketball, hockey, art, music, theater, photography and other activities that help youth foster both team building and individual skills.

“Students learn in a variety of ways,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through team sports and other social activities, students can use their free-time productively while learning to rely on others, make friends and safely explore interests outside of school.”

Weekly peer groups are offered and serve as a place where youth can come to discuss their problems, ask questions about troubling issues, receive advice and support from others and discuss current topics of interest. The aim of the group is to provide social support while encouraging personal growth for the young people involved. Tutoring is also offered each week, staffed by both volunteers and professional teachers who provide the skills and resources necessary to improve student’s grades.

A parent center is available three days a week and provides programs that encourage parents in their own educational pursuits as well as supporting them in developing their parenting skills. Topics of discussion have ranged from effective parenting skills, rewards vs. punishments and coping with a child’s anger. Also available to parents of preschool aged children is a playground where the young children can engage in crafts, dancing, singing and puppet theatre, daily.

“Parent support is very important for the families we serve,” adds Fr. Hyde. “It helps parents to focus on their own individual needs which could be advancing their own education to help them better support their families in the future or receiving support and advice from other parents to help tackle parenting issues almost all parents face.”

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Sources

Salesian Center Mamateyova

World Bank – Slovakia

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