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Don Bosco South Asia – DREAM taking shape; Rehabilitation Centre for Boys

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Don Bosco Tech Silchar unveils generator

MissionNewswire — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 08:32:22 +0000

Boscotech offers training in 6-month programs

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) A generator manufactured by Zatti Productions from Don Bosco Tech Silchar (Boscotech) in India was unveiled by Father Paul O Lyngkot, provincial. The 63KVA generator Zatti Power is the first product from Zatti Productions.

Brother Regy Cherukunnel, director of Boscotech, said that the manufacturing process started a year ago with planning, scientific calculations, and advice from experts in the field. He added, “The 63KVA silent generator is ready for dispatch to the first buyer.”

Boscotech is a vocational training institute run by the Don Bosco Society to provide job skills primarily to youth who have dropped out of school. It was established in 2005, under the umbrella of Don Bosco Tech India, which has 130 vocational training institutes across India. The job-oriented training programs emphasize communication and life skills.

Boscotech offers training in six-month programs in computer hardware and networking, modern office management, financial accounting, general welding, tailoring and wiring. There are also short-term training programs conducted every two months in English language, basic computer and tally accounting. These short skill enhancement programs are for current students, employed and self-employed youth as well as others who want to improve their skills.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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

ANS – India – Zatti Power: Indigenous Generator from Don Bosco Tech Silchar

Boscotech Silchar

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Youth receive support for sobriety at new center

MissionNewswire — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 08:34:11 +0000

Salesian missionaries launch drug rehabilitation center for boys as part of DREAM program

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Sadan, a rehabilitation center for boys, located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala, was inaugurated by Honorable Antony Raju, minister for road transport. The new center is part of the Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring (DREAM) initiative of Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS). The goal of the new center is to provide youth with a way to achieve sobriety and live a healthy life.

Don Bosco Sadan will provide residential rehabilitation and addiction services for youth under the age of 18. The services offered include in-patient and out-patient treatment and counseling with individual, group and family, life skills training, recreation, and more available. After the inauguration, a workshop was held about the increasing substance abuse rates of children and how drugs and addiction impact families.

The DREAM program, launched in Kerala at the end of 2021, is financed by the German government and will run from November 2021 to February 2025. Program activities will span 10 districts in Kerala and reach 40-50 village councils, 50 schools and 10 colleges in each district. The focus will be training and awareness activities aimed at youth on the dangers of drug abuse and digital addiction. The goal is to have a counseling center in every district housed at a Don Bosco institution.

Father Binu Scaria is coordinating the project at the state level and a Salesian priest will oversee each district. The Salesian team also has two counselors and a social worker to operate at the ground level. At the launch of the project, Father Jose Koyickal, provincial, said, “Today, the greatest pandemic is drug abuse. We need to join hands with each other and the government to eradicate the pandemic.” He further noted that Salesians are at the forefront working for the well-being of children in vulnerable situations.

Salesian programs in India are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

ANS – India – Children’s Walkathon Spreads Awareness of Post-pandemic Health Problems

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Children’s needs post-pandemic highlighted

MissionNewswire — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 08:46:47 +0000

COVID-19 pandemic brought a complex array of mental challenges for children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Mithra School, located in Bangalore, India, collaborated with Rainbow Children’s Hospital to spread awareness about the challenges faced by children post-COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,500 children from schools in the region took part in a walk while carrying signs with messages about issues children are facing.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a complex array of mental challenges for children. These include grief, fear, uncertainty, social isolation, increased screen time and parental fatigue that have adversely affected children. One of the ways Salesians are working to address these issues is by helping children to get back to their daily way of life. Salesians are also spreading awareness on important topics like physical wellness, being with nature, mental wellness, socialization and immunity.

At the event, doctors and specialists from the health sector spoke about the importance of health hygiene, physical and mental wellness, and daily exercise. Father George PS, manager of Don Bosco Mithra School, spoke about the challenges for teachers while educating students who face difficulties concentrating on the lessons taught in the class. Children also performed a skit where they used first aid in an emergency. Programs at the event also taught children about personal hygiene.

“This was an important program to educate children and the community at large about the issues that many are facing following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While Salesians focus on education, they know that children are dealing with much more and aim to address these other challenges to help children and families.”

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Don Bosco College Golaghat adds new academic arts building

MissionNewswire — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 08:48:06 +0000

Facility includes a computer lab and a solar panel power plant

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco College, located in Golaghat, Assam, India, has inaugurated a new academic arts building, which includes a computer lab and a solar panel power plant. The inauguration event was attended and led by Ajanta Neog, finance, woman and child development minister. The program was organized by the Don Bosco College management and student forum under the leadership of Father Amaladoss, vice principal of Don Bosco College Golaghat.

During the event, Minister Neog said, “When I entered into this institution, the environment of love, peace, devotion, and dedication could be seen and experienced. You are very lucky and I am honored to inaugurate the college building. This kind of environment is essential for the purpose of education. Education is the foundation of the society which needs to be strong. I congratulate all of you. Don Bosco College Golaghat is an institution which is playing a very vital role for the promotion of our society along with the path of education and upliftment.”

Neog also congratulated the institution for achieving a “B+ grade” in the first cycle of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) assessment in just seven years in operation. She added that the students of the institution are truly blessed and should take pride while studying there. In concluding, Neog pledged to help the institution financially.

Father Policarp Xalxo, Ph. D. and principal of Don Boco College, described how the institution is growing year after year. He highlighted the cultural diversity when students performed folk dances and dressed in their Assamese, Karbi, Adivasi, Wancho and other traditional dresses.

Don Bosco College was established in 2015 to provide higher education for poor youth whose families are working in tea gardens and those in remote tribes from the neighboring states. The college provides a vital education and housing for 150 boys and 135 girls.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Assam Finance Minister Smt Ajanta Neog inaugurates Academic Arts Building of Don Bosco College

Don Bosco College

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Salesian missionary offers training to oil industry professionals

MissionNewswire — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 08:11:43 +0000

Program helps in identifying leaders of the future

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Father V M Thomas, a Salesian missionary in India and former chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University Guwahati, has launched 19 training programs for Oil India Ltd. The two-day programs, scheduled for 576 sessions of 30 people each, began in July and finished in November, according to an article on Matters India.

The training, known as Skill Matrix Assessment Retreat and Training or SMART, focused on four key areas including self-awareness, teamwork, creativity and innovation, and leadership.

“At the invitation of Oil India, we built a uniquely curated training program that would be delivered to 576 young employees under 35 years of age,” explained Fr. Thomas in the Matters India article. “The program helps in identifying leaders of the future and plays a role in succession planning. By helping participants get a deep understanding of themselves, they are provided a base to build on and become the best versions of themselves.”

In the article, Fr. Thomas explained the dynamics of the program. He said, “Our program helps unlock people’s minds and address stereotypes, socio-cultural biases, gender biases and assumptions among others that compartmentalize people’s thoughts limiting their thinking.”

The program used a mix immersive and multi-sensory lectures, discussions, music, videos, simulated exercises and group activities. The program also administered multiple assessments based on popular tools. According to the article, at the end of the program, each participant was able to understand how to enhance their personal and professional effectiveness and make a significant, positive impact through their work.

The training also offers a second phase, which will be assisted by a team of professionals. A five-day advanced leadership training programs entitled SHARP (strengths, health, absorption, relationship and purpose) will train 130 participants to enhance their leadership skills.

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Matters India – Salesian priest trains hundreds of young Oil India executives

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Salesian College provides quality education

MissionNewswire — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 08:11:29 +0000

Salesian College that educates more than 2,500 students is ‘deemed to-be autonomous’

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian College, with campuses in Siliguri and Sonada in the Darjeeling district, India, has been deemed able to govern itself after having completed three National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation cycles and retaining an “A” grade in the last two. The college has also retained two rounds of its status as College with Potential for Excellence. The Vice Chancellor of the University of North Bengal Professor Om Prakash Mishra announced that the Salesian College has been “deemed-to-be autonomous.”

Currently on the Siliguri campus, more than 2,100 students take arts and humanities, commerce, science and professional courses from 20 departments disciplines. There are also post-graduate courses in English, education and psychology. Another 400 students pursue undergraduate studies in 10 courses on the Sonada campus. The academic community is led by a team of 10 Salesians in management and 104 faculty members.

“This is a great example of the quality of Salesian education in India and around the globe,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – University of North Bengal Vice Chancellor announces Salesian College deemed-to-be Autonomous

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Women empowered through donor funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:10:43 +0000

Funding provided women with information about their rights and skills training

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Fifty young women who live at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

The funding, which provided support from March to October 2022, was used for empowering women with information about their rights, along with skills training in tailoring, Maggam and other handicrafts. Funds were also used for the purchase of training materials.

During eight months, 50 women completed the tailoring course and some found jobs at tailoring shops. Others were able to do dress making and embroidery work for themselves and for others. Twenty of the women were given tailoring machines to earn an income and sustain themselves.

At the end of the training and their time at Surakshita Home, 13 women were able to reintegrate back with their families. The women also participated in vigil to support awareness about ending child marriage in the country. India reported the highest number of child marriages in the world, according to a UNICEF report on ending child marriages in India.

At an event for International Women’s Day on March 8, the women celebrated with songs and engaged with their peers and invited guests. Rajesh Ojha, vice president of Safeway Concessions in Mumbai, delivered a short speech on the empowerment of women. He also motivated the trainees to utilize the opportunity and become self-sufficient.

“This program is giving young women in trouble with the law a second chance at life as well as the skills to gain employment and sustain themselves,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian programs not only educate, but they prepare young people for work in fields that are hiring and jobs are available. These young women have learned skills that will enable them to become self-sufficient.”

Salesian programs across India are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: 400 youth find employment

MissionNewswire — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:31:14 +0000

Don Bosco Job Placement Network helps more than 400 youth in Ranchi

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Job Placement Network has been helping migrants find and retain safe and secure jobs, helping to mitigate challenges with migration. Recently, more than 400 youth who are skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled were provided with job opportunities across several business sectors through the network.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network has focused efforts on helping migrants in Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand. The goal is to provide skills training and connect them with jobs in the formal labor market. Through Don Bosco ITI in Ranchi, youth attend courses and gain the skills they need. Once they graduate, the Don Bosco Job Placement Network can help them gain employment in fields that are hiring.

Recently, the network organized six placement drives which connected graduating students and migrants to partners from different employment sectors including manufacturing, hospitality, customer service, health services, financial services and IT.

Marcus Minj, placement coordinator at Don Bosco ITI Ranchi, said, “Jharkhand and its surrounding area are known for cheap labor migration, which has paved the way to modern slavery and labor exploitation. There is no platform that provides proper job market information for young job seekers. They mostly depend on information provided by brokers or so-called agents, which often guides them to mismatched jobs under exploitative situations.”

Minj added, “With Don Bosco Job Placement Network services, we were able to provide proper labor market information to youth who are searching for jobs. After on-boarding youth into our platform, we provide career guidance and give them appropriate information to match to their profile. We also help them understand that a proper education and skill upgrading can pave way to a better job opportunity.”

For those migrating to other areas, Don Bosco Job Placement Network has relationships to help the transition into a new labor market easier and safer. Minj explained, “We also offer support services for youth who migrate for jobs in Chennai, Bengaluru, Delhi and other major cities. Our regional coordinators assist youth who are migrating for jobs and ensure they are safe and secure in their job places. Our support service team also follows our candidates on a regular basis to make sure all is well. This service is well appreciated by both youth and recruiters.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Job Placement service Ranchi provides job opportunities for more than four hundred youth

Don Bosco Job Placement Network

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Support for street children to expand

MissionNewswire — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 08:32:33 +0000

Don Bosco Veedu to open new building to better support the needs of homeless children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Veedu is opening a new building to support street children in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The Salesian organization has been educating and empowering children who are homeless and living in conditions of poverty since May 1991. Father Jose Thomas Koyickal, provincial of the Bangalore Province, blessed and laid the foundation stone for the new building.

The Don Bosco Veedu center has eight programs to support children and women. The new center building will have various offices, space for teaching short-term skills, a resource center, boarding facilities, a training center and residence for the Salesians.

Don Bosco Veedu also runs the Childline hotline in Kerala. The Childline hotline is available 24 hours a day at a toll-free number. The Childline team responds to the needs of street children in crisis situations. Salesian staff works with police, healthcare, juvenile justice, transportation, legal authorities and the media to create awareness on child rights and provide child protection services. Salesian staff works tirelessly every day of the year to ensure the rights of the children in need and give them special care and protection.

“Salesian missionaries in India are working to support street children and restore their childhoods,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The first challenge is building awareness of the issues and ensuring that children have the information they need so they can access Salesian programs. Once in the program, youth are able to have their basic needs met and access the supportive services they need to start the rehabilitation process and begin schools and skills training.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Veedu Foundation Laid; Underprivileged to get a new home

Don Bosco Veedu

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Women succeed in job market

MissionNewswire — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 08:33:26 +0000

Don Bosco Job Placement Network helps women find long-term safe employment

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Job Placement Network is helping women level the playing field in employment in India. Out of the total job opportunities provided through Don Bosco Job Placement Network to date, 42 percent were to women entering the labor market for the first time. The jobs provided adequate wages and safer working conditions.

Around the globe, women often have more difficulty finding employment when compared to men. They tend to work in low-quality jobs in vulnerable conditions. They are less likely to work in formal employment and have fewer opportunities for business expansion or career progression. When women do work, they earn less. These gender gaps and employment issues have only been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a study from the International Labour Organization, the current labor force participation rate for women is just under 47 percent globally. For men, it is 72 percent. In India, the gap is even wider with women participating in the labor force at only 19.2 percent compared to men at 70 percent.

A Salesian with the Don Bosco Job Placement Network said, “Looking back at our initiatives, we are proud to say that 47 percent of the onboarded job seekers are women between the ages of 18-30 years. These women are mostly from rural or semi-urban communities, where they often face social challenges. They are in one way or another skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled. Our training and continuous assistance have made it possible for them to participate in the labor force with confidence.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Don Bosco Job Placement Network Bridges the Gender gap in Labour force participation

Don Bosco Job Placement Network

International Labour Organization – The gender gap in employment: What’s holding women back?

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Students gain 3-D printing skills

MissionNewswire — Tue, 04 Oct 2022 08:32:32 +0000

Don Bosco Institute of Technology hosts 19 students for 3-D printing training

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Institute of Technology, in Mumbai, India, recently hosted 19 students with one of their professors from the Gokhale Education Society’s Arts, Science and Commerce College, located in Maharashtra. The students, from tribes, were invited to participate in a five-day residential workshop on 3-D modeling and printing, which was sponsored by Technotalent Engineering India Pvt. Ltd.

Taught by professors and students from the mechanical department, the visiting students learned 3-D modeling software user interface, the fundamental methods and processes in 3-D printing technology, and how to use 3-D printing machines. Objects printed by 3-D are used in several fields like aeronautics, mechanical engineering, medical and biomedical applications, handicrafts, and jewelry making.

The students were impressed with the technology and worked seven hours each day learning how to create 3-D models. One professor said, “We got instant responses in terms of their understanding as well as their respect, which gave me great job satisfaction.”

At the end of the training, the students printed their own creations. Each student was awarded a certificate of participation, the 3-D printed key chain which was modeled by them and a small 3-D printed gift as a memento of the completion of the training.

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

ANS – India – Tribal Youth Learn 3-D Printing at DBIT Mumbai

Don Bosco Institute of Technology

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Don Bosco Center for Learning opens new student canteen

MissionNewswire — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:53:15 +0000

Nearly 2,500 students take classes at the Don Bosco Center

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Center for Learning, located in Kurla, Mumbai, India, launched a new canteen in August. The canteen was blessed and inaugurated by Father Gildasio Mendes, Salesian general councilor for social communication. The canteen provides a relaxing atmosphere for students to connect with their peers in between classes. It was designed like a café with food and drinks available.

Nearly 2,500 students take classes at the Don Bosco Center. Given the competitive nature of their academic pursuits, students needed a place to unwind, re-energize and connect with each other. The canteen also serves as a place where students can showcase their artistic talents in singing and music. In addition, students can exhibit videos of their sports, cultural activities, and academic activities of each of the school’s departments.

Ecological sustainability was a factor in construction. The canteen includes recycled and repurposed elements in its design and décor. Father McEnroe Lopes, who conceptualized this project, said that every Don Bosco institute is a home for youth that nurtures them to grow into good human beings. At the inaugural event, he thanked a number of people who worked behind the scenes to make the canteen a reality.

The students are enjoying the space already. One student said, “I find this place very calm, relaxing and student friendly.” Another added, “This café is indeed a very special space. I have not seen anything like this in other colleges.” A third student noted, “I came to this college because I knew that Salesian fathers will always give the best to their students. This state-of-the-art café is just one small example that they are very interested in our wellbeing.”

Access to professional training and workforce development services, like what is offered at the Don Bosco Center, is highly valued in India. The country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

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

ANS – India – Blessing of Students’ Café at DBCL Kurla

Don Bosco Center for Learning

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Youth event celebrates 100 years of Salesian service

MissionNewswire — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:34:38 +0000

Don Bosco School Excellence Mission in Guwahati brings together 125 students from 23 schools

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are celebrating 100 years of service in Northeast India. The celebration included an event initiated by Don Bosco School Excellence Mission in Guwahati, which brought together 125 students from 23 different schools in the states of Assam and Meghalaya for a series of competitions and activities.

The event was held at Don Bosco School in the Panbazar District, Guwahati. Father Joseph Mung, vice principal of the school, welcomed the participants and the authorities who attended. Father Januarius Sangma, provincial superior of the Mary Help of Christians Province of Guwahati, also took part in the initiative. He expressed his happiness to see so many youth gathered together to pay homage to Don Bosco and to commemorate the 100-year anniversary.

The students were able to celebrate and interact with one any other, showcasing their skills in singing, dancing, drawing, music, writing, and oratory arts. It was also a time of learning and growth for youth from diverse backgrounds and areas. The event was enriching and educational for all.

At the end of the competitions, Father Benny P. Basil, provincial economer, presented prizes and certificates to the winners. Don Bosco High School was the overall winner of the event and took home the trophy. In a speech, Fr. Basil highlighted the importance of in-person interactions for students who often are consumed by a digital world. He also praised the work of Don Bosco School Excellence Mission for organizing and executing the day’s program.

“Events like this are a great way for students to come together and showcase their talents,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While helping youth to gain an education is our primary focus, we want to make sure that students are well-rounded and are able to excel at their talents and interests.”

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

ANS – India – An inter-school competition to commemorate 100 years of Salesian presence in India’s Northeast

Don Bosco School Excellence Mission

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INDIA: Youth connect with employers at job fair

MissionNewswire — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 08:58:52 +0000

Don Bosco Job Placement Network hosts job fair at Nitika Don Bosco for more than 160 youth

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Job Placement Network hosted its first job fair at Nitika Don Bosco, located in Tangra, Kolkata, India. More than 160 youth registered for the event that featured seven companies. Don Bosco Job Placement Network was started four years ago to help youth find and retain employment. The organization has a deep reach within the business sector to connect with employers who need skilled employees.

At the event, Father Sunil Kerketta, the vice-provincial of Kolkata Province, welcomed participants and the organizers and spoke about Don Bosco. Father Charles, the national coordinator of Don Bosco Job Placement Network, encouraged youth to make the best use of the opportunity provided to them.

One youth, who finished a civil engineering technician course, said, “I am coming from Dankhuni because I am in desperate need of a job.” One of the human resource managers highlighted why the event is so helpful and said, “The job fair such as this provides an opportunity for us to be part of employing young people and we are happy to be part of Don Bosco.”

Ronald Das, the regional coordinator for Kolkata, noted, “We are happy that so many turned up for this event. Events such as these take away the inhibitions and fear most youth have while going for an interview.”

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

ANS – India – Don Bosco Job Placement Network Kolkata Organizes Job Fair

Don Bosco Job Placement Network

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INDIA: Donor funding from Salesian Missions supports Ekalavya Children’s Home

MissionNewswire — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 08:10:31 +0000

Children’s home supports school dropouts, rescues child laborers and provides basic needs for at-risk children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Children living at the Ekalavya Children’s Home were supported by donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The home was created by the Salesian-run People’s Action for Rural Awakening for disadvantaged children in Konaseema, located in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.

The home, which can accommodate up to 50 children, was started to support school dropouts, rescue child laborers, and provide a home for at-risk children, those living on the street, or those who have run away from dysfunctional families. Ekalavya Children’s Home is a child care institution licensed under the Juvenile Justice Act. Every home for children at risk needs to be licensed by the Women Development and Child Welfare Department of the state government.

Ekalavya Children’s Home is located behind a railway station in Rajahmundry. Children who have run away use the railway station for travel and to beg for money to survive. Salesian staff members have good relationships with the railway police department to rescue children from the station and bring them to the courts and then onto the Ekalavya Children’s Home.

The home also works in collaboration with Child Line 1098 and is available to children in need day and night. Some children live in the home, are provided skill development programs and are sent to a nearby school for regular education. Other children are part of the shelter program. They stay at the home until they are able to go back to their family homes or receive rehabilitation services at another place.

While providing for basic needs and connecting children into educational programs, Ekalavya Children’s Home also helps children understand their emotions and connect better with their peers and adults. The home provides a weekly meeting where children can talk about issues that are bothering them, whether it’s with other children, school or adults. This helps children work through interpersonal issues and helps them resolve conflict in a productive way.

In addition to this support, a care mother is available for children at all times. Children have regular night prayer and time to share the events of the day. The children’s meeting with the care mother also provides an opportunity for children to express their views and ideas for the better functioning of the home.

“We are grateful for the donor support for Ekalavya Children’s Home,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “These children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and need the support of caring adults to ensure they are cared for and receive an education. This home environment provides children a safe environment and a chance at a brighter future.”

Ekalavya Children’s Home also offers facilities for hosting small functions including retreats and workshops. There is a semi-open-air auditorium for seating 150 and a training hall for 100. There are also four bedrooms available for anyone who needs to stay at the home while using the facilities. These spaces are often rented out to provide income to help sustain the home.

India’s youth also face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

People’s Action for Rural Awakening Facebook

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: 230 job seekers find employment at 2 Salesian job fairs

MissionNewswire — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 08:03:36 +0000

Salesians are considered one of the largest vocational and technical education providers in the world

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Two Salesian educational institutes in India recently held job fairs to help graduating students find work in their chosen employment sector. In total, 230 students were hired as a result of these activities. Salesians are considered one of the largest vocational and technical education providers in the world. Salesians also help students with workforce development through life skills training, career assistance and job fairs such as these.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network India and Bosco Delhi, in association with Don Bosco Technical Institute, Okhla, New Delhi, organized one of the job fairs on June 25. More than 300 job seekers participated and 200 were provided job opportunities. Eleven recruiters from IT/ITES, printing & graphics, automobile manufacturing, and service sectors participated in the recruitment drive.

Following that event, a second job fair was held at Don Bosco College Golaghat, Assam, on June 27. Personnel from Omega Healthcare India Pvt Ltd gave a general orientation to the students about the IT/ITES sector’s contribution to the medical health care sector. Fifty graduates interviewed for jobs at the event and 30 candidates were hired.

“Salesian educational programs focus on helping vulnerable youth by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Around the globe, there are nearly 1,000 Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools — with a focus on serving poor and needy youth.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco College Golaghat, Assam

Don Bosco South Asia – Job Fair at Don Bosco College Golaghat, Assam

Don Bosco South Asia – Job Fair Provides Opportunities for 200

Don Bosco Technical Institute

Don Bosco College Golaghat, Assam

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Workshop tackles youth media addiction

MissionNewswire — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 08:51:04 +0000

Boscom South Asia hosts workshop about media addiction in youth

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Boscom South Asia hosted a workshop for its members to learn how to tackle media addiction in youth. The workshop was launched by the communication department of the Salesian Congregation in Rome, Italy as part of the Salesian School of Social Communication to bring together experts from the different disciplines in media to share their thoughts and views.

Featured speaker at the workshop was Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma, professor of clinical psychology at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Bangalore, India, and founder and coordinator of the SHUT Clinic (Service for Healthy Use of Technology), India’s first tech addiction clinic.

During the workshop, Sharma highlighted the dangers of media addiction affecting both the mental and physical health of youth. His session focused on media psychology, as well as the implications and possible approaches to digital addiction.

Drawing on his experience in the field, Sharma shared the causes, effects and remedies for media addiction. Due to excessive use of digital platforms, he suggested that the following could be seen: nomophobia, phantom vibration syndrome, zero inbox syndrome, selfitis, digital amnesia, cyberloafing, binge watching and binge gaming.

Sharma included low self-esteem, impulsivity, hostility, aggression, lack of social coping ability and social phobia as all potential results of so much screen time that it becomes an addiction. Sharma went on to suggest the “Gather” approach (greet, ask, tell, help, explain and return) to deal with such a situation.

“In this digital age, many youth are susceptible to digital addiction and heading down an unproductive path in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Through therapeutic and educational programming, youth can use media responsibly and take responsibility for their lives, make a positive change, and have hope for the future.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Boscom South Asia Facebook

Don Bosco South Asia – Digital Salesians Learn to Tackle Media Addiction

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Young women gain digital literacy

MissionNewswire — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:47:32 +0000

Assam Don Bosco University holds free digital literacy training for young women

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Assam Don Bosco University held a free digital literacy training on the basics of desktop publishing for young women from the State Home for Women in Jalukbari, Guwahati, India. The training, organized by VanitAgrata, the women empowerment group of the university, helped rural young women learn skills for employment. The one-day training involved lectures, practical sessions, demos and hands-on practice sessions.

VanitAgrata began in 2015 with the motto “By the Women, For the Women.” It provides free digital training to empower young girls and women in Assam, bridge the digital divide, and facilitate gender equality. Tools and technologies covered include basic computer training, using mobile phones, banking transactions, housekeeping and use of the internet.

“To compete in the workforce, young women must have access to education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian programs ensure that young women have access to the education and workforce development services to find and retain stable employment. Digital literacy training is an essential skill everyone must have.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Institutions of Higher Education

Assam Don Bosco University

Salesian Institutions of Higher Education – Assam Don Bosco University holds free digital literacy training for women and children of rural areas

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Students promote environmental protection

MissionNewswire — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 08:48:04 +0000

Salesian Eco Club students at Fatima School Kodambakkam launch Eco-Fest to highlight environmental awareness

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian students who take part in the Eco Club at Fatima School Kodambakkam in Chennai, India, organized an Eco-Fest to highlight the importance of environmental consciousness and help teach other students how to take responsibility for protecting the environment from further destruction.

The middle school students gave a presentation titled “Five Elements of the Earth” and dressed like factors of the ecosystem to demonstrate that the environment is a positive and fun place to live. Classrooms exhibited innovative carvings, including vegetable and fruit carvings explaining ways to avoid plastics and use biodegradable materials. There were also collages, canvas paintings, crafts made with waste materials and bottle paintings.

The chief guest at the event was G. Palani, president of the Rotary Club Galaxy. He interacted with the students to motivate them to take action every day to affect change in the environment and make a difference. Sister Amala Sebastian, principal of the school, along with Sister Shamila and Sister Elizabeth, lit an eco-friendly lamp to mark the occasion.

“Salesian missionaries in India and around the globe have had a focus on environmental impact and sustainability education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This has been driven by Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si’, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility. As a result, youth have launched important projects to help their communities and beyond.”

In April 2018 in India, Salesian missionaries launched the Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. The Alliance is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.

The Alliance’s priorities are combating pollution, reducing global warming and eliminating disposable plastics. In each of these areas, it aims to partner with ongoing global campaigns promoted by UN Environment or other international organizations.

Members of the Alliance have also undertaken such initiatives as environmental education to increase green areas and planting trees, the reduction of the use of non-degradable materials, promotion of organic agriculture and home gardens, preservation and conservation of water, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Eco-Fest Creates Environment Consciousness among Students

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Preventing youth substance abuse focus of training

MissionNewswire — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 08:46:32 +0000

DREAM project holds training to educate staff on substance abuse issues among youth

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS), located in Bangalore, India, organized a two-day staff training for members of the DREAM (Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring) program. The training enhanced the knowledge of staff on substance use among youth, as well as provided prevention strategies and counseling skills.

The training sessions were facilitated by Dr. Jayant Mahadevan, assistant professor within the department of psychiatry at the Center for Addiction Medicine at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences in Bangalore, and Dr. S. Ubahara Sahayaraj, consultant with the department of psychiatry at Abhaya Hospital, also in Bangalore. They presented an overview of substance use including signs and symptoms, assessment and management of addictions, prevention strategies, and government agencies associated with treatment options.

The second day of the training focused on information, education, and communication materials for training and documentation. DREAM coordinators presented program activities from the past six months, which helped the participants review their work, discuss flaws in implementation and share best practices to help improve their strategies to meet programmatic goals effectively.

The DREAM project, launched in the Indian state of Kerala at the end of 2021, is financed by the German government and will run for 40 months, from November 2021 to February 2025. Project activities will span 10 districts in Kerala and reach 40-50 village councils, 50 schools and 10 colleges in each district. The focus is training and awareness activities aimed at youth about the dangers of drug abuse and digital addiction. The goal is to have a counseling center in every district housed at a Don Bosco institution.

Father Binu Scaria is coordinating the project at the state level and a Salesian priest oversees each district. The Salesian team also has two counselors and a social worker to operate at the ground level. At the launch of the project, Father Jose Koyickal, provincial, said, “Today, the greatest pandemic is drug abuse. We need to join hands with each other and the government to eradicate the pandemic.” He further noted that Salesians are at the forefront working for the well-being of children in vulnerable situations.

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Sources:

Don Bosco India – Staff Training Enhances Knowledge on Substance Use and Prevention among Young

People’s Action for Rural Awakening Facebook

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Youth with disabilities gain jobs

MissionNewswire — Mon, 30 May 2022 08:47:15 +0000

Don Bosco Job Placement Network holds job fair for youth with disabilities

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Job Placement Network in India, through collaboration with Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society (BREADS), organized a job fair for employment seekers with disabilities. Working with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, Don Bosco Job Placement Network held the job fair at Bell Hotel Majestic for more than 100 candidates with varying levels of disability.

At the job fair, Quess Corp. Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore recruited candidates for jobs in warehousing, business process outsourcing and e-commerce, and logistics (packing and billing). The Don Bosco Job Placement Network coordinator and the Quess team assisted the candidates in career counseling and explaining the job roles. Of nearly 40 candidates who applied for the various jobs, 12 received immediate offers and others were shortlisted for future placement.

The Don Bosco Job Placement Network aims to improve employment opportunities for underserved job seekers through career guidance and skills training. The organization also enables access to secure job markets through job referral services, ensuring retention, and improving quality job opportunities with adequate wages and decent, safe, and secure working conditions.

“Don Bosco Job Placement Network helps to train youth in fields that are hiring so they can make an easier transition from the classroom to the workforce,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth with disabilities deserve these same opportunities so they become contributing members of their communities.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – Job Fair for Differently-abled

Don Bosco Job Placement Network of India

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Tea farmers receive financial support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Mon, 23 May 2022 08:49:57 +0000

Farmers have harvested their first tea leaves and are making a profit

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Tea farmers in the Tinsukia District, in the state of Assam, India, received financial support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Thirty-five farmers are cultivating 7.59 hectares of land. Fourteen farmers have already harvested their first tea leaves and are making a profit. The farmers receive loans which help their gardens get started. They then repay the money from their harvest, which in turn allows Salesians to help more farmers.

Sukram Murah is already earning money from his garden. He said it was a great help to receive the financial support since he is a daily wage earner. In addition, Salesian technical farming training taught him how to plant more than one type of crop. As a result, he was able to receive double the income from the same plot of land. Along with tea leaves, Murah planted 80 betel nut plants in his tea garden.

Four other farmers also planted vegetables in their tea gardens, but due to excess rain this year, the crops were spoiled. The rain also killed 10-30 percent of eight other farmers’ crops. Salesian staff visited the gardens and after discussion, the farmers will replant the area. Some farmers also bought extra plants for vacant areas.

The first group of 14 tea farmers who received financial support have already started repaying their loans on an installment basis. When one of the tea beneficiaries passed away after suffering from major illness, his wife took over his tea garden and agreed to repay the loan amount. She works in a private tea garden to help support her family. Her eldest son is also a daily wage earner in one of the nearby towns. She thanked the Salesians for helping her family plant tea which will now help them get extra income from the land.

India is one of the largest tea producers in the world with close to 70 percent of its tea consumed within India itself. The Indian tea industry has grown to own many global tea brands and has evolved into one of the most technologically equipped tea industries in the world. The districts of Golaghat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia in Assam have a large number of tea estates.

The tea estates are tended to by laborers, who despite working long hours often do not earn enough wages to meet their basic needs or escape poverty. Many tea laborers own small parcels of land but, for various reasons, leave the land uncultivated while they leave home to work at larger tea estates. In times of financial crisis, they are often forced to mortgage their land for small loans. When they are unable to repay the loans, the land is forfeited. Salesian missionaries in India, aware of this difficult situation, are working to provide opportunities for tea laborers to break the cycle of poverty.

“The goal of the project is to help tea laborers begin to cultivate their land, allowing them to become owners of their own small tea gardens and develop a long-term sustainable income,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Tea laborers are provided start-up assistance either through financial resources or through the donation of tea saplings, which helps them to develop their own business and gain financial security.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Inmates gain job skills

MissionNewswire — Mon, 16 May 2022 08:55:07 +0000

Don Bosco Youth and Educational Services offers initiatives for inmate rehabilitation

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Father Dr. Peter Salew, director of Don Bosco Youth and Educational Services, in Dimapur, India, is dedicated to providing rehabilitation services for inmates at Dimapur Sub-Jail and Central Jail, according to a recent Morung Express article.

To help meet this mission, Fr. Salew has launched many initiatives at the jails, including skills training for computer application, organic farming, and poultry rearing. The goal is to provide inmates with skills so they can get a job once they are released and have an easier time reintegrating back into society. Fr. Salew has also donated a 3,000-liter capacity water purifier as well as ceiling fans for inmates at the Central Jail.

In an interview with Morung Express, Fr. Salew, who has been engaging in prison ministry work since 2019, said, “I am passionate about the prison ministry that I carry out in Dimapur. The training provides a meaningful way to empower them to learn a new trade. The purpose was that once they come out from prison, they should be able to earn their livelihood in a dignified manner.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Fr. Salew had to stop his work in the jails due to health and safety issues. By the beginning of 2021, Fr. Salew was permitted to continue his work, and he used the opportunity to expand his efforts in the Central Jail. He convinced the administration to convert an empty plot of land into an organic farm for the inmates to cultivate. “They were enthusiastic about the whole thing,” he said.

In the Morung Express article, Fr. Salew added, “The whole process was such an enriching experience and when they know that we are sincerely working for their welfare, they tend to become more approachable. I’m not there to judge them for their actions, the law will take its course, but I’m here to help them in whatever way I can.”

The organic farm cultivates cucumbers, spring onions, pumpkins, Naga king chili, and more. The inmates are proud of the work that they are doing. One inmate, who had been imprisoned for more than 14 years, joined the poultry rearing program. Fr. Salew explained, “As he was doing poultry business before his incarceration, he was so enthusiastic about the whole process.”

While there is no market yet for the inmates to sell their products, Fr. Salew is looking into it. He has been contacting local educational institutions to buy these products regularly. Fr. Salew said, “Some encouraging responses have come forth with some heads of institutions. Besides, some good and practical suggestions have been offered in this regard by some well-wishers and friends.”

He added, “We all belong to the same human family. Prejudices and judgmental attitudes never make a person become better. Respect and understanding go a long way in transforming a person. In every person, there is always some good about themselves. Everyone makes mistakes, but we should give a chance to that person to repent and be reformed.”

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Sources:

Morung Express – Enabling reintegration for inmates back into society

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Literary festival increases youth reading

MissionNewswire — Thu, 12 May 2022 08:32:56 +0000

Sacred Heart College holds literary festival reaching 50,000 people

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Sacred Heart College, located in Tirupattur in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, hosted a literary festival in collaboration with the District Administration of Tirupattur. It was presided over by Amar Kushwaha, from the District Collector of Tirupattur, and Jeyamohan, an Indian author, who gave the inaugural talk.

The festival featured 60 book shops with thousands of books available for exhibition and sale. The festival aimed to create interest in reading for people in the community with a focus on teachers and students. Every day during the festival, three writers gave presentations to the students about different aspects and concerns regarding the literary style of writing. More than 50,000 people benefited from the literary festival.

Father Joseph Carreno, a Salesian missionary from Spain founded Sacred Heart College in 1951. Opening with 10 teachers and 81 students, it has grown into a postgraduate and research institution, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses. In 2000, Sacred Heart College initiated evening study centers for poor students in different villages around Tirupattur. The students were provided with work-based scholarships to help them pay for tuition and room and board.

“A new book in the hands of a student opens him or her up to the opportunities that are available through education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “An entire festival focused on the importance or reading and literature challenges students and teachers to expand their imaginations and learn new skills.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – Literary Festival at Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur

Sacred Heart College

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Toilets renovated to provide proper sanitation at children’s home

MissionNewswire — Mon, 09 May 2022 08:45:18 +0000

Ekalavya Children’s Home supports at-risk children and those living on the street

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth at Ekalavya Children’s Home, located in Rajahmundry in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, have access to improved sanitation thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project was part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The home, which PARA (People’s Action for Rural Awakening) has been running for the past five years, can accommodate 50 children.

The toilets in the home needed renovation. The floor was starting to sink due to water leaks from the old toilets. Through the funding, 15 toilets were repaired in the building, ensuring proper sanitation for the boys and visitors to the facility.

The home was started to support school dropouts, rescue child laborers, and provide a home for at-risk children, those living on the street, or those who have run away from dysfunctional families. Ekalavya Children’s Home is a child care institution licensed under the Juvenile Justice Act. Every home for children at risk needs to be licensed by the Women Development and Child Welfare Department of the state government.

Ekalavya Children’s Home is located behind a railway station in Rajahmundry. Children who have run away use the railway station for travel and to beg for money to survive. Salesian staff, who have a good relationship with the railway police department, rescue children from the station and bring them to the courts and then onto the Ekalavya Children’s Home.

The home also works in collaboration with Child Line 1098 and is available to children in need day and night. Some children are provided skill development programs and are sent to a nearby school for regular education. Other children are part of the shelter program. They stay at the home until they are able to go back to their family homes or are rehabilitated at another place.

“Having access to proper sanitation brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Improving sanitation facilities ensures that youth are living in an environment that promotes proper hygiene, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can keep them away from important study time.”

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Funding helps support poor children and empower women

MissionNewswire — Tue, 03 May 2022 08:25:15 +0000

Women and children at the Mary Our Help Training Center Bellefonte receive support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Women and children at the Mary Our Help Training Center Bellefonte, in Shillong, India, received support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Donor funding provided a number of activities to support poor children and empower women.

The training center offers free tutoring and classes every day from 1 to 5:30 p.m. to help children with their studies. The young students who attend often have illiterate parents, lack working electricity at home, or are experiencing other family problems and need the extra support. After the tutoring and classes are provided, a meal is served for the children.

The center also provides scholarship funding for the poorest children in remote villages who have no other opportunity to attend school. Salesian sisters provided the financial means for these children to be placed in local schools and provide for their basic needs while in school.

Donor funding also provided a distribution of rice to 30 families that have elderly family members or mothers who are disabled and in need of help. Once a month, these families are able to come to the center and receive 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of rice to help feed them.

In support of families, Salesians held a parents’ meeting and distributed food and supplies. Sister Elizabeth Thannimottil gave an introductory talk to all the parents and children. Parents took an active part in the meeting and shared their feelings and words of appreciation with the Salesian sisters who are always ready to help them with their needs.

During the meeting, Sister Bahun Merilyn Wahlang, a nurse, gave a talk about continued prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sr. Wahlang stressed the importance of hand-washing, cleanliness, and healthy nutrition to help fight the virus and other diseases.

At the end of the program, lunch was served for everyone. Before parents left the meeting, they were provided with a packet of rice, dhal and potatoes. A Salesian sister noted, “Both parents and children went home happily and joyously carrying their gifts to prepare another meal at home with other members of their families. We wished them a safe journey back home and assured them of our daily prayers.”

More than 22 percent of India’s population lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Funding helps support poor children and empower women first appeared on MissionNewswire.

INDIA: Child Safety Net program rescues 127 children from labor

MissionNewswire — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 08:01:19 +0000

Rescue operations conducted in collaboration with the local police and labor departments

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Child Safety Net program, part of the Office of Development of the Province of Bangalore, India (BREADS – Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society), rescued 127 children from child labor from July 2021 to January 2022. The children rescued were ages 11-18.

The children were engaged in bag and cap stitching, saree dyeing, glass cutting, printing, paper making, steel chair production, kulfi/ice cream production, and construction work. All the rescue operations were conducted in collaboration with the local police and labor departments.

Staff with the Child Safety Net found that the children were brought to Bangalore by contractors, who made advance payments to their parents. The children were forced to work all day into the night in small, gloomy and suffocating conditions, with little or no medical care.

Children were not provided face masks, exposing them to COVID-19. They were not permitted to talk to their parents back home without the consent of the employers.

Child Safety Net rescued siblings Yousaf Khan and Muzamil Khan, ages 13 and 14 respectively, in Gangondanahalli, Bangalore. Both worked in the garment industry to support their impoverished parents. The children’s father was partially blind and had suffered a huge loss in his business, and their mother was a homemaker. The family had little money to support themselves.

The Child Safety Net team coordinated the children’s rescue with the local labor inspector and the police. After they were safe, they were taken for medical examinations and age verification. The children were initially sheltered in the BOSCO Open Shelter Home where they underwent counseling sessions while the parents were summoned to decide what would happen. The children were returned to their parents who promised to send them to a hostel to continue their education.

“Youth who are rescued from child labor and can return to their education have a chance at a better life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian programs aim to help children live safely while getting the emotional support they need and the education that will help them live independently. It’s a second chance for these children to have hope for a better life.”

Child Safety Net, implemented by BOSCO and supported by BREADS, plays a major role in addressing atrocities against children, reducing the number of children on the street through close monitoring at the grassroots level. Throughout its activities, 27,933 children have been rescued, and 3,500 awareness programs have been provided in schools, public places, government departments, reaching more than 430,000 people. In addition, 1,020 bonded and child laborers were rescued with the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit.

Salesian missionaries living and working in India place special emphasis on rescuing and rehabilitating children engaged in child labor. There are Salesian-run programs throughout the country that have helped hundreds of thousands of vulnerable youth through the years, and this work continues today.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of BREADS – Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society

Salesian BREADS Bangalore

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Students benefit from electricity through solar panel

MissionNewswire — Thu, 14 Apr 2022 08:35:20 +0000

Don Bosco Ashalayam has a new solar panel for electricity thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Ashalayam, located in Lucknow in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has a new solar panel for electricity thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. More than 200 children currently reside at Don Bosco Ashalayam and benefit from educational and recreational opportunities. Through its presence on the streets and with courses and programs offered in slums and railway stations, Don Bosco Ashalayam provides assistance to street children, child laborers and at-risk youth. More than 80,000 children have benefited in three decades.

The shelter, where more than 100 children reside, has faced a shortage of electricity supply, and it was difficult to manage the center without regular electricity. Staff members at the shelter often lacked the means to communicate when they could not charge their phones and computers, and students could not study at night. Programs could also not be held at night because of a lack of lighting. This was particularly difficult during times of emergencies. With donor funding, Don Bosco Ashalayam was able to install a solar panel, which powers the center for at least 18 hours.

“We are happy to have a functional solar panel in our center,” said Father Biju Akkilettu, a Salesian with Don Bosco Ashalayam. “The lack of electricity has now been addressed. There were evenings without electricity with children living in the center. It was especially harsh during the summers. Now that children have electricity for longer hours, they are able to focus on their studies. It is also easier for the management to look after the children at night and do their work.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: School provides education and safe place to live

MissionNewswire — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 08:38:45 +0000

Young students at Don Bosco Orphanage receive housing and educational support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Orphanage, located in Katpadi, a locality in Vellore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, received donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The orphanage, part of the Salesian Vellore Diocese, provides a home to poor orphan and semi-orphan Catholic boys to give them an education and a safe place to live. Today, 220 boys live at the Don Bosco Orphanage, which acts as a boarding school for the Don Bosco Secondary School.

The Don Bosco Orphanage is less of an orphanage and more of a boarding school for young students. As the number of orphans decreases, Salesians are admitting students from impoverished families, children from rural areas without schools, children whose parents may migrate for better work possibilities and children who desire a Catholic education.

Students at Don Bosco Orphanage receive a safe place to stay, healthy nutrition, medical care and their school fees. They also have opportunities to play various sports and develop musical interests. If the students are orphans, they receive free education, and all of their physical, social, and economic needs are met. If students are able to pay, they are encouraged and motivated to share a part of their expenses.

“Don Bosco Orphanage is an iconic boarding school in our diocese and has made a number of young people realize their strength and has helped them to chase their dreams,” said Father Edwin Vasanthan, who is in charge of the orphanage. “We provide holistic formation in all the fields. We give the best of everything to help these young boys become loving and honest citizens to the nation at large.”

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INDIA: Food kits aid families in need during pandemic

MissionNewswire — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 08:36:57 +0000

More than 4,000 people receive food kits in villages near Srirampura thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) More than 4,000 people, including 800 families, were provided food kits in the villages around the Ferrando Center for Vocational Training, located in Srirampura, a town and residential suburb of Mysore city in India. The food kits were made possible through donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project is one of many funded by Salesian Missions in an effort to mitigate the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Missionary Sisters of Mary Help of Christians operate the Ferrando Center for Vocational Training to provide education for poor and at-risk young women in the region. The area surrounding the school is made up of poor villages where people are daily laborers, migrants, widows and children. Many of the people residing there lost family during the first and second waves of COVID-19. Now, during the third wave impacting the region, people are in more need than ever before.

The food kits provided to families included rice, toor dal, sugar, oil and salt, as well as prevention measures like soap, masks, sanitizer and medicines. Recipients included mother and daughter Rangamma and Krishnamani. They are migrants from another state and have been forced to beg for food to eat. Rangamma lost her husband in the early days of her marriage and her daughter Krishnamani has disabilities.

Right now, they are both living on the streets and have nothing. They are not able to work and do not have a home of their own. Rangamma is too old to work and Krishnamani is not in a position to go look for work. The food kits were enough to support them for several days while the Salesian sisters are looking for a place for them to stay.

“We appreciate our donors who have provided support to our special COVID-19 Relief Fund,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Funding projects like this one in India enables Salesian missionaries on the ground to expand their efforts to reach thousands of families who desperately need our help. With India’s social services straining under the stress, they simply have nowhere else to turn.”

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INDIA: Parish inaugurates two basketball courts

MissionNewswire — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:54:24 +0000

Salesian programs around the globe focus on socio-sports education

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Christ King Parish, located in Sonapahar, India, inaugurated two basketball courts on the parish grounds with the launch of the 2022 school year. Father Sebastian Tirkey, parish priest, and Father Pyndeilang Khongkhlad, assistant parish priest, joined the Salesian community in celebration.

The event brought together Salesian sisters, teachers, parents and students. Shri Evanmi Lyngdoh, the additional assistant commissioner of West Khasi Hills, Nongstoin, was the chief guest. Students of Christ King Higher Secondary School, led by Abigail Lyngkhoi, sang the centenary song. There was also a ribbon cutting ceremony and a celebratory dance by students from Christ King Higher Secondary School and Don Bosco Lakeshore School.

Lyngdoh also gave a celebratory speech highlighting how important sports are for young students. He noted that sports help to provide youth with healthy activities, keep them away from at-risk behaviors and give them discipline in their lives. Further, he said that the availability of a playground for games is of paramount importance.

“Sports programs teach youth both on and off the field,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning and playing team sports encourage leadership skills as well as teach youth to work as part of a team. Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

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

ANS – India – Christ the King Parish Sonapahar: inauguration of the basketball courts

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INDIA: Job placement coordinators build skills to help youth

MissionNewswire — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:55:08 +0000

The Don Bosco Job Placement Network holds workshop for job placement coordinators

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Job Placement Network held a workshop for job placement coordinators at Don Bosco Media Center, located in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India. The training brought together placement coordinators from Chennai, Trichy, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Kolkata, Dimapur, Guwahati and Delhi. A range of topics were discussed to help placement coordinators improve their performance to help youth find and retain employment.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network has been helping poor and marginalized rural youth find jobs since 1996. The organization is used by skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers across Indian provinces. In the southern provinces of Chennai, Trichy, Hyderabad and Bangalore, there are offices located throughout the provinces with their own staff and local business connections.

Father Gabriel, national coordinator for the Don Bosco Job Placement Network, noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 7,500 young people across India were employed through various initiatives. The Don Bosco Job Placement Network is recognized as a placement organization by the National Career Service of Ministry of Employment and Labor.

“Salesian colleges and technical and vocational programs help to train youth in fields that are hiring so youth can make an easier transition from the classroom to the workforce,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

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

ANS – India – Capacity Building Training for Don Bosco Job Placement Staff

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INDIA: New equipment aids farmers

MissionNewswire — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:58:53 +0000

Anma Integrated Development Association provides equipment to farmers’ clubs in 4 villages

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Anma Integrated Development Association (AIDA) provided farm equipment to farmers’ clubs in the four villages of Urra, Khriezephe, Bade and Diezephe in India. The donation was part of the SBI Gram Seva program in Dimapur, India, to help improve agricultural yield and help farms economically while reducing their need for manpower. According to an article in the Morung Express, the farm equipment included power tillers, tiller trolleys and grass cutters.

Farmers’ clubs are formed in each village and put an investment share toward the purchase of equipment. Under the responsibility and ownership of the farmers’ club, the farming equipment will be rented out to other farmers to generate revenue and aid in better agricultural production.

A short ceremony was held to provide the farming equipment. Father Roy George, executive director at AIDA, welcomed those gathered for the event, and Father Nebu Mathew, rector of Don Bosco Dimapur, said the invocation and blessed the equipment. A video presentation of SBI Gram Seva’s work in the villages was shown.

Fr. George noted, “India is one of the top countries with respect to agricultural production, but it is behind the world average in terms of farm mechanization. Marginalized farmers believe that higher technology is complex and the cost of the equipment required is beyond what they can afford. The SBI Gram Seva program is helping farmers to improve their working environment and equipment that is used. These farmers’ clubs now have the farming equipment they need.”

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Photo courtesy of Anma Integrated Development Association

Anma Integrated Development Association

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INDIA: Donor funding builds new church

MissionNewswire — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 08:35:48 +0000

People living in Laskerpara village have a new church thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) People living in Laskerpara village in the Salesian Damra Parish in Assam, India, have a new church thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The St. Peter and Paul Church was built so people have a local place to gather and participate in the Catholic Mass and pray together. The project is part of the chapel program at Salesian Missions.

A Salesian said, “The people of Laskerpara are much delighted with the church of their dreams. That the dream would turn true so quickly before their very eyes was a pleasant reality for all, especially for the elderly. In fact, there was a very old lady who would come every day and look at the chapel as it was emerging. There was such joy and radiance in her face that seeing her joy was reward enough for me and all of us helping construct the chapel.”

“We appreciate our donors who have been able to help Salesians with this chapel project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Chapels are a central part of these communities for people to learn, find spiritual guidance and support one another.”

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INDIA: Green campuses share changes and challenges

MissionNewswire — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 08:57:14 +0000

Don Bosco University Assam holds webinar focused on greening campuses

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) As more Salesian centers and schools move toward a greener environment, Don Bosco University in Assam, India, in collaboration with Don Bosco Tech Africa and Don Bosco Green Alliance, held a webinar on “Climate Action: a Green Approach.” The goal was to share existing models of green campuses and learn from their changes and challenges.

During the webinar, Mebari Vanessa R. Dorphang, a faculty member from the department of zoology at Don Bosco University, explained how the university’s 274 acres of land was made into a green campus by using the land to sustain livelihoods and create an eco-friendly community. Green initiatives included strategies for land utilization, energy conservation, waste management, water management and air quality improvement. Dorphang also gave a brief overview of the eco-friendly campus policy.

In a second presentation, Jack Omondi, project officer from Don Bosco Tech Africa, introduced the “Green TVET” project which focuses on waste management, water and wastewater management, solar energy, and biogas energy. The project is being implemented in Salesian centers of excellence and through mobile awareness teams and green clubs.

“This is one among many Salesian initiatives toward greener practices,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Not only do greener practices help the environment and ensure a better life for the youth we serve, but they also help Salesians save energy costs, which is then used to aid programming.”

The Don Bosco Green Alliance, which began in India in 2018, launched the campaign “Rethink, Reconnect, Renew” in 2020. It invited all members to rethink their priorities, their choices and their lifestyles, especially during the global pandemic.

Members were encouraged to make pledges to live more eco-friendly lives and to hold activities and programs to bring about concrete outcomes at institutional and individual levels. As a result, more Salesian organizations are working toward greener practices.

Members have also undertaken such initiatives as environmental education to increase green areas and tree planting, reduce the use of non-degradable materials, promote organic agriculture and home gardens, preserve and conserve water, and increase the use of renewable energy sources.

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

ANS – India – “Climate Action: A Green Campus Approach”

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INDIA: More girls have a home after living on streets

MissionNewswire — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:55:37 +0000

Don Bosco Prem Seva Sadan launches new home for girls who have been living on the street

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Prem Seva Sadan, a Salesian home for girls who have been living on the street, launched a new home in February 2022. There was an increased need for shelter for girls in Hayathnagar, Hyderabad, India, where the home is located. Don Bosco Prem Seva Sadan is a branch of Don Bosco Navajeevan, which has been helping at-risk youth in the region since 1998.

Provincial Father Thathireddy Vijaya Bhaskar and Provincial Elect Father Thomas Santiagu blessed and inaugurated the new home at an event that brought together well-wishers and friends of Don Bosco Navajeevan. Speaking at the event, Fr. Bhaskar recalled the many sacrifices donors have made to help children in need. The guests of honor encouraged youth to excel in their studies and create a strong foundation for a better and brighter future.

Don Bosco Navajeevan offers a range of vocational and technical training programs focusing on electrical, carpentry, welding, tailoring, baking, garment making and printing press skills. The organization works to ensure that poor youth have an opportunity to gain an education.

In addition to education, Don Bosco Navajeevan provides a youth center that places special emphasis on rescuing and rehabilitating children engaged in child labor. The program offers shelter to child laborers and street children. Once a child arrives at the center, he or she receives shelter, food and clothing and is then eligible to participate in Salesian programs that focus on education and life skills training. The goal is to help children break the cycle of poverty and go on to lead productive lives free from abuse and forced labor.

During the pandemic lockdown, Don Bosco Navajeevan expanded by launching a training course that teaches people how to make bread and sweets. The “Chiguru sweets cart for sustainable development” project created new paths for development and women empowerment.

“The training course is helping people in the local community have an alternative means of earning a living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In addition to providing nutrition and health support during the pandemic, Salesian missionaries are helping people acquire new skills to go back to work if they lost their employment during the lockdowns.”

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – New Home for Girls at Don Bosco Prem Seva Sadan

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INDIA: School expands to serve more children in need

MissionNewswire — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 08:40:45 +0000

Salesian missionaries inaugurate new building for Don Bosco Guntupalli School

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have inaugurated a new building for Don Bosco Guntupalli School, located in Vijayawada, India. The school was founded in 2019 by the Don Bosco Society with the objective of providing value-based education for children living in poverty in the region.

Bishop Msgr. Thelegathoti Joseph Raja Rao and Father Thathireddy Vijaya Bhaskar, superior of the Salesian Province of Hyderabad, attended the inauguration event. Bishop Rao recalled his childhood and encouraged children to enjoy their time but to study and work hard for the future. Fr. Bhaskar urged every teacher and child to make the building come alive by participating in education based on the values of Don Bosco’s Preventive System.

“Education provides a chance for a better life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries establish vital primary, secondary, and vocational schools in some of the most impoverished and remote places on earth. By focusing on the poorest places and the most vulnerable children and young adults, this effort makes a lasting impact.”

Salesian primary and secondary education provides a path to later vocation and technical training and even college level courses, all of which is critical for the success of poor youth in India. Access to professional training and workforce development services is highly valued by youth in the country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population). India will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

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ANS – India – New building for the Salesian school in Guntupalli

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INDIA: Women’s soccer team scores second place finish

MissionNewswire — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:19:45 +0000

Don Bosco Football Academy finishes second in the Kerala Women’s Football League

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Football Academy made its mark in professional football (soccer) in India by finishing second in the Kerala Women’s League during the 2021-2022 season. Organized by the Kerala Football Association, six professional clubs from Kerala took part in the championship, which was in its third season. This was the first year that athletes from Don Bosco Football Academy participated.

The matches were played in the stadium in Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, and were preceded by a female celebrity friendly match with the participation of actresses Rima Kallingal and Malavika Jayaram.

The Don Bosco Football Academy provides children the opportunity to learn and develop football skills. With a well-maintained home ground, players are trained to explore and love the game. Players are engaged in tactical and technical training sessions that ensure the success of the player and the team.

The academy’s founding ground rule “We play by the principles of the game” ensures a focused approach on individual players which guarantees the growth of the player and success of the team. Don Bosco Football Academy accomplished a groundbreaking entry into the field of competitive football tournaments with a two-star accreditation by the All India Football Federation in 2019.

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

ANS – India – “Don Bosco Football Academy” in second place in professional women’s football tournament

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INDIA: Ambulance to meet needs of street children

MissionNewswire — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 08:21:27 +0000

Don Bosco Navajeevan receives donated ambulance for medical and emergency needs of street children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Navajeevan, located in Hyderabad, India, received a donated ambulance for the medical and emergency needs of street children and orphaned and marginalized children thanks to General Insurance Corporation of India. The donation was made possible in collaboration with BoscoNet and Bosco Seva Kendra.

The ambulance was presented during an online meeting. Devesh Srivastava, chairperson and managing director of General Insurance Corporation, praised the efforts of the Salesian organization in reaching out to the neediest in society. Father Noel Maddhichetty, director of BoscoNet, acknowledged that the initiatives of General Insurance Corporation are helping to create hope for people in need, especially in the rural areas of India during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Father Remalla Thomas, director of Don Bosco Navajeevan, thanked donors for their efforts in offering the much-needed ambulance. Don Bosco Navajeevan offers a range of vocational and technical training programs including electrical, carpentry and welding, tailoring, baking, garment making, and printing press skills. The organization works to ensure that poor youth have an opportunity to gain an education.

In addition to education, Don Bosco Navajeevan provides a youth center that places special emphasis on rescuing and rehabilitating children engaged in child labor. The program also offers shelter to child laborers and street children. Once a child arrives at the center, he or she receives shelter, food and clothing and is then eligible to participate in Salesian programs that focus on education and life skills training. The goal is to help the children break the cycle of poverty and go on to lead productive lives free from abuse and forced labor. Supplementary classes at Don Bosco Navajeevan cater to those who have missed school and have fallen behind academically.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) Donates Ambulance for Don Bosco Children

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INDIA: Family receives home with help of students

MissionNewswire — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:40:16 +0000

Volunteers with Don Bosco Arts and Science College build a house for a homeless mother with two children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Volunteers with Don Bosco Arts and Science College, located in Angadikadavu, Kerala, India, built a house for a mother with two children. The family was homeless but now has shelter and the safety of somewhere to live.

The project began when Lucy George, a Salesian cooperator, saw the young mother named Jessy with her two children on a bus and heard Jessy talk about not having a place to live. George mentioned this to the students at Don Bosco Arts and Science College, and the students, staff and management took up the challenge of constructing a house.

The house is 600 square feet with two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a work area. The cost was provided for by donations from students, staff, management and well-wishers. It is the fourth house constructed by volunteers of the college.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for students to pay it forward and help a family in need,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This mother and her two children now have a place to lay their heads at night. They are able to have safety and shelter and hope for a better future.”

Don Bosco Arts and Science College started in 1994, offering pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate courses for close to 600 students. Since then, the college has added a computer applications academic program and postgraduate programs in communication and journalism and in social work. Undergraduate programs were added in English literature, communications and mathematics. A men’s hostel has also been launched.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – College Students Build ‘Snehaveedu’ (House of Love) for Homeless

Don Bosco Arts and Science College

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INDIA: Students connect with employers at job fair

MissionNewswire — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:36:04 +0000

Don Bosco Job Placement Network of India holds job fair for 1,200 young adults

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) A job fair organized by the Don Bosco Job Placement Network of India, held at Nirmala College for Women, was attended by 1,200 young adults. The job fair featured 36 companies who are hiring in Coimbatore, a city in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Youth had an opportunity to find job placement in a range of careers including as financial analysts, software engineers, sales executives and hotel managers.

The initiative was spearheaded by Father Gabriel, assistant director of Don Bosco Job Placement Network of India, in collaboration with Dr. Helen, a Salesian sister and principal of Nirmala College for Women, and Salesians who oversee job placement services in Trichy and Coimbatore.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network of India has been helping poor and marginalized rural youth find jobs since 1996. The organization is used by skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers across Indian provinces. In the southern provinces of Chennai, Trichy, Hyderabad and Bangalore, there are offices located throughout with their own staff and local business connections.

“This job fair was an exciting opportunity for youth to meet and connect with local employers who are hiring in their field of study,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian colleges and technical and vocational programs help to train youth in fields that are hiring so youth can make an easier transition from the classroom to the workforce.”

Access to professional training and workforce development services is highly valued by youth in India. The country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

ANS – 1200 Young Job Seekers Attend Mega Job Fair

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INDIA: Film students showcase talents at festival

MissionNewswire — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 08:45:07 +0000

Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival hosts awards ceremony

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Global Youth Film Festival, the world’s first global Salesian film festival, was held at Salesian headquarters of the Province of Chennai by the Don Bosco Institute of Communication Arts and Don Bosco Arts and Science College on Dec. 11. The festival, originally scheduled for mid-November was rescheduled due to heavy rains in Chennai, India.

Veteran film editor and National Film Award winner, B. Lenin, presided over the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest, and Father Amirthraj Arokiam, writer, editor and publisher, attended as a guest of honor. Fr. Arokiam addressed the gathering and declared the award winners. “Gama” by Bagu Bagu took first prize in the jury choice category, and Thamizhvanan’s music video “Take it easy” won second prize. During the festival award-winning films and selected nominations were screened.

Lenin expressed his profound happiness to have been part of the jury selection and noted his close affinity with Don Bosco Institute of Communication Arts since the early 1990s. He highlighted the mentoring role that the school has played for scores of successful media professionals in the industry today. His inspiring words instilled hope for the young students.

“The film festival provides an opportunity for young art students to showcase their talents and be recognized for their hard work,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian schools provide youth the skills they need for employment in their field of choice. They prepare them to be ready to enter the workforce and find long-term stability and self-sufficiency.”

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

ANS – India – Shades of Hope on Silver Screen at DBGYFF in Chennai

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INDIA: Students learn about their role in environment

MissionNewswire — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 08:44:33 +0000

500 students from Don Bosco School Kokar plant roses as part of ecology program

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Five hundred students from the senior class at Don Bosco School Kokar, located in Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand, planted 500 rose plants. They participated in the program under the supervision and guidance of Father Babu Varghese, principal of the school, and Preet Prakash. The program taught the students about ecology and their role in the environment.

Taking the lead in environmental responsibilities, the school has also beautified the campus, repainted all the statues, renovated the garden depicting Don Bosco’s dream and maintained the lush green lawns.

After planting the roses, Dorish, a student, said, “It is a day worth remembering. We have learned more about the environment today than in the classroom.”

Fr. Varghese noted, “Don Bosco School Kokar initiated this program to express our commitment to creating a green campus. It emphasizes the importance of environmental sustainability and highlights the interconnection between nature and human beings.”

The school and the students took these steps as part of joining Don Bosco Green Alliance, which is an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy. It was launched in April 2018 in India and today has 516 registered members from 79 countries. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.

“Don Bosco Green Alliance is an important part of our Salesian youth ministry today,” said Father Savio Silveira, the convener of the Alliance. “Young people feel very strongly about the environmental crisis since they understand the impact it has on their lives and their future. Accompanying young people as they seek solutions to environmental issues has to be an aspect of our youth ministry.”

Members work to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders. The Alliance’s priorities are combating pollution, reducing global warming and eliminating disposable plastics. In each of these areas, it aims to partner with ongoing global campaigns promoted by U.N. Environment or other international organizations.

Members have also undertaken such initiatives as environmental education to increase green areas and trees, reducing the use of non-degradable materials, promoting organic agriculture and home gardens, preserving and conserving water, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – Don Bosco School, Kokar Joins Don Bosco Green Alliance

Don Bosco School Kokar

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INDIA: New project focuses on drug abuse and digital addiction

MissionNewswire — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 08:31:16 +0000

BREADS launches project to raise awareness on the consequences of drug abuse and digital addiction

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) BREADS (Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society), the development office in the Salesian Province of Bangalore, India, has launched the DREAM (Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring) project to raise awareness about the consequences of drug abuse and digital addiction.

The DREAM project, which will take place in the Indian state of Kerala, is financed by the German government and will run for 40 months, from November 2021 to February 2025. Project activities will span 10 districts in Kerala and reach 40-50 village councils, 50 schools and 10 colleges in each district. The focus will be training and awareness activities aimed at youth on the dangers of drug abuse and digital addiction. The goal is to have a counseling center in every district housed at a Don Bosco institution.

Father Binu Scaria will coordinate the project at the state level and a Salesian priest will oversee each district. The Salesian team also has two counselors and a social worker to operate at the ground level. Before the launch, the staff had a two-day workshop at Don Bosco Vaduthala, which was the site of an inaugural event.

The DREAM Project was inaugurated and launched by the Joint Excise Commissioner of Crime Branch who expressed the need for building healthy families to prevent drug abuse among children.

In his presidential address, Father Jose Koyickal, provincial, said, “Today, the greatest pandemic is drug abuse. We need to join hands with each other and the government to eradicate the pandemic.” He further noted that Salesians are at the forefront working for the well-being of children in vulnerable situations.

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ANS – India – Salesian Province of Bangalore Launches “DREAM” Project

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INDIA: Graduates launch start-up business

MissionNewswire — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 08:07:02 +0000

Graduates of Don Bosco College of Engineering launch glass crushing machine business

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Two graduates of the Don Bosco College of Engineering, located in Fatorda in the Indian state of Goa, have successfully turned their academic project into the start-up business known as Jatvam Abhiyaantrix Private Limited. Shivdas Gaad and Rajat Halarnekar, working under the guidance of Professor Suraj Marathe, created the Glusher 1.0, a glass crusher that can turn glass into powder.

The glass crusher is capable of crushing bottles, tube lights, glass and more. The machine has a three-phase, 3HP motor that powers it. The operator feeds the scrap glass via the hopper, which crushes the glass. The powder is collected in the collection bag to minimize the physical handling. The machine has a glass crushing capacity of approximately 150 to 200 kg (330 to 440 pounds) per hour.

Gaad and Halarnekar were able to start their company with the help of Goa State Innovation Council and Don Bosco College of Engineering’s Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship (FiiRE). This department within the college has helped 75 startups over the last two years.

“FiiRE works in accordance with the guidelines of the Startup India policy, which aims to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for start-up business growth, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities,” said DS Prashant, CEO of FiiRE. “This is achieved with an additional focus on innovation, product design and the core team that is driving the idea toward implementation.”

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INDIA: Students improve campus grounds

MissionNewswire — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 08:45:36 +0000

20 Salesian students set up a one-week work camp to improve grounds at Salesian College Sonada

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) A group of 20 residential students from the Salesian College Sonada, located in Siliguri, India, set up a one-week work camp to clean the gardens, cut hedges, repair roofs, prepare the land for farming and help in the kitchen on campus.

The Salesian College was founded in 1938 and more than 95 percent of its student population comes from the hills of Darjeeling, a region known throughout the world for the quality of its tea leaves. In the Darjeeling District, there are currently 83 tea farms covering an area of about 19,000 hectares. These tea farms provide stable employment for more than 52,000 people.

The area faces challenges with people migrating from rural regions in search of a better life in more populous areas, which also puts people, especially girls, at risk of human trafficking. Compounding the problem are the low wages provided to those working in the tea industry. Many leave in search of better paying jobs.

Local organizations working to prevent trafficking estimate that more than 400 girls are trafficked every year from tea gardens, mostly from those gardens that have stopped functioning. To address some of these challenges, the Salesian College partnered with Rimpocha Tea in 2019 to provide vocational training for adolescent girls in the area who are at risk of exploitation and human trafficking.

In the 2018 academic year, the Salesian College began four new bachelor honor-level courses in mass communications, philosophy, geography and finance. The college previously offered eight general degree courses in English, education, history, political science, sociology, management studies, business administration and computer science.

“Students in the journalism and mass communications program have access to state-of-the -art audio editing labs as well as hands-on experience in the various aspects of radio production like scripting, editing, doing interviews, as well as anchoring the radio shows in the one and only college community radio in West Bengal and entire northeast India,” said Vice-Principal Father C.M. Paul.

Salesian programs across India are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

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INDIA: Soccer tournament helps youth engage with peers

MissionNewswire — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 08:05:42 +0000

INDIA

Don Bosco Industrial Training Institute hosts annual state-level soccer tournament for 75 teams

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Industrial Training Institute in Madurai, India, hosted an annual state-level soccer tournament in October, which featured 75 teams from different districts of Tamil Nadu. The tournament, which had not been held the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, brought together hundreds of players and thousands of spectators. The event was organized with the help of Salesian youth center members.

Salesian programs around the globe have a focus on socio-sports education. Playing sports helps youth learn new skills and engage with their peers. Sports and activity are particularly important during the pandemic when many have become more sedentary. It has been recommended that individuals get 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week or a combination of both.

To help foster more socio-sports education, Salesians have an ongoing collaboration with the Real Madrid Foundation. The social-sports schools are housed in Salesian schools. As part of the Real Madrid Foundation’s “They play, we educate” program, participants receive nutrition, family and psychological support, regular health checkups, and the opportunity to participate in social and educational workshops, gymnastics, crafts, reading, and citizenship activities.

Training sessions on topics such as health, hygiene, values, and the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse are also provided. Salesian programs across India are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

India has the world’s fourth-largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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Don Bosco India – Don Bosco Madurai Hosts State-Level Football Tournament

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INDIA: Salesians provide relief in response to devastating floods, mudslides

MissionNewswire — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 08:07:49 +0000

Salesians will continue to aid those who have been impacted in the coming weeks and months

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are responding after devastating floods and subsequent mudslides impacted the Indian state of Kerala, which claimed at least 27 lives and displaced thousands of people. The rain started on Oct. 15 and while rainfall has subsided, landslides and floods across multiple districts are hampering relief efforts. Salesians with KISMAT (Kerala Interstate Migrants Alliance for Transformation) have ramped up rescue and relief efforts in Kottayam. The efforts have been led by Father Tony Plavilayil, state director with KISMAT.

Salesian volunteers have distributed food packets and groceries to people in the district. They have also provided temporary shelter for people, gathered food and other materials for relief camps, and offered counseling for women and children who have been impacted.

In addition, volunteers are working to mobilize relief materials in close coordination with the district administration. During rescue and relief operations, people from neighborhood groups extended support and coordination. Salesians will continue to aid those who have been impacted in the coming weeks and months.

“Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities in which they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are helping to support people now and will be there long after the floodwaters recede and mudslide damage repaired, helping families to rebuild their homes and their lives.”

Salesians from KISMAT have also been on the front lines of supporting local people during the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns. KISMAT has been helping migrants with food kits, psychological counseling, organization of return trips and hospital assistance. KISMAT pledged to pay migrants their unpaid wages and to guarantee housing and educational support for immigrant students. To raise awareness among the population, KISMAT created educational posters and videos to explain the causes and effects of COVID-19.

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ANS – India – Kerala rains unleash havoc, deaths; KISMAT showers solace to affected

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INDIA: Campus aims to be educational model for ecology

MissionNewswire — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 08:08:53 +0000

Don Bosco Youth Institute cultivates land for fruit trees, spices and medicinal plants

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Don Bosco Youth Institute in Karjat, India, have cultivated land and planted fruit trees, spices and medicinal plants. Don Bosco Youth Institute, a skills training center for poor youth, is located on a 67-acre property. Most of this property is hilly terrain, which has patches of thorny bushes that often catch fire during the hot summer season. For several years, this property was left unused and barren.

All activities had come to a stop at Don Bosco Youth Institute during the COVID-19 lockdowns. With no students in the workshops or the hostel, the Salesian community decided it was time to do something productive with the land.

To raise funds for the project, Salesian missionaries launched the “Care for Creation – I will plant a forest” campaign and invited donors to sponsor a plant. In return, Salesians offered them free camping facilities for two days, which the donor and their families could use twice a year for three years.

Several donors came forward and dedicated large areas of the land to their loved ones. As a result, Salesians have created a flower valley, consisting of 33 varieties of flowering plants, and two mini forests with nearly all of the Indigenous trees from the region. The property also provides employment for a few people from the local tribal villages. To date, there are 7,323 trees planted including fruit trees, forest trees, spice plants, bamboo and flowering plants. Salesians aim to reach 10,000.

“Planting more than 7,000 trees has been a significant achievement and a fulfilling experience for us,” said Father Anthony Santarita from Don Bosco Youth Institute. “We want to make our campus into an educational model for ecology, as recommended by the Rector Major in his GC 28 Post-Chapter Reflection.”

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ANS – India – Green Venture by Don Bosco Youth Institute

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INDIA: 20 youth to launch environmental research projects

MissionNewswire — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 08:10:22 +0000

Don Bosco Youth Services hosts The Young Green Researchers Conference to launch environmental research projects

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Youth Services in Mumbai, India, hosted The Young Green Researchers Conference to culminate the month-long Season of Creation initiatives facilitated by the Salesian Youth Movement. The conference encouraged 20 youth to launch small environmental research projects. Dr. Anandi Subramanian, the former principal advisor for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for the government of India, was the chief guest at the conference and focused on the basics of conducting research.

During the conference, Sister Melissa D’Souza, a resource person for the conference, spoke about the negative influence of plastics and packaging on the environment. Sr. D’Souza also gave practical examples of what can be done to resolve this crisis. Shridhar Balakrishnan, who has experience in the production of vehicles and industrial engineering, educated youth about electric vehicles and the challenges.

The majority of the conference was youth-led group discussion about what research projects they would choose. One group will study milk container recycling and create suggestions for a viable substitute. A second group will do a cost benefit analysis on using innovative containers as a replacement for single use plastic packaging. A third group will focus on new ways to promote waste segregation. Finally, a fourth group will study the presence of microplastics in water through testing and survey.

Each group had a Salesian or a resource person as a mentor. Each group leader gave a presentation, which included the project proposal, timeline, methodology, funding options and the impact it will make in society.

The conference finished with Father Savio Silveira, the provincial of Mumbai Province, who thanked the resource people and highlighted the enthusiasm he saw in the young people to carry forward the projects they had chosen.

“In India and in Salesian programs around the globe, green initiatives are taking a priority in educational and research settings,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This has been driven by the Pope Francis’ 2020 Laudato Si, which underlined the importance of education and training that will help youth foster environmental responsibility. These youth have launched important research projects to help their communities and beyond.”

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INDIA: Women increase income with mushroom farming training

MissionNewswire — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 15:39:07 +0000

Don Bosco Tech launches mushroom farming training for 53 women in Katihar

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Tech launched its first agro-based training program in Katihar, India, in 2020, to teach and empower 53 women to start mushroom farming training and growing mushrooms in their homes. As a result, these women doubled and tripled their initial investments and were able to earn an income to help their families. The program has grown—increasing the number of participants taking the training and the women’s income.

Fr. George Mathew, executive director Don Bosco Tech, said, “We saw in the beginning of the pandemic during the lockdowns that many families, especially in the informal employment sector, had lost their jobs and needed support. That’s when we as an organization decided to create a program to help these young families learn the skills to be able to remain in their own villages and earn an income.”

Mushroom farming was easy to start for most of the women. They could purchase the seeds, grow them in their own homes, and farm while still being in lockdown and engaged with their families. Further, the cost to start was low enough that it was accessible and the profit substantial enough that it made a real impact for these women and their families.

One woman said, “The best thing about Don Bosco Tech’s mushroom farming program is that it’s very profitable. My economic situation was difficult before, but ever since I started farming mushrooms, I have received a good deal of profits, which has improved my economic situation. I am now able to send my children to a good private school, something I couldn’t do before.”

In addition, women in the program gained confidence and were eager to learn and connect with their peers. Prior to the program, many of the women lacked confidence, did not leave their homes often, and were unable to contribute income for their families. Salesian teachers watched how the women personally developed during the training and became eager to launch their own farming businesses.

Don Bosco Tech has a market-based approach to provide skills training for youth between the ages of 18-35 so that they can find and retain employment and become self-sufficient. To date, Don Bosco Tech has set up a network of more than 300 skill training centers across India that attempts to bridge this widening divide between those who have access to opportunities and those who are increasingly being marginalized from the “new economy” jobs.

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INDIA: Center provides food kits to 750 families thanks to funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 08:41:19 +0000

Salesian sisters have been providing assistance since the start of the pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian sisters with the Ferrando Center for Vocational Training, in Karnataka, India, were able to provide nutritional support for 750 families thanks to COVID-19 relief funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Ferrando Center for Vocational Training is operated by Salesian Sisters of Mary Help of Christians and is surrounded by seven villages and two slums. Most of the people in the villages are poor, daily laborers, widows and children who have been in need of help since the pandemic started.

There are many who are struggling to find the means to survive. Salesian sisters have found that children are malnourished because of lack of food. There are also expectant mothers who need nutritious food to sustain themselves.

Because of the lockdowns and the lack of work, people simply do not have access to the means to provide for themselves, so the Salesian sisters have been providing assistance since the start of the pandemic. An initial feeding project provided 863 food kits to support 2,846 people.

Funding from Salesian Missions was utilized to buy food and provide food kits for 750 families to ensure they had nutrition for their health and well-being. Father Gus, Baek, director of Salesian Missions, said, “We have funded other initiatives like this to ensure that families have their basic needs met during the pandemic. Many people have been pushed further into poverty and must rely on their community to help them through this tough time.”

Ferrando Center for Vocational Training offers education, with a particular focus on young women in the region so they can find employment and become self-sufficient. Trainees benefit from free courses that provide certification and diploma training programs. Much of the education during the pandemic has been provided virtually. The center also offers career counseling and job placement that put trainees in contact with employers or helps them with starting a small business. The facility also has a hostel for young women who need to live on site.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender.

Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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INDIA: 31 young women in legal trouble gain tailoring skills at Salesian Surakshita Home

MissionNewswire — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 08:39:42 +0000

Young women are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Thirty-one young women who lived at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

When young women enter the program, they are given clothing and proper nutrition. They are sent for a medical examination, and women with special health needs receive individual follow-up care. They are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court. In addition, the young women are empowered with information about their rights, and they access training in tailoring, maggam embroidery, and other handicrafts.

During the past six months, 31 women completed educational coursework in tailoring. Some of the women found jobs in tailoring shops. Others were able to start dressmaking and embroidery work for themselves and for others. Five women in the program were rewarded for their excellent work with tailoring machines so they could start earning an income to sustain themselves.

Earlier this year, in honor of International Women’s Day in March, the women in the program attended a ceremony at the Department of Women & Child Development in Kakinada, East Godavari, and received appreciation certificates from Ms. Pushavathi, project director of the agency. There was also a short presentation about the work that the women have done and the skills they have acquired as part of the program.

Once they complete the program, women are integrated back into society. Salesian staff members visit parents and guardians, and they help young women go back home if possible or find other reasonable accommodations.

“This program is giving young women in trouble with the law a second chance at life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian programs not only educate, but they prepare young people for work in fields that are hiring and jobs are available. These young women have learned skills that will enable them to become self-sufficient.”

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INDIA: Donation encourages sports participation

MissionNewswire — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:48:50 +0000

Don Bosco Anbu Illam receives donated sports bus thanks to the HCL Foundation

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Anbu Illam, located in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India, has received a donated sports bus thanks to the HCL Foundation, which aims to alleviate poverty through a community development approach. The goal of the donation is to encourage and motivate people who are poor and marginalized to engage in sports-related activities.

The vehicle will transport the elite players from various community centers and government schools for training, coaching and competitions across southern India. It has comfort features, including air conditioning, a water dispenser and television.

Don Bosco Anbu Illam is one of the Salesian organizations that has received donor funding from Salesian Missions. Recent funding provided activities and educational lessons for at-risk children while helping them learn life lessons and prepare for their futures.

“We appreciate the generous donor support from Salesian Missions,” said Father Joe Prabu, director of Don Bosco Anbu Illam. “These contributions have had a tremendous impact on young children at risk. The children who were out of school learned many life skills and lessons through our programs. On behalf of these children, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your big-hearted donation.”

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Don Bosco Anbu Illam – A Gift to Facilitate Sporting Spirit in Young Minds

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INDIA: Basic needs met for 850,000 during pandemic

MissionNewswire — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 08:08:42 +0000

Don Bosco Development Society provides groceries, hygiene products and medicines to 450 families in the slums of Mumbai

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Development Society continues to provide aid to those who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Most recently, with the support of the Macquarie Group Foundation, Salesian missionaries provided 450 families in the slums of Mumbai with kits that contained groceries, hygiene products and medicines. Since the start of the pandemic, Don Bosco Development Society has reached out to more than 850,000 people, providing for their basic needs.

Earlier in the pandemic, Don Bosco Development Society helped 400 poor families in the Dharavi slum with the support of Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany. Aid kits containing food rations and hygiene items were distributed. Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia and is home to 850,000 residents, making it also one of the more cramped spaces in Mumbai.

Don Bosco Development Society also helped 140 people with disabilities residing in the slum by distributing relief kits containing rations and toiletries. Since some of those with physical disabilities could not pick up their relief kits in person, their family members did so on their behalf.

“People living in the slums of India have been hard hit by COVID-19 lockdown and are without the means to earn even a meager living for food,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arms of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Many were day laborers or worked in the informal employment sector selling items on the streets. Because of the lockdown, this work is no longer available and families are suffering.”

Don Bosco Development Society and Salesian organizations across India have been helping to provide support to these families in need through educational and awareness campaigns about prevention of the virus, distributing food and hygiene items, and providing education remotely.

Prior to the pandemic, Don Bosco Development Society was providing education in 10 villages in the state of Rajasthan for 300 extremely poor and disadvantaged children, including children of farmers and workers in quarries. This is one project among many that is helping the poor and disadvantaged to have hope for the future.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Development Society

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INDIA: Retreat-Don Bosco has new vehicle thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 08:10:07 +0000

Salesian missionaries are reaching 61 villages

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Retreat-Don Bosco, located in Yercaud, Tamil Nadu, India, have a new vehicle thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Yercaud has a mountainous terrain and the previous vehicle was having mechanical problems every month. It had been overused in the hills during COVID-19 lockdown relief distribution.

A new vehicle was needed to meet the daily needs of seminarians and tribal children. It’s also utilized for pastoral and social ministry in 61 villages, as well as activities at the coaching center, eco club, youth programs and women empowerment programs operated by Retreat-Don Bosco. The Salesian community, including tribal children, women, students of philosophy at the major seminary and the teaching and non-teaching staff, benefited from this donation.

“We appreciate our donors who were able to help ensure that Salesian missionaries at Retreat-Don Bosco had access to the transportation they need to carry out daily activities in support of poor youth,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “In Yercaud and across India, Salesian missionaries are helping to ensure people’s basic needs are met and are providing education and skills training so they can find employment and become self-sufficient.”

Retreat-Don Bosco provides programs for tribal populations from Shevaroy Hills, which has a population of approximately 70,000 people. Tribal populations are among the most exploited and poorest people in the region. They often face a lack of education, health care, poor sanitation, and safe drinking water.

Salesians offer a number of programs including a boarding home for tribal children so they are able to access the school and youth programs. There are also eco clubs to bring ecology education and eco-consciousness among the children in the village. In addition, Retreat-Don Bosco has an organic kitchen garden for the women’s groups. This project has trained 150 women from 61 villages and has helped them have a livelihood.

Retreat-Don Bosco has also been involved in COVID-19 relief work. During the first wave of the virus, Salesians reached out to 1,800 families with dry rations and vegetables, and cooked food was served for 40 days. Livelihood projects were also extended to employ and empower local individuals.

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INDIA: Students rebuild village library

MissionNewswire — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 08:38:15 +0000

Don Bosco College Kottiyam social work students rehab library for local village

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Social work students attending Don Bosco College Kottiyam in Kerala, India, worked in collaboration with the local village of Rosemala to rebuild a dilapidated and abandoned library. The students had noted the plight of the village library and reading room while they were there for a 10-day camp.

After meeting with villagers and local authorities, the students organized a book challenge through social media to raise the number of books required for the library to get a membership with the State Library Council. The students collected several hundred books, sorted them and provided them to the new administrative body of the library, which was created by the villagers through this initiative.

“Rosemala is a remote village completely cut off from the rest of the mainland. The only public transport connection it has with the rest of the world is a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus that comes once a day,” said Father Joby, the head of the department of social work.

Father Binny, the vice principal of Don Bosco College, added, “A library can play a big role in the social and cultural growth of a village. The library will now give the lead for several other empowerment activities there such as tuition for poor children, cultural competitions, tournaments and more.”

The students were happy with the outcome of the library and the difference they could make in the lives of those in the village. Jyothis, a master’s in social work student, said, “We went through every process involved in organizing the community to do something. It took several meetings to convince everyone in the village of the need to have the library. We made several trips to different government offices to ensure that an administrative support system is in place for the initiative.”

When thinking about the future, Father Boby, the manager of Don Bosco College, said, “We are not going to stop with the rebuilding and revamping of the library alone. We are exploring the possibilities of adopting Rosemala village as our key outreach location. Earlier, we had helped several school children with mobile phones to help them attend online classes. We will explore more ways of collaboration.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – Social Work Students Rebuild Dilapidated Library in Remote Kerala Village

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INDIA: School recognized for giving girls opportunities

MissionNewswire — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 08:20:57 +0000

Don Bosco Mirik High School provides financial assistance to girls from challenging economic situations so they can attend school

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Mirik High School, located in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, has been recognized by the Government of West Bengal Women and Child Development & Social Welfare Department for the implementation of the Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme. The Kanyashree Prakalpa Scheme provides financial assistance to girls between the ages of 13-18 from challenging economic situations so they are able to pursue higher education. It also helps prevent early marriage. The program has received international recognition from the United Nations Department for International Development and UNICEF.

Don Bosco Mirik, the first private school in the Darjeeling district to implement this program, has been managing it since 2017. Since then, 120 girls have enrolled. The young women are able to participate in numerous district events such as cultural programs, quizzes, social activities and cleaning campaigns.

The program also provides an annual scholarship of 700 rupees and a one-time grant of 25,000 rupees to girls who, at the age of 18, are engaged in an academic or professional activity and are not married. Lawrence Lepcha, a teacher involved in the program, said, “This program has given young women a chance to explore their studies, and as a result, many of them go on to higher education.”

Don Bosco Mirik High School, which is part of the West Bengal secondary school education system, welcomes both girls and boys. Founded in 2005, the school caters especially to children from the tea plantations in the Mirik Valley, Darjeeling district.

Access to professional training and workforce development services is highly valued by youth in India, especially young women. The country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

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ANS – India – Government of West Bengal pays homage to “Don Bosco Mirik” high school

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INDIA: New skills training courses launch to help poor youth

MissionNewswire — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 08:18:55 +0000

Don Bosco Human Resource Development Center launches 3 new skills training courses

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Human Resource Development Center in Gagillapur, India, launched three new training courses in hospitality, tailoring and beautician skills. Similar to other Salesian skills development initiatives in the country, the center’s training programs are designed for poor and marginalized youth so they can gain skills for employment or to start their own businesses.

During an inauguration event, Father Thomas Santiago, vice provincial of the Salesian Province of Hyderabad, recalled the work of Don Bosco and the hardships he underwent in his lifetime. Fr. Santiago motivated the trainees to utilize the opportunities to their maximum advantage. Father Noel Maddhichetty, director of BoscoNet, reminded the trainees that the COVID-19 pandemic is not a hurdle in discovering their talents but presents new opportunities in the world.

“Skills training paves the way for successful employment and self-sufficiency for poor youth,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesians Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “When youth are able to access education in fields where employees are needed or where youth can start micro-enterprises, they are able to make a smooth transition from school to work. Salesians know the local economy and can create skills training in highly employable business sectors.”

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – Skill Development Courses Unveiled at Hyderabad

Don Bosco Human Resource Development Center

Salesian Missions – India

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INDIA: Women receive electric autos for businesses

MissionNewswire — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 08:55:22 +0000

Salesian-run Fishermen Community Development Program provides electric vehicles to fisherwomen

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Fishermen Community Development Program, part of the Salesian Province of Bangalore, has begun distributing electric automobiles to fisherwomen in Kollam, Kerala, India. The Fishermen Community Development Program was started in 1979 to assist people who make their living from fishing in the coastal area of Kollam.

The Fishermen Community Development Program has been working to empower women through the development of micro-enterprises, skills training and with production of goods so that they are able to make a living. The new initiative is providing the transportation the women need to help run their businesses.

The Honorable Prasanna Earnest, mayor of Kollam, said in her inaugural speech that this new initiative is yet another step in helping fisherwomen develop their businesses and have long-term financial sustainability. A K Dilu, regional transport officer, applauded the Fishermen Community Development Program for its focus on environmental protection with the distribution of the vehicles. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Vincent Machado, vicar general of the Diocese of Kollam, appreciated the Salesians efforts and this project which is working to bring about a cultural shift among fisherfolk.

“This initiative is one among many Salesians have launched to help ensure that women have an opportunity to have success in business,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians also know the local landscape because they live in the communities they serve and are able to tailor programs like these to ensure they are providing directly what people need most.”

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Don Bosco India – Fisherfolk Women to Drive Electric Autos; FCDP Gearing Up Cultural Shift

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

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INDIA: Education for girls focus of laptop initiative

MissionNewswire — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 08:36:27 +0000

Don Bosco Egmore 1997 graduating class supports education for girls with Digital Wings laptop initiative

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Graduates from the 1997 class of Don Bosco Egmore have rallied together to launch the Min Siragugal (Digital Wings) initiative to provide laptops to female students to help ensure that they aren’t forced to drop out of school during the pandemic. The goal is to provide 50 laptops to poor students from two Adi Dravidar Welfare Schools on the outskirts of Chennai, India.

One of the graduates, Deepu Antony, noted that while many are donating to provide support to medical facilities during the second wave of the virus, Antony and his classmates wanted to donate to a cause that many aren’t talking about—ensuring access to education for girls. Antony said, “We thought that we should do something that would benefit more people and support unaddressed needs that could have settled to the bottom unnoticed.”

Antony added, “There are multiple reports from India and beyond, including reports prepared by the United Nations about children dropping out of the school system due to economic pressure brought on by the pandemic. In India, the girl child is at a greater disadvantage in this situation.”

Antony had a recent experience that drove home the need. “An auto driver who is allowed to park his vehicle in our apartment casually mentioned the need for providing children with laptops and tablets. His children are attending online classes using tablets that they received due to somebody’s generosity.”

He mentioned the conversation in a WhatsApp group chat with his classmates while adding the importance on focusing on education for girls. His fellow graduates agreed and so they launched the Digital Wings initiative.

“Initially, we thought we would get laptops for 25 girl students, but in 10 to 12 days, 17.5 lakh came in, with our classmates contributing 99 percent of it. The remaining one percent came from relatives. It surprised us as we had expected that it would take a month to make this collection,” Antony explained.

After discussion with principals of two schools, 50 students from grade 10 were identified. The group wanted to focus on these students because the government is offering laptops to students in grades 11 and 12. The laptops are being given to the school for them to distribute to the beneficiaries.

The initiative was driven by YR Gaitonde Center for AIDS Research and Education which is known for its community outreach program. Its founder is also a fellow 1997 Don Bosco Egmore graduate. Madras Central Round Table 82 & Ladies Circle 73 is the implementation partner. The Digital Wings initiative is only one among many programs that have been supported by the 1997 graduates. Antony noted that they plan to continue the Digital Wings initiative each year and hope to expand the scope to reach out to additional schools and even colleges. They are considering reaching out for corporate support to help the initiative grow.

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

ANS – India – Don Bosco alumni address a less-known pandemic issue: the threat to the girl child’s education

Don Bosco Egmore

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INDIA: Vaccines and health kits distributed

MissionNewswire — Mon, 02 Aug 2021 08:42:08 +0000

Salesians hand out health kits and hold vaccine clinics to help slow the spread of COVID-19

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Province of Bangalore, BREADS and the Youth Commission of the Archdiocese of Bangalore led by the Salesian Father Anil D’Sa are continuing to facilitate initiatives to help those affected by COVID-19 in India. Over the past two weeks, several health clinics have been held to help vaccinate people and provide health kits for those in need.

BREADS has been packaging and shipping individual protection kits, which contain masks, disinfectants, thermometers, face shields and other essentials, to people in need in the State of Karnataka. BREADS has also been distributing medical kits to volunteers working on the front lines and families infected with COVID-19.

Don Bosco Agricultural and Rural Development Service in Mandya has also distributed health kits to frontline volunteers, social workers and kindergarten teachers. Salesians in Bhadravati have distributed health kits for residents of the Siddhartha Center for the Blind.

Salesians are focused on the prevention of COVID-19. Don Bosco Degree College in Chitradurga held a vaccination clinic on July 3. This drive-in clinic was held in collaboration with the State of Kerala government and the Salesian house in Vaduthala, which started a clinic at the end of May. At this clinic, 100 people are vaccinated each day. To date, 7,000 people have been vaccinated. In Vaduthala, Salesian staff and students are also helping the elderly and those living in poverty to schedule their vaccinations online.

The Help Desk for Migrants set up with the Salesian collaboration in Uppala, in the district of Kasaragod, State of Kerala, has organized a vaccination camp for Indian internal migrants which benefited 189 people.

“Salesian missionaries have expanded their efforts to reach those who desperately need our help. With India’s health care system and other social services straining under the stress, they simply have nowhere else to turn,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Whether it’s providing medical care or vaccination clinics or even helping to educate the public, Salesians have been working to help mitigate the impact of the virus for countless families across India.”

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

ANS – India – Covid-19 in Bangalore addressed as mark of solidarity and dedication to others

ANS – India – Automation project of “Don Bosco College of Engineering” wins national competition

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INDIA: Don Bosco Orphanage receives donor funding support from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 08:58:47 +0000

207 boys are receiving an education and a safe place to live at the orphanage

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Orphanage, in Gandhinagar, a planned city in the western Indian state of Gujarat, received donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The orphanage, part of the Salesian Vellore Diocese, provides a home to poor orphan and semi-orphan Catholic boys to give them an education and a safe place to live. Today, 207 boys live at the Don Bosco Orphanage.

“Don Bosco Orphanage is an iconic boarding school in our diocese and has made a number of young people realize their strength and has helped them to chase their dreams,” said Father Edwin Vasanthan, who is in charge of the orphanage. “We provide holistic formation in all the fields. We give the best of everything to help these young boys become men of obedience, God-fearing, loving and honest citizens to the nation at large.”

Fr. Vasanthan added, “The boys are indeed grateful to the Salesians. It is noteworthy to state that several stalwarts in the society have emerged from this great institution. There are several priests of this diocese and other dioceses and congregations, and in particular, several Salesians are past pupils of this magnificent institution.”

Salesians with the Vellore Diocese also provide scholarships, night schools, and computer and tailoring centers. There are also motivational classes and job guidance for those students who are ready to join the workforce. In addition, Salesians have reached out to poor families to meet basic needs like groceries and clothing during the pandemic.

“Many families were not even having a square meal per day. Today, a good number of families are grateful for this little help,” said Fr. Vasanthan.

The number of poor in India is projected to have reached 134 million, more than double the 59 million expected prior to the recession, according to recent research by the Pew Research Center. The poverty rate in India likely rose to 9.7 percent in 2020, up sharply from the January 2020 forecast of 4.3 percent. The middle class is shrinking and nearly 60 percent of India’s nearly 1.3 billion people live on less than $3.10 a day, the World Bank’s median poverty line. Just more than 21 percent, or more than 250 million people, survive on less than $2 a day.

About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

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World Bank – India

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INDIA: Students win national robotics competition

MissionNewswire — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 08:32:16 +0000

Don Bosco College of Engineering students’ project wins national competition for Robotic Library Management System

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Students from the Don Bosco College of Engineering’s electronics and telecommunications department, located in Fatorda, in Goa, India, won the national competition “Robotic Library Management System.” The students beat out more than 1,000 other projects and created a way to automate the conventional library system with the help of a robotic system.

Kingsley Fernandes, Renvick Fernandes and Jhurran Francis worked together to create the project under the guidance of teachers Yeshudas Muttu and Flavia Leitao, in collaboration with the Don Bosco College of Engineering and its Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship (FiiRE). This department has helped 75 startups over the last two years.

“FiiRE works in accordance with the guidelines of the Startup India policy, which aims to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for startup business growth, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities,” said DS Prashant, CEO of FiiRE. “This is achieved with an additional focus on innovation, product design and the core team that is driving the idea toward implementation.”

Among the ongoing support provided by FiiRE, co-working spaces are available for new businesses, including facilities such as meeting rooms, conference rooms, open work areas and an auditorium.

“FiiRE offers a structured incubation process based on the 12 critical success elements for start-ups,” added Prashant. “Pre-incubation counseling and idea validation is done before accepting the idea into the incubation program. Incubation involves training and mentoring sessions. This helps startups build the prototype and connect to early adopters and investors over a period of 12 months.”

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

Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship

Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship Facebook

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INDIA: Street children gain life skills through donor funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 08:44:49 +0000

Don Bosco Anbu Illam provides programs for street children through the support of donor funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Anbu Illam, located in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India, has received ongoing support for its programs for street children thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding period ran from October 2020 through March 2021. Various activities and educational lessons took place to provide at-risk children with enjoyment, while helping them learn life lessons and prepare for their futures.

In November 2020, Don Bosco Anbu Illam celebrated National Children’s Day by planting trees. Youth made a solemn pledge to care for the earth and to maintain cleanliness. The chief guest of the day explained to youth why protecting the environment is important and how to help ensure a healthy environment in the future. Youth have continued to care for the plants and enjoy the fruits from the garden.

On Feb. 24, in honor of Tamil Nadu Girl Child Protection Day, Don Bosco Anbu Illam organized a COVID-19 awareness program which included additional topics on self-protection and protection from abuses. The training was held in Panpakkam Village for 25 girls.

Due to the pandemic, examinations for youth taking courses at the Salesian Industrial Training Institute were postponed. In the meantime, instructors prepared students for final examinations through online and offline classes. Students completed training and examinations in February and March 2021. In addition, students took courses in the life skills program, including sessions on time management, career guidance, and bank accounts and saving.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Relief Services

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INDIA: Young couples prepare for marriage with Salesian program

MissionNewswire — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 08:43:19 +0000

Salesian Assumption Church in Pezzonipet holds marriage preparation program for 531 people thanks to funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Assumption Church, located in Pezzonipet, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India, were able to hold a marriage preparation program thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. To date, six programs have been held, impacting 531 young people over a period of one year.

Father T. Mariadas, rector, said, “In our parish, the vast majority of families are poor. The beneficiaries of the marriage preparation program are poor young people and couples. The financial support from Salesian Missions was essential in organizing this program and covering the related operational expenses to ensure couples and young people could attend this program.”

Salesian missionaries took over responsibility for Assumption Church in 1979. Assumption Church is one of the oldest parishes in the city of Vijayawada, a major urban center in Andhra Pradesh, which is rapidly expanding due to increasing migration. There are close to 2,500 Catholic families who live in close proximity to the parish and more than 1,000 youth who attend services.

Assumption Church has a very active community, and Salesians understand the needs and challenges many young married couples face today. The program focuses on developmental psychology, the natural differences between men and women, the importance of open communication, natural family planning, and various challenges couples will have to face when they get married such as jobs, career paths, health and financial hardships.

Raja and Satyavathi took part in the program and thanked the parish community for helping them to prepare spiritually and psychologically for the sacrament of marriage. The young couple is now part of Assumption Church’s vibrant parish community.

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INDIA: Most vulnerable people receive essential food supplies

MissionNewswire — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:58:29 +0000

Salesian organizations provide food kits and baskets to ensure those living in poverty have proper nutrition

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in India are continuing to help those impacted by the deadly second wave of COVID-19. Don Bosco Nava Nirman, in Maniguda in the state of Odisha, provided free food kits to migrant workers, those living in slums, rag pickers, beggars, street vendors and tribal families. Salesians wanted to ensure that those living on the fringes of society and facing the direst circumstances still had access to adequate nutrition.

In addition, Don Bosco Nava Nirman, with the support of Bosco Seva Kendra, the planning and development office, distributed essential food supplies, including rice, oil, fruit, vegetables and biscuits, as well as masks to more than 300 families. Father Arul Das, director of Don Bosco Nava Nirman, led the program with the collaboration of the members of the community, who also visited the Bosco Study Centers in tribal villages and distributed fruit to children.

In Mumbai, Don Bosco Nerul is also focused on ensuring local communities have access to proper nutrition. It has set up the Don Bosco Cares Fridge where donors can leave food for other members of the community. Nearly 70 percent of the donations are made by local Salesian school teachers. The rest of the donations are from those passing by who have the ability to donate.

People unfamiliar with the program ask about it, and then they leave a few water bottles to see who takes them. They see first-hand that the donations are going to the people who really need food for their survival. These donors often come back and leave packaged food, food from restaurants and cash donations, which the Salesians use to buy food for those in need.

One of the volunteers who prepares food packages said, “Preparing the food for the fridge has given me a livelihood.” A recipient explained how important the refrigerator has been to her family. “I have everyone sick at home. This Don Bosco fridge has helped me feed my family.” A senior citizen, who is a frequent donor, added, “It is a joy knowing that my small contribution is feeding someone I don’t even know.”

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

ANS – India – “Don Bosco Nava Nirman” work distributes aid to the needy

Bosco Seva Kendra

Don Bosco Nava Nirman

Don Bosco Nerul

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INDIA: Initiatives launch during second wave of pandemic

MissionNewswire — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 08:02:17 +0000

Don Bosco Relief Services launches initiatives to help people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Relief Services, located in Chennai, India, in collaboration with the Salesian provincial planning and development office SURABI, has been working to help mitigate the impact of the second wave of COVID-19 that is devastating the country. The organization has launched a number of initiatives over the last few months, including a COVID-19 care center, distribution of food rations and an awareness campaign.

The Don Bosco primary and secondary school compound in the neighborhood of Perambur is being utilized as a COVID-19 care center. It has 75 beds, which all have access to oxygen. These facilities are coordinated by Dr. Mahesh, MBBS, with a team of eight doctors and 22 nurses. This center is serving poor patients who were living in the slums and diagnosed with COVID-19.

Many of the individuals at the care center have no other hope for medical care. Salesians have stepped in to fill gaps and support those most in need.

In addition, with businesses shut and shops closed, daily wage earners and migrant laborers are struggling to survive during the lockdown period. Their livelihoods have been severely affected by restrictions the government has put in place, and many battle hunger on a daily basis. To help ease the situation, Don Bosco Relief Services, in coordination with local Salesian communities, has distributed 1,085 dry ration kits to ensure these individuals have some access to nutrition.

One of the biggest challenges in India right now is that many people are not accessing vaccinations because of the misinformation that has been spread. Don Bosco Relief Services has launched an awareness campaign in 11 northern districts of Tamil Nadu. This campaign, which is working with the collaboration of 50 Salesian communities, has provided masks and flyers with important health information. To date, 33,500 flyers and 4,300 masks have been distributed.

“Salesian missionaries have expanded their efforts to reach those who desperately need our help. With India’s health care system and other social services straining under the stress, they simply have nowhere else to turn,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Whether it’s providing medical care or food rations or even helping to educate the public, Salesians have been working to help mitigate the impact of the virus for countless families across India.”

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

SURABI

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Salesians in Guwahati Province train 125 catechists thanks to Koch Foundation funding

MissionNewswire — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 08:28:07 +0000

The “Training and Faith Formation of Catechists” project prepared catechists to work in Roman Catholic parishes

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians in India were able to train 125 catechists with a year-long program thanks to funding Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, received through the Koch Foundation. The “Training and Faith Formation of Catechists” project prepared catechists to work in Roman Catholic parishes throughout the Salesian Guwahati Province, headquartered in Assam, India.

The catechists who completed the training are qualified to serve as educators in a variety of religious topics. This training enables laypeople to reliably convey Catholic Church teachings in a way that is understandable and relevant to the local circumstances of their particular parish. Motivational classes give individual laypeople the means to live their faith in a deeper and more authentic fashion in their daily lives.

Funding was utilized for printing booklets and stationery, other expenses for the faith formation trainings, food, lodging and an honorarium for the priests leading the training. Participants were also provided travel assistance.

“The project had such success that Salesians will continue the program on a yearly basis with their own meager resources,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesians are determined to bring the faith formation training to lay leaders so that they in turn will be able to move into the various villages to strengthen the faith of Christians, as well as bring new people to faith.”

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INDIA: COVID-19 Care Center launches through donor funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 08:36:21 +0000

Retreat-Don Bosco launches a new 100-bed COVID-19 Care Center with help from donor funding from Salesian Missions

(MissionNewswire) A new 100-bed COVID-19 Care Center started by Retreat-Don Bosco, located in Yercaud, Tamil Nadu, India, is being launched with the help of donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. This new facility will help the local community because right now people have to travel for medical care. The 100-bed facility will be located in a government girls’ hostel that is being repurposed.

The center was set up based on a request from the people of Yercaud, and there is good collaboration between the local government and citizens. A local task force, coordinated by Retreat-Don Bosco Yercaud, is directly responsible for finding and training volunteers for the center and for fundraising efforts to sustain its activities.

The task force members include Dr. Thomson, a medical team, Retreat-Don Bosco and Yercaud Youth Volunteers. Volunteers are trained to handle issues related to COVID-19. At the center, there will also be a help desk with information about testing and vaccinations, positive case tracing, distribution of dry rations and cooked food, and counseling for positive cases.

“Salesian missionaries in India are working to mitigate the impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 virus that is devastating communities across the country,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesians have expanded their efforts to reach thousands of families who desperately need help while helping to support local health care facilities. With India’s health care system and other social services straining under the stress, Salesians are finding new ways to be supportive and meet community needs.”

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INDIA: Health care, food relief efforts increase for people impacted by pandemic

MissionNewswire — Thu, 03 Jun 2021 08:50:07 +0000

Salesian programs across the country increase their efforts to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in India are working to mitigate the impact of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that is devastating communities across the country. To date, 168 Catholic priests and 116 nuns have lost their lives. Salesian programs are increasing their efforts for the communities they serve.

In the Chennai Province, a new COVID-19 Care Center has been set up by the Salesian School of Egmore with the support of past pupils from the school and other Salesian institutions. The new center has 104 beds and oxygen concentrators and is working to meet the ever-growing demand for beds and oxygen in the city.

Don Bosco Relief Services, with the support of SURABI, the Salesian provincial planning and development office, and in collaboration with Don Bosco Vazhikatti, has supported hundreds of people with emergency kits that include rice, legumes, oil, spices, soaps, vitamins, medicines and a thermometer. This initiative benefited 500 street vendors in Chennai and 100 other marginalized people within the city.

In Bangalore, another COVID-19 Care Center with 25 beds was opened in May by the Redemptorist Fathers. BREADS, the planning and development office of the Salesian Province of Bangalore, is supporting the center with all consumables and oxygen concentrators, as well as food for patients, doctors, staff and volunteers.

In Mumbai, Don Bosco Development Society, in collaboration with AXA Business, provided 200 poor families in Pune and Chinchwad with rescue packages of foods, hygiene kits and toiletries. Over the past year, Don Bosco Development Society has reached and served more than 750,000 people.

Nitika Don Bosco, in Kolkata, launched a Salesian assistance center at the Don Bosco School in Park Circus. Salesians are providing free advice on COVID-19 and medical assistance to the poor. The facility has telephone assistance lines, doctors and medicines, diagnosis through blood tests and molecular swabs, and a food program with home delivery. Salesian Cooperators at Kristu Jyoti College are financially supporting the Salesian initiative.

In Chandigarh, in the New Delhi Province, Salesian missionaries are working to strengthen the government’s health infrastructure, supporting 11 hospitals with personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers and masks. Salesians are offering a free health service that has benefited 90 families in need. They are providing regular medical checks and distributing essential medicines and vitamins. Salesians are also providing online counseling and learning services to around 400 children. In addition, Salesians have distributed medical kits, toiletries, and nutritional materials and foods sufficient for a month to more than 1,000 people.

“Salesian missionaries on the ground in India have expanded their efforts to reach thousands of families who desperately need our help. With India’s health care system and other social services straining under the stress, they simply have nowhere else to turn,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

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

ANS – India – Vast, articulated Salesian commitment in fight against Covid-19

ANS – India – “Nitika Don Bosco” launches a consultancy and medical assistance service for the needy

Don Bosco Delhi

Nitika Don Bosco

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INDIA: Initiative provides food for people suffering from COVID-19

MissionNewswire — Wed, 26 May 2021 08:12:43 +0000

BREADS participates in initiative to provide “Food at Home” for people with COVID-19 too weak to cook for themselves

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Province of Bangalore in India continues to support communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The second wave of COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on the country and more needs to be done to help those in need. BREADS, the planning and development office for the Salesian Province of Bangalore, was highlighted by the Indian news agency NDTV, which detailed the ongoing initiatives of the organization.

BREADS, in collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations, recently launched a “Food at Home” initiative to help those who are quarantining at home but don’t even have the energy to cook for themselves. People with mild symptoms of COVID-19 isolate at home because the hospital system is overwhelmed.

Fresh and nutritious meals are provided free of charge to patients in home isolation and their families. The food is cooked in various kitchens around the city and delivered to their home, both for lunch and dinner. Those delivering the food take all precautions to ensure their health and safety.

Rehana, a young recipient of the initiative, explained that she and her parents were so weak they couldn’t even move. People were afraid to approach their door, and they didn’t know how to ask for help. Then a friend told her about the home delivery initiative. She said, “At first I was hesitant, but for me and my family it was fundamental help that we needed.”

The work of Salesians in Bangalore does not end here. There are 17 Salesian institutions active in the fight against the virus. The services offered include the delivery of food rations, administration of vaccines, blood donation, distribution of masks and other personal hygiene products, psychological support and even aid in organizing the funerals.

In addition, the Salesian-run KISMAT is helping migrants with food kits, psychological counseling, organization of return trips and hospital assistance. KISMAT has pledged to pay migrants their unpaid wages and to guarantee housing and educational support for immigrant students. To raise awareness among the population, KISMAT has created educational posters and videos to explain the causes and effects of COVID-19.

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

ANS – India – Fight against Covid-19 in Bangalore Province

Indian Catholic Youth Movement Facebook

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INDIA: Volunteers aid hospitals in fight against COVID-19

MissionNewswire — Mon, 17 May 2021 08:40:08 +0000

Indian Catholic Youth Movement provides volunteers to help support local hospitals

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Father Anil D’sa, director of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement, in collaboration with the Sneha Charitable Trust, brought together a group of 50 young volunteers to help support Bangalore hospitals in India. The group has been called the “COVID Warriors” and is made up of young volunteers, including nuns and other religious personnel, who have been trained by experienced doctors to assist in various sectors of the hospitals.

Volunteers serve food and medicine to COVID-19 patients in general wards and in intensive care. They assist in the work of already overburdened nurses, and these volunteers have also now become important front-line workers in the fight against COVID-19 in India.

India is facing a devastating second wave of COVID-19 infections, resulting in strain on medical facilities in the country. The volunteers are playing a critical role in helping to fill gaps in care for patients. The system has been overburdened, and many patients have been turned away from care simply because hospitals do not have the capacity.

The number of new cases has risen to more than 400,000 per day. India now accounts for one in three positive COVID-19 cases worldwide. Including the strain on space in hospitals and staffing, hospitals are also running out of oxygen and other medical supplies critical for treatments.

“Salesian organizations across India are working to support families and front-line workers in the fight against COVID-19,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian provinces around the globe are also working to send funding to help ongoing initiatives in India.”

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ANS – India – 50 young volunteers help in Bangalore hospitals

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INDIA: Families in need receive meals, access to education

MissionNewswire — Fri, 14 May 2021 08:08:15 +0000

Don Bosco Animation and Research Kendra Center is holding rights education for those living in the slums

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Animation and Research Kendra Center, located in New Delhi, India, is committed to supporting families living in the slums. Salesians have identified 100 families for its Holistic Education Learning Project (HELP). As part of the program, families come to the center to enjoy a meal and access education that helps to improve their lives. Many of these families are facing malnutrition, and offering a meal enables them to feed their families in a time of need.

The mothers of these families are mostly victims of child marriages. The Don Bosco Center is working to provide them greater awareness of their fundamental rights and stop child marriages, while working to address issues of illiteracy, unemployment and hunger.

“Education is always our primary focus, but we know families are dealing with much more than just needing access to education,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries provide rights education to women and vulnerable youth to empower them and help them have a sense of personal dignity and self-worth. At workshops in the community and in Salesian schools, youth and their families learn about their rights and freedoms while addressing other basic needs—all in a safe environment that encourages learning and growth.”

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INDIA: Salesian Missions launches emergency appeal to help families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

MissionNewswire — Wed, 12 May 2021 15:31:37 +0000

Support will help Salesian missionaries on the ground expand their much-needed efforts

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Amid the devastating second wave of COVID-19, Salesian missionaries across India are taking action. In response, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched an emergency appeal for donations.

Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, said, “When donors contribute to our special COVID-19 Relief Fund, they help Salesian missionaries on the ground expand their efforts to reach thousands of families who desperately need our help. With India’s health care system and other social services straining under the stress, they simply have nowhere else to turn.”

The second wave of COVID-19 has overwhelmed India’s health care system. India is reporting more than 400,000 cases and more than 4,000 deaths each day. Since May 7, 150 people reportedly die every hour from COVID-19 complications and by the end of August, if conditions continue as they are, it’s estimated that more than a million people could die.

Hospitals are short staffed and are running out of supplies including oxygen, which is critical to patient care. Salesians report that some doctors have committed suicide because their mental health is being impacted by the sheer number of people in need of medical care and lack of supplies available to treat them.

In response, Salesian missionaries have launched initiatives to help front-line health workers and doctors. In Kolkata, psychological assistance is being provided for medical staff, including doctors and front-line health workers who are working in physically and psychologically demanding conditions. Currently, 100 volunteers have come together to facilitate this initiative. The volunteers speak 17 different languages, ensuring they are able to help people across the country.

Salesian missionaries, who have been working in the country long before the pandemic, are also helping families in need. Don Bosco Nerul has started measures to provide a safety net for people facing hunger. A roadside refrigerator has been set up where anyone can put food and anyone who needs it can pick it up. Many in India have lost their jobs over the course of the pandemic, and poverty and hunger are growing. Food is also being delivered to those who are in quarantine and who have no one else to help them.

In Hyderabad, the Department for Women’s Development and Child Welfare opened seven transit homes for children whose parents are currently in quarantine or hospitalized due to COVID-19. These houses, which include Don Bosco Navajeevan, will provide free accommodation, food, recreational activities and psycho-social support to the children. They will all be equipped with a caretaker, a doctor, an educator and a cook. Each house is able to accommodate at least 20 children, up to 14 years old.

Salesian provinces around the globe are working to send funding to help ongoing initiatives in India. To learn more and make a donation to help Salesian missionaries in India, visit SalesianMissions.org/lp/india-emergency.

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INDIA: Initiative launches to help families impacted by COVID-19 crisis

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INDIA: Front-line workers receive psychological support

MissionNewswire — Tue, 11 May 2021 08:05:24 +0000

Salesian missionaries provide psychological support to front-line workers dealing with COVID-19 pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries across India are working to provide support in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic rise in the country. The number of people who are testing positive continues to rise and hospitals are having difficulty keeping up. Many are faced with shortages of staff, oxygen and other medical supplies.

In Kolkata, psychological assistance is being provided for medical staff, including doctors and front-line health workers who are working in physically and psychologically demanding conditions. There have been cases of suicide by doctors who are overwhelmed by the enormity of the need and scarcity of supplies available to assist their patients. Currently, 100 volunteers have come together to facilitate this initiative. The volunteers speak 17 different languages, ensuring they are helping people across the country.

In New Delhi, BOSCO Delhi is distributing dry food rations, which will benefit more than 10,000 families by the end of May. Salesians are also providing direct financial support to 200 migrants. The money can be used for basic necessities, including the cost of rent. BOSCO Delhi is also helping the most vulnerable families, especially those headed by single or elderly women.

Support to help India is coming in from all over the world. BOSCO Delhi received 450,000 masks from the South Korean Embassy to be distributed for free to people in need. Funding is also being provided to poor families to pay for funeral expenses of relatives who died due to COVID-19. There has also been an online counseling program set up with a team of experienced psychologists and counselors. So far, 303 people have received emotional and psychological support.

Salesians in India, with support of Salesian organizations around the globe, are working to help those in need with the COVID-19 crisis.

In Hyderabad, the Department for Women’s Development and Child Welfare opened seven transit homes for children whose parents are currently in quarantine or hospitalized due to COVID-19. The homes will provide free accommodation, food, recreational activities and psycho-social support to the children. They will all be equipped with a caretaker, a doctor, an educator and a cook. Each house is able to accommodate at least 20 children, up to 14 years old.

“Salesians in India, with support of Salesian organizations around the globe, are working to help those in need with the rise of the COVID-19 virus,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians have a long history of working in communities across India and are well-positioned to see the direct needs of the people they serve. They are able to customize initiatives to best fit the communities they are in and ensure aid is reaching the right people.”

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ANS – India – Salesians continue to help population affected by new wave of Covid-19

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INDIA: Youth with HIV/AIDS receive support to focus on the future

MissionNewswire — Mon, 10 May 2021 08:03:35 +0000

Donors from Salesian Missions provide funding to help support program that cares for youth with HIV/AIDS

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Anbu Illam, located in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, India, received donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, to help support its Don Bosco Care Home program, which provides for youth who have HIV/AIDS. Don Bosco Care Home serves at-risk youth and those with a positive HIV diagnosis. Currently, there are 47 boarders at the home.

The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in India in Tamil Nadu in 1986. Close to 38 percent of those infected with HIV in India 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.

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.

Through the Don Bosco Care Home in India, youth with HIV/AIDS are able to concentrate on their studies and their futures.

Salesian missionaries identify HIV-affected youth from local villages and provide them free boarding and lodging to help support them in leading a life where they are loved and cared about. Good nutrition is served so youth can improve their CD4 counts.

Youth are also are able to access medical care. Regular medical check-ups are provided by a team of doctors who come to Don Bosco Care Home and conduct medical camps where youth can access critical antiretroviral therapy treatments (ART). Youth who do not live at the home, including those who attend the local polytechnic college, also have access to the program’s ART treatments.

At Don Bosco Care Home, youth are also able to access psychological support through counseling and psychotherapy sessions. Trained and experienced social workers and counselors conduct these sessions where youth are able to address their mental health needs and are motivated to lead a positive life.

The program has been particularly effective because 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 addition to their school studies, boys take care of the animals and birds at the facility and work the land cultivating fruits and vegetables. They also participate in sports each day. Special programs are also provided including comedy, singing and dancing, which the boys participate in with enthusiasm.

Maniyarusu, a youth at the program said, “I’m from a poor Hindu family in Dharmapuri. I am a semi orphan student and my mother looks after me. After joining Don Bosco Care Home, I am very much cared for. I receive good food and live in a good environment. I am fully taken care by the Salesians and they are very friendly to me. All my needs are fully taken care by Don Bosco Care Home, and I am able to concentrate in my studies. I learned to keep myself neat and tidy and was taught lot of good manners. I am really grateful to Don Bosco Care Home.”

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ANS – India – Social awareness program in Jhajjar for children working in kilns

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INDIA: Initiative launches to help families impacted by COVID-19 crisis

MissionNewswire — Wed, 05 May 2021 08:05:25 +0000

Don Bosco Nerul launches initiative to help families impacted by the growing COVID-19 spread in the country

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian organizations across India have been working to help those impacted by the growing swell of COVID-19 infections and resulting strain on medical facilities in the country. The number of new cases has risen to more than 400,000 per day. India now accounts for one in three positive COVID-19 cases worldwide. It has put a strain on hospitals, which are running out of oxygen and turning people away because there are not enough medical supplies and staff to help all that need medical care.

Salesian missionaries, who have been working in the country long before the pandemic, are helping families in need. Don Bosco Nerul has started measures to provide a safety net for people facing hunger. A roadside refrigerator has been set up where anyone can put food and anyone who needs it can pick it up. Many in India have lost their jobs over the course of the pandemic, and poverty and hunger are growing. Food is also being delivered to those who are in quarantine and who have no one else to help them.

Efforts are still being made to facilitate information campaigns to help people understand COVID-19 and prevention. Campaigns have also been launched to disseminate verified notices about the facilities and free treatment options for COVID-19 patients available in the city.

Further, Don Bosco Nerul is holding a daily prayer service for one hour each day to help people spiritually through the crisis. People are praying in their homes and offering up spiritual meditation for COVID-19 patients and all the people who are involved on the front lines helping patients.

“There are people who are bending over backwards to buy an oxygen tank, find a hospital bed, medicine, food or even a place for cremation or burial. There are so many needs that when we seem not to be able to do anything else, we can entrust ourselves to the Lord,” said a Salesian representative of Don Bosco Nerul.

Salesian provinces around the globe are working to send funding to help ongoing initiatives in India. For example, the Salesian Vice Province of Madagascar donated 15,000 euros to help Salesians in India with the COVID-19 crisis.

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ANS – India – Solidarity and prayer to face the pandemic

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INDIA: Salesian College Sonada receives tea saplings

MissionNewswire — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:22:07 +0000

Rimpocha Tea CEO Rajah Banerjee gifts tea saplings to Salesian College Sonada

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Legendary Darjeeling tea planter Rajah Banerjee, who developed his own tea variant plant christened Rimpocha, has gifted tea saplings to Salesian College Sonada Principal Father George Thadathil. Rimpocha is a registered trademark tea with a rare and special aroma. The new variant tea is indigenous to the foothills of Darjeeling, India.

”In the near future, we hope to jointly set up a tea academy in the Salesian College,” said Banerjee. His team will teach Salesian College gardeners how to nurture and also brew Rimpocha tea.

Fr. Thadathil confirmed that this collaboration will extend to a tea academy. He said, “It’s part of a memorandum of understanding with Rimpocha Tea being worked out.”

This is an additional collaboration between Rimpocha Tea and the Salesian College Sonada. In Dec. 2019, the Salesian College entered into a partnership with Rimpocha Tea to provide vocational training for adolescent girls in the area who are at risk of exploitation and human trafficking.

“Education and skills training are the only solution to prevent girls from falling prey to human traffickers who lure them with false promises of quick money and a better future,” said Fr. Thadathil.

The Salesian College Sonada was founded in 1938 and is located in the village of Gorabari. More than 95 percent of its student population comes from the hills of Darjeeling, a region known throughout the world for the quality of its tea leaves. In the Darjeeling District, there are currently 83 tea farms covering an area of about 19,000 hectares. These tea farms provide stable employment for more than 52,000 people.

The area faces challenges with people migrating from rural regions in search of a better life in more populous areas, which also puts people, especially girls, at risk of human trafficking. Compounding the problem is the low wages provided to those working in the tea industry. Many leave in search of better paying jobs.

Local organizations working to prevent trafficking estimate that more than 400 girls are trafficked every year from tea gardens, mostly from those gardens that have stopped functioning. Traffickers first look for their victims where hunger and poverty are higher rather than areas where businesses are stable, and there are more opportunities for higher education and health care.

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Don Bosco India – Legendary Makaibari Tea Planter gifts Tea Saplings to Salesian College

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INDIA: Children forced to labor in brick kilns receive education and support

MissionNewswire — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 08:38:21 +0000

Salesian-run Holy Child Auxilium School holds program to feed more than 200 children who work in brick kilns

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian volunteers with Holy Child Auxilium School, operated by Salesian Sisters in New Delhi, India, organized a program in Jhajjar, just outside of New Delhi, for children who work in brick kilns. Coordinated by Victor Nazareth and led by Sister Maria Pettayil, funds were raised to buy food for more than 200 children. The Salesian community in Jhajjar provides education and help to children working in the kilns and children of furnace workers.

Salesian programs in India and around the globe help to combat child labor and ensure youth are able to have access to quality education. Child labor is associated with lower educational attainment and later with jobs that fail to meet basic decent work criteria. Those who leave school early are less likely to secure stable jobs and are at greater risk of chronic unemployment and poverty. Many of those who leave school early, particularly between the ages of 15-17, are engaged in work that is hazardous and classified as the worst form of child labor.

“Children who are compelled to work, even for a fraction of the day, are deprived of the education they need to learn valuable skills that lead to stable employment later in life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Unfortunately, in many situations, children are being forced to work around the clock with barely enough time to eat, let alone study, and their prospects in life are diminished.”

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INDIA: Students who are deaf excel at Don Bosco Technical Institute

MissionNewswire — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 08:11:07 +0000

INDIA

5 students who are deaf are learning and making new friends at Don Bosco Technical Institute in New Delhi

(MissionNewswire) There are five students who are deaf attending and excelling at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in New Delhi, India. Ricky Singh is a first-year student of graphic design. He has been deaf since birth. After attending the St. Francis School for the Hearing Impaired in Lucknow, Singh learned about the programs at the Don Bosco Technical Institute and the opportunities offered to youth in need.

The institute offers educational programs for youth who have come from challenging backgrounds, including those living in poverty, those who have struggled with school in the past or those who might have a disability, such as Singh. In addition to regular coursework, the institute has co-curricular activities and sessions for personal growth.

Singh and the other four students who are deaf are able to communicate with each other in sign language and are proud of their academic achievements. Their teachers and classmates are also learning to sign, increasing the overall comfort and well-being of the students who are deaf. Despite challenges they may encounter, the students who are deaf are inspiration for other students by leading by example to show that anyone who dares to dream can work hard and transform those dreams into reality.

Singh said, “Though I am hearing and speech impaired, I am happy that God has gifted me with lots of other qualities and talents. It helps me to do things differently and grow together with other trainees of the institute. I feel happy, and I am proud to do this course at Don Bosco Technical Institute.”

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ANS – India – Rise above disability: inspiring story of five students

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INDIA: Salesian Business Incubation Center boosts startups

MissionNewswire — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:02:09 +0000

The Salesian Business Incubation Center under the FiiRE initiative incubates 75 businesses over 2 years

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Business Incubation Center at Don Bosco College of Engineering, located in Fatorda, a suburb of the city of Margao, India, has assisted 75 startups over the last two years. Of this number, 45 were recently identified to be incubated while 15 have been done so virtually, according to DS Prashant, the CEO of the Forum for Innovation Incubation Research & Entrepreneurship (FiiRE). The initiative has received the support of the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India.

“FiiRE works in accordance with the guidelines of the Startup India policy, which aims to build a strong ecosystem that is conducive for startup business growth, to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities,” said Prashant. “This is achieved with an additional focus on innovation, product design and the core team that is driving the idea toward implementation.”

Five new businesses recently applied for patents with the assistance of FiiRE. Tejas Barve developed Barve Technologies and produced a life-saving temperature regulating machine for animals. Sachin Gangadharan launched LaFabrica Craft, which created a paper bag that can carry up to 10 kilos. Letcetra Agritech, created by Harish Usgaonker, is an online platform for all things related to urban farming. Decimi Technologies, launched by Navin Prajapati and Saurav Lahoti, developed Sabka Mandi, which provided an easy-to-use online ordering platform that allows retailers to submit all of their purchase orders to their authorized distributors from one portal without waiting for the distributor salespeople.

Among the ongoing support provided by FiiRE, co-working spaces are available for new businesses, including facilities such as meeting rooms, conference rooms, open work areas and an auditorium.

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ANS – India – “Don Bosco College of Engineering” at Fatorda helps 75 startups in 2 years

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INDIA: Salesians take vital steps for green initiatives on campuses

MissionNewswire — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:32:41 +0000

Salesian missionaries launch new 45-kilowatt solar on-grid power plant and rainwater collectors at Don Bosco House

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries inaugurated a new 45-kilowatt solar on-grid power plant and rainwater collectors at SPCI Don Bosco House, New Delhi, India. The project is supported by Jugend Eine Welt of Austria and in partnership with the Don Bosco Network – Bosconet. This installation is a vital step toward fulfilling the Salesian congregational ambition of greening all Salesian campuses worldwide by 2032.

Don Bosco Network’s vision is in alignment with the environmental actions outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals and in response to Pope Francis’ call to care for the Earth. In December 2019, the Salesian Energy Forever Conference reflected on a response to the environmental crisis and drove actions that Salesians worldwide could take to make an important difference.

Don Bosco Network is actively promoting many green initiatives including greening campuses with clean renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, promoting afforestation and green cover, greening training, promoting jobs in green sectors, e-learning, efficient natural resource management through rainwater harvesting, and waste management.

Father Biju Michael, regional superior, and Father Davis, provincial of the Salesian Province of Delhi, led the inauguration ceremony. Fr. Michael acknowledged the instrumental role that Don Bosco Network played in conceptualizing and successfully implementing the power plant.

“This is one among many Salesian initiatives toward greener practices,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Not only do greener practices help the environment and ensure a better life for the youth we serve, but it also helps Salesians save energy costs, which is then used to aid programming.”

The Don Bosco Green Alliance, which began in India in 2018, launched a new campaign “Rethink, Reconnect, Renew” in 2020. It invited all alliance members to rethink their priorities, their choices and their lifestyles, especially during the global pandemic.

Alliance members were encouraged to make pledges on how they will concretely live more eco-friendly lives and to hold activities and programs to bring about concrete outcomes at institutional and individual levels.

Don Bosco Green Alliance is focused on combating pollution, reducing global warming and eliminating disposable plastics. In each of these areas, it aims to partner with ongoing global campaigns promoted by UN Environment or other international organizations.

Members of the alliance have also undertaken such initiatives as environmental education to increase green areas and planting trees, the reduction of the use of non-degradable materials, promotion of organic agriculture and home gardens, preservation and conservation of water, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

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ANS – India – Energy Forever for a green future: Solar Powered SPCI house

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INDIA: Relief efforts reach more than 700,000 people in need

MissionNewswire — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 08:59:34 +0000

Don Bosco Development Society has provided support to more than 700,000 people over the last 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Development Society, the planning and development office of the Salesian Province of Mumbai, India, has helped more than 700,000 people in need, providing for their basic needs over the last 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization planned a series of distributions to ensure those most in need of support received it.

Most recently, Don Bosco Development Society helped 100 poor and needy families in Chinchwad by distributing relief kits containing groceries, hygiene kits and toiletries. This relief work operation was financially supported by AXA Business Services.

In 2020, Don Bosco Development Society carried out several distributions of food and hygiene items. It helped 400 poor families in the Dharavi slum with the support of Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany. Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia and is home to 850,000 residents, making it also one of the more cramped spaces in Mumbai.

“People living in the slums of India have been hard hit by the pandemic lockdown and were without the means to earn even a meager living for food,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Many were day laborers or worked in the informal employment sector selling items on the streets. Because of the lockdown, this work is no longer available and families are suffering. Salesian missionaries live among the populations they serve, so they are agile in their response in times of crisis such as this.”

Don Bosco Development Society and Salesian organizations across India have been supporting families in need through prevention campaigns, distribution of food and hygiene items, and remote education.

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INDIA: Home for at-risk children receives funding from Salesian Missions

MissionNewswire — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:28:38 +0000

Salesian Missions provided funding to support children at the Ekalavya Children’s Home

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Children living at the Ekalavya Children’s Home were supported by funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The home was created by the Salesian-run People’s Action for Rural Awakening for disadvantaged children in Konaseema, located in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.

The home was started to support school dropouts, rescue child laborers, and provide a home for at-risk children, those living on the street or those who have run away from dysfunctional families. Ekalavya Children’s Home is a child care institution licensed under the Juvenile Justice Act. Every home for children at risk needs to be licensed by the Women Development and Child Welfare Department of the state government.

Ekalavya Children’s Home is located behind a railway station in Rajahmundry. Children who have run away use the railway station for travel and to beg for money to survive. Salesian staff has good relationship with the railway police department to rescue children from the station and bring them to the courts and then onto the Ekalavya Children’s Home.

In 2020, 41 children joined the home. Twenty of those children came from a background of living in poverty. Other children were orphans or from struggling single parent households. Two of the children had hearing impairments and were sent to a specialized home and school.

While providing for basic needs and connecting children into educational programs, Ekalavya Children’s Home also helped children understand their emotions and connect better with their peers and adults. The home provides a weekly meeting where children can talk about issues that are bothering them, whether its with other children, school or adults. This helps children work through interpersonal issues and helps them resolve conflict in a productive way.

In addition to this support, a care mother is available for children at all times. Children have regular night prayer and time to share the events of the day. They are able to discuss any issue they have come across during the day. The children’s meeting and time with the care mother also provides an opportunity for children to express their views and ideas for the better functioning of the home.

“We are pleased to support the activities of the Ekalavya Children’s Home,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions “These children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and need the support of caring adults to ensure they are cared for and receive an education. This home environment provides children a chance at a brighter future.”

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INDIA: Young women in legal trouble learn job skills

MissionNewswire — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 08:50:07 +0000

23 young women supported at Surakshita Home thanks to funding from Salesian Missions

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Twenty-three young women who lived at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

When young women enter the program run by Surakshita Home, they are given clothing and proper nutrition. They are sent for a medical examination and women with special health needs receive individual follow-up care. They are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court. In addition, the young women are empowered with information about their rights, and they access training in tailoring, maggam embroidery and other handicrafts.

During the five months that funding was provided, 23 women completed their coursework. The goal was to help them learn skills for employment so that they can live independently. They also stitched 10,000 masks and distributed them in the neighboring villages as part of helping with the COVID-19 pandemic response.

After the program, some young women found work in tailoring shops while others were able to do dressmaking and embroidery work for themselves. Four of the young women were given tailoring machines so that they could launch a small business to become self-sufficient.

Once they are released from the program, women are integrated back into society. Salesian staff members visit parents and guardians, and they help young women go back home if possible or find other reasonable accommodations.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Don Bosco College Panjim to promote innovation and entrepreneurship

MissionNewswire — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 08:59:43 +0000

Don Bosco College Panjim collaborates with the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry to promote innovation and entrepreneurship

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco College Panjim and the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry have signed a memorandum of agreement to implement development programs, along with promote innovation and entrepreneurship. This will increase the development of skills and collaboration between schools and industries.

The memorandum highlights eight potential areas essential for industry and institution engagement: curriculum design, industry visits, student internships, skills development programs, lectures with expert guests, development of faculty, fostering business incubators and promoting entrepreneurship among students.

The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the state’s premier nonprofit organization for business, support services and networking. It represents and liaises between business organizations and government agencies. One of the association’s main objectives is to bridge the gap between the field of education and that of industry.

This is a turning point for the Don Bosco College. Thanks to the agreement, the institute will have access to many resources and take part in important chamber events. Don Bosco College offers a rich academic experience in the heart of Panjim, a national capital for arts and entertainment, innovation and technology, business, and entrepreneurship.

“Collaborative partnerships like this enrich student learning,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While education is at the heart of what Salesian schools and colleges provide, ensuring that students are able to make an easy transition from academics to the workforce is paramount in their success. This partnership paves the way for a closer working relationship and gives students access to entrepreneurial training and internships, providing them real world experience.”

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

ANS – India – Collaboration between “Don Bosco College” of Panjim and Goa’s Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Don Bosco College Panjim

Don Bosco College Panjim Facebook

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INDIA: Program provides farming assistance in tribal communities

MissionNewswire — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 08:12:24 +0000

Retreat-Don Bosco provides second round of agriculture training for 80 participants

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Retreat-Don Bosco in Yercaud, India, have launched the second round of training for the “CALLS” program. Calling it “CALLS 2.0,” which stands for “COVID-19 Alternative Livelihood and Living Services,” the program provides farming assistance in tribal communities so residents have enough food to eat. Because Yercaud is a hill town, most people earn their living through tourism. Due to the pandemic, residents have seen poverty and hunger on the rise.

The “CALLS” program provides training in greenhouse and plant nursery skills, garden care, and greenery maintenance. The first round of training in August 2020 provided education to 40 people over a 21-day training course. Among the participants were 10 college students who wanted to earn money to pay their college fees, as well as learn a skill for the future.

The second round of training will educate 80 people. Participants are paid a daily wage during the training, which will enable them to gain employment in tourist resorts, private homes, or nurseries to create gardens and lawns, as well as provide greenery maintenance.

Many participants who completed the course in 2020 shared that the training was very empowering and has equipped them with a skill to earn a living. A few local businesses have expressed interest in hiring some of the participants.

“This innovative program helped people in the local community have an alternative means of earning a living,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In addition to providing nutrition and health support during the pandemic, Salesian missionaries are working to ensure people are able to work when they can or acquire new skills to go back to work when the lockdowns are lifted.”

The program is a joint initiative of Shevaroy Hills Tribal Development Institute of the Retreat-Don Bosco, Jugend Eine Welt of Austria and BoscoNet, New Delhi. It is coordinated by Salesian Father Selvakumar, the local project manager.

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

ANS – India – “CALLS 2.0” project supports 80 people affected by effects of pandemic

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INDIA: Initiative to provide 100 young women laptops

MissionNewswire — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 08:36:55 +0000

Salesian College Sonada launches initiative to provide 100 young women laptops

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian College Sonada launched an initiative to provide 100 young women with laptops at an affordable price. During the first distribution, 55 laptops were given out and the remaining 45 will be distributed in the second phase of the initiative.

The initiative was made possible by the United Board for Christian Higher Education, based in Hong Kong, China, which came forward to help as part of its COVID-19 relief efforts to support online education. Salesian College Sonada students paid 40 percent of the cost while 60 percent was supported by the United Board for Christian Higher Education

Salesian College Sonada is affiliated with the North Bengal University in Siliguri, India, and provides students opportunities for advanced studies and the completion of bachelor’s degrees. The college offers eight general degree courses in English, education, history, political science, sociology, management studies, business administration and computer science.

“It is our continued effort to make higher education affordable for students whose parents can ill afford to send children for higher studies. Over the past 19 years, it has been our endeavor to provide world class facilities at the Salesian College,” said Dr. George Thadathil, principal of the college.

Salesian College Sonada is the only college in northeast India with a radio station and television studio offering students the opportunity for hands-on training. It officially launched its radio station on Dec. 8, 2016, featuring 20 programs produced in the Nepali language.

The radio station (90.8 FM) provides an opportunity for students and listeners to tell their stories and share their experiences, broadcasts information on important topics and news affecting the local area, and allows students to be media contributors. A team of six radio hosts produces the 20 programs a week, which take place seven days a week for 12 hours each day. The programs, which run from 1-3 hours, are scheduled as daily, bi-weekly and weekly shows.

In addition, the college launched an ambitious Tuition Waiver Scholarship program in 2019 offering 166 students financial support through scholarships. Of the scholarships awarded, 40 seats are reserved for meritorious students, and 30 seats are reserved for students with media skills who are required to produce eight hours of radio or four television programs each month. A full tuition fee waiver is also offered to 30 students who secure over 90 percent on their class XII examinations, and a 50 percent fee reduction is given to 30 students who secure over 80 percent.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

Don Bosco India – 100 Laptops for Salesian Girl Students, 55 distributed

Salesian College Sonada

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INDIA: Children receive health education

MissionNewswire — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 02:37:46 +0000

Don Bosco Development Society provides health education for disadvantaged children

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Development Society, the planning and development office in Mumbai Province of India, provides health education for disadvantaged children and youth living in Vadodara, the third largest city in the western Indian State of Gujarat. Health education is critical during the pandemic so children understand the importance of proper hygiene, mask wearing and social distancing.

“Don Bosco Development Society has been on the forefront of support for people who have been impacted by the pandemic and resulting lockdowns,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “From providing health education and launching awareness campaigns to providing food relief and hygiene items, Salesians have been in their communities working to support those most in need.”

The health care project is one initiative among many that the Don Bosco Development Society has carried out. In 2020, Don Bosco Development Society helped 400 poor families in the Dharavi slum with the support of Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany. Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia and is home to 850,000 residents, making it one of the more cramped spaces in Mumbai.

People living in the slums of India have been hard hit by the pandemic lockdown and are without the means to earn even a meager living. Many were day laborers or worked in the informal employment sector selling items on the streets. Because of the lockdown, this work is no longer available and families are suffering. Don Bosco Development Society and Salesian organizations across India have been supporting these families in need through prevention campaigns, distribution of food and hygiene items, and remote education.

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

ANS – India – Health care project for children and young people

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INDIA: New community refrigerator opens for poor, hungry

MissionNewswire — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 08:27:29 +0000

Don Bosco Nerul launches new community refrigerator to provide food and snacks to those facing hunger

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Nerul, located in Mumbai, India, has installed a community refrigerator to provide food and snacks for those facing hunger and have nowhere else to turn. Salesian missionaries are calling this initiative Don Bosco Cares.

During the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Don Bosco Nerul reached out to 25,000 families and 10,000 migrants who had been impacted. Many who were already in poverty faced hunger without having money to buy food. While the lockdown has ended, migrants and those living in poverty, including those living on the streets, are still not able to feed themselves.

Don Bosco Nerul is working to reach out to these individuals and provide support in their time of need. The community refrigerator is one such initiative. It launched on Jan. 22, and anyone who is poor or hungry may open the refrigerator and take enough to satisfy their immediate hunger. There is another box that has snacks, secondhand clothes and handmade masks.

Father Adolf Furtado said, “This is an act of faith in divine providence. It is very much in the true spirit of our founder St. John (Don) Bosco. We do not put food in the refrigerator each day. People in our neighborhood do that. Its success depends on the donating public. We have had it in operation over the past week, and there is a good demand for the food and an equal if not greater number of generous donors to help us with replenishing the food stock daily.”

The community refrigerator was inaugurated by the local NRI police station chief and is sponsored by Team Spreading Smiles, which has also been instrumental in conducting online classes for the Don Bosco Nerul oratory.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A “multidimensionally poor” child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

India’s youth also face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Nerul

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Don Bosco Anbu Illam reunites family

MissionNewswire — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:42:54 +0000

Don Bosco Anbu Illam reunites young man who had been separated from his family for 11 years

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Anbu Illam, located in Salem, India, has reunited a 22-year-old Meganathan Kumar with his parents, Vijaya and Thangaraja, after a long separation. Kumar and his younger brother had been taken from their parents by the owner of a brick kiln due to a debt his family owed when Kumar was just 10 years old.

Kumar and his brother were forced into child labor in the brick kiln. The family, struck by pain and guilt, begged the man to release the boys, but he refused. The brothers labored for years in extreme conditions until a woman took an interest in them.

“She asked us if we were interested in studying,” said Kumar. “I told her that was what I wanted, but that there was nothing we could do but make bricks. Then, a wealthy person called Childline and the next day the police came to rescue us. We were entrusted to Don Bosco Anbu Illam, where we were given shelter and a good education.”

Their life changed dramatically from that moment forward. After finishing their studies, Kumar’s brother found a job as a driver, while Kumar completed his industrial training and worked for a time as a Don Bosco Anbu Illam staff member. Thanks to a colleague, he managed to get back in touch with his parents.

“When we met again, my mother couldn’t stop crying,” Kumar said. While now he has the support of his family, leaving Don Bosco Anbu Illam was not easy. “I was encouraged to study and I was given all the support I could. Now, I want to give back and help people like Don Bosco Anbu Illam helped me.”

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

ANS – India – “Don Bosco Anbu Illam” reunites a family after 11 years

ANS – India – Relief work for population of Salesian Province of Mumbai continues

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INDIA: Relief continues for those most in need

MissionNewswire — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:41:59 +0000

Don Bosco Development Society distributes basic necessities and hygiene items to people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Development Society, the planning and development office of the Salesian Province of Mumbai, India, has continued to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of Auxilium India, an association in Seregno, Italy, Salesian missionaries have distributed goods, basic necessities and hygiene items.

This is part of ongoing relief work that Salesian missionaries have been providing in India and around the globe. Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, said, “Because Salesian missionaries live among the populations they serve, they are agile in their response in times of crisis such as this. They are able to assess the needs locally, create an appropriate intervention and ensure relief items are in the hands of those most in need.”

In 2020, Don Bosco Development Society carried out several distributions of food and hygiene items. They helped 400 poor families in the Dharavi slum with the support of Don Bosco Mondo in Bonn, Germany. Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia and is home to 850,000 residents, making it also one of the more cramped spaces in Mumbai.

People living in the slums of India have been hard hit by the pandemic lockdown and are without the means to earn even a meager living for food. Many were day laborers or worked in the informal employment sector selling items on the streets. Because of the lockdown, this work is no longer available and families are suffering. Don Bosco Development Society and Salesian organizations across India have been supporting these families in need through prevention campaigns, distribution of food and hygiene items, and remote education.

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

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA: Farmers boost productivity through training

MissionNewswire — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 08:43:18 +0000

Don Bosco Development Society holds a series of training courses and workshops for farmers

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Development Society, through its collaboration partner Don Bosco Waluj, has organized a series of training courses and workshops for farmers in the districts of Aurangabad and Jalna, India. The training was organized as part of the Climate Change and Sustainability project supported by Don Bosco Mondo, Germany.

As part of the project, Salesian missionaries held practical demonstrations and visits to farms where kits were distributed to help farmers start organic crops. Farmers have also been connected to government programs to take advantage of subsidies and agricultural equipment.

“These workshops provide farmers an opportunity to learn more advanced techniques to help make their farms more productive,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries also have a focus on better sustainability practices in farming, which help farmers and the environment.”

Salesian agriculture programs in India and countries around the globe provide farmers with basic education, as well as advanced studies in the latest agricultural practices and modern technologies. Salesian missionaries also hope agriculture programs will entice more local youth to choose agriculture as their long-term livelihood. With a long history of providing agricultural education, missionaries currently operate more than 90 agriculture schools around the world.

India, which is home to 1.35 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, the country has yet to capitalize, leaving some 30 percent of this population not in employment, education or training.

India’s youth also face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

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

ANS – India – A project on climate change and sustainable agriculture