NICARAGUA

(MissionNewswire) Students at San Juan Bosco Salesian School, located in Granada, Nicaragua, have access to a new computer lab thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funds received, together with a contribution from the school, purchased 36 new computers for a computer lab at the preschool and primary school in 2021.

The project benefited 287 students who come from vulnerable households, mostly children whose parents work in the informal market. With the new computer lab, Salesians are able to provide computer literacy training and digital technology access for youth in poverty.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had severe impacts on learning opportunities for Nicaraguans—a country where almost three-quarters of youth suffer from lack of access to quality education. This is far worse compared to its neighbors in Latin America and the Caribbean region, according to the World Bank. Although the enactment of universal free education has led to increased enrollment rates, the quality of education suffers because of a lack of resources.

The Nicaraguan education system needs strengthening and improvements in school infrastructure, teaching material, and modalities of education. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging for schools to deliver education to their students. A recent study showed that the main needs of students are connectivity in homes as well as access to technological tools. Over half of children in Nicaraguan primary schools lack access to the internet while more than 80 percent of secondary students lack access.

A Salesian in Nicaragua explained, “Most children are currently enrolled in a hybrid model of learning, splitting their time equally between in-person and remote learning. The knowledge gained through this new technology access will provide the necessary skills to succeed in a post-COVID economy. Computer literacy is more essential than ever now as societies are rapidly digitizing. Instilling this knowledge will help prevent students from falling behind in their education. The students will become proficient in computer programs and will transfer these skills to their education, becoming more efficient in navigating the technology that is used to deliver the content.”

Access to computers will mitigate school closures and challenges with remote learning, protecting the children’s right to education. UNICEF predicts that over 3 million children will drop out of school in the Latin American/Caribbean region because of the effects of the pandemic. Students who do not have access to a computer or internet at home will be able to utilize the computer lab to complete their schoolwork, thus preventing them from dropping out.

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Nicaragua

World Bank – Nicaragua

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NICARAGUA

(MissionNewswire) The University Clinic for Women and Children Santa Rita de Casia, part of the Catholic University of the Dry Tropics in Estelí, Nicaragua, is working to improve medical care for people with limited economic resources in the northern zone in the departments of Estelí, Madriz and Nueva Segovia. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID-ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The project, which runs from October 2019 to the end of September 2023, is currently in initial stages of construction with initial planning nearing completion. Once the facility is completed and equipped, the medical-surgical clinic for women and children will provide high-quality obstetrics, pediatrics and gynecology services. The clinic, created according to U.S. standards, will promote the U.S. values of gender equity, scientific excellence and equal access to quality medical care.

“With the support of USAID, Salesians in Nicaragua are improving access to medical care for people with limited economic resources, particularly women and children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “This project is also providing practical experience for medical students as they train to become medical professionals. This will help to improve the overall medical care and expertise available in this part of Nicaragua.”

Santa Rita de Casia Medical Dispensary, which is also a part of this project and the Catholic University of the Dry Tropics medical school program, started providing outpatient care to the general public in July. There are 25 fourth-year medical students who help manage the patients through assigned rotations four days a week. These students work under the supervision of three teachers, two specialists and a general practitioner.

First-year medical students have also benefited from the clinic. One hundred first-year students had the opportunity to take part in training and practice in medical-surgical procedures, including first aid, taking vital signs and primary health care. These students were under the supervision of a specialist teacher.

To date, 180 patients have received general or specialty medical care. The clinic has seen an increasing number of patients since it opened.

There is also a dental clinic available for the general public. From July to September, 1,096 patients received dental check-ups and 1,306 dental treatments have been performed including regular dental cleanings, dental implants, surgeries and restorations.

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Catholic University of the Dry Tropics

Salesian Missions – Nicaragua

World Bank – Nicaragua

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NICARAGUA

(MissionNewswire) The University Clinic for Women and Children Santa Rita de Casia, part of the Catholic University of the Dry Tropics in Estelí, Nicaragua, will improve medical care for people with limited economic resources in the northern zone of Nicaragua in the departments of Estelí, Madriz and Nueva Segovia. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID-ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The project, which runs from October 2019 to the end of September 2023, is currently in initial stages of construction. Once the facility is completed and equipped, the medical-surgical clinic for women and children will provide high-quality obstetrics, pediatrics and gynecology services. The clinic, created according to U.S. standards, will promote the U.S. values of gender equity, scientific excellence and equal access to quality medical care.

“We extend our gratitude to USAID for funding this important project that will help to improve the medical care available for women and children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “This project will also help to provide practical experience for medical students as they train to become medical professionals. This will help to improve the overall medical care and expertise available in this part of Nicaragua.”

As part of this project, meetings were held to finalize the rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Santa Rita de Casia Medical Dispensary, which is also part of the Catholic University of the Dry Tropics medical school program, in order to start providing outpatient care to people with limited economic resources.

The medical dispensary, which opened on Aug. 4, features two areas for primary health care and specialties and one area for the performance of and training in minor surgery procedures. It features three hospital beds, washbasins, shelves for files, and didactic materials such as dolls and posters for learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cannulation, and endotracheal intubation. Other types of medical and educational services will be provided, including care for children and adults, electrocardiograms, and nebulization, among others.

Medical students in their first to third years of study will train at the medical dispensary and then move onto more advanced training in obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics at the new medical-surgical clinic.

Thanks to donor funding, Salesian Missions was able to provide furniture for the medical dispensary for offices, meeting rooms and classrooms. The furniture will improve the space for doctors as well as for students and patients.

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Catholic University of the Dry Tropics

Salesian Missions – Nicaragua

World Bank – Nicaragua

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NICARAGUA

(MissionNewswire) The St. John Bosco Oratory in Granada, Nicaragua, has opened and resumed activities. The oratory had been closed to in-person activities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1915, the St. John Bosco Oratory has been a center for meetings and friendships. Now, the courtyards are once again filled with youth and the sounds of laughter, friendly encounters and soccer matches.

COVID-19 forced millions of people into isolation and caused a major disruption in educational systems around the globe. Salesian programs in Granada had to find an alternative to supporting youth during this time. The San Juan Bosco Salesian Institute in Granada sought a number of alternatives to continue providing quality education to its students, including utilizing technology for online education.

The Inter-American Development Bank has noted, “The pandemic has had a direct impact on the education systems of all the countries in the region, involving students, families, ministries, secretariats, schools, teachers and principals. The closure of schools to contain the spread of the virus has brought more than 165 million students out of school, from kindergarten to higher education.”

The Salesian Institute used interactive blogs and Google for Education G-Suite tools. Salesian educators responded to the needs expressed by parents while ensuring that students still received an enriching educational experience. Teachers tapped into a wealth of audiovisual resources to make the teaching and learning process more dynamic and interactive. Many teachers, although initially fearful, began recording their lessons and providing them to students.

Many youth, who faced close to a year of lockdown, are excited and hopeful to once again be able to meet with their peers and have the in-person support of their teachers and other Salesian staff. Opening the oratory, with safety measures in place, is a step for them in returning to a “normal” way of life. Some educational lessons in Salesian schools are still being taught online for the time being.

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Nicaragua – Salesian oratory in Granada re-starts activities

Salesian Missions – Nicaragua

World Bank – Nicaragua

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(MissionNewswire) In November, Central America was hard hit by two Category 4 hurricanes. Hurricane Eta hit on Nov. 3 and Hurricane Iota hit less than two weeks later on Nov. 16. Hurricane Eta made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, and then Iota made landfall less than 15 miles south near the town of Haulover. The torrential rains brought deadly landslides, flash flooding and destruction across Central America. More than 200 people have died as a result of the storms with millions more impacted and in need of help.

Salesian missionaries across Central America, including Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras, are responding locally to help those in need with shelter, food, clothing and more. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched a new fundraising campaign to help with this relief work.

Salesian missionaries across Central America are responding with shelter, food, clothing and more for those in need of hurricane relief.

“The stakes are high for those impacted by these hurricanes, especially now when we are still dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Because Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work, they are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They know the local landscape and can ensure that relief aid is provided to those most in need.”

The Salesian community of Carchá, Guatemala, has eight priests who serve 350 villages, including more than 5,000 Indigenous students. At least 40 of the villages have been directly affected. The rains, strong winds and landslides have damaged houses with some completely destroyed under flood water. Many roads have been lost and some communities are no longer reachable. People have lost everything and are facing a challenging road ahead. Villages have opened their schools and churches to welcome displaced people.

Right after Hurricane Eta, Father Vittorio Castagna, a Salesian missionary stationed in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, said, “It hasn’t rained for three days, yet the water continues to rise and people are unable to go out. I saw some of them with deep sadness, feeling alone and insecure. The displaced people are now crowded into a very small place. It is a very uncomfortable environment, and this is indeed a trial for them.”

In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, students in the 2021 graduating class at San Miguel Salesian Institute launched a fundraiser to support the people affected. With COVID-19 safety measures in place, more than 1,000 people from the Francisco Morazán and Cortés departments were provided food, personal hygiene items, clothes, shoes, sheets, bedspreads, mats and bio-safety equipment.

The initiative also received the support of the Past Pupils Association from the María Auxiliadora Salesian Institute and San Miguel Institute in collaboration with Mis Manos Son Tus Manos Association. Rector Father Horacio Macal and the entire Salesian community also participated.

Salesian missionaries in these local communities are still assessing the damage and working to respond to people in need. In support of this work, Salesian Missions has launched its Central American Hurricane Relief Fund. Those who want to support these efforts are urged to donate online at salesianmissions.org/lp/hurricane-central-america/. 

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Sources:

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

ANS – Honduras – Pupils from “San Miguel” Salesian Institute help over 1000 victims of Hurricane Eta

GUATEMALA: COVID-19 pandemic complicates Hurricane Eta response

Salesian Missions

The post CENTRAL AMERICA: New appeal to help people impacted by hurricanes first appeared on MissionNewswire.

NICARAGUA

(MissionNewswire) COVID-19 has forced millions of people into isolation and caused a major disruption in educational systems around the globe. San Juan Bosco Salesian Institute in Granada, Nicaragua, has sought a number of alternatives to continue providing quality education to its students, including utilizing technology for online education.

The Inter-American Development Bank has noted, “The pandemic has had a direct impact on the education systems of all the countries in the region, involving students, families, ministries, secretariats, schools, teachers and principals. The closure of schools to contain the spread of the virus has brought more than 165 million students out of school, from kindergarten to higher education.”

In countries where there are no large budgets for education, the challenges of providing education have been complicated. Although many countries do not have a consolidated national strategy for distance education, they have made significant efforts even with limited capabilities.

The Salesian Institute in Granada has started using interactive blogs and Google for Education G-Suite tools. Salesian educators are responding to the needs expressed by parents while ensuring that students are still receiving an enriching educational experience. Teachers have have tapped into a wealth of audiovisual resources to make the teaching and learning process more dynamic and interactive. Many teachers, although initially fearful, began recording their lessons and providing them to students.

The process has been complex because it also required engagement from parents, who now must work more closely in the learning process. The Salesian Institute has continued to monitor progress of online education and modify as needed to meet the needs of teachers, students and parents.

Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty with a quarter of its population living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

Years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Nicaragua – Salesians create interactive blogs to offer quality education and care of young people

Salesian Missions – Nicaragua

World Bank – Nicaragua

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New Rochelle, New York – This summer, between June and September, Salesian missionaries from various locations around the world will be visiting Catholic parishes throughout the U.S. to share inspirational stories about Salesian programs and the donors that support them making a difference in the lives of poor and disadvantaged youth. As part of the annual Missionary Cooperative Program, these forums are open to the public and Salesian donors and others interested in the work of Salesian missionaries are encouraged to attend.

This year, the visiting Salesian missionaries are from Sierra Leone, Tanzania, South Africa, Nicaragua, the Philippines and several locations in India. They will visit Catholic parishes from New York to California with several stops in between, sharing their stories of missionary work in education, workforce development and health and nutrition programs for youth and their families.

“We strive in many ways to communicate the depth and breadth of our mission and work, but nothing can compare to hearing firsthand accounts from our missionaries working and living in impoverished communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In more than 130 countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries are providing support and life-changing programs that help youth and their families break the cycle of poverty and lead healthy and productive lives.”

Among those visiting include Father Jose Ubaldino, rector and parish priest at St. John Bosco Community in Sierra Leone’s capital city, Freetown. Sierra Leone has been ravaged by a 10-year civil war that has resulted in 500,000 displaced families, 60,000 orphans and thousands of street children seeking refuge in large cities. The Salesian-run Don Bosco Fambul in Freetown, is one of the country’s leading child-welfare organizations and has been on the forefront of efforts to help prevent the spread of Ebola while providing care for children left orphaned. Fr. Ubaldino will be visiting parishes in New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California from June through August.

Several Salesian missionaries from cities across India will also be attending the forums. Father Dennis Panipitcha began his ministry in Arunachal Pradesh, India, where for 12 years he served in various capacities as administrator, rector and parish priest. Since 2006, he has been the rector and principal at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in Kohima, Nagaland. As one of the only high schools in the impoverished northeast region of India, the school is recognized for transforming the economic, social and cultural status of the area’s residents. Fr. Panipitcha will be visiting parishes in Kansas and Nebraska in June and July.

“The great work of Salesian missionaries is only made possible through our generous donors and we encourage them, and others interested in learning how donations are making a very real and tangible difference in the lives of children and families in need, to join these public forums,” adds. Fr. Hyde.

To learn more about the visiting Salesian missionaries, including their bios and forum dates and locations, please visit Salesian Missions’ Missionary Cooperative Program.

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. 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. 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 GLOBAL: Salesian Missionaries from around the Globe Visit U.S. Parishes to Share Success Stories first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The partnership has resulted in a donation of rice-meals that has benefitted more than 20,000 people in Estelí, including students in Salesian schools and those living within poor communities. The majority of beneficiaries have few resources and live in extreme poverty. The donated rice-meals provided to Salesian schools are given to students during the school day as part of a free lunch program begun by Salesian missionaries to meet the needs of the many area families with limited resources to feed their children. The meals ensure students receive proper nutrition and a balanced diet, helping them to focus on their studies and extracurricular activities.

Salesian missionaries and volunteers also distributed donated rice-meals to families in need through community outreach efforts and at local churches. The food aid helped elderly residents receive proper nutrition and aided in improving their strength, health and mental wellbeing. Food aid was also delivered directly to families at home to ensure that children receive more than just the one meal offered at school.

“Many of those participating in Salesian programs in Nicaragua are malnourished,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “For students, this donated 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.”

The ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children has resulted in 40-foot containers of fortified rice-meals being shipped to Salesian sites around the globe. Feed My Starving Children provides the food and Salesian Missions takes care of the cost and logistics of shipping each container from Feed My Starving Children warehouses to the destination country. Salesian Missions also works to help identify where the greatest needs are at any given time. The partnership began in early 2006 when the first 40-foot container was donated to and shipped by Salesian Missions for programs in Sri Lanka. Through the years, as Salesian Missions has determined beneficiaries in need of Feed My Starving Children food, almost 100 containers of more than 27 million meals have been donated, shipped and received by those in need in more than 25 countries.

“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,” adds. Fr Hyde. “Youth who access Salesian programs in Nicaragua are given an educational foundation, technical skills training and life and social skills to help them excel in the workforce. They are then able to break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.”

Nicaragua is one of the least developed and poorest countries in Latin America, second only to Haiti, with more than 42 percent of its residents living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty, although declining steadily in recent years, remains high. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

After decades of political instability and vulnerability to natural hazards, the country has achieved a remarkable economic turnaround and is now focusing on innovative ways of reducing poverty. However, years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Nicaragua

The post NICARAGUA: More Than 20,000 People Living in Poverty Have Access to Better Nutrition Thanks to Food Aid Donation from Feed My Staring Children first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Every Monday, more than 80 low-income, mostly elderly people between 80 and 95 years of age, visit a Salesian church in Managua and are provided food and other assistance from the church community. Salesian missionaries in the community have noticed that since the rice-meal donation, the recipients’ strength and health as well as their mood has improved. Salesian Sisters who operate a boarding school for girls just outside the city also received part of the donation and provided the meals to their boarders who take classes in baking, sewing and embroidery in addition to academic courses toward a high school diploma. The added nourishment has had a significant impact on the girls’ ability to concentrate on their studies.

The primary recipients of the rice-meal donation were two Salesian schools in Managua, a kindergarten for young students 3-5 years old and a Salesian high school. Between the two schools, more than 200 students received better nutrition as a result of the donation. The rice-meals were provided to students during the school day as part of a free lunch program to ensure they receive proper nutrition and a balanced diet, helping them to focus on their studies and extracurricular activities. Salesian missionaries began the school feeding program to meet the needs of the many area families with limited resources to feed their children.

“Many of those participating in Salesian programs in Nicaragua are malnourished,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “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.”

The ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children has resulted in 40-foot containers of fortified rice-meals being shipped to Salesian sites around the globe. Feed My Starving Children provides the food and Salesian Missions takes care of the cost and logistics of shipping each container from Feed My Starving Children warehouses to the destination country. Salesian Missions also works to help identify where the greatest needs are at any given time. The partnership began in early 2006 when the first 40-foot container was donated to and shipped by Salesian Missions for programs in Sri Lanka. Through the years, as Salesian Missions has determined beneficiaries in need of Feed My Starving Children food, almost 100 containers of more than 27 million meals have been donated, shipped and received by those in need in more than 25 countries.

“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,” adds. Fr Hyde. “Youth who access Salesian programs in Nicaragua are given an educational foundation, technical skill training and life and social skills to help them excel in the workforce. They are then able to break the cycle of poverty and become contributing members of their communities.”

Nicaragua is one of the least developed and poorest countries in Latin America, second only to Haiti, with more than 42 percent of its residents living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty, although declining steadily in recent years, remains high. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

After decades of political instability and vulnerability to natural hazards, the country has achieved a remarkable economic turnaround and is now focusing on innovative ways of reducing poverty. However, years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

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Sources:

World Bank – Nicaragua

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Close to 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in the country are confronted not only with poverty, but with instability, high levels of violence and inadequate access to educational opportunities. Despite ranking high for economic indicators, the need for practical education is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

El Salvador is one of the most violent countries in Central America, along with Honduras and Guatemala. The murder rate in El Salvador rose more than 44 percent in the beginning months of 2014, when compared to the same time last year. Gang violence is a leading cause of violence in the country and it’s estimated that some 60,000 young people have gang affiliation. Gang involvement often offers a sense of belonging and a sense of family that counters the lack of education and employment opportunities offered in the country.

Don Bosco University is working to provide opportunities for advanced education and employment for disadvantaged youth in El Salvador. The university offers degrees in engineering, social sciences, humanities, economics, technology and aeronautics, among others. The donated furniture, shipped late last year in preparation for a new faculty building, was installed in October. The furniture will help provide students and faculty a better working and learning environment.

In addition to this donation, Salesian programs around the globe have received school and office furniture as well as workstations thanks to the partnership between Salesian Missions and IRN. In recent months, IRN has sent shipments of furniture and workstations to Salesian sites in Haiti, the Philippines, Liberia and the Dominican Republic. Additional shipments have been sent to Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay and Togo.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

Salesians are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as training and certification programs, Salesians are helping to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Programs rely on donations such as those provided by IRN to keep facilities functional for students and staff.

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every educational, commercial and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment. Hundreds of millions of people living in poverty or recovering from natural disasters worldwide are in desperate need of the kinds of surplus goods these very organizations are discarding. IRN makes the match and facilitates the distribution of the surplus into the hands of the organizations and people who need it most.

“There is a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

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Sources:

Don Bosco University El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

Institution Recycling Network

The post EL SALVADOR: University Students, Faculty Benefit from Furniture Donated by Institution Recycling Network first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Nicaragua is one of the least developed and poorest countries in Latin America, second only to Haiti, with more than 42 percent of its residents living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty, although declining steadily in recent years, remains high. More than 80 percent of Nicaragua’s poor live in remote rural communities where access to basic services is a daily challenge.

After decades of political instability and vulnerability to natural hazards, the country has achieved a remarkable economic turnaround and is now focusing on innovative ways of reducing poverty. However, years of widespread poverty have taken their toll and many residents suffer from poor health conditions including HIV/AIDS. In addition, crime, violence against women, gang violence and high unemployment result in challenging economic and social conditions, particularly for young people and women.

The Mary Help of Christians Elementary School provides pre-kindergarten through grade 8 education for poor youth. Close to 500 elementary school students and their teachers benefited from a donation of three 40 foot containers of new furniture. The new furniture will be used in classrooms, administrative offices and at the school’s feeding program.

Education has proven to be an effective means of breaking the cycle of poverty while giving the most vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth. Elementary and secondary education lays the foundation for early learning. The donated desks and chairs help to provide a more dignified and organized educational environment for students to complete their studies. As a result, students are often more focused on their classroom work and more prepared for their lessons.

“The children now have comfortable tables and chairs to use and are very happy with the improvement to their classrooms,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The furniture has contributed greatly to their learning environment and classroom discipline and has brought a smile to the faces of many of the young students. This donation has been a great contribution to the school.”

Salesian Missions’ partnership with GRRO International has provided valuable furniture, including desks, bookshelves, workstations, chairs, whiteboards, filing cabinets, and more to equip Salesian classrooms, offices and administrative buildings. In addition to this most recent donation, the partnership has made furniture donations possible at Salesian programs in Paraguay and El Salvador.

“There was a clear match between the needs of Salesian-run programs and schools and the supplies of surplus furniture to which GRRO International has access. We appreciate their partnership and their help providing for Salesian schools in need,” adds Fr. Hyde.

GRRO International, based in Beverly, Massachusetts, partners with hundreds of U.S. and global recipient organizations, providing sustainable and responsible reuse programs to a wide variety of clients nationwide. The environmentally-sound, socially conscious and fiscally beneficial programs assist in the redistribution of millions of pounds of no longer needed assets.

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Sources

GRRO International

World Bank – Nicaragua 

The post NICARAGUA: Hundreds of Elementary Students Benefit from School Furniture Donation first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“IRN donations have furnished Salesian schools and development offices in Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia,” explains Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer for Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We plan to continue working with IRN because they are a reliable partner who is eager to assist in our mission and provide quality donations to our programs.”

The Salesians are known for their education programs for youth around the globe. With countless elementary, secondary and university level educational centers as well as youth training and certification programs, the Salesians help to provide a direct path out of poverty for many youth and their families. Programs rely on donations such as those provided by IRN to keep facilities functional for students and staff.

The Institution Recycling Network was started in 1999 to match surplus items that need to be recycled with organizations and people who need them. Every education, commercial, and healthcare organization in the U.S. has surplus furniture and equipment they need to get rid of. Hundreds of millions of people living in poverty or recovering from natural disasters worldwide are in desperate need of the kinds of surplus goods these very organizations are discarding. IRN makes the match and facilitates the distribution of the surplus into the hands of the organizations and people who need it most.

“There was a clear match between Salesian Missions’ need for furniture and equipment for their worldwide projects, and the supplies of surplus to which IRN has access,” says Mark Lennon, principal of the Institution Recycling Network. “Salesian Missions has been an excellent partner.”

IRN partners with nonprofits who are known to be reputable and effective providers of relief and development assistance, and who are able to use the types of surplus that IRN can provide. The organization has a “wish list” from each of its nonprofit partners of the types and quantities of surplus they can use.

When a project comes to IRN, it makes a match against these wish lists and offers the surplus to the most appropriate nonprofits. At this point it is first-come-first-served; the first nonprofit(s) to express interest in the surplus project is the one to receive it. In many cases a single nonprofit will claim the entire project but in some cases, the surplus will be split among two or more nonprofits.

“There is almost infinite demand in the U.S. and worldwide for good quality surplus so IRN’s surplus program will continue to grow,” says Lennon. “The school or company that supplies the surplus pays IRN for the service of matching their surplus with our nonprofit network. In almost all cases they pay IRN much less than they would pay to bring in dumpsters and throw the surplus away.”

There is a three pronged benefit to the work that IRN does. The generating organizations profit by disposing of their surplus for less than the cost of throwing it away, while the recipient organizations profit from a very low cost source of quality furniture and equipment. Impoverished and disaster-stricken people benefit from furniture and equipment they otherwise would have no access to. And finally, the planet benefits from reuse of important resources.

“We know of no other organization in the country other than IRN that is able to match large quantities of surplus with qualified recipients, and then manage the entire project to remove and load the surplus for shipment,” adds Lennon.

About Institution Recycling Network (IRN)

IRN is headquartered in Concord, NH and is a cooperative recycling organization that works with more than 350 colleges and universities, hospitals, K-12 schools and private companies to improve the performance and economics of recycling. IRN negotiates transportation, processing and marketing of recycled commodities and provides a single point of contact to recycle dozens of different materials. IRN handles over 75 commodities – everything from cardboard and fluorescent lamps to concrete and Astroturf. IRN is known particularly for its effective recycling of unusual and complex commodities such as electronic equipment, construction and demolition wastes and surplus property. For more information about IRN, visit www.IRNSurplus.com.

About Salesian Missions

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for its 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 youth throughout the world in more than 130 countries, helping them become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million young people have received services funded by Salesian Missions. To learn more visit www.salesianmissions.org.

The post GLOBAL: Salesian Missions Partners with Institution Recycling Network, Benefitting Programs Around the Globe first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Poverty and lack of opportunity keep generations in the cycle of poverty. According to USAID, El Salvador’s per capita income is the fifth lowest in the Western Hemisphere when adjusted to reflect the cost of living. The poverty rate sits close to 42.5 percent of the population.

The Salesians are working hard in El Salvador to empower youth to create their own opportunities for success now and later in life. Salesian programs focus on academic and trade education to help students find stable employment upon graduation.

Student input, innovation and involvement over the years has resulted in exceptional programs that are enabling youth to overcome poverty and realize their full potential. Salesian partnerships with government-funded facilities are further strengthening the positive impact on young people.

Most recently, youth leadership has been a focus. Fifty-six youth, former graduates of Salesian schools, gathered in San Salvador for an in-person training session that is part of an overall 16-month leadership training program. Alumni came from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua to learn and share their life experiences with one another. The leadership program focuses on ethics, social engagement and character building as well as leadership skills. Students learn primarily through a virtual platform but have two in-person meetings, one that just took place earlier this year and another scheduled in Costa Rica in 2014.

“Developing our youth to be leaders is important for their personal development and their communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth learn leadership skills and then apply them in the real world, helping to shape their environments and give back to the communities they grew up in.”

There are currently 123 alumni enrolled in the leadership training program, which is coordinated by the Past Pupils Executive group from El Salvador. Salesian Past Pupils Associations are made up of graduated Salesian alumni who work together to give back locally and pay the lessons they learned forward to other poor youth currently being educated in Salesian-run programs. The leadership program has been developed to further the associations’ work in education and community building.

“We encourage all of the youth we have worked with over the years to give back to their local communities,” says Fr. Hyde. “The alumni are showing what a difference someone can make when they apply the skills learned at Salesian-run schools. We are very proud of our former students.”

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Sources

ANS – El Salvador – Young pupils trained as leaders

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

USAID – El Salvador

The post EL SALVADOR: Youth Leadership Training Helps Salesian Alumni Give Back to Local Communities first appeared on MissionNewswire.