PARAGUAY

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Róga, an educational center located in Asunción, Paraguay, provides support to more than 2,000 youth in situations of vulnerability. One of its projects is the Don Bosco Róga Children’s and Youth Symphony Orchestra for 250 young people. The project launched in 2003 thanks to the support of international organizations.

Initially, the program was set up for youth living in the Salesian center, but over time it was extended to the whole community. The project is led by a staff of 27 educators and professionals and is aimed at youth ages 8-25. The project does welcome people of all ages and currently has two seniors who are 73 and 76 years old.

Teachers provide lessons on 26 instruments including violin, cello, flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet and symphonic percussion. There are also singing, dance and theater lessons offered from Monday to Friday in the afternoon and on Saturday mornings. While the lessons focus on music, there are many life skills taught in the program. One Salesian said, “Our goal is not to train exceptional musicians, but to be a tool for saving human lives.”

Mary, age 14, has been part of the orchestra for six years. “I signed up because I had learning problems and was told that when you study music you become smarter, and it really helps me to perform better, both in school and socially. I play the violin and the cello.” Manuel, age 11, explained that he is happy to belong to the orchestra because he saw his sister playing the violin from an early age and wanted to become part of the group.

The project is free to those who wish to join. Renan Reckziegel, artistic director of the orchestra, explained, “Our desire is to continue to progress in the balance between the technical-musical and human and Christian development of all the beneficiaries. We want every young person to develop their musical skills and apply them to life and their environment.”

The orchestra plays symphonic, classical, folk, popular and Andean music. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would hold more than a dozen concerts and meetings with other youth musical groups. It  has collected several national and international awards, and has recorded several albums.

The pandemic has put the project on hold for now because lessons must be held online and not all children can follow. The goal is to resume the project when it’s safe to do so.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people lives in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility.

Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor and a lack of literacy, in addition to a weak educational foundation, compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Paraguay – “Don Bosco Róga” opens its doors to integrating minors thanks to music

UNICEF – Paraguay

World Bank – Paraguay

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PARAGUAY

(MissionNewswire) The Maria Auxiliadora Parish community in Concepción, Paraguay, has new audiovisual equipment thanks to donor funding through Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The goal was to have the equipment necessary for the parish to conduct workshops with partners and youth and to carry out meetings focused on devotion to the Marian Catholic faith.

“The equipment is very beneficial for a range of activities including talks, workshops, pastoral meetings, pre-baptismal, premarital courses and meetings with young people,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “This new equipment impacts up to 30 people per meeting and gives the Salesian community better access to technology to facilitate its work with the community.”

Father Jorge Manfredo Cuevas Ramos and the Association of Mary Help of Christians facilitate the meetings and activities of the parish. The equipment purchased and installed works optimally in the facility. The parish needed air conditioning for the room where the equipment is housed and that has also been purchased and installed.

Also operating in Concepción is the Salesian San Luís Educational Institution. Founded in 1991, the institute currently provides services to 760 youth from kindergarten to middle school. The institute houses several schools within its grounds as well as a very popular oratory. Participating youth take part in primary and secondary education, summer camps, sports and art, dance, and theater classes.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Through the years, missionaries have operated educational programs to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous population in the area while promoting strong cooperation with leaders of the indigenous culture. Local Salesian programming supports laws in favor of the indigenous populations, the recovery of original lands, sustainable development, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group and the fostering of internal leadership.

Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people lives in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility.

Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor and a lack of literacy, in addition to a weak educational foundation, compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

UNICEF – Paraguay Statistics

World Bank – Paraguay

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PARAGUAY

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Minga Guazú, a municipality in ​​the department of Upper Paraná, Paraguay, have been working to provide local people with food and relief support during the coronavirus pandemic. The Salesian community in Minga Guazú has also been coordinating the logistical work of the District Emergency Committee,  which was created at the beginning of the health crisis to help alleviate the needs that were beginning to emerge for the city’s most vulnerable families.

In the region, missionaries operate several organizations including the Don Bosco Institute, the Don Bosco Temple, the Mary Help of Christians Parish, the Mary Help of Christians Institute and the Mary Help of Christians Technical Institute.

“The miracle of Minga Guazú was built with the collaboration of many people, associations and institutions, such as the municipality and the Office of the Governor, beyond political allegiances and beliefs, with a very strong presence of the young people of the Salesian youth ministry,” explained Father Sergio Maciel, coordinator of the District Emergency Committee.

During the relief response, coordinators from 65 chapels within the parish collaborated to deliver food kits to families in need. When requests increased, the District Emergency Committee began working directly from Mary Help of Christians Technical Institute, where it still operates. Currently, the committee is distributing basic products to the poor across the Minga Guazú district, benefiting over 60,000 people.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Through the years, missionaries have operated educational programs to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous population in the area while promoting strong cooperation with leaders of the indigenous culture. Local Salesian programming supports laws in favor of the indigenous populations, the recovery of original lands, sustainable development, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group and the fostering of internal leadership.

Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people lives in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility.

Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor and a lack of literacy, in addition to a weak educational foundation, compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low-quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Paraguay – About 60,000 people assisted by Minga Guazú District Emergency Committee

The post PARAGUAY: Salesian-led Minga Guazú District Emergency Committee has provided food aid to 60,000 people during coronavirus relief response first appeared on MissionNewswire.

PARAGUAY

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Carlos Pfannl Agricultural Institute, located in Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay, celebrated its 65th anniversary on Nov. 21. The Salesian Institute, which bears the name of one of its benefactors, was started with youth already in their third year at the Salesian Agricultural School of Ypacaraí. They worked together with Salesian missionaries to start the new school. At the time, the school grounds covered 5,000 hectares of forests and fields.

Father Guido Coronel dedicated himself to the construction of the current Salesian Institute, in addition to a parish dedicated to Mary Help of Christians. The land is optimal for cultivation and breeding.

The Salesian Carlos Pfannl Agricultural Institute is located about 140 km from the national capital, Asunción. When the institute was first opened, it was dedicated to educating local rural farmers. In 1970, the institute began offering bachelor’s degree courses in agro-pastoral and forestry techniques. In 2004, the institute started welcoming young women into the program.

The reputation of the institute’s quality is known throughout Paraguay. There have also been projects launched throughout the years that aim to reduce the poverty in the region and improve the living conditions for rural farmers. The institute is currently one of the most important Salesian centers in the country.

“Many of our students are the children of poor farmers in the area,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “We want to provide youth with new farming knowledge and skills so that they can make a good life for themselves while helping to support their families and community.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Through the years, missionaries have operated educational programs to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous population in the area while promoting strong cooperation with leaders of the indigenous culture. Local Salesian programming supports laws in favor of the indigenous populations, the recovery of original lands, sustainable development, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group and the fostering of internal leadership.

Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people lives in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility.

Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor and a lack of literacy, in addition to a weak educational foundation, compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low-quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Paraguay – 65 years of “Carlos Pfannl” Agro-Pastoral Institute

Salesian Missions – Paraguay

UNICEF – Paraguay

The post PARAGUAY: Salesian Carlos Pfannl Agricultural Institute celebrates 65 years of training rural farmers and local youth in new agriculture and forestry techniques first appeared on MissionNewswire.

PARAGUAY

(MissionNewswire) Students attending the Sacred Heart of Jesus Salesian school in Asunción, Paraguay, have won first place in the public services category at the Municipal Prize for Student Initiative on Human Rights organized by the Municipal Council of Asunción. Their winning project, “The world of Derni,” is a new educational game focused on teaching children’s rights. The game was subjected to a quasi-experimental investigation to show that applied in the classroom, it produces positive effects on users learning rights and duties.

“We are proud and honored to have the opportunity to meet the concerns of youth mobilized and involved in social issues,” said part of the statement from the Municipal Council about the event. The Salesian project was developed by students Camila García, Katherine Cáceres, Alicia Rodríguez and Ramón Cardozo. The project was led by Professor Carlos Molinas.

Whether it’s combating child labor, assisting homeless youth or building schools where children previously had no access to education, Salesian missionaries are on the front lines educating youth on their rights and ensuring access to programs and services they need. Working in more than 5,500 Salesian educational institutions and youth centers around the world, missionaries educate children in some of the poorest places on the planet.

“Education is always our primary focus, but we know youth are dealing with much more than just needing access to education,” says Father Mark Hyde, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries also provide education on human rights which provides vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth. At Salesian schools, young children gain an education, learn about their rights and freedoms and participate in sports and other activities—all in a safe environment that encourages learning and growth.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Through the years, missionaries have operated educational programs to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous population in the area while promoting strong cooperation with leaders of the indigenous culture. Local Salesian programming supports laws in favor of the indigenous populations, the recovery of original lands, sustainable development, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group and the fostering of internal leadership.

Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people lives in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility.

Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor. A lack of literacy, in addition to a weak educational foundation, compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low-quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Paraguay – “Salesianito” wins Municipal Prize for Human Rights

Salesian Missions – Paraguay

UNICEF – Paraguay

The post PARAGUAY: Salesian students win first place Municipal Prize for Student Initiative on Human Rights for their game that teaches children’s rights first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The emergency food relief was made possible thanks to an ongoing partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children, a non-profit Christian organization committed to, “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” The partnership has resulted in the donation of 10,000 kgs of rice meals to help provide food security for 40,000 displaced flood victims residing in settlements along the Paraguay River. Any remaining rice meals will be distributed to Salesian programs in the region.

“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 missionaries in Paraguay are responding to the ongoing needs of flood victims and working across the country providing education and skills training to help youth excel in the workforce.”

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 have been working in Paraguay since establishing a church in Asunción in 1896. Through the years, missionaries have operated educational programs to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous population in the area while promoting strong cooperation with leaders of the indigenous culture. Local Salesian programming supports laws in favor of the indigenous populations, the recovery of original lands, sustainable development, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group and the fostering of internal leadership.

“Through educational programs, Salesian missionaries are focusing on increasing the capacity of indigenous communities,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Youth who lack educational resources remain in poverty. Our programs teach necessary trade skills to advance employment opportunities and give youth the chance of a better life.”

Paraguay is among the poorest countries in South America. According to UNICEF, almost 23 percent of its population of 6.5 million people live in poverty earning less than $1 per day. The gap between the small upper class and the large lower class is extreme and offers virtually no social mobility. Conditions of poverty drive youth into early labor and a lack of literacy in addition to a weak educational foundation compounds the problem. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low quality housing and a lack of access to basic household services. Paraguayans who only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those who have access to and complete secondary school.

According to the World Bank, those in Paraguay that are monolingual Guarani speakers have almost a 50 percent greater chance of being poor than monolingual Spanish speakers and migrant populations have a 60 percent higher probability of being poor than non-migrants.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Paraguay Statistics

World Bank- Paraguay

The post PARAGUAY: Donation Provides Emergency Food Relief to 40,000 Displaced by Flooding first appeared on MissionNewswire.

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 in Paraguay is associated with lower education levels, female heads of households and migration. Agriculture is among the most important employment sectors in the country’s economy. Those in poverty face overcrowding, low quality housing, and a lack of access to basic household services. Those that only graduate from primary school are twice as likely to live in poverty as those that have access to and complete secondary school.

According to the World Bank, those in Paraguay that are monolingual Guarani speakers have almost a 50 percent greater chance of being poor than monolingual Spanish speakers and migrant populations have a 60 percent higher probability of being poor than non-migrants.

The Salesians have been working in Paraguay since 1896, beginning their work in the capital Asunción, near the port on the Paraguay River. There, they established a church and educational programs focusing on the arts and trades to help advance the skills and knowledge of the indigenous people.

Most recently, the Paraguayan Parliament honored Father Joseph Zanardini of the Salesians of Don Bosco in recognition of the educational programming the Salesians have brought to the indigenous people in the Chaco region. Fr. Zanardini is a professor of Social Anthropology at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic University and has been invited to many countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia to speak on indigenous culture and the revitalizing of languages as a tool for strengthening local identity. He works to prepare new programs for indigenous schools based on local needs.

This honor rewards Fr. Zanardini’s work as well as all those within the Salesian community who provide educational programs and have contributed to promoting a number of laws on behalf of the indigenous community.

“Through educational programs, the Salesians are focusing on increasing the capacity of indigenous communities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth who lack educational resources remain in poverty. Our programs teach necessary trade skills to advance employment opportunities and give youth the chance of a better life.”

To date, close to 500 indigenous schools in Paraguay are receiving state support to educate some 25,000 students. These schools are made possible by the hard work and dedication of 1,500 teachers, most of whom are also indigenous.

Salesian programs promote strong cooperation with leaders from the indigenous culture. Various activities have driven the Salesians work through the years including recovery of original lands, the appreciation of cultural values in each ethnic group, support for sustainable development, fostering internal leadership and supporting laws in favor of the indigenous populations.

Sources

ANS – Paraguay – Salesian work with indigenous Chaco recognised

UNICEF – Paraguay Statistics

World Bank- Paraguay

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