MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian-run Notre Dame de Clairvaux Center, located in Ivato, Madagascar, houses more than 100 youth ages 12-22. The Salesian facility is a home for orphaned, at-risk or street children. They are offered comprehensive support including medical care, food, clothing, shelter and education. Salesians want to offer them a chance at a better future.

Youth also have an opportunity to take technical and vocational training in subjects like automotive mechanics, welding, agriculture, animal husbandry, carpentry, and masonry. These subjects are available to enhance youth’s employable skills but also address the needs of the community. In addition to job skills training, the center has a job search office with a coordinator who helps youth who are graduating find and retain stable work.

Carlos is one young man who has benefited from the center. Born into a very poor family, he recently finished his welding apprenticeship. Carlos is intelligent and kind, but behind his infectious smile lies a traumatic past. He experienced extreme physical abuse by his father as  punishment for ruining a meal. Carlos managed to escape and, after asking a local priest for help, was taken to the Salesian center.

His father is now in prison but his relatives still vow to take revenge and kill him to erase the disgrace. For Carlos, returning to his village is now impossible. He sees his mother and three siblings only once a year because the trip is difficult and extremely expensive. Without her husband, his mother struggles to put food on the table for the family.

With school finished, Carlos works in a machine shop. He hopes and prays that one day his family situation will change. Until then, he is supported by his boss as well as the Salesian missionaries who housed and educated him. He finds hope for the future despite his challenging past.

“Salesian missionaries have been operating Notre Dame de Clairvaux since 1984,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The center provides support to children and youth living in extreme poverty, many of whom are fatherless or orphans who have been abandoned by both parents. Youth have their needs met and can focus on getting an education for their future.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Madagascar since 1981. Today, they have 11 centers and work in several locations, including the Don Bosco House in Ivato in the outskirts of the capital of Antananarivo, where Salesians have focused support.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

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ANS – Madagascar – Carlos, the boy who managed to save himself and who, thanks to the Salesians, also found his own career path

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Salesian Missions – Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Youth at risk receive support first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the Mary Immaculate Vice-Province of Madagascar in Ivato, Madagascar, met with the directors of Catholic radio stations and the heads of Salesian vocational training centers. They discussed a new Radio Don Bosco Madagascar project known as “Improvement of the quality of Radio Don Bosco and expansion of the offer through distance learning and media education.”

A Salesian representative with Radio Don Bosco said, “We will have several things to do together. We are working on the strategic and programmatic reorientation of Radio Don Bosco Madagascar and Radio Don Bosco Live to address challenges of young people in Madagascar. The goal is to make the content of the programs more educational.”

Since its inception, Radio Don Bosco Madagascar has demonstrated its adaptability and response to internal changes or external needs with strategic reorientation that has allowed it to remain current. Now, as part of this project, the knowledge and skills of the radio staff will be updated to allow them to provide the educational programs more effectively.

By promoting social and educational content that helps youth gain an education and be ready for employment, Salesians are helping youth who traditionally have had insufficient access to education and who have seen their educational and social condition deteriorate further because of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also plans to offer additional training measures to promote the use of information and communication technologies in educational institutions.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Madagascar since 1981. Today, they have 11 centers and work in several locations, including the Don Bosco House in Ivato in the outskirts of the capital of Antananarivo, where Salesians have focused support.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

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ANS – Madagascar – Workshop of information and sharing for Radio Don Bosco Madagascar’s new project

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UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Radio Don Bosco to address challenges of young people first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending Salesian programs in Madagascar had access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.”

The 2020 shipment was shared among Salesian communities in Fianarantsoa and Mahajanga and Don Bosco House Ivato and Our Lady of Clairvaux Ivato in the capital city of Antananarivo. Among the recipients were three children, Bruno, Evelyne and Jacky, from Ankofafa, the poorest neighborhood of Fianarantsoa.

At the time of the rice-meal shipment, the Salesian school had been closed for five months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting quarantines. While some schools continued to teach at a distance, poor youth who relied on feeding programs at the school suffered the most.

A Salesian in Madagascar reported, “Feed My Starving Children rice-meals are highly valued by the poor because they are rich in nutrients. Some children who were malnourished have regained strength and health. Since June, we have bought rice from the market and beans to continue distribution to the poor, replacing Feed My Starving Children rice.”

Without a shipment from Feed My Starving Children, Salesians see the difference in the children’s health. In times of need, Salesians supply the poor with local oil, beans and rice, but funding is tight and was even tighter at the height of the pandemic when donations slowed.

“The confinement prevented the poor from doing little daily chores that allow them to survive. It was a real emergency,” added the Salesian missionary. “Feed My Starving Children rice also enabled us to help families who had had problems with cyclones following the floods.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Madagascar since 1981. Today, they have 11 centers and work in several locations.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions – Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Partnership brings better nutrition to youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending the Salesian-run Notre Dame de Clairvaux in Ivato, Madagascar, were provided nutritional support for two months thanks to funding received from donors through Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. In addition to school and job training, youth are offered free morning and midday meals. More than 1,000 meals are provided each weekday. Additional meals are provided over the weekend.

The center provides support to children and youth living in extreme poverty, many of whom are fatherless or orphans who have been abandoned by both parents. Some are being raised by aunts and grandmothers. Currently, there are 170 primary school students and 265 students in the vocational training center. Notre Dame de Clairvaux also has 125 interns preparing for work. The center has a job search office with a coordinator that helps youth who are graduating find and retain stable work.

Youth attending the Salesian-run Notre Dame de Clairvaux in Ivato, Madagascar, received nutritional support thanks to funding received through Salesian Missions.

Salesian missionaries have been operating Notre Dame de Clairvaux since 1984. They started with 90 youth in 1984 and grew to 450. They receive support from donors and associations, including Belgium’s Via Don Bosco.

Father Erminio De Santis, director of Notre Dame de Clairvaux, said, “We are also striving to produce our own rice fields and develop a small farm of poultry, pigs and dairy cows for additional nutritional support for those we serve. We are also optimizing our workshops to increase income-generating activities and always looking for new activities compatible with the training we give to our young people.”

Willis is one of the youth attending Notre Dame de Clairvaux who benefited from the food support. From a poor family, he is the youngest of seven brothers and sisters. When Willis was 9 years old, his father lost his job and his parents separated. He was forced to drop out of school. The following year the family lost his sister to an illness and his mother. Another older sister has serious mental health issues.

Willis has had to fend for himself for most of his life. He has developed some psychological problems as a result of the long lack of affection and the daily difficulties of finding food. At one point he faced drug use. Fortunately, he was brought by guardians to Notre Dame de Clairvaux in October 2020, and since then he has been gaining an education and learning a trade. He is happy in his environment and thankful for a second chance in life.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Notre Dame de Clairvaux Facebook

Salesian Missions – Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Youth receive food support along with education and job training first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been providing services for youth in Anjanamasina, a suburb of the capital city Antananarivo, Madagascar. They are working at the invitation of prison authorities to help children and youth who have been sent to the state re-education center, which houses more than 100 youth.

At the prison, youth who were living on the street because they have no family support often are put in the same house as those who have committed a crime. Poverty and a lack of education contribute to the rising numbers of children in this circumstance. Many families cannot afford to care for their children, and education is seen as an afterthought to providing for basic needs.

Every Sunday and on midweek Catholic feast days, Salesian missionaries distribute meals and provide musical, theatrical and sporting activities. They also provide spiritual services with the celebration of Mass and the sacraments, catechism, and special religious and educational projects. Missionaries help youth feel loved and important to someone, not a burden to be cast aside.

Don Bosco Mission, in Turin, Italy, has committed to supporting Salesian activities in Anjanamasina, guaranteeing Sunday lunch and recreational and sports activities.

“Youth who are in these facilities because they were living on the street deserve a second chance at life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians help youth with their spiritual growth, social support and provide hope for a better future.”

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of eastern Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those being youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for education well past the compulsory education in the country. Access to education and training in social and life skills encourages graduates to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

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

ANS – Madagascar – Bringing a little joy, attention and hope to kids of Anjanamasina

Don Bosco Mission

Don Bosco Mission Facebook

Salesian Missions – Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Support gives hope to homeless youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been working in Madagascar to support families with food and hygiene supplies to help stop the spread of coronavirus. To date, there have been 15,871 cases of the virus and 215 deaths. The lack of international tourist travel because of restrictions and lockdowns has caused many to fall deeper into poverty.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Madagascar since 1981. Today, they have 11 centers and work in several locations, including the Don Bosco House in Ivato in the outskirts of the capital of Antananarivo, where Salesians have focused a good deal of support.

Although schools in Ivato have been closed, Salesians still continue to pay their teachers and employees, including offering them a one-time bonus. Workers who were forced to remain at the Don Bosco House because of restrictions were given a 15 percent pay raise.

Salesian missionaries distributed kits with 8 kilograms of rice, 2 kilograms of dried vegetables and a bar of soap to all the students. Each week, Salesians also distribute a package containing 5 kilograms of rice and 1.5 kilograms of dried legumes to 85 final year students for when they return home on the weekends. A second distribution of rice and dried vegetables has already started for all students who are forced to stay at home.

Salesians in Madagascar are providing food support to students at the Don Bosco House and Don Bosco Oratory School in Ivato.

In addition, Salesians have provided a small package of rice and dried legumes to the students who attend the Don Bosco Oratory recovery school, also in Ivato. In some extreme situations, when both parents of a students have been left without any income, Salesians have provided cash aid.

“The coronavirus pandemic has not only been a risk to people’s health, but the resulting lockdowns have put strain on people’s livelihoods,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians in Madagascar and around the globe are providing nutritional and health support to help people through this challenging time.”

Prevention measures are being strictly observed in all Salesian centers, schools and programs, including providing masks and social distancing guidelines for common areas such as the classrooms, the refectory, the study room and the dormitory. Soap and water are also being provided in additional areas for hand-washing.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those being youth between the ages of 10-24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for education well past the compulsory education in the country. Access to education and training in social and life skills encourages graduates to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

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

ANS – Madagascar – Solidarity and prevention to help the needy and protect against infections

Don Bosco Oratory Ivato

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Salesian missionaries at the Don Bosco House in Ivato provide support to Salesian staff and youth in need during coronavirus pandemic first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with Don Bosco House in Ivato, Madagascar, are helping poor and disadvantaged families, supporting them with donations of food and medicines, and assisting them in building small houses. But it is still not enough, especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

The area has a population of about 28,000 people. There are families who live making ends meet with small jobs including laundry on behalf of wealthy families, car washing, and loading and unloading of goods at the market. Many of these families have fallen further into poverty during the lockdown period. While they have received a little help from the government, restrictions have taken away their ability to earn a living.

The Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, has offered support to the local Salesians and has provided the funding for the distribution of rice, beans, soap and oil twice a week. The aim is to guarantee the minimum necessary for families facing difficulties. Many of these families are single mothers with children who live in shelters and other dilapidated housing. The project has helped 70 families and a foster family home with around 25 children. About 500 people are receiving concrete help from this project.

“The coronavirus pandemic has not only been a risk to people’s health, but the resulting lockdowns have put strain on people’s livelihoods,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians in Madagascar and around the globe are providing nutritional and health support to help people through this challenging time.”

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those being youth between the ages of 10 and 24, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025. Women and children in the country are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water, coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for education well past the compulsory education in the country. Access to education and training in social and life skills encourages graduates to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

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

ANS – Madagascar – Amid pandemic and hunger, the answer is in solidarity

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Salesian project is providing nutritional support for 500 people in Ivato impacted by coronavirus lockdowns first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries were able to provide clean water to close to 4,000 people in the Salesian community in Ankofafa, Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, thanks to funding from Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.”  The beneficiaries of the project included 500 children who attend the Salesian oratory each day, 1,000 youth who attend the oratory three days a week, 1,500 youth who attend summer activities, the Salesian community of 50 confreres and staff, hundreds of parishioners, and numerous retreat groups.

For the last 25 years, the water at the oratory had been brown and unsanitary for children and youth participating in Salesian activities. The water pipes were meant for the needs of up to 3,000 people but were used for 15,000 people. Before the project, which took place in 2018, there had been a shortage of water for those in need. People formed long lines at the public pumps in the neighborhood starting as early as 2:00 a.m. just to get one can of water for the whole day. Additionally, the pump that was used bordered the rice fields, which made the water susceptible to contamination.

With the funding provided, a new well was dug and water pump installed. Now the Salesian community has clean water for the kitchen, rooms and common bathrooms. Among the beneficiaries is a group of 20 street children who come to the Salesian community twice a week to wash their clothes and take a shower. Thanks to the new water supply, the youth don’t want to leave and they are more willing to engage in school and recreational activities at the Salesian center.

“It’s important that Salesian programs around the globe have access to safe, clean water for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities brings a sense of dignity to communities and promotes proper hygiene and safe drinking water. Clean water also ensures that students are focused on their studies and not at risk of illness from unsafe water sources.”

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and by 2050, the world’s population will have grown by an estimated 2 billion people, pushing global water demand up to 30 percent higher than today. One in four primary schools has no drinking water service, with students using unprotected water sources or going thirsty.

For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. UN-Water notes that more than 700 children under 5 years of age die every day from diarrheal disease linked to unsafe water and poor sanitation.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions continues its “Clean Water Initiative” to make building wells and supplying fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those being youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025. Due to Madagascar’s poverty, geography and an ongoing political crisis, the country is ranked 158 out of the 188 countries classified by the 2015 Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Program. Women and children in the country are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty.

In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for education well past the compulsory education required in the country. Access to education and training in social and life skills encourages graduates to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

UNICEF – Madagascar

World Water Day 2020

The post MADAGASCAR: Salesian community provides clean water to close to 4,000 people thanks to funding from Salesian Missions ‘Clean Water Initiative’ first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Salesian construction program is one of the four Salesian professional programs in Madagascar. More than 50 percent of the programs’ attendees come from vulnerable situations and are seeking a better way of life. Many initially attend Salesian rehabilitation centers where they have their most basic needs of food, clothing and shelter met and then they enter either secondary or vocational school. The end goal is for youth is to grow into adults who can live a life of self-sufficiency with stable employment, utilizing the skills necessary to contribute to their families and communities.

“Salesian missionaries are direct legal guardians of some of the students because their families are far away or absent,” says Paola Schinelli, from the Office of Planning and Development of the Salesians in Madagascar. “Our programs provide psycho-social support and vocational training. The construction project aims to help students finishing their professional program enter into the workforce.”

Through the project students are met with real-world working conditions, must meet deadlines and are required to meet standard quality. It provides an excellent opportunity for them to put the skills learned in the classroom into practice in the workforce. It also provides them the experience they need to secure a job after graduation.

“I decided to follow the training course to realize my dream and have the experience of being in charge of a building site,” says 17-year-old Pascal Rakotonirina, a student who is in charge of the work.

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025. Due to Madagascar’s poverty, geography and an ongoing political crisis, the country is ranked 143rd out of the 177 countries classified by the human development index of the United Nations Development Program. Women and children in the country are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty.

Poverty is also exacerbated by a vulnerable geographical location and topography, which expose the country to various natural hazards, including tropical cyclones, flooding and drought. According to UNICEF, between 2002 and 2011, Madagascar was hit by a total of 22 cyclones affecting close to 3 million people, including an estimated 540,000 children under age five. An ongoing political crisis has resulted in the suspension of most external assistance to the country and has reduced the capacity of authorities to effectively respond to emergencies.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for education well past the compulsory education required in the country. Access to education and training in social and life skills encourages young students to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

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ANS – Madagascar – Dreams in the pipeline: the Salesians and Professional Training

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: New Construction Project Aims to Give Students Real World Work Experience first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries already living and working in Madagascar have been responding to the needs of local residents displaced by the flooding. Working in cooperation with Catholic Caritas, the global confederation of Catholic charities which has been providing emergency food, medicine and clothing, Salesian missionaries are continuing to assess damage and address the needs of the youth and their families enrolled in their programs as well as those living in surrounding villages.

While some of the Salesian-run schools in the area have been damaged, the primary focus is on helping those who have been displaced from their homes. Most affected are local farmers whose crops were damaged by the intense flooding. According to missionaries reporting on the ground, corn fields and rice paddies are completely flooded and with crops ruined, many are concerned the region will be affected by a severe famine.

Roads to villages most affected by the cyclone remain impassible and products such as sugar, oil, flour and beans, typically transported in from major cities, are not reaching those in need. Village markets have very little in stock and prices have risen. There is concern that many villages will remain isolated for several months.

“Because Salesian missionaries live within the communities they serve, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our programs are helping to provide food, clothing and shelter to those in need and our missionaries will remain through the long recovery process helping many families who will be forced to replant their crops and rebuild their homes.”

Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world. In order to help youth break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness, Salesian missionaries in Madagascar operate elementary, middle and high schools throughout the country. The focus of the schools is on providing educational opportunities, increasing literacy and laying a foundation for students to continue their education well past the compulsory schooling required in the country. Access to education and training in vocational, social and life skills encourages students to go on to find livable wage employment, breaking the cycle of poverty.

Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025. Due to Madagascar’s poverty, geography and an ongoing political crisis, the country is ranked 143rd out of the 177 countries classified by the human development index of the United Nations Development Program. Women and children in the country are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

Poverty is also exacerbated by a vulnerable geographical location and topography which exposes the country to various natural hazards including tropical cyclones like Cyclone Chedza. According to UNICEF, between 2002 and 2011, Madagascar was hit by a total of 22 cyclones affecting close to 3 million people including an estimated 540,000 children under age five. An ongoing political crisis has resulted in the suspension of most external assistance to the country and has reduced the capacity of authorities to effectively respond to emergencies.

Sources

ANS – Madagascar – After cyclone Chedza

Business Standard – 35 killed by cyclone Chedza in Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: Salesian Missionaries Provide Assistance to Those Affected by Flooding from Cyclone Chedza first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Seventy percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million people live in poverty with 5.7 million of those youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years, according to UNICEF. This number is expected to double by 2025. Due to Madagascar’s poverty, geography and an ongoing political crisis, the country is ranked 143rd out of the 177 countries classified by the human development index of the United Nations Development Program. Women and children in the country are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty.

For close to 80 percent of the country’s inhabitants who live in rural areas and practice subsistence farming, living conditions have been steadily declining in recent years, particularly when it comes to access to transportation, health services, education and markets. Because of the lack of hygiene and access to safe drinking water coupled with chronic malnutrition, people in Madagascar often suffer from respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

Poverty is also exacerbated by a vulnerable geographical location and topography, which expose the country to various natural hazards, including tropical cyclones, flooding and drought. According to UNICEF, between 2002 and 2011, Madagascar was hit by a total of 22 cyclones affecting close to 3 million people, including an estimated 540,000 children under age five. An ongoing political crisis has resulted in the suspension of most external assistance to the country and has reduced the capacity of authorities to effectively respond to emergencies.

The diocese of Ambanja, located on the north western coast of Madagascar, recently started a Catholic university. Currently, courses are being held in temporary premises until the school finishes its final preparations and the long-awaited project becomes a reality.

“There are 70 students enrolled in the law program and another 35 in agronomy,” says Father Rosario Vella, Bishop of Ambanja. “Next year we would like to start courses in business and economics as well as ecology and tourism, because this is a tourist area where there is a great need for environmental protection.”

“The choice of university programs responds to the job opportunities and the needs of the area. The course in law is really necessary because there is no justice in Madagascar and the poor are discriminated against and the rights of the weakest are often trampled upon,” adds Bishop Vella.

Because many students will need to travel to attend the university, the diocese has set up a safe housing option where students are able to live and study under the care of family or school personnel.

In the city of Bemaneviky in northern Madagascar, a Salesian program started last year is working to close the digital divide. Because of a lack of funding and limited access to technology, many youth in Bemaneviky have had no training in technology, including basic computer and internet skills. The program provided new computers, projectors and a printer to local schools and, through a collaboration with Computer Scientists Without Borders, was able to train teachers, most with no experience using a computer, in basic computer skills and use of the new equipment. So far, the training has been intense but effective.

“This is an exciting addition to the schools in Madagascar,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The impact has been far reaching. Students are learning new technology skills and with updated technology and better communication, many families have access to a wealth of knowledge for the first time.”

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Sources:

ANS – Madagascar – The Excellent Contribution of Catholic Education in a Country in Crisis

Salesian Missions – MADAGASCAR: New Partnership is Closing the Digital Divide

UNICEF – Madagascar

The post MADAGASCAR: New Educational Opportunities Provide Training in High Employment Sectors Helping Youth Escape Poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT STOP HUNGER NOW

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

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

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS

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

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

According to UNICEF, 70 percent of Madagascar’s almost 19 million population live in poverty. This percentage includes 5.7 million youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years. This number is expected to double by 2025 with youth expected to continue to face huge challenges.

A new Salesian program in Bemaneviky, Madagascar is working to bring technology training to youth. Salesians have been working in Bemaneviky for many years and run elementary, middle and high schools educating over 3,200 students in this particularly disadvantaged area.

In September 2012, the Salesians began collaborating with Computer Scientists Without Borders, an organization formed by professional information technology volunteers, and Monclick, one of the leading online sellers of technology products in Italy. A “Back to School” Campaign was initiated which provided the Salesian program four percent of all of Monclick’s online sales through the fall. The program raised close to 35,000 euro, substantially more than the partners expected.

The money raised is helping to create new opportunities for both teachers and students. As a result of this initiative, new equipment including 15 notebooks, one projector and one multifunction printer has been purchased and teachers have been given access to new technology training that they in turn will pass along to their students.

“Students now have the ability to learn more about technology and benefit from its use,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Teachers also benefit by learning new skills and students will have more hands-on use of information technology.”

Volunteers from Computer Scientists Without Borders are training the teachers, most of whom have no experience using a computer, in basic computer skills in addition to teaching them how to utilize the new equipment. The training is intense but has been effective.

“In just nine days I carried out an intensive basic computer course,” explains Mr. Tordini, a volunteer. “I left them with documentation in French, some taken from the internet, some put together ad hoc, and I urged them to study, try, make mistakes and then try again.”

“It is incredible how much we take it for granted and assume that there is universal access and how much we undervalue the power, in terms of freedom and human development, that this can have in places where they have been excluded,” adds Mr. Tordini.

Driving this initiative is Computer Scientists Without Borders, founded in 2005, with the aim to use knowledge and computer tools to help people living in poverty in marginalized communities. Their goal is to close the digital divide – those with access to technology and those without. The organization believes that access to technology is an effective means of aiding social and economic development.

“This is an exciting addition to the schools in Madagascar,” adds Fr. Hyde. “The impact has been far reaching. Students are learning new technology skills and with updated technology and better communication, many families have access to a wealth of knowledge for the first time.”

Sources

ANS – Italy – New technologies at Bemaneviky: mission complete

UNICEF – Madagascar Statistics

The post MADAGASCAR: New Partnership is Closing the Digital Divide first appeared on MissionNewswire.

According to UNICEF, of Madagascar’s almost 19 million population, 70 percent live in poverty. This percentage includes 5.7 million youth between the ages of 10 and 24 years. This number is expected to double by 2025 with youth expected to continue to face huge challenges.

In Bevaneviky the Salesians run elementary, middle and high schools educating over 3,200 students. This area is particularly disadvantaged and many youth are suffering from the effects of the widespread abuse of khat, a cheap but socially devastating drug. With the creation of a computer room as a result of this new charitable initiative, the Salesians intend to offer the best technology training available, helping youth to bridge the digital gap and in turn spread information about and prevent the effects of the dangerous drug.

“Students will now have the ability to learn more about technology and benefit from its use,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Teachers will benefit by learning new skills and students will have more hands-on use of information technology.”

Driving this initiative is Computer Buffs Without Frontiers, founded in 2005, with the aim to use knowledge and computer tools to help people in poverty who are living in marginalized communities. Their goal is to close the digital divide – those with access to technology and those without. The organization believes that access to technology is an effective means of aiding social and economic development.

Monclick decided to partner with Computer Buffs Without Frontiers and donate a portion of the proceeds of their autumn sales to the Bevaneviky initiative. The proceeds provide the funding to create the computer room at the Salesian school and to train its teachers.

“In addition to its practical results this sort of collaboration with Monclick has great symbolic value,” says Girolamo Botter, president of Computer Buffs Without Frontiers. “It shows how commercial companies can make a contribution to our mission to reduce the digital divide in the most disadvantaged areas of the world without any detriment to its own commercial interests of making a profit.”

The Salesians and youth in Madagascar are happy to be recipients of the results of this collaboration.

“This is an exciting addition to the schools in Madagascar,” adds Fr. Hyde. “The impact will be far reaching. Students will be able to use technology skills in ways that will benefit their entire community. With updated technology and better communication, many families will have access to a wealth of knowledge for the first time.”

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Sources:

ANS – Computer studies supporting education

UNICEF – Madagascar Statistics

The post MADAGASCAR: Computer Scientists Without Borders Helps Bring New Services, Technology Training to Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.