MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) More than 2,000 people in the Salesian São João Baptista de Moatize Mission, located in Ntsungo, Mozambique, have clean water access thanks to funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The region, which is home to more than 8,000 people, lacks access to health services and clean water. It only has one primary school. Among the beneficiaries, 60 percent are women and 40 percent are men. Most of the communities have many children and older youth.

With the funding, Salesians were able to drill a borewell, install solar powered pumps and create a water system with three plastic tanks with a capacity of 5,000 liters each. Water is channeled to the communities and to the primary school. Water fountains were also set up in the communities so that people could access the water.

“Salesian Missions has made clean water projects a priority for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “This community had little access to clean water prior to this project. Now people can access water in the communities and right at the primary school, helping to ensure safe drinking water and proper sanitation.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975, but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being their only education.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: School and communities gain clean water first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) At the end of July, teachers in Maputo, Mozambique, attended technical training as part of the “Technical Volunteering” project that is a collaborative effort between Salesians in Maputo and Pamplona, Spain. The training normally takes place every year in person, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it has been done remotely online for the last two summers.

At the end of 1992, Mozambique was ravaged by civil war. The peace agreements signed in Rome put an end to 17 years of clashes, but the population faced hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of people who had been displaced, some having left the country as refugees who would never return. Many children lost years of schooling in the process.

In 1994, two Salesians in Pamplona reached out to Salesians in Mozambique, as well as state and local authorities and international organizations, to start talks about launching vocational training to help educate, and in some instances, re-educate a whole generation of youth. Initially, 12 members of the Salesian community in Pamplona traveled to Maputo to provide teacher training and help set up technical training centers for youth.

Five technical and vocational training centers have since been developed. The Don Bosco Higher Institute in Maputo has also developed a university center dedicated to the preparation of technical and vocational teachers. The Don Bosco Higher Institute is the only professional teacher training program in the country and provides training to more than 600 students each year. Partially funded by the Spanish Cooperation, it is also the only teacher training center in Mozambique recognized by the Ministry of Education for the training of teachers of professional schools.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Mozambique – The question from the very start: “What can we do for these young people?”. A history of international technical volunteering

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Teachers take technical training during summer break first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) Students and staff at the Salesian College in Maputo, Mozambique, will have clean water access thanks to funding from the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The project provided a new borewell and water tank with a distribution system on the Salesian grounds, which houses the college and a Salesian coordination house. More than 700 people were directly impacted by this project and another 200 families from the local community will also be able to access the new water source.

The Salesian College is a higher education institution dedicated to teacher training for professional, technical and vocational schools. The institution has close to 600 students attending and offers courses in hospitably and tourism, mechanics and electricity, information and communication technologies, and administration sciences. On the same grounds is the Salesian coordination house, which is the headquarters of the Salesians of Don Bosco for the entire country of Mozambique. The coordination team works and lives there.

The borewell and new water source were needed because of the high cost of water supplied by the national network FIPAG (Investment Fund and Heritage of Water Supply). FIPAG also faces water supply capacity problems and has not been able to meet the demand for water. There are several restrictions and breaks in the supply that sometimes last a week. This makes it extremely difficult to run an educational institution with many students.

The project will ensure that the Salesian community has access to the water supply it needs, keep costs low, and ensure the quality of water provided to Salesian staff and students. This project is the first phase. Additional funding is needed for an electrical pump and switchboard and other activities for clean water access.

“Salesian Missions has made clean water projects a priority for the health and safety of those we serve,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Improving water access ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975, but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being their only education.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: More than 700 people directly impacted by clean water project first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Maputo offers a Real Madrid Social-Sports School in Mozambique‘s capital of Maputo. Salesian missionaries have been working in the country for over a century to help disadvantaged children by offering them an education. Through soccer and basketball, more than 70 children and adolescents learn values ​​and improve their academic performance.

Don Bosco Maputo Social-Sport School is part of a collaborative initiative between the Salesian Missions Office in Madrid and the Real Madrid Foundation. The partnership began in 2010 in a Salesian school in Senegal and continued to schools in Central and South America. The first social-sports school was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2012, social-sports schools opened in Portugal. Today, the collaboration has 21 projects in 14 countries and serves nearly 4,000 children each season, using educational sport and its values as a catalyst for the social betterment of youth and communities.

Both the Real Madrid Foundation and the Salesians are aware that sports are important for social integration and the promotion of values like teamwork, communication, respect and team spirit. 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, 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.

For three days a week, the students at Don Bosco Maputo participate in training sessions. Mandatory lockdowns during the last school year as a result of the pandemic decreased sports activities and the number of participants. The project turned to the distribution of food, masks and protective devices as well as awareness-raising initiatives about COVID-19 to avoid infections.

Walter, age 13 and one of the participants in the soccer school, said, “Here we have fun, we learn a lot and make friends. When I grow up, I want to be a teacher. I know that what I’m learning will help me achieve this goal.”

The school year in Mozambique began in February. Participation limitations and health measures are still in place. To ensure safety, the school is enforcing the use of masks, requiring hand disinfection before entering the playground or any activity organized by the school, and taking the participants’ temperatures before they enter the sports complex.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Mozambique – Solidarity, fundamental ingredient in “Don Bosco-Maputo” Social and Sports School of Real Madrid

Real Madrid Foundation

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Real Madrid Social-Sports School brings opportunities to students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) Volunteers from the Salesian São José community, near Maputo, Mozambique, brought food rations to 46 elderly people in need. These rations included corn flour, rice, oil, sugar, tea and soap. In addition to these people, more than 100 others have been identified to receive help as soon as other resources become available.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for more than 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975, but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being the education they knew.

Salesian missionaries began offering vocational and technical training for these youth to help them gain employment and life skills that would prepare them for a life on their own and in the workforce. Today, there are five Salesian centers in the country teaching basic education along with vocational and technical training. These Salesian centers have also developed critical partnerships with local businesses that help ensure youth can make transitions from the classroom to the workforce. The partnerships also help tailor the skills training to ensure that Salesian programs are meeting the local workforce needs.

“Vocational and technical skills training along with these professional partnerships have become seeds of change for youth in Mozambique,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The goal of Salesian centers is to ensure that youth have their basic needs met while focusing primarily on education to help them break the cycle of poverty and prepare them for the future. During this global pandemic and while school is out of session, Salesian missionaries are focusing on those most in need and impacted by coronavirus.”

In Maputo, the Don Bosco Higher Institute is the only professional teacher training program in the country. Partially funded by the Spanish Cooperation, it is also the only teacher training center in Mozambique recognized by the Ministry of Education for the training of teachers of professional schools. The teacher training program was developed in the 2006-2007 academic year  and was made possible through a collaboration between the Salesians, the Spanish foreign ministry, the government of Mozambique and the Youth of the Third World organization.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Mozambique – Salesian volunteers help elderly

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Volunteers from the Salesian São José community provide food rations to 46 elderly people in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MOZAMBIQUE

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian community in the Luís Cabral neighborhood of Maputo, Mozambique, was able to dig a new borewell to increase water access thanks to funding from Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” With this first round of funding, Salesian missionaries have been able to complete several activities including identifying a suitable water source, demarcation of the area, drilling and opening of a borewell, and water pressure tests.

The Salesian community is home to the Salesian coordination house, which is the headquarters of the Salesians of Don Bosco for the entire country of Mozambique. The coordination team works and lives there. The community is also home to a Salesian college, which trains 600 students. The college is dedicated to training for teachers who will educate in professional, technical and vocational schools.

The need for a borewell and new water source for the Salesian community is due to the high cost of water supplied by the national network FIPAG (Investment Fund and Heritage of Water Supply). FIPAG also faces water supply capacity problems and has not been able to meet the demand for water. There are several restrictions and breaks in the supply that sometimes last a week. This makes it extremely difficult to run an educational institution with so many students.

Having its own water supply will ensure that the Salesian community will have access to the water supply they need, keep costs low and ensure the quality of water provided to Salesian staff and students. This project is the first phase. Additional funding is needed for an electrical pump and switchboard and other activities for clean water access.

“Salesian communities must have access to safe, clean water for the health and safety of those we serve,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water access ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water. This reduces the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools, keeping them away from important study time.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in Mozambique for 110 years, providing education and social development programs for poor youth. The country gained its independence in 1975 but a civil war erupted in 1977 and lasted until peace treaties were signed in Rome in 1992. The civil war left some 60,000 youth with few employment prospects, little training and war being their only education.

Mozambique has made great strides in reducing poverty, according to the World Bank. But with nearly 50 percent of the population still living in poverty, progress has not been fast enough. Poverty is concentrated in rural areas, and even with growth within the country, the regions of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Gaza saw an increase in poverty in the 2000s.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Salesian community in Maputo has new borewell for water access thanks to Salesian Missions ‘Clean Water Initiative’ first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Celebrated each year on October 16, the day was established to bring attention to the plight of the world’s hungry and undernourished while providing an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the complex solutions for ending hunger. This year’s theme “Social protection and Agriculture: breaking the cycle of rural poverty” aims to underline the role social protection plays in reducing chronic food insecurity and poverty by ensuring direct access to food or the means to buy food.

More than 793 million people around the world go hungry every day, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Over 70 percent of food insecure people live in rural areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East. And according to the World Food Program and the United Nations, 2 billion people lack the vitamins and minerals needed to live healthy lives.

Of those who go hungry daily, 98 percent reside in developing countries where there is not only a shortage of food but major challenges for aid to reach its destination. Salesian Missions’ programs are dedicated to developing sustainable food systems and providing agricultural education in more than 130 countries around the globe. Operating primary schools, technical training centers, agricultural schools, youth centers, orphanages and programs for street children, Salesian missionaries are on the front lines of the battle against hunger.

Working and living in the communities they serve, Salesian missionaries are perfectly positioned to ensure that the distribution of food aid reaches those who need it most while offering programs that teach agricultural techniques to increase local food production. Through ongoing partnerships with organizations like Stop Hunger Now and Feed My Starving Children, Salesian missionaries are able to deliver life-saving food aid and other supplies to those in need in their communities.

“Salesian missionaries 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,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Salesian food programs provide meals to students during the school day and serve as an incentive for families to send their children to school. As a result of the feeding programs, students are thriving. Many have gained weight, suffered fewer illnesses and become more focused on their studies. Teachers are seeing better student performance in class, a decrease in absenteeism and an increase in program enrollment rates.

“Feeding programs are a necessity to meet the needs of the massive number of children around the globe who are hungry today,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Meals children receive at Salesian schools may be their only meals. This food not only encourages them to attend school, it allows them to focus on getting the education they need without worrying about where their next meal will come from. Children cannot learn on an empty stomach.”

Many Salesian programs are also dedicated to developing sustainable food systems and providing agricultural education. This World Food Day, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian agricultural programs which include those offered at more than 90 agricultural schools around the globe.

CAMBODIA

Salesian-run Don Bosco Kep, located in Kep Province, Cambodia, has developed a small farm to better serve the needs of poor and disadvantaged youth in the region. The new farm will help to support the work of the agricultural department which serves to train Cambodian youth in mechanical agriculture while producing food for the technical school to aid its sustainability. Since 2011, the agricultural department has worked with limited resources on a small piece of land inside the school’s campus. Over the past several years, the department has been growing with the addition of more teachers and students and has been making a broader social impact in the regions of Kep, Kampot and Takeo.

DR CONGO

Salesian-led International Voluntary Service for Development (VIS) volunteers hosted a special workshop for farmers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo*. The goal of the workshop was to empower farmers to envision a viable and stable agricultural framework and boost their confidence to bring it to fruition. The farmers’ ideas will provide the foundation for a new agricultural service center in the country. The new center will provide resources and expertise to help improve crop yields, profitability and the overall quality of life for farmers and their families. The input of local farmers will help direct the center’s resources and training curriculum.

INDIA

The Don Bosco Agro-Educational Complex, located in the town of Sulcorna in the state of Goa in western India, has developed the area’s first agriculture college. The new college will utilize 110 acres of fertile land for hands-on farm training and emphasize organic cultivation in its four-year degree program. The mission of the college is to train undergraduates and postgraduates in the latest agricultural practices and modern technologies while moving towards efficiency in farming within Goa by exploring and testing new techniques in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture and animal husbandry. Salesian missionaries in the area are working towards marketing agricultural products and services to local farmers by utilizing the college and its staff as a resource for everything related to farming and off-farm activities. They are also working with local women’s groups helping them to plant specific crops that have greater viability in the marketplace. Salesian missionaries hope the agriculture degree program will entice more local youth to choose agriculture as their long-term livelihood.

MOZAMBIQUE

The Austrian Salesian Youth of the World program has planned its second agricultural project in the town of Moatize, located in the Tete province in northern Mozambique. The project, which will be carried out in seven different rural communities, aims to educate farmers in the latest innovations in agriculture and livestock techniques in order to improve food security and increase income potential. Educators will help farmers introduce or intensify the production of vegetables, experiment with new methods of production and processing of products and assist with raising livestock. Farmers will learn new skills in agriculture and animal husbandry, horticulture and fruit growing and breeding cattle and sheep. They will also be provided with irrigation pumps which will help to support local schools and healthcare centers. In addition, Salesian staff will work with local residents to establish community associations for product sharing and sales. The project will train close to 1,000 families, or about 5,000 people. With increased food production in the small rural communities participating in the program, about 8,000 residents will be positively impacted.

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Sources:

World Food Day 2015

*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

The post WORLD FOOD DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights School Feeding Programs and Agricultural Education in Fight against Hunger first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Five of the six missionaries are headed to the Cape Verde islands and will be volunteering at the school of arts and crafts in São Vicente as well as at the Salesian-run parishes of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Grace, both in Praia, the country’s capital. According to the World Bank, the Cape Verde Islands have seen steady economic growth and enjoy a per capita income that is higher than many continental African nations. However, close to 25 percent of the country’s population lives in poverty.

The sixth Project Life missionary is heading to Mozambique, which according to the World Bank is one of the poorest countries in the world. Despite impressive growth and development over the last several years that has reduced the once 70 percent poverty rate (in the late 1990s) to 54 percent today, poverty continues to be severe and widespread. More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health care and education.

The young volunteer in Mozambique will have the opportunity to assist poor students in educational projects at a vocational-technical school in the capital city of Maputo in addition to giving open-air lessons in the city of Tete, located on the Zambezi River in the northern part of the country.

“Volunteerism is an important part of Salesian programs around the globe,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Our volunteers spend their time in schools, youth centers and Salesian programs that provide education, workforce development and other supportive services for poor youth and their families. The time volunteers spend helps to increase the capacity of our programs and brings a lot of joy to the youth they serve.”

Before being sent abroad on their assignments, volunteers are rigorously trained in working with youth in poverty, the employment situation in the country assigned, education techniques, leadership and health topics. Volunteers learn to develop their capacity for collaboration as well as how to begin a dialogue with other cultures, religions, ethnic minorities and those living in extreme poverty. Volunteers benefit by expanding their knowledge and skills set and most often find the experience an opportunity for great personal growth.

The Don Bosco program, Project Life, also offers volunteer assignments to individuals and groups who wish to help poor youth within Portugal and in Portuguese speaking countries. Short term projects that address the immediate needs of the poor as well as long term projects focused on education and social services are available. Additional volunteers have participated in fundraising efforts that result in feeding programs, scholarships and accommodations for students in need.

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Sources

ANS – Portugal – “Don Bosco Programme – Project Life”: Salesian Youth Volunteering

World Bank – Cape Verde

World Bank – Mozambique

The post PORTUGAL: Volunteers Give Back By Helping Poor Youth in Salesian Programs first appeared on MissionNewswire.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health care and education.

Recently, the Austrian Salesian Youth of the World program planned its second agricultural project in the town of Moatize, located in the Tete province in northern Mozambique. The project, which will be carried out in seven different rural communities, aims to educate farmers in the latest innovations in agriculture and livestock techniques in order to improve food security and increase income potential. Educators will help farmers introduce or intensify the production of vegetables, experiment with new methods of production and processing of products and assist with raising livestock.

“Investing in agriculture education is vital to developing countries,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Teaching farmers innovative techniques to increase the production and sales of their products is essential not only to overcome hunger and poverty, but also to ensure overall economic growth for surrounding villages and cities.”

The project will train close to a thousand families, or about 5,000 people. With increased food production in the small rural communities participating in the program, about 8,000 residents will be positively impacted.

The project will focus on several areas of development and education. Farmers will learn new skills in agriculture and animal husbandry, horticulture and fruit growing and breeding cattle and sheep. They will also be provided with irrigation pumps which will help to support local schools and health care centers. In addition, Salesian staff will work with local residents to establish community associations for product sharing and sales.

The success of the first Salesian agricultural training in the community led to a continuation of the project in the hopes of reaching more families. Farmers who attended the initial training have been able to put into practice a variety of the techniques they learned, which has led to increased food production and improved financial standing. Some were able to grow items they had never previously had success with, such as tomatoes. Others were able to sell their products for the first time and, as a result of the additional income earned, were able to improve their homes. Food insecurity decreased as farmers prospered and more food was available to the community.

“Salesians have been working in Mozambique to provide educational opportunities to poor youth for many years,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Salesian technical and agricultural programs and other services educate youth and help them learn the necessary skills to enhance their livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty.”

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ANS – Mozambique – A social project for a rural area

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Agriculture Training Project Works to Improve Food Security and Income for Rural Farmers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

More than 70 percent of those living in poverty, reside in rural areas and rely on farming and fishing to make a living. The vast majority of the rural population lives on less than $1.25 a day and lacks basic services such as access to safe water, health facilities and schools.

Opened by the Salesians of Mozambique to meet the needs of poor youth, the Don Bosco Higher Institute at Maputo operates the only professional teacher training program in the country. Partially funded by the Spanish Cooperation, it is the only teacher training center in Mozambique recognized by the Ministry of Education for the training of teachers of Professional Schools.

“Professional teacher training fosters and develops well trained educators which lay the foundation for strong academic programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This Salesian program provides important instruction to future educators who then go on to teach critical job skills to poor youth.”

Recently, a Spanish Salesian Volunteer Movement completed its 21^st trip to Mozambique on a mission to educate new teachers. Led by Father Angel Miranda, the volunteers included four Salesian Brothers and other Salesian staff. While at the Don Bosco Higher Institute, the group provided assistance with education programs and technical training, including hands-on training for students enrolled in the teacher training program in electrical engineering and general mechanics.

Using the apprentice method, the volunteers taught the future teachers new skills and working methods on the lathe and the milling machine. The electrical engineering students did their work in the workshops at the school while the mechanics students and welders built new equipment for the halls.

“Teachers are the backbone of educational systems,” says Fr. Hyde. “The value of strong teacher training is seen in the youth that graduate from  trained teachers’ classes. Training enables educators to be more effective in their jobs, resulting in students that learn and behave better and achieve academically.”

“The Salesians know that access to education and educated teachers is critical to helping youth learn job skills, improve their lives and find a path out of poverty,” adds Fr. Hyde.

The teacher training program was developed in the 2006-2007 academic year at Don Bosco Higher Institute and was made possible through a collaboration between the Salesians, the Spanish foreign ministry, the government of Mozambique and the Youth of the Third World organization. Currently, Don Bosco Higher Institute provides traditional professional training courses and a course for the qualification of teachers in professional subjects to 632 students.

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Sources

ANS – Mozambique – Missionary Volunteers from Spain train future Teachers

World Bank – Mozambique

The post MOZAMBIQUE: Spanish Salesian Volunteers Train New Electrical Engineering and General Mechanics Teachers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Salesian emphasis on fighting poverty through education and skills training has served Mozambique well. The school, Don Bosco Higher Institute at Maputo, was built with partial funding from the Spanish Cooperation and is the only teacher training center in Mozambique recognized by the Ministry of Education for the training of teachers of Professional Schools.

“Professional teacher training fosters and develops well trained educators who are the foundation for strong academic programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This Salesian program provides important instruction to future educators who go on to teach and provide critical job skills to poor youth.”

Developed through a collaboration between the Salesians, the Spanish foreign ministry, the government of Mozambique and Youth of the Third World organization, classes are educating new generations of professional educators. Currently, Don Bosco Higher Institute provides 632 students both traditional professional training courses and a course for the qualification of teachers in professional subjects.

In addition to classroom learning, online classes are available for specialized areas such as industry, tourism, agriculture and administration.

“Teachers are the backbone of educational systems,” adds Fr. Hyde. “The value of strong teacher training is seen in the success of the youth that graduate. Teacher training creates more effective educators who are better able to instill good behavior and academic excellence in their students.”

The training program was developed in the 2006-2007 academic year and began with the construction of the building which houses all classrooms. In addition to overseeing the construction of the school building, the program’s founders, Spanish Salesian Father Angel Miranda and the late Father Valentín de Pablo were responsible for the rebuilding of a local elementary school in Maputo which is run by the Franciscan Sisters today.

Educating poor youth is the main focus of the Salesians in Mozambique and in more than 130 countries around the globe. In addition to the teacher training program, the Salesians provide education and technical training to nearly one hundred youth at the “Rifugio di Languene” in the capital of Mozambique and at the Salesian Training School in Oamba where youth have access to education and shelter in the student hostel.

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Sources:

ANS – Mozambique – Queen Sophia of Spain visits the Don Bosco Higher Institute

World Bank – Mozambique

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