RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries launched projects for young single mothers and at-risk youth in Rango, within the city of Butare, Rwanda. The projects have the support of Mission Don Bosco in Turin, Italy.

To date, 40 young mothers have taken training to learn tailoring skills. They have also received a sewing machine and some essential materials to start a simple tailoring or sewing business that will provide an income for their families.

The rate of teen pregnancy has been growing in recent years and is beginning to create a major obstacle for social and economic development in the country, especially among the population’s poorer segments. An unmarried young woman who becomes pregnant is excluded from society, leaving them alone, vulnerable, and facing financial, social, and health difficulties.

Father Remy Nsengiyumva, the parish priest in Rango, noted, “Many girls drop out of school due to poverty and unwanted pregnancy. To help them and their children, Salesians initiated the two-year tailoring training program at the Vocational Training Center. The new program offers entrepreneurial training and provides a basic took kit so participants can start an income-generating business. The center also offers courses in construction, carpentry and welding.”

Through the “Tomorrow Will Be Better” program, Salesians have also been able to support 120 at-risk children and youth who had run away to live on the street. Social workers were able to understand why they ran away from home and help them reestablish a relationship with their families. Salesians distributed clothes, hygiene kits and food. In addition, peer groups were organized to support youth in building relationships. Through this effort, 89 youth enrolled in elementary school, 20 in secondary school and 11 in vocational training.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22 percent of the population — face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Muhazi Technical-Vocational School, located in the Gasabo district in the Kigali province of Rwanda, has an entrepreneurship program that plays a crucial role in helping students to launch their own businesses. This helps them to become self-sufficient, as well as improve the lives of their families.

Through the entrepreneurship program, youth are trained in the creation and management of a small business. They also learn how to develop psychosocial competence to lead the business. Sessions are held during an internship period after coursework is completed.

The school offers vocational training in masonry, culinary arts and tailoring trades. Students are guided through their coursework and have access to the entrepreneurship program. For those who don’t want to start their own business, there is a job service office. According to recent statistics, more than 90 percent of graduates have a job and are satisfied with it. To date, more than 800 poor youth have graduated from Don Bosco Muhazi.

Uwizeyimana Lenatha, age 18, has completed two years in the tailoring trade and currently practices her tailoring profession. She says that although she used to face challenges during her studies due to family poverty, she has started reaping the fruits of her labor.

Lenatha said, “I remember how I had to cross Lake Muhazi every day coming to school to get knowledge. Now I have a job as a tailor and I can earn a living. I plan to set up a large workshop and provide employment to unemployed youth and expand my business in other sectors of the Gicumbi district.”

Ingabire Olivier, age 22, completed the culinary arts courses at Don Bosco Muhazi and completed an internship at one of the hotels Rwamagana district. When he completed the internship, the manager of the hotel offered him a job because of the quality of his work. Olivier said that the secret to getting employment is discipline and hard work which are some of the qualities of the students who graduate at Don Bosco Muhazi.

A Salesian missionary at Don Bosco Muhazi, said, “These young people tell you that their education would not have been easy if they did not have the opportunity to go to a school that cares for the poor. On the other hand, the stressful life that most of the young people have lived before coming to school has led them to concentrate on their studies so that they are becoming who they want to be.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people — 22 percent of the population — face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Oratory in Kabgayi, Rwanda, has returned to in-person activities following a significant drop in COVID-19 cases in the country. At the Salesian Oratory in Kabgayi, youth have the opportunity to play, access education and use the various services offered. Youth, who had previously been attending activities at the oratory, were excited and grateful to be able to return to sports and connecting with their peers.

Salesians offer education and social programs for poor youth and their families in Rwanda and around the globe. Salesians offer primary and secondary education, technical and vocational school, boarding for youth traveling long distance to schools, and oratories, among other programs.

Salesian programs in Rwanda are also working to help at-risk youth who are often living on the streets. UNICEF estimates that there are about 7,000 street children in the country while close to 300,000 live in families where a minor is the head of the household. The economic challenges brought about by the pandemic have exacerbated many of these issues.

Street children face a life that is marked by uncertainty and a lack of education, food, protection and health care access. These children have no understanding of their rights and often fall prey to those who wish to do them harm. Street children have few prospects in life because they are not in school gaining an education. Instead they are on the streets begging or taking odd jobs to have enough food to eat. Most suffer from malnutrition and other diseases such as dysentery, malaria and scabies.

“Most of the children who attend programs at Don Bosco Oratory in Kabgayi come from poor families and need a supportive environment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian oratories offer a safe place for youth to engage in constructive activities during leisure time—such as sports, art and music. Youth learn teamwork and social skills, which provide opportunities for growth and maturity.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Rango, in the city of Butare, Rwanda, are working to help children who have been impacted by child labor, disease, hunger and mistreatment. The St. John Bosco Parish and Salesian Vocational Training Center have been in operation since 1996, providing education and social development services to help poor and at-risk youth. Missionaries provide education in several vocational courses including construction, tailoring, welding, carpentry, hotel-related skills, mechanics, cooking and hairdressing.

Many of the youth in Salesian programs in Rango are former street children. UNICEF noted that there were some 7,000 street children in Rwanda. The numbers have grown, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis, as well as from school closures and the rising incidence of domestic violence.

“They don’t go to school but survive by offering their labor and dedicating themselves to small trades and businesses. They ended up living on the street as a result of separations, mourning or simply because of too much misery,” said Father Daniel Antunez, president of Mission Don Bosco in Turin, Italy.

He added, “They carry heavy bags, fetch water, collect and sell pieces of metal, empty plastic bottles, glass. Most of them suffer from malnutrition and other diseases. They sleep with one eye open for fear that someone will steal the few, meager things they possess. They are frightened, abused, perennially tired, hungry.”

Salesians offer a specific program for street children known as Don Bosco Children Ejo Heza, which in the local language means “tomorrow will be a better day.” The program provides initial contact with youth living on the street and an invitation to access psychological, educational, and social rehabilitation that culminates in family reunification, if it’s possible. The program was launched in spring 2020.

“Children from the street started knocking on our parish door in Rango,” explained Fr. Antunez.  “By word of mouth, as their comrades had been treated well, they now come in large numbers. We want them to go back to school and start living with their parents again because they have the right to a present as peaceful, trusting children and a future as respectable adults.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Mary Help of Christians Church, located in Kimihurura, Kigali, Rwanda, has been designated as a parish by Archbishop of Kigali Cardinal Antoine Kambanda. Cardinal Kambanda has also installed the first parish priest, Father Augustin-César Habanabakize. The church, built three years ago, has modern infrastructure and was made possible thanks to the financial help of the Rector Major Father Ángel Fernández Artime and many benefactors.

In addition to the church, the new parish will have a kindergarten, primary school and secondary school and offer parish ministry to those in the local community. Father Célestin Ngoboka, superior of the St. Charles Lwanga Salesian Vice Province of Africa Great Lakes, said, “Most importantly, the church will provide pastoral care for youth and their families.”

The community is excited by what the parish will offer. Bernard Mutaganda, a local resident, said, “The beautiful church you see here was built by the Salesians. We thank them because the place where we went to Mass had very few seats and going to the neighboring parish of the Holy Family was difficult for us. We also thank our archbishop, who accepted to erect the new parish in Kimihurura, right amidst our homes.”

Salesians offer education and social programs for poor youth and their families in Rwanda and around the globe. Programs like Don Bosco Gatenga, also in Kigali, has a public chapel, oratory, technical and vocational school, boarding for boys, and a farm. In addition to students at the technical school, the public chapel welcomes more than 2,000 Christians every Sunday and the oratory has more than 2,000 youth.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School in Rango, in the city of Butare in southern Rwanda, currently offers courses in construction, carpentry, welding and sewing. Each course spans two years of training, and the majority of students in the program are youth who come from vulnerable situations and have been living in poverty. Youth are 17-25 years old, and some are single mothers looking to improve their lives for their children.

The rate of teenage pregnancies in the country has had exponential growth in recent years and is becoming a major obstacle to social and economic development among the poorest populations. Salesians have launched projects to help educate and promote family involvement while also providing skills training so that young mothers can find employment or start a small business, ensuring that they can live in a dignified manner with their children.

Recently, in collaboration with the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, Italy, Salesian missionaries launched a project to purchase 40 sewing machines to train and empower young mothers so they can acquire the skills to start a small business. Launching a modest tailoring or dressmaking shop or a simple sewing workshop can help provide an income for families.

“Providing young mothers an opportunity to learn the skills for employment helps to raise a family out of poverty,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Once working, young women can provide for their families and also ensure that their children are able to have a good start in life and later also gain an education.”

Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School was initially established to accommodate young Salesians preparing to become priests, who lived there and attended classes. Now it serves as the site for technical and vocational education for young people, a large number of them coming from poor families. Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Gatenga Center, located in Kigali, Rwanda, has received donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, to help provide nutritional support for students and youth at the center. To date, Don Bosco Gatenga has provided nutritional support for 210 students with the goal to reach 520 students.

Don Bosco Gatenga has a public chapel, oratory, technical and vocational school, boarding for boys, and a farm. While the center has a number of resources that it uses to provide for the needs of its students and those in other programs, nutritional support falls short. In addition to students at the technical school, the public chapel welcomes more than 2,000 Christians every Sunday and the oratory has more than 2,000 youth.

Since its beginning in 1976, Don Bosco Gatenga has welcomed youth and children in need and provided shelter, food and education. The school helps to prepare youth for the future and teaches them employable skills so that they will be self-sufficient and help support their families and the community.

Don Bosco Gatenga also features a large farm that has 26 hectares of land. Ten of those hectares have already been cultivated for farming. The food grown helps to feed the students in the school and the boys who board there. Don Bosco Gatenga has seen more and more children who are undernourished and malnourished coming to the center, and the farm crop is not enough to feed them all adequately. The number of students from poor families who want to attend the school to learn employable skills has also increased.

With the donor funding provided, four hectares of land have been farmed and the vegetables grown there are being provided to the youth at the center. Additional funding for nutritional support is feeding the 210 students at least one meal a day.

“We are appreciative of the donor funding that has provided initial support for Don Bosco Gatenga and the children at the center,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Funding is needed to buy additional food items to supplement and provide nutritional daily meals to everyone. There is a great need at this center and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made it more challenging.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the St. Charles Lwanga Vice Province of Africa Great Lakes (Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda) called on parents to join together in caring for the welfare of children from birth to adulthood in honor of the Day of the African Child, which is celebrated annually on June 16. Salesians believe that it is with parent support that children will become good and valuable citizens for their country. Salesians also believe that a child has the fundamental right to grow up safely and happily, free from exploitation and abuse.

Salesian missionaries are striving to take care of as many children as possible through education in nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, and vocational and training schools. Education is a direct path to help children prepare for the future, and skills training helps them find and retain stable employment.

Salesians also have programs that help children learn their rights and help them to recover from abuse and neglect. Children who have faced abuse receive extra support, psychological care and assistance getting back into school. All of these activities are achieved with the help of others, including lay people, collaborators in the centers, donors, the church and the local government.

For example, Salesians are working to help at-risk youth who are living on the streets. UNICEF estimates that there are about 7,000 street children in Rwanda while close to 300,000 live in families where a minor is the head of the household. The economic challenges brought about by the pandemic have exacerbated many of these issues.

“To get youth out of this hopeless life, the first thing they need is to be shown kindness, have something to eat and go back to school,” explained Salesian Brother Hubert Twagirayezu, economer of the province. “In Rwanda, we carry out our mission among poor children and young people. In Rango, in the district of Huye, we help more than 120 street children, but at the national level there are many more.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA: Street children find education, shelter and hope

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*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in these countries 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.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian programs in Rwanda are working to help at-risk youth who are often living on the streets. UNICEF estimates that there are about 7,000 street children in the country while close to 300,000 live in families where a minor is the head of the household. The economic challenges brought about by the pandemic have exacerbated many of these issues.

“To get youth out of this hopeless life, the first thing they need is to be shown kindness, have something to eat and go back to school,” explained Salesian Brother Hubert Twagirayezu,  economer of the St. Charles Lwanga Vice Province of Africa Great Lakes, which includes Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi. “In Rwanda, we carry out our mission among poor children and young people. In Rango, in the district of Huye, we help more than 120 street children, but at the national level there are many more.”

Street children face a life that is marked by uncertainty and a lack of education, food, protection and health care access. These children have no understanding of their rights and often fall prey to those who wish to do them harm. Street children have few prospects in life because they are not in school gaining an education and are on the streets begging or taking odd jobs to have enough food to eat. Most suffer from malnutrition and other diseases such as dysentery, malaria and scabies.

On the street, youth also suffer from lack of sleep. They rest for only a few hours a day, sleeping on cardboard with one eye open in fear that someone will steal the few things they have. Many risk taking drugs to forget their problems.

Bro. Twagirayezu explained, “In 2016, a project was launched for street children at the St. John Bosco Parish in Rango. Our goal is to impact different aspects of the person, including taking better care of themselves and encouraging the suspension of drug use. Children are treated, they learn hygiene again and they play sports.”

He added, “From a psychological point of view, we try to listen to these children, to help them to recover slowly from the trauma, and to regain confidence in themselves and in others. We want children to be happy, to continue studying and learning to read, but also to play. They receive new clothes and uniforms, and regain respect for adults and other children. The children can participate in the prayer activity of the Salesian center, while respecting the sensitivity and history of each other since the center welcomes children of all faiths. We need donations to keep programs running and be able to help these children and bring awareness to their plight.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Center in Rango, located in the city of Butare, Rwanda, has a parish, an oratory and a large vocational training center. The center, in operation since 1996, is currently expanding to meet the needs of poor youth and their families in the region. One of the main focuses of the center is to give shelter and opportunity to street children who would otherwise spend their lives on the fringes of society.

“They come from the street asking to eat, and many choose to stay to take vocational courses such as those for mechanics and shoemakers,” said Father Remy Nsengiyumva, a Salesian parish priest in Rango. “We offer school supplies and uniforms, but the problem is food. Some, in fact, live completely on the street, others receive food in the host families. Still others eat only in the evening when they study for technical courses. Making sure youth are fed is a primary concern.”

To address the issue, Fr. Nsengiyumva and his parishioners are organizing a small canteen to cook at noon. There is still no formal project, the work was started at the beginning of the pandemic when street children began to knock on the parish office door. Fr. Nsengiyumva said, “Since their companions have been treated well, now they come in large numbers. We ask all those who can to give us a hand.”

There are many children who have received help and support from the Salesian Center in Rango and have had their lives changed for the better. Kande, who is 16, arrived at the parish to ask for a piece of bread. He started living on the street when he was 10. He recalled, “Life was hard. Sometimes the police came to arrest us and took us to the Mbazi rehabilitation center, and we stayed there for about five months, and then, when you came back on the street, you struggled to even find a place to sleep.”

His friend, Dakarai, began begging on the street after his mother killed his father in a family quarrel and ended up in prison. He said, “I continued to live on the street for about 13 years, but now I have had the opportunity to study mechanics, thanks to the Salesians.”

Other youth have had similar positive experiences. Juvenal noted, “I’m grateful to the priests because they brought me to vocational training. Today I study mechanics with my peers, but we don’t have everything we need. We lack school uniforms, and even shirts and shoes are hard to find due to poverty. But if you lack something to eat, you can put up with it and go back to school because you have a goal to achieve.”

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesians of the Africa Great Lakes Vice Province (AGL) recently launched a new project to build a Salesian Spirituality Center in Rango, Rwanda. The project is financially supported by the Salesian Mission Office of Turin, Italy, and was developed by the Council of the AGL Vice Province and Salesian Brother Hubert Twagirayezu, the economer of the province.

On a recent visit to the site, Bro. Twagirayezu explained, “The plan is to build a spiritual center in Rango that allows Salesians to have lodging for spiritual formation retreats. Youth from different schools will also be able to use and benefit from it.”

This is not the only construction happening in Rango. In August, Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School started construction on a new building that will host culinary arts and hairdressing courses. The construction was made possible by the Don Bosco Tech Africa initiative with funds from Don Bosco Mondo.

Don Bosco Tech Africa, which started six years ago and is committed to helping improve the quality of vocational and technical training in Africa, selected Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School among the centers that will benefit from aid for modernization. The site’s construction company is providing work to 32 local people, five of whom are young students training at the Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School.

Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School was initially established to accommodate young Salesians preparing to become priests, who lived there and attended classes. Now it serves as the site for technical and vocational education for young people, a large number of them coming from poor families. Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years, providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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RWANDA: Construction project at Don Bosco Technical School in Rango helps local development

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RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical and Vocational Training School in Rango, Rwanda, is constructing a new building to host culinary arts and hairdressing courses. The construction was made possible by the Don Bosco Tech Africa initiative with funds from Don Bosco Mondo. Recently, Ange Sebutege, mayor of the Huye District, visited the construction site.

In a telephone interview, Sebutege said, “This visit was an opportunity to thank the development partners for their contribution to the district’s development. Having Don Bosco Rango in our district is a contribution to the technical education programs available for youth since many need technical skills to enable them to make a living.”

He commended the contribution of the Salesians in the technical and vocational training sector. He added, “Every year more than 60 students graduate from Don Bosco Rango and they are able to create their own jobs. This construction project has also employed people, which aids in the development of the area.”

Don Bosco Tech Africa, which started six years ago and is committed to helping improve the quality of vocational and technical training in Africa, selected Don Bosco Technical School among the centers that will benefit from aid for modernization. The site’s construction company is providing work to 32 local people, five of whom are young students training at the Don Bosco Technical School.

Don Bosco Technical School was initially established to accommodate young Salesians preparing to become priests, who lived there and attended classes. Now it serves as the site for technical and vocational education for young people, a large number of them coming from poor families. Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing. Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – Huye District Mayor commends Salesians’ role In TVET Education

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Construction project at Don Bosco Technical School in Rango helps local development first appeared on MissionNewswire.

RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) After the Rwandan government partially eased the lockdown to prevent COVID-19 in the country, construction has resumed at the Don Bosco Technical School in Rango. The school is developing a new modern building that will host culinary arts and hairdresser courses. The construction was made possible by the Don Bosco Tech Africa initiative.

Don Bosco Tech Africa, which started six years ago and is committed to helping improve the quality of vocational and technical training in Africa, selected Don Bosco Technical School among the centers that will benefit from aid for modernization. The site’s construction company is providing work to 32 local people, five of whom are young students training at the Don Bosco Technical School.

Don Bosco Technical School was initially established to accommodate young Salesians preparing to become priests, living there and attending classes. Now it serves as the site for technical and vocational education for young people, a large number of them coming from poor families.

Father Jean Pierre Turabanye, the school’s director, noted that last year enrollment at the school increased from 65 students enrolled the previous year. While the school has been closed due to the pandemic, Salesians hope classes can resume soon.

Fr. Turabanye said, “Last year we had more than 100 students registered for classes who came to the school from around the region. They enrolled in six vocational training courses that the school offers including construction, carpentry, hospitality, sewing, hairdressing and welding.”

Students are offered lunch at no cost, thanks to the help of donors. Don Bosco Technical School also provides other forms of support for its students, as well as sports and student field visits. The school has 10 teachers, a deputy in charge of studies, a deputy in charge of disciplines and two German volunteers.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages. Rwandans are anxious to move their country forward but need substantial help to do so.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – Construction of new classrooms at Don Bosco Rango

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Construction resumes on new building for Don Bosco Technical School in Rango first appeared on MissionNewswire.

RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries of the Africa Great Lakes Vice Province have donated food supplies to people suffering from hunger in the period of confinement imposed to counter the spread of the coronavirus. The food was purchased at the local market and then donated to Caritas at the Salesian Rango Parish in Rwanda.

Father Ryszard Józwiak, a Salesian missionary, worked in collaboration with the Salesian Missions project’s office in Krakow, Poland, to develop a long-term project in Rwanda. Father Rémy Nsengiyumva, a Salesian priest at Rango, observed that after the epidemic the community, as well as the whole Rwandan population, will have to follow measures imposed by the government to continue to fight the pandemic.

“This confinement has severely affected the population, which is now facing hunger,” explained Fr. Nsengiyumva after receiving the donation. “Many cannot leave their homes to get food or go to work. We have people who work as hairdressers and motorcycle mechanics who no longer have a job. They have been forced to stop working. The Salesian community intervened to deal with this serious problem.”

Salesians are also delivering aid to other parishes not directly linked to the Salesians starting with Save Parish, located in Butare. Save Parish priest, Father Fidele Mukwiye, commended Salesian benefactors who have continued to support needy people since the outbreak. Fr. Mukwiye explained that the aid will be delivered to those who are old, sick people who are in bed, orphans, and Burundian refugees hosted at Save Parish.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages. Rwandans are anxious to move their country forward but need substantial help to do so.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – AGL Vice Province distributes food thanks to support of Krakow’s Salesian Mission Office

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Salesian missionaries launch feeding programs to support communities during coronavirus pandemic first appeared on MissionNewswire.

RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Rwanda are responding with awareness initiatives and food distribution to the growing needs of those in their centers and communities in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Father Pierre-Célestin Ngoboka, the provincial superior of the Salesians of Don Bosco in the African Great Lakes Province, has initiated the distribution of food support to Salesian employees and needy citizens within the province, which includes Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.

The food delivery has already started helping vulnerable citizens in Rwanda in the cities of Kigali, Kabgayi and Rango. More than 400 families have benefited from the Salesians’ help across the province during this time of hardship. Staff and students from Don Bosco Muhazi Technical-Vocational School, located in the Gasabo district of Rwanda, have also benefited.

Even before the pandemic, Don Bosco Muhazi required additional food support to help purchase and store food monthly so that it can provide healthy and balanced meals for the students. Salesian missionaries living and working in the region report that the majority of the population near the school has very low purchasing power and does not have access to a balanced basic diet. Most families are only able to have enough for one meal a day.

As a result of malnutrition, many of the students attending Don Bosco Muhazi fall below normal growth ranges. The school is working to address food shortages so students have the proper nutrition needed to focus on their studies. This will also help to avoid student drop out. During this pandemic, this ongoing food support is more important than ever.

“Despite Rwanda’s impressive economic growth, in particular in the region where Don Bosco Muhazi is located, household food insecurity and undernutrition remain a challenge due to low agricultural productivity,” says Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries provide food support even during normal times to ensure that youth can access healthy nutrition which feeds both body and mind, enabling students to attend school and focus on their studies.”

Salesian missionaries also continue COVID-19 community awareness-raising campaigns by encouraging all communities to abide by the guidelines from the government and the World Health Organization as the pandemic is seriously affecting all living aspects in the countries. The campaign is being conducted via online communications among other means.

Salesian centers are promoting hand-washing with soap, avoiding unnecessary movement, and practicing social distancing among other strategies. Salesian missionaries continue to give support to people in need while advocating for more funding to be able to reach the increasing number of hungry people.

Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – AGL Provincial extends food support to Don Bosco Muhazi and other communities through Salesian COVID 19 Emergency responses

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Salesian missionaries respond to coronavirus pandemic with awareness initiative and food support first appeared on MissionNewswire.

RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical School in Rango, Rwanda, is providing poor youth hope for the future with vocational and technical training. Uwiringiyimana Grace is a young woman who decided to do away with the cultural beliefs that women can’t pursue technical studies, especially welding courses formerly for men only.

After realizing that the welding sector could provide her a better living, Grace decided to enroll at Don Bosco Technical School. She chose the welding trade because she loves it. Apart from that, she said, “I have been inspired by welders when I saw how they make doors. That’s when I decided to join this career.”

Grace is now in level three in her welding studies. She is optimistic that after graduation she will be able to land her dream job or create her own welding workshop. Grace added, “I hope that after my studies, as soon as financial means are available, I’ll be able to set up my own workshop where I can practice my profession.”

Grace encourages other young women to look into technical training in trades, adding that they should not underestimate these studies.

“There are some who try to discourage me, asking if I am not ashamed as I am the only girl in a group of many boys,” explained Grace. “I say, no, I am here to study and not to have any other affairs with boys. This is a profession for all of us. You can’t tell which one is for men and which one is for women.”

Don Bosco Technical School was initially established to accommodate young Salesians preparing to become priests, living there and attending classes. Now it serves as the site for technical and vocational education for young people, a large number of them coming from poor families.

Father Jean Pierre Turabanye, the school’s director, noted that this year enrollment at the school has increased from the 65 students enrolled last year. He said, “We have more than 100 students already registered to start classes. We have students who come from all around the area. They are enrolled in six vocational training courses, including construction, carpentry, hospitality, sewing, hairdressing and welding.”

Students are also offered lunch at no cost, thanks to the help of donors. Don Bosco Technical School also provides other forms of support for its students, as well as sports and student field visits.

The school has 10 teachers, a deputy in charge of studies, a deputy in charge of disciplines and two German volunteers. Don Bosco Tech Africa, which started six years ago and is committed to helping improve the quality of vocational and technical training in Africa, has selected Don Bosco Technical School among the centers that will benefit from aid for modernization of technical training this year.

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages. Rwandans are anxious to move their country forward but need substantial help to do so.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – Meet Uwiringiyimana Grace, young girl studying welding at Don Bosco Rango TVET

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Young woman succeeding in her welding courses at Don Bosco Technical School in Rango first appeared on MissionNewswire.

RWANDA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Great Lakes Province of Rwanda are working toward modernization of technical and vocational training for youth. The Salesian Africa Great Lakes (AGL) Province Job Service Office and the Planning and Development Office are coordinating with these efforts.

In October 2019, the AGL provincial administration convened a special meeting to assess the current situation with Salesian technical schools and expand efforts to create quality education. Speaking at the meeting, the Provincial Superior Father Pierre Celestin Ngoboka asked members of an ad hoc committee, specifically formed for this effort, to find solutions to address the existing challenges faced by Salesian technical and vocational training schools. The growing number of youth who want technical education is in part what sparked this renewed effort.

Brother Hubert Twagirayezu, director of the Salesian planning and development office, said, “We aim to help young people get the needed skills for the job market and plan to bring new equipment to the schools to help young people learn modern technologies as the world also keeps changing.”

He added, “We have started with technical schools in Gatenga, Rwanda where we have installed new equipment. We are working with DB Tech Africa to support our schools in Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda with a detailed plan to also change school structures, construct new classes, build capacity in the schools and come up with environmental conservation initiatives taking into consideration the issue of climate change. We also plan to strengthen networking programs to promote the stakeholders’ partnership.”

Salesian missionaries have been living and working in the Great Lakes region of Rwanda for more than 50 years providing education and social programs to give youth hope for a brighter future.

Many of the country’s orphaned children are the tragic result of a violent civil war. Half of all children drop out of primary school and 2.2 million people—22 percent of the population—face critical food shortages. Rwandans are anxious to move their country forward but need substantial help to do so.

After bravely overcoming the trauma of the 1994 genocide, Rwandans looking to transform their country have made remarkable progress. Still, much remains to be done. Close to 39 percent of Rwandans live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with about 35 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture and with some mineral and agro-processing.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Rwanda – The year 2019 ends with the commitment of modernizing TVET Education in the Salesian Schools

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Salesian missionaries make improvements to technical and vocational education first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Each year, UN-Water sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. This year’s theme is ‘Water and Jobs’ and highlights the positive effects of having enough quality water to change workers’ lives and livelihoods and even transform societies and economies. UN Water notes that almost half of the world’s workers, 1.5 billion people, work in water-related sectors and nearly all jobs either depend on water or ensure its safe delivery. Yet, the millions of people who work in water are often not recognized or protected by basic labor rights.

UN-Water estimates that worldwide 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. For those who have no access to clean water, water-related disease is common with more than 840,000 people dying each year from water-related diseases. Women and children often bear the primary responsibility for water collection in the majority of households and globally, spend 140 million hours a day collecting water. Children in these communities are forced to walk for hours to collect drinking water—water that often proves contaminated and seriously sickens those who consume it. Many others are unable to attend school regularly because they must spend time searching for distant wells.

In response to this crisis, Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has made building wells and supplying fresh, clean water, a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.

“Having access to clean water is essential for life and brings a sense of dignity to the children and families we serve in our programs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Improving water and sanitation facilities also ensures that teachers and students are working and learning in an environment that promotes proper hygiene and has safe drinking water, reducing the number of waterborne illnesses that can affect those in our schools keeping them away from important study time.”

In honor and celebration of World Water Day 2016, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs around the globe that provide clean, safe water to those most in need.

DR CONGO

Close to 4,000 youth, parents, Salesian staff and community members are benefiting from two water projects at Salesian training and vocational centers in the city of Lubumbashi in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo*. The Salesian-run Kansebula St Jean Bosco Institute and Chem Chem Center have nearly completed the renovation of existing water systems which were outdated, wasting energy and had insufficient quantities of water.

Salesian missionaries began the two water projects to ensure clean fresh water for the students and the sustainability of the water sources for their facilities. At Kansebula, the project consists of erecting a high water tower and two 2,500 liter water tanks in connection to the existing water system. Once completed, this project will improve water management and protect the water pump in use. At Chem Chem the project entails upgrading the existing water system to allow proper quantities of clean water for students. This is being accomplished by deepening the existing well, erecting a high water tower and installing two 2,500 liter water tanks.

ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is experiencing the worst drought the country has seen in more than 50 years. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently announced that agricultural assistance for the upcoming rainy season in Ethiopia is essential to help the drought-affected people as one of the strongest El Niño events on record continues to have devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of farmers and herders.

Salesian missionaries and volunteers with the International Volunteers for Development (VIS) are concerned that the devastating drought is forcing residents to flee the country making them vulnerable to illegal migration (particularly to Europe and the Middle East), exploitation and human traffickers who are already taking advantage of the crisis. Using deep wells built by VIS volunteers in recent years, Salesian missionaries and volunteers are currently distributing water to schools, hospitals and first aid clinics, centers for street children, women’s refuges and diocesan centers. The goal during this emergency phase is to support the 12,000 residents of the Somali, Tigray and Oromia regions and those living in the South.

INDIA

Salesian missionaries working at the Don Bosco St. Joseph School for Children in Ghanaur, a town in the Patiala district in the state of Punjab, India, have begun a construction project to update and improve facilities at the school making it more accessible to its more than 540 students. Currently, the school’s bathroom facilities are dilapidated, out-of-date and insufficient to accommodate the students and faculty.

Situated on the periphery of a large village, the school was created to serve poor students whose parents could not afford traditional school fees. It offers a full range of academic classes as well as recreational programs. Each year, the student population grows as more and more area families require access to affordable education. Due to its growing population, sanitation has been a major concern at the school and will be addressed by the recent construction project which will provide separate bathroom facilities for male and female students. To date, a well has been dug and the purchasing of materials and digging of pits are underway. Once enough funds are raised to complete the project, construction of the bathroom buildings will begin.

RWANDA

Salesian missionaries in the community of Rukago in the city of Kigali, the capital and largest city of Rwanda, just completed a water and sanitation project for the local Salesian school which had been in desperate need of new sanitation and safe drinking water. The project, funded by Salesian Missions, provided eight new toilets and repaired a water tank that provides clean drinking water for the students. Prior to the repair of the water tank, students had to walk more than a mile to collect water from a hill in a swampy area.

The construction project for the new toilets consisted of digging a pit, purchasing materials and constructing a beam, walls and roof. After that, doors were added and the new building was painted. Salesian missionaries expect that this new project will help local families save on medical expenses for treating children who develop water-related diseases and illnesses due to contaminated water. The new improvements will also give the school children better access to safe water so they can turn their attention and focus to their studies.

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Sources:

UN Water – World Water Day 2016

*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 WATER DAY: Salesian Missionaries Ensure Safe, Clean Water for Teachers and Students first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“Like its stranded airport refugees, the Central African Republic is in dire need of a ticket out of its misery,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in an op-ed today for The Washington Post on his recent trip to the country, where a 2012 rebel-led coup has given way to brutal sectarian violence and massive human rights violations that have in turn displaced hundreds of thousands of people and left 2.2 million- half the population- in need of humanitarian aid.

While protected by international troops, the displaced people are exposed to disease, malnutrition and untold horrors beyond the gates.

Food is scarce, malaria could spread and the rainy season will only exacerbate the problems.

“Women and men shared horrific accounts of gang rapes, extortion and brutality. One mother told me how young children have suddenly begun imitating adults with weapons,” elaborated the UN chief.

The past year has brought, in quick succession, the violent overthrow of the Government, the total collapse of State institutions and a descent into lawlessness and sectarian brutality.

Mr. Ban attested, “the implosion of the State has created a set of challenges that is undermining stability and security across an already-fragile region.”

As most of CAR’s minority Muslims have fled, ethno-religious cleansing is changing the country’s landscape.

“I met hundreds outside the Central Mosque in the devastated PK5 neighborhood of Bangui. The road outside was lined with trucks laden with their last possessions,” Mr. Ban said.

In a few scattered places, vulnerable communities have gathered in camps and protected zones – but they are in danger of attack and seized with one sole objective of escaping.

On veut la partition, read the signs: We want partition.

One young man explained that while they did not want to leave, they wouldn’t stay simply to die.

“People should not have to beg for partition in order to feel safe,” argued the Secretary-General.

In a country the size of Texas, about 8,000 African Union (AU) and French troops are all that stand between order and anarchy.

“They need help,” stressed Mr. Ban.

The Security Council has just approved the deployment of 10,000 troops and almost 2,000 police for a new United Nations peacekeeping mission for the Central African Republic.

This is a welcome and highly anticipated step by the Central Africans, but the mission will not fully deploy until September – and time is not on the side of the vulnerable.

“More security assistance is needed during this vital intervening period before the peacekeeping mission is fully operational,” Mr. Ban explained.

Until the UN peacekeepers are deployed, support for the AU and French forces is crucial. The Secretary-General has urged the European Union to provide troop reinforcements, which have already begun.

“Action must come on two other fronts as well,” said Mr. Ban.

The transitional Government needs immediate help, including support for getting police, judges and prison guards back to work.

At the same time, the country needs an inclusive political process to find the path to peace.

The UN chief exhorted, “accountability for atrocious human rights violations is central. The United Nations has sent a commission of inquiry to help advance the process. Religious leaders are also crucial to advancing dialogue and ensuring that evacuated people can return home.”

Mr. Ban travelled to the CAR en route to Rwanda for the 20th anniversary of the genocide.

“Before leaving, I told the Central African Republic leaders that they must heed the lessons of that epic tragedy, not repeat its mistakes,” Mr. Ban said.

One of the religious leaders spoke of the many difficulties facing the country, sharing his fear for the future.

“As I saw in Rwanda, communities that have gone through massive national trauma can learn to live together once more in relative harmony,” the Secretary-General said.

Mr. Ban made the case that Central Africans rekindle that spirit.

“With the support of the international community, the people of the Central African Republic can build a future of reconciliation and peace,” he said.

According to Mr. Ban, the international community has an opportunity to help – and an obligation to act.

“Not tomorrow – today,” the UN chief concluded.

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See this United Nations article at its original location >

Photo: Internally displaced women and children at the main mosque in Bangui during Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visit. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

The post UNITED NATIONS: World Must Help People of Central African Republic ‘Not Tomorrow – Today,’ Declares UN Chief first appeared on MissionNewswire.

With half of Rwanda’s population under the age of 18, lack of educational opportunities is a concern. Half of all children who enroll in primary school don’t finish and go on to face a future of unemployment or employment at low-paying jobs. In addition, almost four percent of children aged five to 14 are working in domestic service or other jobs instead of going to school.

Salesians have been working in Rwanda for many years to provide educational opportunities to poor youth. They operate primary, secondary and vocational schools throughout the country as well as offer recreational activities, English language classes and agricultural programs.

“Students in Rwanda are taking the first steps to rebuild their lives and their country,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Learning skills in the latest technologies, students are able to find jobs in high growth sectors to help them support themselves and their families.”

St. Mary Mazzarello Technical Secondary School, located in the city of Gisenyi in the Western Province of Rwanda, specializes in hotel operations training. Here, students have the opportunity to acquire all the skills necessary to successfully operate a hotel through courses in management, finance and hospitality skills. In addition, students receive support services such as tutoring and training in resume writing and interviewing skills to help them prepare for the workforce. Graduates from the program are fully prepared to find and retain stable employment.

Patience Nyirahabufite, a 2012 graduate of St. Mary Mazzarello Technical Secondary School, ranked number one in the country among all graduates taking the national exam. Hailing from humble origins as an orphan and then becoming the mother of two small children at a young age, Patience encountered the Salesian Sisters in Gisenyi who encouraged her to attend school and assisted her in her studies.

Although Patience’s brother cared for her children so she could pursue her studies, it was of constant concern to her knowing that her children were not gaining a formal education. To meet this need, the Salesian Sisters offered Patience a teaching job at St. Mary Mazzarello for a year, enabling her to pay the fees to send her children to school. Speaking at her graduation, Patience credited the Salesian Sisters with helping to make her dreams come true.

Today, Patience is continuing her studies at the university in Kigali, furthering her education in hotel operations on a government sponsorship. When she completes her studies, she hopes to return to Gisenyi and teach in the secondary school where she received her education. In this way, she hopes to give back by helping other young girls further their education as she was able to.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Poverty in Rwanda

Don Bosco Eastern Africa Salesian Bulletin, 1^st Quarter February 2014 – A Gate of Hope in Gisenyi, Rwanda

The post RWANDA: Salesian Graduate Finishes Top of Her Class and Plans to Give Back to Salesian School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

World Food Day brings attention to the plight of the world’s hungry and undernourished and provides an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the complex solutions. This year’s theme is investing in agriculture for food security.

According to the UN report The State of Food Insecurity in the World, agricultural growth is particularly effective in reducing hunger and malnutrition. Most of the extreme poor depend on agriculture and related activities for a significant part of their livelihoods. Agricultural growth involving smallholders, especially women, will be most effective in reducing extreme poverty and hunger when it increases returns to labor and generates employment for the poor.

This World Food Day, Salesian Missions highlights Salesian agricultural programs, which include more than 90 agricultural schools around the globe.

BOLIVIA:

In Bolivia, training in agriculture practices inspires transformation of communities. At the Muriyana Agricultural School, more than 600 high school students and 100 advanced students are receiving training while learning to integrate their work into the local community. An estimated 20,000 people in the communities benefit directly from this program as a result of the school’s extension and community outreach programs.

ARGENTINA

In Argentina, the Salesian-run Pascual Gentilini Agricultural School celebrated its 85 year history teaching agricultural skills to poor youth. Today, the Agricultural School’s curriculum also includes lessons in community service, vegetable gardening, cooking, maintenance, music, annual crops, cultivation of tea, fruit farming, zootechnics, bee-keeping, cattle-raising, leadership training and social work. Agricultural technical training encompasses one to six years of study and the youth at the school are enthusiastic students, eager to learn modern methods of farming together with business management.

CAMBODIA

Two new agricultural schools were announced in 2009.

ECUADOR:

In Ecuador, through a microfinance credit program from Salesian Missions, indigenous and rural populations have access to funds for agricultural and microbusiness activities. Currently, 12,000 people are taking advantage of this opportunity in 85 different communities.

HAITI:

In Haiti, the Salesian Agricultural School in Cap-Haitien provides sought-after agricultural skills to more than 140 students who will contribute to the rebuilding of Haiti. Salesians are also working to develop programs that aid community development and contribute to the advancing of opportunities for the poor and underserved. Recently, Salesians proposed a project which included enhancing food security by improving agricultural production and productivity in agriculture schools in Fort Liberté, as well as Cap Haitien and Gressier.

RWANDA:

In Rwanda, food insecurity is a major issue, according to the World Food Program. At least 22 percent of households (2.2 million people) are food-insecure, and another 24 percent are highly vulnerable to food insecurity. Today, Salesian Missions includes agriculture in its vocational training programs – to ensure that youth of Rwanda learn better agricultural practices as well as keep the school self-sustaining in the face of the country’s food shortages.

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