(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8. The day celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women while focusing the world’s attention on areas requiring further action.

Each year, International Women’s Day focuses on a theme, with this year’s theme being #EmbraceEquity. The theme calls for gender equity to become part of every society’s DNA and seeks to help forge worldwide conversation about this important issue and its impact. According to U.N. Women, equity “recognizes that each person has different circumstances, and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.”

Further, U.N. Women noted, “Forging gender equity isn’t limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural and political advancement of women.”

Salesian missionaries living and working in more than 130 countries are focused on achieving gender equity through programs targeted specifically for young women and girls. These programs strive to empower young women and girls by providing opportunities for education and training that lead to livable wage employment.

“Salesian missionaries provide programs that ensure girls and young women have equal access to education and the supports needed to graduate and find stable employment,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “These programs work to help women achieve long-term self-sustainability and include nutritional and health services as well as workforce development activities.”

In honor of International Women’s Day, Salesian Missions is proud to share Salesian programs around the globe that empower young women and girls.

BURKINA FASO

Young women gain skills for better future at the Women’s Vocational Training Center in Burkina Faso.

The Women’s Vocational Training Center, located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, trains more than 300 young women each year in specializations like tailoring, hairstyling, fabric design and pattern making, computer maintenance, and secretarial work. The center, which provides inclusive, equitable and quality education, receives funding from Bosco Global.

Recently, the cutting-tailoring and hairstyling workshops were equipped with supplies, and the spaces for theoretical-practical courses were expanded. Refresher courses were also provided for the center’s teaching staff. In addition, students in extremely vulnerable situations were provided with the necessary kits to carry out their courses of study.

The Women’s Vocational Training Center was developed to address the precarious situation experienced by many women and girls. It includes literacy courses, support for work placement, and education in values and time management. The main objective of the project is to train women and girls so they can work and earn an income while breaking free from a life of poverty.

DR CONGO

Efforts to empower women to help eradicate violence in Democratic Republic of the Congo include vocational training for young women at Salesian centers.

Young women in need of vocational training turn to Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, for courses at Salesian centers such as Maison Marguerite and Foyer Annuarite. Recently, 166 young women, including many single mothers, graduated from vocational training. More than 80 of them were trained in cutting and sewing, 49 as hairdressers and beauticians, and 33 in culinary arts.

International Voluntary Service (VIS) supported Salesian efforts to train young women as part of a  project to eradicate forms of violence against adolescent girls and adult women in vulnerable situations as well as victims of conflict in Goma. Empowering women is only one step in the fight to end violence.

Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center has been providing social development, medical, and educational services to poor youth and their families since 1988. Started first as a youth center, it expanded to provide assistance to those in the region affected by war, other violence and natural disasters. In 1997, the center added kindergarten, elementary, secondary and vocational education as well as a literacy center and medical facility. In the midst of wars, violence, and poverty, the center has welcomed, educated, cared for, and supported more than 26,000 children.

INDIA

Funding from Salesian Missions in India provided women living at a Salesian home with information about their rights and skills training.

Fifty young women who live at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through donor funding from Salesian Missions. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

The funding, which provided support from March to October 2022, was used for empowering women with information about their rights, along with skills training in tailoring, Maggam and other handicrafts. Funds were also used for the purchase of training materials.

When young women enter the program, they are given clothing and proper nutrition. They are sent for a medical examination, and women with special health needs receive individual follow-up care. They are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court.

During eight months, 50 women completed the tailoring course and some found jobs at tailoring shops. Others were able to do dress making and embroidery work for themselves and for others. Twenty of the women were given tailoring machines to earn an income and sustain themselves.

PHILIPPINES

Young women were awarded electrical technician scholarships at Don Bosco College, Philippines.

Fifteen young women who are freshmen students at Don Bosco College, located in Canlubang, Philippines, have been awarded scholarships that will allow them to pursue their dreams of becoming skilled electrical technicians thanks to The Manila Electric Co. through One Meralco Foundation.

Each scholarship will cover tuition fees and allowances for students in the dual NC II program in electrical installation and maintenance and mechatronics. The scholarship program also provides a four-month on-the-job training for the students, who will be given the opportunity to join the Meralco workforce afterwards, according to the article.

This initiative falls under Meralco’s Gender Diversity and Inclusion Program called MBrace that aims to provide inclusive opportunities to empower women and increase the ratio of women in the company to 40 percent by 2030.

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BURKINA FASO: Women gain skills for better future/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

DR CONGO: 166 young women graduate vocational training/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

INDIA: Women empowered through donor funding from Salesian Missions/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

PHILIPPINES: Young women awarded electrical technician scholarships/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

U.N. Women – International Women’s Day 2023

*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.

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Students attending Don Bosco Arts & Science College, located in Angadikadavu, a town in Kerala, India.

(MissionNewswire) Students attending Don Bosco Arts & Science College, located in Angadikadavu, a town in Kerala, India, built a house for a mother and her son. Dr. R.N. Ansar, the Kerala State National Service Scheme (NSS) officer, handed over the key to the newly constructed building.

The project, known as Sneha Veedu, was initiated by the college and carried out by NSS members of the college. To date, five houses for deserving families in the locality have been constructed. The most recent house has 750 square feet with three bedrooms, a kitchen, a work area and an outside area. Money for the construction came from students and the public through fundraising programs.

E. Jisha, the NSS program officer at Don Bosco College, said, “NSS aims to inculcate social awareness among students. The project is an eye-opener for the students to take action in support of the welfare of those in need.”

Don Bosco College started in 1994 as a parallel college to Calicut University, offering pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate courses for about 600 students. In 2002, the college was elevated to an affiliated self-financing college of Kannur University. Today it offers a range of courses including post-graduate programs in computer applications, communication and journalism, and social work. There are also programs in English literature and mathematics, among other areas of study.

Access to professional training and workforce development services is highly valued in India. The country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Students build house for mother and son

Don Bosco Arts & Science College

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Students build homes for families in need first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian Missions in Haiti.

(MissionNewswire) Students attending the Salesian-run Timkatec schools in Pétion-Ville, Haiti, had access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger. The shipment provided rice-meals in the second half of 2022.

The first Timkatec school has existed since 1994 and was founded for former street children. Later, it was expanded to include local disadvantaged children who had not had the chance to attend school until ages 8-10. The vocational schools were added so youth could learn a trade for employment.

Additional rice-meals were distributed at the canteens in the three Timkatec schools and provided to students to take home during times of school closure. From July to September 2022, children were on school holidays, but the school boarders were there with social workers. They were able to access the meals during the school break.

The school should have reopened in October, but there was a political crisis in the country. Due to insecurity caused by gang violence and upheaval, all schools were closed. Salesians restarted the school year on Nov. 28 when it was safer.

Guylaine Bastien studied nursing and graduated from the Timkatec school. She is now a nurse at the school. Bastien said, “As a nurse, I am tasked with overseeing the health of the children at Timkatec. The children really like the Rise Against Hunger meals. I have noticed a significant change in the general health of the children. They have more strength and energy and fall sick less easily.”

One of the recipients was Adeler Cherry, age 17. He previously lived with his aunt but left home to live on the streets. He spent a day on the streets before coming to Timkatec, which he enjoys more than his aunt’s house.

Cherry said, “At Timkatec I eat three times a day while in my aunt’s house, we ate once a day. Before, I used to eat all kinds of food but never soy and rice, which I found delicious. It is very important for me to eat and stay healthy. Since consuming the meals, I am no longer sick. After eating, I like to go to class to learn to read and write. In the future I would like to travel, to have a house, to live well, and I know that I have to work hard for the realization of these dreams. I would like to become a tile technician so I can help my family and live my life better.”

Salesian missionaries began working in Haiti in 1935 in response to the Haitian government’s request for a professional school. Since then, Salesian missionaries have expanded their work to include 11 main educational centers and more than 200 schools across the country.

The 11 main centers each include a number of primary and secondary schools, vocational training centers, and other programs for street children and youth in need. Salesian programs are located throughout Haiti, including in the cities of Port-au-Prince, Fort-Liberté, Cap-Haïtien, Les Cayes and Gressier. Today, Salesian missionaries in Haiti provide the largest source of education outside of the Haitian government with schools providing education to 25,500 primary and secondary school students.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions – Haiti

World Food Programme – Haiti

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(MissionNewswire) February 24 marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine* in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Since that time, 2,700 schools have been bombed and more than 5.5 million schoolchildren have seen their education disrupted by the war. More than 8 million people have fled the country as refugees, according to UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency. Nearly 18 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid.

“When the shelling started, water, electricity and gas were also cut off. We could not wash and it was difficult to get food,” recalled Boris, who fled Mariupol. “My city no longer exists because it is burned and destroyed.”

Since the beginning, Salesian missionaries have been supporting people who remained in the country and those who fled to neighboring countries for protection. Salesians in Poland and Slovakia, among those in other countries, have welcomed refugees and provided shelter, food, medical support and education. Convoys of medical aid have also left Poland to help Salesians who are sheltering people in Ukraine.

Thanks to the aid received, some Salesian schools in Ukraine have been able to remain open and provide education in emergency situations by building shelters and providing support for water, electricity and gas supplies. There is also some psychological support for students, teachers, and families, while some school costs are being covered.

Sixty-six Salesian organizations from five continents have supported more than 100 projects. Projects include the construction of emergency shelters, support to refugees abroad and internally displaced persons, and educational programs and activities for children and youth. There is also a special emergency plan to cope with winter, as well as aid to affected communities with essential medicines, vehicles, field kitchens, food, clothes, tents, blankets and other specific forms of aid requested.

“We want to bring aid as close as possible to the border, where most of the villages have been destroyed, houses have been burned and people are living assembled in shelters. They need help,” said Father Józef Nuckowski, who led a convoy of aid collected through the generosity of the Salesian family from around the world. “It is thanks to our donors that we can get this aid this far.”

Fr. Nuckowski stressed the importance of the aid delivered as he arrived in Luch, not far from Kherson in southern Ukraine. “Really, everything has been destroyed. Every building has been hit, no one has been left untouched.”

People have been generous in their support and it has been life-saving for those who have been impacted. One of the 55 people remaining in Luch said, “We have experienced the full harshness of the war since its beginning. We just hope that all this will end well, that we can rebuild our village and live in peace.”

Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has sent food and medical aid to help support people in need. A recent shipment reached more than 1,000 people. In addition to these efforts, soon after the war started, Salesian Missions launched a Ukraine Emergency Relief Fund that is helping to provide shelter, nutrition and supplies to refugees in need. This fund is among other fundraising efforts that Salesians in more than 130 countries are doing in support of Salesians on the front lines of this crisis.

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Photo courtesy of SDB Emergency Response coordinator

ANS – Ukraine – Salesian solidarity will outlast war

Salesian Missions

UNHCR – Ukraine Refugees

*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.

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Better nutrition for students in Burundi.

(MissionNewswire) Students attending Don Bosco High School, located in Ngozi, Burundi*, had access to better nutrition during the second half of 2022 thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger.

The school has been facing challenges with a lack of food due to excessive rain that destroyed crops in the region. Prices have also risen dramatically as a result of the cost of oil in the country due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Oil has become impossible to find, slowing the transport of goods. Don Bosco High School struggles to provide food to students and to pay the salaries of workers so they can feed their families.

In addition to providing Rise Against Hunger meals, Salesians with the school are developing an agriculture project on six hectares of school land. They planted maize, beans and vegetables. Students are already able to eat some of the vegetables grown on the new farm.

Father Elie Nyandwi, economer of the school, said, “Since we started receiving the Rise Against Hunger meals, our organization can now breathe and save some money for solving some of the many other problems that we face. Burundi is in the Great Lakes region of Africa, a region which is socially, economically and politically unstable. We have many orphans and other vulnerable young people who need a lot of support.”

One of the recipients of the rice-meals is Denis Niyonsaba, age 13, who is studying in grade eight. Niyonsaba said that his parents sent him to the school because of its good reputation due in part to the Rise Against Hunger meals and the quality of the education. During lunch and supper provided by the school, he likes to sit with his friends who spend their time together reading books and playing basketball.

Niyonsaba said, “I want to become a journalist to help raise awareness in our society especially among young people to work hard and help develop our country.”

Rise Against Hunger partners with Salesian Missions, which works to identify needs and coordinate delivery of 40-foot shipping containers full of meals and supplemented with additional supplies when available. The partnership was developed in 2011 and since that time shipments have been successfully delivered to countries around the globe. The meals and life-saving aid have helped to nourish poor youth at Salesian schools and programs and care for those in need of emergency aid during times of war, natural disasters and health crises.

Burundi has seen more than a decade of violence and conflict which has contributed to widespread poverty, according to UNICEF. Children are some of the most severely affected by the country’s rampant poverty. Fifty-three percent of children under the age of 5 suffer from growth stunting caused by inadequate food, low-quality diet, poor infant feeding practices, poor household management of childhood diseases and the general decline of the country’s health system.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions – Burundi

UNICEF – Burundi

*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.

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Better nutrition for Don Bosco Bombo schools in Uganda.

(MissionNewswire) Poor youth gaining their education through Don Bosco Bombo schools, located in Bombo, Uganda, had access to better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger.

The rice-meal shipment was distributed in the second quarter of 2022.

The region, like the rest of East Africa, saw big economic changes in 2022. Prices of basic commodities, especially fuel and food, increased and impacted the management of Don Bosco schools. In particular, prices of basic food staples have almost doubled due to the economic crises after the COVID-19 pandemic and the change of weather that caused food scarcity.

Salesians operate a secondary school, vocational training center, boarding house and parish in Bombo. The local community is mainly poor and relies on agriculture and informal businesses. Salesians provide education and pastoral programs.

“Our community needs basic support to be able to fulfill our educational mission,” explained Father Thomas Cyprian, rector of Salesians of Don Bosco Bombo Namaliga mission. “Rise Against Hunger meals helped us to manage the food crises in our institutions and greatly assisted in making the last quarter successful. The impact of the food crisis was not felt so much as a result. Our beneficiaries continued their teaching and learning activities without interruption.”

Martha Nafuuna, age 18, was one of the recipients. She is from a poor family that is not able to afford private schooling and chose to join Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Bombo to gain an education. Nafuuna recalled her life before receiving Rise Against Hunger meals. “Before this donation, I could not see my future in this school. Many students were worried and forced to drop out because the school had reached its capacity and was not able to provide housing or food to the students.”  

Nafuuna gratefully acknowledges the impact Rise Against Hunger meals have had on her life. Receiving the meals saved her from having to drop out and she can continue working toward her career aspirations. The meals provided her with a balanced lunch and have improved her general well-being. Her concentration in class has improved and she feels fuller for longer periods in the day because of the nutritious diet the meals offer. She and her classmates, with whom she shares the meals, found the meals delicious.

Nafuuna added, “Thanks to Rise Against Hunger meals, I can focus on my coursework so that one day I will find employment to sustain my family and improve their livelihoods. I want to be a professional fashion designer and I have confidence that I will.”

Nearly 21 percent of the population in Uganda lives below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. This number rises to 33 percent for those living in the northern region where poverty is greatest. While the country has seen some economic growth as well as improvement in its United Nations Human Development Index ranking over the last 20 years, the country still ranks near the bottom at 159 out of 189 countries. After decades of war left many displaced, the people of Uganda face many significant challenges as they work to rebuild their country.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Bombo

Salesian Missions – Uganda

World Bank – Uganda

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SYRIA

(MissionNewswire) Two weeks after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria*, killing more than 47,000 people, another powerful 6.4 magnitude quake triggered panic in the impacted areas. Thousands of people took to the streets, seeking shelter. More than 750 sought shelter at the Don Bosco Center in Aleppo.

“In Aleppo, we felt the earthquake very strongly. All the people took to the streets with so many nightmares still in their heads and so much fear,” said Father Pier Jabloyan, delegate of social communication of the Salesian Middle East Adolescent Jesus Province.

Many people have nowhere to go and nowhere to sleep in Aleppo. Salesian missionaries, who have been serving those in Syria since the beginning of the war, are doing their best to help earthquake victims with shelter, food, warm clothes, blankets and more. Focused first on providing shelter and immediate support, the goal was to turn their attention to long-term need. With this new quake, it’s like starting over again.

Fr. Jabloyan added, “The difficulty is that now the Salesian center is overloaded with people. We have difficulty getting mattresses, blankets and food. We were not prepared for so many and we were only equipped for 400 people.”

Father Alejandro León, provincial superior of the province, explained that people felt added trauma with this new quake. “When the first earthquake happened, the one in the early morning hours, the families were together and sleeping, but with this aftershock, the fear and uncertainty were compounded by not knowing the location of children, parents, or the rest of the family.”

The goal is to help people not only with immediate needs but also support the psychological trauma people have faced. Fr. Jabloyan explained, “We see great fear in the eyes of children, youth and their families. It is felt even more strongly now with the aftershock.”

Even though supplies are stretched thin, Salesian will continue to serve people in Aleppo. Fr. León said, “Amid pain, panic and uncertainty, everyone wants to help those who are worse off, everyone asks what they can do. They have incredible patience and faith, and many recognize that they come to us because they feel safer in church.”

Salesian missionaries operate three centers in Kafroun and the particularly high-conflict areas of Aleppo and Damascus. Throughout the ongoing war and struggles in the country, Salesian centers continue to meet the needs of their communities through the distribution of food, economic aid and scholarships to help young people continue with their schooling. Their work continues now even in the face of additional tragedy.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Syria – A new earthquake tremor, a fresh start. Salesian house in Aleppo is struggling

Salesian Missions – Syria

*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.

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Healthy nutrition for Students and vulnerable community members in Haiti.

(MissionNewswire) Students and vulnerable community members in Haiti received healthy nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger. The shipment was received by the Salesian-run Rinaldi Foundation and then was distributed to The Immaculate Parish and Cité Soleil schools in Port-au-Prince.

The Immaculate Parish in Drouillard, one of the oldest housing projects in Cité Soleil, is located in a very fragile neighborhood where the presence of state authorities is totally absent. It is an area ruled by armed gangs that impose their law on the population and fight among themselves, which limits the Salesians’ ability to travel. Often community members leave their homes to take refuge in public squares or at a friend’s house.

Father Victor Auguste, economer of the Rinaldi Foundation said, “The greatest challenge during this period was the insecurity around the country caused by the gang activity, especially in Port-au-Prince. Much of Haiti was shut down, making it difficult for people to move around safely. Parents were unable to bring their children to school or to participate in other activities, so this time we also distributed food to older women living in the community since they were in need and we were able to reach them.”

One of the recipients was Olguine Almonord, who struggles to feed herself and her children. Most of the time she has to rely on the charity of her family and friends for food. When they do not have anything to share, she and her family go without. To her, the meals from Rise Against Hunger created a sense of security knowing they would have at least one meal a day.

Almonord said, “Before receiving meals from Rise Against Hunger, we usually only ate if our neighbors or relatives shared their food, and very often we went the whole day without eating anything. Now my whole family eats each meal, even if it is not always enough. Rise Against Hunger meals have vitamins, which also helps my children’s growth.”

The rice-meals were also shared with schools. In Haiti, many children do not have access to a school lunch service, which has a direct impact on their education and academic success. The Salesian community makes every effort to provide students with varied, balanced and daily meals.

Carius Dumé, director at the Rinaldi Foundation, said, “School feeding also represents an important opportunity for some parents who are still in precarious situations. For many, ensuring a healthy, balanced and regular diet for their children is a daily struggle. In the country, two out of three students rarely eat at home in the morning before going to school.”

Dumé added, “Thanks to the hot meals distributed, students have better attendance rates at the primary school and vocational training center. The effects of the regular meals can be seen in their schoolwork. I know that the regular meals have helped strengthen their resilience against harmful shocks. With support from Rise Against Hunger, we have seen improvements in our schools.”

Salesian missionaries began working in Haiti in 1935 in response to the Haitian government’s request for a professional school. Since then, Salesian missionaries have expanded their work to include 11 main educational centers and more than 200 schools across the country.

Each of the main centers includes a number of primary and secondary schools, vocational training centers, and other programs for street children and youth in need. Salesian programs are located throughout Haiti, including in the cities of Port-au-Prince, Fort-Liberté, Cap-Haïtien, Les Cayes and Gressier. Today, Salesian missionaries in Haiti provide the largest source of education outside of the Haitian government with schools providing education to 25,500 primary and secondary school students.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Rinaldi Foundation

Rinaldi Foundation Facebook

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions – Haiti

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) People who have been internally displaced during the ongoing conflict in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo* and are seeking shelter at Don Bosco Ngangi in Goma had access to nutritional support thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” The shipment of rice-meals and other food helped 1,440 households.

The conflict has left more than 5.8 million people displaced across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika, according to UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency. Since the beginning of October 2022, more than 28,000 people seeking refuge from violence have arrived at Don Bosco Ngangi. Salesian missionaries, with support of volunteers from the Salesian-run International Volunteering for Development (VIS), are supporting people as best as they can.

Those who have been displaced and seeking shelter with the Salesians include 19,000 children, who are suffering from insufficient food and are challenged by harsh living conditions. Salesians have identified more than 1,000 children under age 5 who have been showing signs of malnutrition due to lack of food in sufficient quality and quantity while the war has continued.

One Salesian missionary said, “This area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is extremely fertile and most families work in the agricultural center. However, more than 90 percent of the farmers had already sown their crops and were at a stage where the agricultural crops needed more maintenance in order to hope for a very good harvest. Unfortunately, the war caught them unprepared, and they were forced to leave their homes and take refuge in Ngangi.”

People who received the rice-meals have been extremely grateful for the donation, especially the children who look forward to mealtimes. Salesians report that the rice-meals have helped to address malnutrition. As the war rages on, Salesian missionaries and VIS continue to look for ways to help support those who have been displaced.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo

*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.

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PERU

(MissionNewswire) More than 9,600 vulnerable people in Peru received nutritional support thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit.” A shipment of rice-meals was provided to the Don Bosco Foundation in 2022 and distributed throughout the year to 10 civic and religious programs serving people who are sick and elderly, at-risk youth, and other marginalized populations.

Organizations that received the donation include the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Forsaken Elderly in Breña that serves a population of 500 poor elderly people. The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity is a home for 100 youth with terminal cancer and others serious diseases who are receiving treatment. The Brother Thomas Helm Center is a day shelter for youth who are in school. There are approximately 60 boys who participate. The Civic Action with the Joint Command of the Armed Forced provides basic needs for 4,550 people. Hogar San Camilo provides support to people with HIV. It serves approximately 280 people.

The rice-meal shipment also helped volunteers who distributed the meals. Sabina, age 26 and from Lima, delivered meals to the most poverty-stricken and dangerous area of Callao, the port of Lima. Within Callao is the Los Barracones neighborhood, which is known for gang violence. When Sabina arrived to distribute the donations of fortified rice packages, she noticed the lack of police presence in the community and anticipated a hostile atmosphere while distributing food to the households.

However, Sabina was surprised to see how welcoming and warm the beneficiaries and their relatives were when dropping off the meals. She said, “Going door to door, offering rice, being welcomed in the homes of the beneficiaries and exchanging some kind words” was an experience of regaining hope.

The volunteers were grateful for this experience and expressed their gratitude to the Salesians for giving them an opportunity to be active members in their local communities.

Peru faces high levels of income inequality and has more than a quarter of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty levels are significantly higher in rural areas but urban areas struggle most with inequality, most notably metropolitan Lima. Poverty in the country is made worse by a shortage of productive farmland and a lack of job skills among women entering the workforce, as well as a lack of adequate housing, nutrition and education.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Foundation

Feed My Starving Children

Salesian Missions – Peru

World Bank – Peru

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) The conflict and violence in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo* is still raging. People are caught between war and violence, leaving 5.8 million people displaced across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika, according to UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Since the beginning of October 2022, more than 28,000 people seeking refuge from violence have arrived at Don Bosco Ngangi, located in Goma. Salesian missionaries, with support of volunteers from the Salesian-run International Volunteering for Development (VIS), are supporting people as best they can.

“This latest wave of violence has prompted tens of thousands of people to leave their homes in search of relative safety in several areas of North Kivu Province, including Goma,” explained Father Piero Gavioli, an Italian missionary in the DR Congo for nearly 50 years. “This has caused the three soccer fields at the Don Bosco Ngangi Center to fill with those displaced. The latest figures speak of some 3,530 households, including more than 19,000 minors. It is an emergency situation that calls all humanitarian workers and members of society to assist a community in distress.”

Salesians report that in January, the rebel military advanced and cut off the second main link that supplied the city of Goma with various products, after the first had been cut off in late 2022. As a result, the situation in North Kivu deteriorated significantly. There have been massacres, sexual abuse, organ trafficking, enlistment of minors in the conflict, kidnappings for ransom and more unspeakable acts of violence.

Already Salesians have improved the physical situation by providing more access to water from the Don Bosco Center to improve sanitation and hygiene, installing lighting at the site, and creating a 12-person security team. Salesians have also distributed soybean and corn gruel to 365 displaced children and 357 adults, provided additional food and cooking utensils to 300 families, and gave tarpaulins to 120 families. Medical care has also been important. So far, 1,844 people have received medical care including 84 hospitalized and 32 transferred to other medical facilities. There have been 14 births.

Given the violence does not seem to be deescalating, Salesians with the help of VIS are working on a more long-term solution and are launching a project to provide people with more support. The goal is to provide more provisions and psychological support to the people including education for minors.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – 26 thousand displaced people need everything at grounds of “Don Bosco Ngangi” work

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNHCR – Democratic Republic of the Congo

*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.

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GHANA

(MissionNewswire) St. Dominic Savio Youth Center, located in Tema New Town, a neighborhood in Tema, Ghana, provides a place for street children to seek shelter, live comfortably and access mainstream education at nearby schools. At the center, which was established in 2003, youth receive a range of support to help them recover from their life on the streets and prepare for a brighter future.

The center provides daily education where youth learn reading, writing, comprehension and simple mathematics. They are also provided a hot lunch in the afternoon.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the center’s oratory had been closed to prevent the spread of the virus. It was finally reopened and oratory activities have resumed. Each Friday, children from different schools come together to play and are assisted with their homework.

At the end of 2022, youth at the center were taken on an excursion as part of the curriculum activities and to see beautiful places in Ghana. The 2022 trip was to the Chill River Resort. A Salesian noted, “The trip was so refreshing, and the children were very happy.”

“Salesian missionaries in Ghana and around the globe are working to support street children and restore their childhoods,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In addition to supporting youth, St. Dominic Savio Youth Center also supports parents. They are provided the opportunity to share the difficulties they face in their various homes and receive support as well as report back to the teachers how well their children are responding to the training they are receiving at the center.”

While Ghana’s economy continues to improve, nearly 45 percent of the population lives on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. Rural poverty remains widespread in the dry savannah region that covers roughly two thirds of Ghana’s northern territory. Small-scale farms suffer from a lack of infrastructure and equipment, both of which are needed to shift from subsistence farming to more modern commercial farming which would yield greater incomes and a chance to escape poverty.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter Oct. – Dec. 2022

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter Oct. – Dec. 2022

Salesian Missions – Ghana

UNICEF – Ghana

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco 2000 in Italy is focused on welcoming migrants, helping in prisons and providing safe space in oratories, among other activities. One of the oratories supported is the Piazza Armerina Oratory, run by the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. The oratory operates year-round with youth able to access support with homework and recreational activities.

The oratory recently became involved in a Caritas project that put on a theatrical performance in the Enna Luigi Bodenza prison house. The play included 26 youth and inmates and was performed at the Enna’s Garibaldi Theater.

“Don Bosco’s example represents the guide for how we support and address the needs of the youngest and the neediest among our population,” said Cinzia Vella, director general of Don Bosco 2000. “It’s not just here in Italy we are helping youth but abroad too. For example, we have one special project in Veligara Pont, a village in the Tambacounda region of Senegal. We have created a new oratory there that is successful. The village chief told us that since we arrived the children are happier and they are playing the summer games and dances we taught them.”

Amara, a volunteer with Don Bosco 2000 in Senegal, said, “The oratory is a beautiful thing for us. We do so many things with the children including meetings, gatherings, training. We even hold French and Italian language courses. Every Saturday and Sunday, we have more than 50 children attending the oratory and are able to distribute snacks. Thanks to the availability of two local volunteer doctors, we also provide a dispensary for medical care that is open every day.”

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

Poverty rose sharply in 2020 to its highest level in 15 years as the COVID-19 crisis brought economic challenges for much of the country. Close to 5.6 million people or 9.4 percent of the population are living in absolute poverty unable to buy goods or services to achieve a minimally acceptable standard of living, according to the World Bank. This number includes 1.3 million minors.

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

ANS – Italy – From Sicily to Senegal, a bridge of education and solidarity in the name of Don Bosco

Don Bosco 2000

Salesian Missions – Italy

World Bank – Italy

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ETHIOPIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have been responding with aid for those impacted by the conflict in Ethiopia*, which started in November 2020, in the Tigray region. Recently a peace deal was struck and things are slowly returning to some normalcy. During the conflict, when there were no basic services like phone, electricity, banks or transportation, Salesians provided aid for more than 100,000 people.

Salesian missionaries have been on the front lines of the response to those in need. Tigray has close to 7 million inhabitants who needed aid because of war. Humanitarian organizations were limited in their reach and only about 15 percent of the aid reached those in need. Salesians are in the unique position of living in the communities in which they work. As a result, Salesians have 14 houses in Ethiopia, with four in Mekele, Adigrat, Adwa and Shire in Tigray, and three houses in Eritrea.

Salesians were able to receive support from the World Food Programme for both food aid and essential items. A shipment of goods was sent to the Salesian center in Mekele. From there, it was distributed among many other areas that were in need. Distribution was challenged with no fuel, lack of funding for unloading and loading, and limited transportation. With the support of other Catholic parishes and clergy who volunteered their time, Salesians were able to distribute the goods.

Although a peace deal was signed and many services restored, such as flights from Addis Ababa to Mekele, people are still in need. Banks are open but people still do not have access to their accounts, according to the Salesians.

“The access to send humanitarian aid to Tigray has become easier and we continue to assist people that have been impacted,” explained Father Abba Hailemariam Medhin, provincial of the AET vice-province. “People are still in need of food and non-food items. Psychological assistance for those impacted and educational centers are starting back up, but first, people need to have some food and they have to take care of their health.”

Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in the world with more than 38 percent of its population living in poverty, according to Feed the Future. Close to 85 percent of the country’s workforce is employed in agriculture, but frequent droughts severely affect the agricultural economy leaving more than 12 million people chronically, or at least periodically, food insecure. In addition, more than two-thirds of the population is illiterate.

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Photo courtesy of the SDB Emergency Coordinator. (Please contact Salesian Missions for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Ethiopia

Salesian Missions – Ethiopia

UNICEF – Ethiopia

*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.

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical School Maligaon, located in Assam, India, will be making technical education more accessible through the new “Promoting Peace through Technical Training” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from United States Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Through this project, which runs to the end of September 2026, Don Bosco Technical School will be transformed into the new Don Bosco Institute of Technology with the construction of a modern science and technology building. With the use of cutting-edge technology, Don Bosco Institute of Technology will advance technical training for vulnerable youth across Northeast India and beyond.

The new center will offer short-term technical programs that are relevant to the area, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and big data, as well as house a master classroom that will project sessions to remote skill centers. The goal is to ensure that technical education is more accessible for impoverished and marginalized youth, young women, and school dropouts.

The new master classroom will provide space and the technology to host state-of-the-art skills training in person and virtually. Live and recorded training sessions will be broadcast to Don Bosco remote skills training centers, enhancing curricula with model lectures and demonstrations that utilize the latest technologies and pedagogies.

In addition to training students, the new facility will also train teachers from at least 50 remote training centers. Training teachers will advance the quality of technical training and foster regional collaboration.

The initial goal is to reach 2,000 Indian youth and teachers from economically subordinate castes and villages to actively engage them in science, technology, and innovation by providing equal access to cutting-edge education by 2026.

Further, enrollment preference will be given to impoverished youth and young women, reaching those in remote villages who do not have access to education. The education will provide young women with relevant skills in new technology needed to pursue jobs in the growing STEM field, allowing graduates to pursue employment. Women will also be empowered with the soft skills needed to succeed in the workforce, including communication, management, and conflict resolution.

“The project will promote values such as gender equality and women in leadership,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “More educated and qualified women in the workforce is an investment in the family and decreases the economic burden many families face. Overall, this project will work to ensure that more youth in poverty have access to the technology skills to find and retain stable employment that will change their lives and that of their families and communities.”

Don Bosco Technical School was founded in 1969 and provides technical education to marginalized youth. Currently, the school provides courses on driving, automobile mechanics, electrician skills, sales and marketing, air conditioning and refrigeration, hospitality, tailoring, and welding. The new upgrades to the facility and training curriculum as part of this new project will positively impact poor youth locally and beyond.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Technical School Maligaon

Salesian Missions – India

USAID/ASHA

World Bank – India

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries continue to ship aid to those impacted by the war who have remained in cities in Ukraine*. The aid, mostly consisting of food, is part of the Salesian plan to help people make it through the cold winter. After being brought to a warehouse in Lviv, the aid was delivered to people in Kherson.

Because it was previously occupied by the Russian army, the city of Kherson has been experiencing great instability. People are suffering from a lack of water and electricity, and daily life is difficult. Many people are unable to work and have lost their homes due to the bombing.

Thanks to the generosity of Salesian donors, those most in need have been able to receive sugar, flour, rice, pasta and oil. The close cooperation among various Salesians groups has made this and other similar donations possible.

“We are coming up on a year since the war started and today more than 16 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance,” explained Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are still working inside of Ukraine helping at parishes and providing for those displaced. In addition, Salesian programs in neighboring countries are working to provide shelter, food and support for refugee families, mostly women, the elderly and children. Although funds are limited, we will continue to provide as best we can for those in need.”

Salesian missionaries around the globe are working to provide financial and material donations to help people still in Ukraine and refugees in bordering countries. Even Salesians in the poorest countries have stepped up in some way to support the efforts.

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

ANS – Ukraine – Considerable humanitarian aid arrives for people of Kherson

Salesian Missions

*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.

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Prafulta Center for Psychological Wellness recently held an event called “Celebration of Feeling” focused on mental health. The event was held at St. Dominic Savio, located in Andheri, a locality in the western part of Mumbai, India. Children from nearby neighborhoods, who don’t normally have access to mental health activities, learned how to handle difficult emotions like anger, sadness, nervousness and fear. They were able to express their emotions through art, painting, storytelling, dance and movement, a graffiti corner, pottery, and more.

A parenting program and career guidance were provided for adults. Additional activities were designed to promote productive thinking and creativity and help people stay positive in life. Parents also had opportunities to learn advanced leadership, problem-solving and creative skills.

Father Godfrey D’Sa, founder and executive director of Prafulta Center for Psychological Wellness, said, “We have mental health care for children, teens and families. Our focus as mental health caregivers is to restore dignity and hope and be compassionate, destigmatize mental health, and encourage people to access help and treatment available in order to live life in all its fullness.”

Oswald D’Souza, the group head of legal and contracts for L&T Energy Hydrocarbon and chief guest at the event, noted, “Mental health is a very crucial issue today. I come from the corporate world and it’s a fast-paced world. We really don’t have the time to pause and think about mental health and how it affects people. Physical ailments are easily noticeable and we start taking medication once it is visible. But mental ailments work below the surface very quietly and result in behaviors that eventually affect the environment that we work in, play in and live in.  I am happy that L&T Energy Hydrocarbon is collaborating with Prafulta on this crucial issue.”

More than 50 mental health caregivers and 80 psychology students from St. Xavier and Nanavati Colleges facilitated and assisted in this event. The event impacted 3,600 children and their parents in a fun-filled educational day.

Shalu Mehrotra, senior psychotherapist at Prafulta and the chief coordinator of the event, said, “It’s a joy to see both children and parents taking part so eagerly in all the activities that have been organized. After the COVID-19 pandemic, many have come to realize how fragile the mind is and if we do not take care of it, the consequences can be disastrous. We believe that normalization of conversations around mental health will eventually lead to better mental health care.”

Prafulta Center for Psychological Wellness was started in 1998 and provides psychological evaluation and diagnosis, professional counseling, career guidance, remedial education, psychiatric services, and occupational therapy. The organization’s psychologists and other professionals offer these services to individuals, groups and families to help aid independent functioning and improve quality of life.

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

ANS – India – ‘Prafulta Re-kindles Our Efforts to Protect and Improve Our Mental Health’

Prafulta Center for Psychological Wellness

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Youth attending programs at Don Bosco Navajeevan in Hyderabad, India, had access to nutritional support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding provided rice-meals for 191 youth.

These youth include 175 street children, orphans, and poor and marginalized children abandoned by their parents and relatives. They are receiving services at Don Bosco Navajeevan centers. Of these youth, 155 are going to regular schools and colleges for their education, and 20 are in vocational training learning trades such as tailoring, carpentry and welding.

In addition to eating two meals in Don Bosco Navajeevan centers, youth can take lunch boxes prepared by staff to school. The food includes lemon rice, tomato rice, vegetable biryani and pudina (mint leaves) rice. Youth and the staff are happy with the quality of the food and appreciate the meal.

Two of the rice-meal recipients are sisters Lavanya, age 13, and Sravani, age 11, who came to Don Bosco Navajeevan after their father was abusive to their family. When their mother was able to bear the abuse, she opened a gas cylinder and burned herself when the girls were very young. Lavanya informed the police of the abuse, and their father was arrested.

Their aunts looked after all three children until he was released from jail. After they went back to living with him, the abuse continued and even became worse. He tried to sexually assault Lavanya. She was able to defend herself and he was sent to jail again. Today, all three children are safe in Salesian programs accessing supportive services like counseling, and they are able to gain an education.

“We appreciate our donors who provided support to ensure that youth at Don Bosco Navajeevan have access to proper nutrition,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “The goal is always to reunite these children with their families or other relatives if it’s safe to do so. Having the right nutrition enables these youth to fully participate in school and in counseling and rehabilitation programs that ensure they live a better life.”

In addition to education, Don Bosco Navajeevan provides a youth center that places special emphasis on rescuing and rehabilitating children engaged in child labor. The program also offers shelter to child laborers and street children. Once a child arrives at the center, they receive shelter, food and clothing and are then eligible to participate in Salesian programs that focus on education and life skills training. The goal is to help the children break the cycle of poverty and go on to lead productive lives free from abuse and forced labor. Supplementary classes at Don Bosco Navajeevan cater to those who have missed school and have fallen behind academically.

Since the beginning of the organization, 32,782 children have made contact with Salesian staff who work on the street providing support and help for street children living in the cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad. The team has worked hard at reconnecting youth with their families have placed 7,500 back home after counseling. The team has also arranged job placement and rehabilitation for 3,700 youth.

Don Bosco Navajeevan also runs a shelter where youth can come and go freely without the fear of bullies, hostile police or other threats. The 24/7 shelter is in a rented building located very close to the Secunderabad Railway Station. Easy physical accessibility to the shelter is helpful as many children arrive via the railway or stay in the area begging. The shelter offers one of the first access points into the Don Bosco Navajeevan programs.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Don Bosco Navajeevan

Don Bosco Navajeevan Facebook

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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SYRIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, has launched an emergency appeal to provide disaster relief for those impacted by the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck in Kahramanmaraş province in southern Turkey, very close to Syria’s* northwestern border, on Feb. 6. The earthquake was felt in 14 countries, including Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus and Jordan.

The Turkey/Syria Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund will bring critical medical supplies, food, water and support to survivors, helping them to heal and rebuild their lives. Salesian missionaries living and working in Turkey and Syria were among those first at the scene of the impact. The Salesian center in Aleppo sustained some minor damage and people rushed to the center for support.

“The earthquake was very strongly felt and for a long time,” explained Father Alejandro León, superior of the Salesian Province of the Middle East, from Kafroun, near Homs and the Lebanese border. “Initial information received from Aleppo is that our center there suffered some minor damage due to cracks and some broken glass, but Salesians and the people we assist nearby are fine despite the earthquake.”

Fr. León added, “Some families took refuge in our house in Aleppo. They arrived with only the clothes they had on. Their homes are not in good condition because of the war and they feel safer with us. We know that there are many dead and that many buildings have collapsed, so we will offer shelter, food and emergency aid with all the basic necessities we can offer in these first moments.”

More than 37,000 people have been reported dead and tens of thousands have been injured. Many more are still missing. Thousands of homes and buildings have collapsed, burying people who were asleep at the time the earthquake happened. Aid relief to impacted rebel-held areas of northwest Syria has been complicated amid a long-running civil war. While the Syrian government approved sending aid to those territories, they provided no timeline or plan for delivering the aid.

In Aleppo and other areas where Salesians serve, people have nowhere to go and nowhere to sleep. Salesian missionaries who have been serving those in Syria since the beginning of the war are doing their best to help those victims reaching out to them and providing shelter, food, warm clothes, blankets and more.

Father Pier Jabloyan, provincial delegate for social communication, said, “More than 300 people have been welcomed and helped by the Salesians, collaborators, and the entire Salesian family in Aleppo. We are trying to do what we can, despite the challenges and difficulties. It is snowing in Syria and there is a lack of power and a lack of fuel. The population is really having a difficult time.”

Salesian missionaries operate three centers in Kafroun and the particularly high-conflict areas of Aleppo and Damascus. Throughout the ongoing war and struggles in the country, Salesian centers continue to meet the needs of their communities through the distribution of food, economic aid and scholarships to help young people continue with their schooling.

Salesians around the globe are working to provide the financial and material resources needed to help those who have been impacted by the earthquake. To provide support, donate to the Salesian Missions Turkey/Syria Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

ANS – Syria – Salesians’ testimonies on terrible earthquake

ANS – Syria – Aleppo Salesians, at front, open doors to support earthquake victims

Salesian Missions – Syria

*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.

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SPAIN

(MissionNewswire) On Jan. 21, more than 800 youth participated in a meeting of Salesian oratories and youth centers in the Canary Islands, Spain. The meeting was held at the Salesian center in La Orotova and was coordinated by the Don Bosco Youth Center of the Our Lady of Conception Parish. The young participants took part in a day filled with sports and recreational activities. They were able to bond with their peers, meet new friends and learn from caring adults.

“The work of Salesian missionaries in Spain goes beyond traditional education, and youth centers play an important role in how they support youth,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians aim to serve the whole person. Providing safe spaces for youth, especially for those at-risk or in high violence and conflict areas, ensures they feel empowered and are able to develop a sense of self-worth.”

Salesian youth centers and oratories are safe havens for youth. They can access tutoring help, have a safe place to go after school and spend time engaging in recreational activities. The sports offered at youth centers also offer opportunities for youth to learn teamwork, improve their health and take on leadership roles.

Salesian missionaries have also been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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

ANS – Spain – Over 800 young people at meeting of Salesian oratories and youth centers in Canary Islands

Salesian Missions – Spain

World Bank – Spain

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ARGENTINA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Don Bosco Oratory in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, held a summer camp for 500 youth from the area’s vulnerable neighborhoods. Youth were able to enjoy the camp from Jan. 18-31, which culminated with the Feast of St. John Bosco. Youth spent time connecting with their peers in a playful and educational space.

About 20 volunteers from the local Salesian Youth Movement participated in the planning and organization of the camp, along with young volunteers from other Salesian centers in the Province of North Argentina.

This year, the mottos “The best of me to share” and “The joy of meeting again” guided the volunteers in the games, sports and workshops they facilitated. The summer camp provided the opportunity for poor youth to experience a time of rest, relaxation, and joy with their peers and caring older youth and adults.

“All youth deserve a chance to have an enjoyable summer vacation where they can connect with friends and engage in safe activities,” says Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian camps provide much more than just recreational activities though. There is an educational component included in each one. Even sports programs teach teamwork, skill building and problem solving.”

More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37 percent and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12 percent of children ages 5-17 are working instead of being in school and 20 percent need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.

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

ANS – Argentina – Vulnerable youth, adolescents and teens participate in Don Bosco Oratory Summer Camp in Santiago del Estero

Salesian Missions – Argentina

World Bank – Argentina

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(MissionNewswire) The Farnières Center in Belgium is the home of Salesian missionaries and Salesian sisters with Daughter of Mary Help of Christians. They reside there and, with the help of lay volunteers, welcome groups for retreats, meetings and training events. The center is located in the middle of a forest between Vielsalm and Trois-Ponts in the heart of the Belgian Ardennes.

The center has been working to upgrade its facilities to be environmentally friendly. Each year, approximately 15,850 gallons (60,000 liters) of diesel fuel are needed to heat the halls, dormitories, rooms and various bungalows. More than 10 years ago, the center’s managers installed photovoltaic panels to provide a better source of electricity.

In December 2022, a new biomass heating system went into operation with two boilers using wood chips, which is a more environmentally friendly source of heat. This is the largest investment made by the center since a major renovation 25 years ago.

In addition to this work, 20 volunteers came together to plant 1,000 trees and shrubs on the grounds. The goal was to transform the large lawn bordering the main access path to the center into a welcoming place. There is a green area for picnics surrounded by bushes, spaces for sharing in small groups bordered by hedges and footpaths for walking. The hedges consist of black currant, red currant and raspberry bushes. An orchard of apples, plums, cherries and pears has been also planted, which will contribute to the food supply of the center in the future.

“Salesian organizations around the globe have been focused on environmental sustainability projects in response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ to raise awareness and increase action on the values ​​of integral ecology,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are working to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders.”

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

ANS – Belgium – One thousand trees planted, biomass heating… in Farnières, investment made in caring for nature and the planet

Salesian Missions

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(MissionNewswire) Eleven months into the war in Ukraine*, Salesian missionaries who remain in the country and in surrounding countries like Poland and Slovakia are still hard at work caring for those who have been impacted and displaced. Close to 8 million Ukrainian citizens, mostly women, the elderly and children, are living as refugees in other countries.

Salesian missionaries in Slovakia have been at the side of people in need since the first hours of the conflict, taking in orphans from Lviv and opening the doors to their centers to provide shelter for as many people as possible. Despite all the difficulties that a sustained effort entails, Salesians continue to care for them today.

Salesians have been providing basic needs like food, shelter and medical care. They are also ensuring education for youth and language courses for adults, so that they can become as self-sufficient as possible and find work to support themselves.

The psychological needs of refugees have not been overlooked. For youth, Salesians have tried to offer times of joy and peace and a sense of normalcy. For 47 orphans rescued from Lviv who were scattered among various homes, Salesians gathered them all during Christmas break to take them on a ski vacation and to enjoy time together.

During winter and the Christmas season, many Salesians and volunteers who normally facilitate activities at Salesian oratories decided to spend the holiday focused on supporting and celebrating with Ukrainian families.

One Salesian said, “In some centers for the little ones, St. Nicholas also came by to bring some gifts, while festive dinners and refreshments were offered to all, sharing the different traditions and customs, both in cooking and in the festivities.”

In addition, Salesians and volunteers continue afternoon activities at several state facilities that are housing hundreds of young Ukrainian refugees. They conduct dance, music, language and creative classes. The Salesian added, “In addition to continuing these activities, our goal for this new year is to include liturgy in the Greek Catholic rite in our visits. We have set up a room to be able to offer them a moment of silence, to take care of the spiritual part.”

Salesians in Slovakia are also ensuring humanitarian aid is reaching people in Ukraine. During the consecration of Father Maksym Ryabukha, the new auxiliary bishop in Donetsk, Salesians in Slovakia, Father Peter Jacko and Father Andrej Knaze, donated humanitarian aid to share with the people in his location. The aid included a van full of warm clothes, an electric generator and much more.

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

ANS – Slovakia – From basic needs to social, relational, spiritual life: Salesians and volunteers fully serving Ukrainian refugees

Salesian Missions

UNHCR – Ukraine Refugee Stats

*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring Feb. 12 as Red Hand Day, also known as the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers. The day was started when the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict entered into force on Feb. 12, 2002. This protocol was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations (U.N.) in May 2000 and has been ratified by 168 U.N. member states.

In 2001, the U.N. Security Council sent a powerful message to the world that the recruitment of child soldiers would no longer be tolerated. Resolution 1379 requested the U.N. secretary-general attach an annex to his report on children and armed conflict, in which he would list parties to conflict who recruit and use children in situations on the U.N. Security Council’s agenda. Subsequent resolutions added four additional triggers for listing: sexual violence, killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and abduction of children.

In July 2022, the United Nations released a report on Children and Armed Conflict that detailed the devastating impact that various forms of conflict had on children around the world in 2021. The report highlighted nearly 24,000 verified grave violations against children. The killing and maiming of children was the most verified grave violation followed by the recruitment and use of children and the denial of humanitarian access.

Poverty and lack of opportunities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have created more situations of children at risk for recruitment by armed forces and armed groups, or for sexual violence or abduction. Education opportunities that have already been disrupted by war and displacement are further vanishing, leaving children vulnerable.

A Salesian missionary said, “Children utilized in hostilities and war have faced unimaginable violence and abuses and need our support to have a second chance in life. In countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries work with former child soldiers so that they may overcome the traumas of war and reintegrate into society.”

In honor of International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs that help child soldiers by offering education and psychosocial support.

COLOMBIA

Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Cali, Colombia, teaches skills for employment for 30 former child soldiers.

Salesian missionaries are giving hope for a better life to former child soldiers at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center (Don Bosco Center) in Cali, Colombia. The country’s guerrilla warfare has caused more than 300,000 deaths and fueled the growth of powerful drug cartels.

The Don Bosco Center provides a chance at rehabilitation for youth who have been ripped from their families at a young age and forced to shoot, throw bombs, or become servants of officers and sexually abused.

Upon arrival at the Don Bosco Center, youth are given a uniform and tools that correspond to the profession they have chosen to learn. More importantly, they are given a chance to reclaim their personal identity and begin to rebuild their self-esteem and trust in others.

Don Bosco Center has a team of professionals who help youth establish a training plan. Youth can take coursework to become electricians, industrial mechanics, automobile repair technicians, cooks, tailors, beauticians, welders, computer operators, accountants, librarians or commercial secretaries. Workshops serve as the cornerstone of development. Youth learn safety regulations, handle machines and products, and take life skills training to help personally and professionally.

LIBERIA

Salesian-run Mary Help of Christians School in Liberia educates young children with limited opportunities, including former child soldiers.

Operated by Salesian sisters, Mary Help of Christians School provides a foundation of education and support for young students who would otherwise have limited opportunities — many of whom are former child soldiers. The school started in 1993 and serves just over 560 students. The school also has a feeding program, which serves more than 100 students each day.

This is one of many schools that Salesian missionaries operate in Liberia. Salesians have been present in Monrovia since 1979 and manage parishes, youth centers, schools and oratories.

In 2019, Don Bosco Technical High School, also in Monrovia, launched a vocational training course for electro-technicians. An afternoon class is available to high school students, which complements their current educational path. There is also a morning class for young workers to help them obtain certification to improve their options in the workforce.

The launch of the electro-technician training was part of an initiative that included the renovation of existing space at Don Bosco Technical High School to transform it into a workshop. The initiative aimed to respond to the needs of the labor market while ensuring youth have access to vocational and technical training that assists them in finding long-term stable work. The electro-technician course is available each year to 90 high school students and 30 uncertified electricians.

MALI

Activities at Salesian Père Michael Training Center in Mali offer a deterrent for children being recruited as child soldiers.

The Salesian Père Michael Training Center in Bamako, the capital and largest city of Mali*, is bringing joy, providing education, and cultivating peace among children and older youth. The center keeps its doors open all day and provides support to hundreds of youth from the Niarela district and the outskirts of the city. It also works as a deterrent for children being recruited as child soldiers.

Youth come to the center to play sports, learn music or study at its library. The center provides a safe haven where youth have an opportunity to live, dream of a future, study, and learn the importance of being committed and collaborating in groups. They are able to express themselves freely and access the support of adults.

The goal is to keep young people, ages 12-25, away from the street and harmful habits such as alcohol or drugs. Instead, youth are offered an educational space during their free time which promotes cultural activities and allows the development of values. Salesian missionaries have been able to access sports equipment for the girls basketball team, set up a music training center, and organize health and hygiene awareness days to prevent diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.

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

COLOMBIA: 30 former child soldiers rebuild trust in others

LIBERIA: Salesian-run Mary Help of Christians School educates 560 students each year

MALI: Center provides safe haven for youth

Salesian Missions

United Nations – Thousands of children endure ‘horrific conditions’ in conflict zones: UN report

*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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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring the Catholic World Day of the Sick. Every year on Feb. 11, the Pope marks the day with a special message calling for spiritual and physical closeness to all those who are ill. Saint John Paul II instituted the day “to encourage the people of God, Catholic health institutions and civil society to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them.”

Pope Francis focused his message for the day on the theme “Take care of him: Compassion as a synodal exercise of healing.” He calls on everyone to remember the sick and provide support and care for them so that they don’t live in isolation and feel abandoned.

Further, in his message, Pope Francis wrote, “These past years of the pandemic have increased our sense of gratitude for those who work each day in the fields of health care and research. Yet it is not enough to emerge from such an immense collective tragedy simply by honoring heroes. COVID-19 has strained the great networks of expertise and solidarity, and has exposed the structural limits of existing public welfare systems. Gratitude, then, needs to be matched by actively seeking, in every country, strategies and resources in order to guarantee each person’s fundamental right to basic and decent health care.”

Salesian missionaries offer more than 150 medical clinics and hospitals in mostly rural areas around the globe that serve a wide range of medical care needs. In many countries with Salesian programs, dental care and other necessary health services are offered to poor youth and their families who might otherwise have no access to health care.

“Salesians aim to serve the whole person by making sure that basic needs like health and nutrition are met in addition to other social service needs,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “Ensuring that poor youth and their families have access to health services is essential, especially as the world still grapples with the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

On World Day of the Sick 2023, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight medical and health programs that provide critical services to those living in poverty.

BRAZIL

Volunteers provide nutrition and health support to Xavante people through Operation Mato Gross, a Salesian initiative in Brazil.

St. Dominic Savio Parish’s Children’s Pastoral Care in Campinápolis, Brazil, visited the Xavante village of Santa Fé, where 120 people live in 10 homes. The visit was part of the volunteer efforts of Operation Mato Grosso, a Salesian initiative that provides volunteer support to aid local Indigenous communities.

A month before, the team had been there assessing the health of children at serious risk of malnutrition and returned to monitor these children. Team members found most had a significant jump in weight, showing improvement and recovery. Two of the children who were being monitored were admitted to the Indigenous Health Home (CASAI) to provide them with better health support. During this visit and over the month of support, families received donations of food baskets, and on specific days a hot dish was served to all villagers.

Also volunteering during this time was Dr. Paolo Fior, an Italian pulmonologist, who collaborated with Salesians in June. Fior said that taking care of the health of Indigenous people is a way to help preserve the culture of the people. “I realized that this work is very important. It is also very important for the city of Campinápolis to know that there are people who go all the way to the very last village to give them some attention as well. We prepared food for them to show that there are people who care about them, who care about their health, and who like and respect the Xavante people.”

DR CONGO

Access to health care is expanding through a modernization project for Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Salesian missionaries have launched a modernization project for Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo*. Built in 1987, the Salesian health clinic provides health care to people living in Lubumbashi. After more than 30 years in operation, the clinic is now in a position to expand and upgrade its facilities.

At a launch event, Father Ghislain Kaya, general director of Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic, and Father Guillermo Basañes, superior of the Mary Most Holy Assumption of Central Africa Province, laid the foundation stone that launches the new construction.

Dr. Franck Monga, who is in charge of the Lubumbashi Health District, also attended the ceremony. He acknowledged the value and contribution of Afia Don Bosco Polyclinic for the local community and expressed his confidence on behalf of the people of his area. He thanked the Salesians for the clinic, which has become a partner of the Congolese government in the health sector.

SOUTH SUDAN

Displaced people receive medical care at the Don Bosco Gumbo camp in Juba, South Sudan.

Salesian missionaries with St. Vincent de Paul Parish are operating the Don Bosco Gumbo camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Juba, South Sudan*. The camp, established in January 2014 after the outbreak of the civil war in December 2013, currently hosts 10,000 people, most of whom are women, children and the elderly. Salesians provide shelter, food, education, medical care and other basic needs.

Most of people living in nearby villages have had little or no access to face masks, hand sanitizers and immunization. They have also had little information about the spread of COVID-19, leaving the population at risk. Salesians are working to create awareness and provide information to create healthy practices to fight the disease.

Salesians are also providing face masks, soap and hand sanitizers. After this project launched, students, young adults, and people who are working started taking the necessary precautions while women in the villages and older people focused on engaging in the awareness programs and helping to spread the message. Cooked meals were also provided for students and adults who required better nutrition.

VIETNAM

Families in Vietnam receive medical and other support through the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund.

Salesian missionaries in Vietnam were able to assist more than 3,000 families with much-needed food essentials such as rice, noodles, cooking oil, sauces and milk thanks to the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund. The people receiving food aid live in remote areas and face many economic difficulties including unemployment.

Many seniors in the region live in dilapidated houses and are faced with poverty and medical conditions. With the funding, individuals received wheelchairs and walkers, cataract operations, and heart disease treatment. One patient was supplied with prosthetic legs.

Funding has also provided clean drinking water, and five homes were provided for very poor families. In addition, funding supported 250 scholarships. Many youth in the region are not able to go to school because their families cannot afford the school fees.

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BRAZIL: Volunteers provide nutrition and health support to Xavante people/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

DR CONGO: Access to health care to expand/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

Salesian Missions

SOUTH SUDAN: Displaced people receive education, medical care/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

Vatican Statement Message from Pope Francis

VIETNAM: Families receive food, medical and other support/Photo courtesy of the Australian Salesian Missions Overseas Aid Fund

*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.

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SPAIN

(MissionNewswire) Pinardi Federation of Salesian Social Platforms in Spain, in collaboration with the Community of Madrid, is providing 400 youth the opportunity to train in companies thanks to its “First Professional Experience” program that aims to address youth unemployment.

This program, which targets youth ages 18-29, has been ongoing for several years and enables on-the-job training for youth at risk of social exclusion. Youth will do their training at companies like Ibedrola, La Caixa, UPS, Ferrovial, El Corte Inglés, Sacyr, Orange, Meliá, IBM, JP Morgan, Auren, Parques Reunidos and Clece.

Maria Concepción Dancausa, the family, youth and social policy councilwoman for the Community of Madrid, recently warned of the high youth unemployment rate and the difficulties of companies in filling certain positions. “We don’t have time to waste,” said Dancausa. “They are restless, creative and enterprising. And they want to learn.”

Javier Doval, general coordinator of Pinardi Federation of Salesian Social Platforms, said, “Young people need experience that focuses on them and their enormous potential. First Professional Experience is a personalized program in a real-work environment, which, as much as possible, develops practical training. Thanks to the companies that are committed, it will allow youth to acquire personal and professional skills, achieving an impact in the host community.”

The key to success of the program lies in professional mentoring during the real-work experience, which facilitates learning personal and professional skills in an intensive and experiential way. Youth have educational and professional support throughout the program. They also have personalized social support and access to scholarships so that their economic situation is not an obstacle to training.

Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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

ANS – Spain – Pinardi and Community of Madrid seek alliances with businesses to achieve job placement for young people at risk of exclusion

Salesian Missions – Spain

Salesians in Spain

World Bank – Spain

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries with the Salesian Mary Help of Christians Province, in Seville, Spain, have launched a project to help support Salesian centers in Lebanon*. The centers include the Salesian technical school in Fidar, the youth spirituality house and camps in El Houssoun, and the primary and secondary school in Beirut.

“Our province, with the support of the provincial coordinator of missionary animation and Bosco Global and in constant dialogue with the Provincial Office of Planning and Development of the Middle East, has drawn up a three-year cooperation project (2023-2026) that was approved by the provincial council and was welcomed with joy by the Salesian community in Lebanon,” said Father José Luis Navarro Santotomás in the message launching the project.

This project will launch several initiatives. In June 2023, a course will be held in El Houssoun for youth volunteers. Coordinated by Jordi Garcia, a teacher at Don Bosco School of Youth Animation in Valencia, Spain, an international group of volunteer teachers will design the subjects that will be taught during the course.

Under the motto “Walking with a New Outlook,” Bosco Global will offer international volunteer placements during the summer to support Salesian efforts in Lebanon. Bosco Global will work to address a number of needs at Salesian schools in Lebanon including covering salaries for teachers at the Don Bosco Technical School, scholarships for 100 of the most vulnerable students, activities for winter oratories and youth centers for Lebanese, Iraqi and Syrian children, emergency assistance for 100 vulnerable families, and support for the construction of a photovoltaic energy system for the El Houssoun oratory.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Lebanon since 1952 and currently have two main centers. The one located in Fidar has Don Bosco Technique and a youth center. The Salesian community in El Houssoun has an oratory and a reception house that has been housing Catholic refugees since the start of the war in Syria.

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

ANS – Spain – Salesians “find what unites” through Lebanon Project

Bosco Global

Lebanon project website

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Lebanon

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 LEBANON: New initiatives support schools and youth centers first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Youth Educational Services in Nairobi, Kenya.

(MissionNewswire) Bosco Eastern Africa Multimedia Services (BEAMS) is located within the Don Bosco Youth Educational Services in Nairobi, Kenya. The organization provides media training for youth and prepares them for the workforce. Youth leave the training with more confidence, better self-esteem and an improved psychological outlook.

Youth in the training program come from living in conditions of poverty. Many have had trauma in their childhoods that has affected their ability to relate with other members of the community. The aim is to positively impact their lives by allowing them to tell their own stories and helping them overcome their current situation.

The students in the program have shared their stories in the form of documentaries to highlight the challenges they have been through, as well as how they have overcome these to lead a better life. The documentaries also showcase different commonalities that bridge culture and ethnic divides. Teaching youth to produce a documentary instills discipline, confidence and leadership. Students also learn tolerance, cooperation and respect.

“We have been striving to empower youth to enhance their capabilities in the use of media including computer applications, use of equipment for documentary production, and improving social, cultural, moral, and ethical competencies through film,” said a Salesian missionary. “Our training targets youth mostly from Nairobi, especially from the disadvantaged areas of Dagoretti Market, Karinde and Mutuini, all in our locality. This training takes youth away from harmful behaviors like drug abuse which is rampant in these areas.”

At BEAMS, youth receive training in theoretical and practical aspects of music production and sound engineering, photography and graphic design, and video production. The Salesian missionary added, “All this helps to foster leadership skills for social development, as well as improving self-esteem and encouraging personal development. In return, this brings about a changes in attitudes toward young people, as communities appreciate the potential of young people.”

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Empowering youth through media training

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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

ANS – Rwanda – Salesians give hope to single mothers and at-risk youth in Butare

Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province

Salesians of Don Bosco AGL Province Facebook

Salesian Missions – Rwanda

UNICEF – Rwanda

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ECUADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Farm in Ambato, Ecuador, provides a safe space for youth who have experienced traumatic violent situations. Most of the youth have suffered domestic violence, lived on the streets and did not attend school. At the farm, they live in a family-like atmosphere while they recover, exercise their rights, learn to live together and respect each other, and discover their skills through trade workshops. The ultimate goal for these youth is family reintegration or adoption. Salesian missionaries also work with families to create a loving and protective environment.

Álex Guache, age 17, has been living at the Don Bosco Farm for three years and described his former home life. He said, “I’m the youngest of four siblings. My mother lived outside the house. I never knew my father, although I know who he is, and my grandmother was the one with us, but she beat us a lot. We’re poor. Our house is made of dirt, bricks and tiles.”

The situation led to Guache living on the streets. “I spent three weeks on the streets. I never stole. I was begging. When the police found me, they took me to Don Bosco Farm in Ambato. My grandmother died and now I only have my mother because my brothers are all out of town.”

At the farm, youth recover part of their lost childhood. They receive the support of caring adults, medical and psychological care. They are also able to catch up in school and learn a trade for the future. Guache has a small plot of land on the farm that he tends to every day. “I grow beets and cilantro and take care of the animals we have, including the guinea pigs. My mother comes to help me, and thanks to what I harvest and sell, I also have my savings.”

Guache’s life has changed thanks to the Salesians. “On the street, I was cold and here I have things I never knew at home including a bed, food, clothes and shoes. I like to help others and participate in sewing workshops, help in the kitchen, be an altar boy. I want to be like Don Bosco to help people who have less.”

During the vacations, Guache leaves the farm and returns home. “My mother’s there, whom I love very much because right now I’m her only child in town. Thanks to the support I receive and my work, I pay for my studies and with the accelerated courses, I hope to pass the exams to enter the bachelor’s degree program this year.”

Now that he is gaining an education and living in a stable and supportive environment, Guache has hope for the future. He explained, “My dream is to be the first college graduate in my family. I will go to college and become an agricultural engineer. I want to work and take care of animals and go to the United States, where some of my aunts are, to help my family.”

Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20 percent of the population receives almost 50 percent of the national income, while the poorest 20 percent receives only 5 percent. According to the World Food Program, almost 26 percent of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31 percent in rural areas and 47 percent in Indigenous communities.

Salesians provide social development and educational programs across Ecuador to help poor youth gain an education and the skills for later employment. The skills they learn ensure they are able to care for themselves and their families while being contributing members of their communities.

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

ANS – Ecuador – Álex, a young dreamer among many minors of “Don Bosco Farm” in Ambato

Salesian Missions – Ecuador

UNICEF – Ecuador

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COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian “Leaving Footprints” program, launched at Don Bosco City in Medellín, Colombia, has been providing education for 170 youth who once spent time in the coal mines. The program focused on the mining area of Sinifaná, where the main economic and livelihood source is coal mining, and in the cities of Amagá and Angelópolis, where mining has been a part of life for generations.

Youth often go into abandoned coal mine tunnels to extract minerals that their families can use for money and in the process are risking their health and their lives. They have become accustomed to walking through abandoned tunnels or digging new, very narrow tunnels where only they can fit. Along with facing the risk of severe health consequences and danger to their lives, half of the school-age children are no longer going to school, leaving one in five to become illiterate. Girls are the most affected.

The program provided recreational activities through interactive workshops to strengthen youth’s interpersonal and social skills. The aim was to address the risks that affect the physical, emotional, social, and psychological integrity of youth so that if they were faced with a risky situation, they would have all possible resources and skills to deal with it in the best possible way.

The program also provided parents training at meetings held every two months. Family visits have also been planned to assess each household based on behavioral, family and social patterns. To date, 41 visits have been conducted.

The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized. Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8-12 living and receiving education at the program.

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

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

ANS – Colombia – Don Bosco’s footprints lead toward change

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

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SRI LANKA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Development Center in Dungalpitiya, a municipality in the city of Negombo, Sri Lanka, received 2,640 boxes of rice-meals for distribution thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Rise Against Hunger, an international relief organization that provides food and life-changing aid to the world’s most vulnerable. More than 6,000 people in Salesian centers and local communities were impacted by this donation.

Sri Lanka is currently facing a food shortage due to two consecutive seasons of poor harvests. There has been a 50 percent drop in production. There are also reduced imports of food grains due to foreign exchange constraints. These factors, coupled with the soaring prices of food inflation at nearly 94 percent, have left an estimated 6.3 million people — 30 percent of the population — facing moderate to severe acute food insecurity, according to a September 2022 joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Food Programme Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report.

“We are happy to work with our partner Rise Against Hunger to send rice-meals to help address these severe food shortages,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “Salesians offer feeding programs in schools and centers that also extend to the community at-large so that people have proper nutrition. This ensures they are able to go to school and work and helps those who are struggling in the community.”

Salesian missionaries have been operating in Sri Lanka since 1956. In 1963, missionaries set up their first technical institute. Since then, they have established 17 more in locations across the country, as well as youth centers and other programs to help youth in need.

Sri Lanka has suffered a long civil war that ended in 2009, two tsunamis in the past 13 years, and a deadly dengue crisis. Nine out of 10 poor people in Sri Lanka live in rural areas, according to the World Bank. More than 40 percent of the country’s rural poor are small-scale farmers. Farm production is often hampered by neglect and low investment levels resulting from poor financial services and limited technology.

Sri Lankans are affected by a significant lack of infrastructure including roads, electricity, irrigation systems and communication channels. In several areas of the country, seven out of 10 people have no access to electricity and almost half of the population does not have access to safe drinking water. Malnutrition among children is also common.

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Photo courtesy of Rise Against Hunger

Rise Against Hunger

Salesian Missions – Sri Lanka

World Bank – Sri Lanka

World Food Programme – Food crisis in Sri Lanka likely to worsen amid poor agricultural production, price spikes and ongoing economic crisis, FAO and WFP warn

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Catholic University in Campo Grande, Brazil, was one of the winning institutions in the first edition of the Citizenship Award sponsored by the state government through the Secretariat of State for Citizenship and Culture in Brazil. The award acknowledged the work done during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The university was honored for hosting a drive-through vaccination and testing center, for lending high-level equipment to the government, and for implementing initiatives through its degree programs to help fight the virus and keep people safe.

Don Bosco Catholic University saw an average of 1,500 people per day at its COVID-19 vaccine clinic. The clinic was set up across three sports fields and was supported by 200 students, teachers and administrative employees who helped in the administration of vaccines.

The clinic, which operated under the responsibility of the Municipal Secretariat of Health, was launched on June 24, 2021, with eight vaccine locations. It was later expanded to 15 locations. It was set up as a drive-in so patients did not need to leave their cars to receive their dose. This setup ensured greater agility and minimized contact between people waiting to be vaccinated.

During the clinic’s operation, Salesian Brother Raffaele Lochi, the interim rector of Don Bosco Catholic University at the time, said, “With this drive-in service, Don Bosco Catholic University feels embraced by the people of Campo Grande and can even embrace them again in turn. We know that we are benefiting the population and this is gratifying. We are doing what Don Bosco would have done in his time, opening the doors and helping in difficult moments.”

Don Bosco Catholic University also lent one of its super freezers to the Municipality of Campo Grande to conserve vaccines, which must be stored at temperatures well below freezing. In addition, the university also provided use of high-tech machinery for the processing of swabs at the central laboratory of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. The poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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ANS – Brazil – “Dom Bosco” University of Campo Grande receives award for its work on behalf of population during pandemic

Don Bosco Catholic University

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World Bank – Brazil

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) Salesians for Social APS in Rome has been taking in refugees to provide them support in their new community. One of these refugees is Negin, a young Afghan woman who fled with her family in 2021. She now lives in Italy and has been welcomed by a supportive network including the Salesians. Negin was able to continue her studies on a refugee scholarship and has started a new life.

Negin remembers the morning in Kabul when her family knew they had to leave Afghanistan. She explained, “It was a day like any other. For weeks, we had all been asking ourselves if they were coming or not. But no one wanted to assume the worst, even though we cried after the conquest of Herat. Then, at 11 that morning in mid-August 2021, we saw the Taliban at home, at the university, in offices, on the streets. Everywhere.”

From that day, the then 19-year-old computer science student began a journey into the unknown. “The journey was long, first by bus to Herat, then by car to the border with Iran, and finally in the Iranian city of Qom, where we waited for the visa for Italy,” she said.

Her mother, Razia, had been expelled from her post as a journalist on Tanandon TV, while her father, Reza, an architect, had been fired by the Ministry of Infrastructure. She also has a brother, Moahmmad Eshan, and little sister, Mathab. They are all rebuilding their lives in Italy.

The family’s escape from Kabul was made possible thanks to their savings and an incredible, yet discreet, network of solidarity coordinated by Italian journalist Maria Grazia Mazzola and by Salesians for Social. Salesians for Social has successfully supported 70 Afghan citizens persecuted by the Taliban.

Negin has continued her studies, which she would not have been able to do in Afghanistan. She said, “Before leaving Kabul, I begged an employee of my university to give me the file with the exams I had done. And now, with that precious piece of paper, I am able to apply for scholarships that LUISS University reserves for refugees.”

This month she has an appointment for her first exam at the Faculty of Economics. Looking to her future, Negin added, “A university degree is the most important goal. But I also hope that my parents will find a job soon because one cannot live with dignity without it.”

When she thinks back to her last few months in Kabul, Negin’s smile cracks. “Of course, that wasn’t a normal life. But it was still my country, our home was there, our friends were there. Then almost everyone left, leaving a whole life behind them. Like us.”

Salesians for Social fights against educational poverty and inequality for poor youth and their families through educational and social programs in Italy. These programs are possible with the support of donors and volunteers and with the collaboration of local businesses and institutions.

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

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ANS – Italy – From Kabul to Rome, a one-way journey: Negin’s future is a university degree

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries provide social development and educational services to poor youth and their families in centers in Lahore and Quetta, Pakistan. Salesian schools provide economic benefits, scholarships and accommodations for students from the poorest families so that education is not only accessible but also an incentive for parents to send their children to school.

Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia at less than 50 percent. Although the country’s constitution acknowledges free and compulsory education for children and  youth between the ages of 5-16, the rule is often not followed in rural areas for those over age 13.

Salesians have a particular focus on ensuring that young girls are able to start and continue their education. Unfortunately, many girls abandon their studies before the end of compulsory schooling to take care of their families or because of early marriage. This happens in both villages and large urban centers such as Lahore. Some families believe that early marriage will solve the family’s economic challenges.

To help combat this, Salesians provide training programs focused on educating girls and young women about their rights with the aim of creating and spreading awareness and self-determination. Salesians encourage girls and young women to continue their studies. They also organize courses to impart knowledge and skills aimed at learning a trade. One of the students said, “If we study, we can have a brighter future.”

Salesian school fees are very low, since most families have one income to support many children. Scholarships are needed so that students can complete their education and skills training in order to become independent members of society.

One of the educational facilities is the Don Bosco Learning Center, within the Don Bosco Quetta community. The center has been teaching primary and secondary school in Quetta since 2000. More than 780 students, ages 8-22, attend this center. Students also have access to a computer lab to learn technology skills in order to compete in the current labor market.

According to the World Bank, 31.3 percent of people living in Pakistan fall below the poverty line. Gender plays a role in poverty in the country. Pakistan has traditional gender roles that define a woman’s place in the home and not the workplace. As a result, access to education is challenging for girls and society investments are less. There are few opportunities for women and girls in the country outside of traditional roles. This is evidenced by the disparities in education including the literacy rate.

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ANS – Pakistan – The Salesian Mission in Lahore

PAKISTAN: Students gain technology skills with new computer lab

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SPAIN

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have launched the “Network for Human Rights: Young People Mobilized for the Rights of Children and Youth Around the World” project in the provinces of Salamanca, Valladolid and León, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. The project trained three groups of youth, ranging in age from 13 to 21.

Before starting the training, educators went through theoretical and practical training to learn about rights violations and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Agenda 2030, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They also received information about the project’s educational materials and training course, including an interactive clue game and complementary activities with online youth meetings, a photo exhibition, and a video forum.

During the training, youth solved a puzzle about a rights violation in order to put the material in context. After the training, youth developed their own awareness initiatives by choosing a right and then working to make this right visible in their environment and educational institution.

Youth also viewed the film “Libertad” created by the Salesian Missions Office in Madrid. The film illustrated human rights violations in Pademba Prison in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Also, on display was the photo exhibit “Rights of Children and Youth. A Global View.”

One Salesian said, “These activities helped youth to be able to reflect on human rights violations suffered by children and youth in different parts of the world. This training achieved its goal of helping youth to understand their rights and mobilizing them into action to bring greater awareness in their communities about these issues.”

Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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ANS – Spain – Young people in Castile and Leon mobilize for children’s rights by developing solidarity initiatives

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CHILE

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries, in collaboration with the Salesian Provincial Prevention Council, held a “Basic Abuse Prevention Training” course in Puerto Montt, Chile. The training follows the guidelines of the abuse prevention program issued by the Bishops’ Conference of Chile. Close to 100 people, including teachers, educational assistants, and pastoral staff from the Cristo Salvador Parish, took the course.

The training was configured in four modules including sexual abuse in the Universal and Chilean Church, basic elements for understanding sexual abuse and the church’s approach, introduction to sexual abuse in civil and canonical justice, and sexual abuse prevention.

Freddy Araya, the trainer of the course, said, “The commitment of the Salesian Congregation and local communities continues to be reaffirmed through these activities, since the issue of abuse and its prevention is of great importance for the future of society and the church, and together we must confront it.”

Salesian missionaries provide education and social development programs for poor youth in Chile. Once finished with primary and secondary school, students can advance for higher education. Salesian technical schools cater to students who have dropped out of school and are seeking a second chance. In many programs, students complete their education while engaging in internships with local employers. This increases the students’ hands-on work experience and ability to gain livable wage employment after their studies are completed.

According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10 percent. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.

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ANS – Chile – Salesians in Puerto Montt organize abuse prevention course

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World Bank – Chile

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BURKINA FASO

(MissionNewswire) The Women’s Vocational Training Center, located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, trains more than 300 young women each year in specializations like tailoring, hairstyling, fabric design and pattern making, computer maintenance, and secretarial work. The center, which provides inclusive, equitable and quality education, receives funding from Bosco Global.

Recently, the cutting-tailoring and hairstyling workshops were equipped with supplies, and the spaces for theoretical-practical courses were expanded. Refresher courses were also provided for the center’s teaching staff. In addition, students in extremely vulnerable situations were provided with the necessary kits to carry out their courses of study.

Father Joseph Basson, director of the center, said, “There are many student stories that have touched my heart. One young woman pedaled 25 kilometers every day to get to the center to take classes, never arriving late. Today, she has achieved her dream of owning her own sewing workshop.”

The Women’s Vocational Training Center was developed to address the precarious situation experienced by many women and girls. It includes literacy courses, support for work placement, and education in values and time management. The main objective of the project is to train women and girls so they can work and earn an income while breaking free from a life of poverty.

Salesian missionaries have been working in Burkina Faso since March 1993. Missionaries first began their work in Bobo-Dioulasso, the second largest city in the country. They settled in a neighborhood known as Ouezzin, an expanding area of the city. The nearby area is crossed by several rivers. On those riverbanks, crops are cultivated then sold in the city and exported to the city of Ouagadougou. Salesian missionaries provide education and social development services designed to create a sense of family among the most vulnerable children and those most at risk of social exclusion.

According to the World Bank, more than 46 percent of the country’s population lives in poverty on less than $1.25 per day. Burkina Faso has suffered from several serious droughts that have driven up food prices, affecting the country’s food supply and causing malnutrition among the poorest residents and children. Up until the 1980s, the country also dealt with devastating military coups.

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ANS – Burkina Faso – Salesian Women’s Vocational Training Center in Ouagadougou trains 300 young women each year

Salesian Missions – Burkina Faso

World Bank – Burkina Faso

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Santa Chiara Oratory in the Ballarò neighborhood of Palermo, Italy, has launched a new tailoring and dressmaking workshop for young women and mothers. The training initiative, known locally as “LABMAG,” meets three times a week. The participants have the opportunity to socialize with one another and learn a skill to help them earn a living.

For decades, the Santa Chiara Oratory has been a place for meeting, sharing and hope for the many diverse cultures of people who live in the neighborhood. The women in the training are determined to create their own products that will support their families.

Marina Profeta, coordinator of the group, described her approach, “This tailoring workshop represents a time for women in the neighborhood to connect with each other while working and creating. We socialize and talk about issues that are close to our hearts — family, work and children. They do not feel judged and like to share their fears, expectations and desire to learn something for the future.”

Profeta wants to grow the workshop to include others. “We would like to approach migrant women who have different life experiences and are rich in values. They can give us an intercultural exchange that could make our reality a dressmaker’s workshop of the world.”

Father Domenico Luvarà, rector of the Salesians of St. Clare, said, “We consider it one of our priorities to pay attention to these women through our pastoral educational projects. Their presence here is vitally important. We have a goal to work more with young women and provide the support and encouragement they need to prepare for the future.”

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

Poverty rose sharply in 2020 to its highest level in 15 years as the COVID-19 crisis brought economic challenges for much of the country. Close to 5.6 million people or 9.4 percent of the population are living in absolute poverty unable to buy goods or services to achieve a minimally acceptable standard of living, according to the World Bank. This number includes 1.3 million minors.

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ANS – Italy – Salesian oratory “Santa Chiara” in Palermo hosting tailoring workshop aimed at women and mothers

Salesian Missions – Italy

World Bank – Italy

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Jadav “Molai” Payeng, an environmental activist and forestry worker known as the Forest Man of India, joined 3,000 Salesian scouts and guides on New Year’s Day. They planted 3,500 saplings on the Assam Don Bosco University Tapesia campus, located in Guwahati, Assam, India. Payeng has planted and tended the Molai forest located near Kokilamukh of Jorhat, which encompasses an area of about 1,360 acres.

The tree planting event was part of the 14th National Boscoree, a quadrennial gathering of scouts and guides from Salesian institutions all over India. The event brings together troops to “experience adventure, service and to celebrate unity in diversity in an atmosphere of learning, loving and with the spirit of comradeship with one goal in mind — to be the agent of a better India.”

The six-day program focused on the theme “Save Our Planet Home.” It provided an opportunity for youth to learn about creating a green and clean environment, as well as how to spread environmental messages.

Salesians in India have been at the forefront of environmental education and activities. Don Bosco Green Alliance, an international collective of youth from Salesian institutions and organizations that contribute to global environmental action, thought and policy, was launched in April 2018 in India. Since that time, the organization has grown to 586 registered members from 86 countries. Membership is open to all Salesian institutions and organizations worldwide.

Don Bosco Green Alliance is focused on combating pollution, reducing global warming and eliminating disposable plastics. In each of these areas, it aims to partner with ongoing global campaigns promoted by U.N Environment or other international organizations.

Members of the Don Bosco Green Alliance have also undertaken such initiatives as environmental education to increase green areas and tree planting, the reduction of the use of non-degradable materials, promotion of organic agriculture and home gardens, preservation and conservation of water, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

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ANS – India – Forest Man of India joins Scouts and Guides at 14th National Boscoree

Don Bosco Green Alliance

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Macerata, Italy, have been helping refugees become acclimated in their new homes and have hope for a better life. Mustafa Alizada, age 24, has a wife and two children, including a 4-month-old baby. He was forced to flee Kabul, Afghanistan, when the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Because of his Hazara (Shiite) ethnicity, Alizada and his family, including his in-laws, were persecuted by the regime.

His family made the decision to leave quickly and left by car at night. They were able to make it safely to Pakistan and then to Italy.

“When the Taliban took power, we knew we were in danger and had to leave the country as soon as possible,” explained Alizada. “Through my sister-in-law and a journalist, both activists with Afghanistan Women’s Political Participation Network, a tweet was sent to Maria Grazia Mazzola, a RAI journalist, who helped us instantly. Our second child was due, and my wife gave birth in Kabul and then we fled to Pakistan. We traveled at night. Women had only their eyes uncovered and we were afraid. After 21 days we left for Italy, thanks to that tweet.”

Alizada and his family were granted refugee status a few weeks ago. He said, “I like Italy very much. In Macerata, I feel fine. I don’t want our children’s future to be like mine. Everything I had was wiped out. Destroyed in an instant. For them, I wish a peaceful life full of joy.”

An engineer specializing in construction, Alizada is doing his Italian civil service requirement with the Salesians and has started work as a laborer. He aspires to a higher qualification like the one he had in his country. He hopes for the equalization of qualifications and is already trying through an online university. He is also studying the Italian language.

“I thank the Salesians who have held our hands in the most difficult moments of our lives, for giving us a place to live and helping us with work. For us they are brothers and our friends and family,” added Alizada.

The Salesians supporting him feel the same way. Father Francesco Galante, rector of the Salesian center in Macerata, said, “When they arrived last year, just before Christmas, it was a sign of providence for us. Imagine being faced with a family with a baby just over a month old. This obliged us to provide concrete measures to the welcome them. There was a lot to be done with going to the doctor, the police station, then fingerprinting, and accompanying them to the supermarket that had halal meat, and so on.”

Fr. Galante noted it was a lesson for the Salesians as well. “Their arrival taught us not to suffocate the guests by pouring a thousand cares on them. You can see that they are not economic migrants. They were ripped from their land. One day they were living normally and the next day they were on the run and then welcomed in a country with a different culture. We realized that welcoming asks us to listen to those who arrive.”

Fr. Galante also noted that Alizada is hard-working and always willing to lend a hand. “If Mustafa saw us working and by chance, we didn’t ask him to help, he’d be offended. He has such a desire to do things, to make himself helpful. He has made friends with everyone here. And, in fact, in addition to the volunteers, Mustafa and family socialize with the university students living in the apartment next to theirs.”

In addition to helping refugees, Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

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ANS – Italy – Salesians open doors to Afghan refugees. Mustafa’s story

Salesian Missions – Italy

World Bank – Italy

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in honoring International Day of Education celebrated Jan. 24 each year since 2018. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) noted, “Today, 244 million children and youth are out of school, and 771 million adults are illiterate. There is a crisis in foundational learning, literacy and numeracy skills among young learners. 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40 percent of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some 4 million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. It’s time to transform education.”

The 2023 theme for the day is “To invest in people, prioritize education” and calls for maintaining strong political mobilization around education. UNESCO noted, “Education must be prioritized to accelerate progress towards all the Sustainable Development Goals against the backdrop of a global recession, growing inequalities and the climate crisis.”

Salesians provide primary and secondary schools and are considered the largest private provider of vocational and technical training in the world. Programs focus on helping vulnerable youth by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs. Around the globe, there are nearly 1,000 Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools — with a focus on serving poor and needy youth.

In honor of International Day of Education, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight educational programs that benefit youth around the globe.

INDIA

In India, women were empowered by learning about their rights and gaining skills through donor funding from Salesian Missions.

Fifty young women who live at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through donor funding from Salesian Missions. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

When young women enter the program, they are given clothing and proper nutrition. They are sent for a medical examination, and women with special health needs receive individual follow-up care. They are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court.

During eight months, 50 women completed the tailoring course and some found jobs at tailoring shops. Others were able to do dress making and embroidery work for themselves and for others. Twenty of the women were given tailoring machines to earn an income and sustain themselves.

At the end of the training and their time at Surakshita Home, 13 women were able to reintegrate back with their families. The women also participated in vigil to support awareness about ending child marriage in the country. India reported the highest number of child marriages in the world, according to a UNICEF report on ending child marriages in India.

KENYA

In Kenya, a Salesian project aims to bridge the gap between training institutions and job market needs.

Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys), located in Nairobi, Kenya, launched the Dual Apprenticeship Training program focused on the latest plumbing technology. This program will train 50 students in its initial class and is the first of its kind in Kenya. It is approved by the Ministry of Education, made possible through the Swiss contact, and funded by the Hilti Foundation in Switzerland.

There are 11 top plumbing companies in Kenya as partners. The project aims to provide apprentices with modern technology that bridges the gap between training institutions and job market needs. The training lasts for two years and is certified.

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

MADAGASCAR

In Madagascar, youth receive an education as part of the comprehensive support provided at a Salesian-run center.

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

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

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

ZAMBIA

In Zambia, City of Hope received furniture donation for its school and other buildings that provide educational opportunities to the community.

City of Hope, run by the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco in Lusaka, Zambia, received a donation of furniture from the Reuse Network, which matches surplus items with organizations and people who need them. The 2021 shipment was made possible thanks to the ongoing partnership Salesian Missions. The furniture will be used to outfit the current school and other outbuildings where educational opportunities are provided to the local community.

City of Hope was established to meet the needs of youth and their families living in the most severe poverty in Lusaka. The vast majority of children attending City of Hope programs are those who have been abused, live on the streets or are victims of child trafficking.

The City of Hope’s Open Community School serves those suffering from malnutrition, lack of education and family deprivation. Basic education is offered to youth between the ages of 9-17. Primary school classes make up the first four years, after which students take the government’s grade seven examinations. Most City of Hope students do not have the opportunity to attend other schools because of a lack of financial means.

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INDIA: Women empowered through donor funding from Salesian Missions/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

International Day of Education

KENYA: Don Bosco Boys Town launches plumbing apprenticeship program/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

MADAGASCAR: Youth at risk receive support/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

Salesian Missions

ZAMBIA: Students benefit from school furniture/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have sent two trucks with humanitarian aid to Lviv, Ukraine*, as part of winterization efforts. The aid included 7,716 pounds of hygiene products and detergents and nearly 55,000 pounds of food. From Lviv, the items will be sent to Salesian communities to distribute to people in need in different parts of Ukraine.

Cities have been bombarded by numerous kamikaze drones. Non-combatant civilians have to survive without electricity and water for days. Others have lost their homes entirely and need a warm place to stay in the cold. Many have lost employment, and with it, any ability to provide for their basic needs. People are in need of electric generators, warm clothes and portable stoves.

“Ukrainian civilians need humanitarian aid of all kinds, including social assistance. We should do everything we can including prayer and material support,” said Daniel Kotvytskyi, with the Salesian Coordination for Emergency Management.

This aid is among many efforts to help people make it through the winter. In November 2022, the Salesian-run International Volunteer Service (VIS) launched a comprehensive six-month project funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. The project is helping people in Lviv, Zhytomyr and Ivankiv in the Kyiv region. These areas are home to more than 6.28 million internally-displaced persons.

The project sent mobile units to 12 villages to provide psycho-social support and distribute kits for emergency repairs to houses, particularly in Ivankiv province where 2,360 homes have been damaged. The mobile unit also distributed blankets, winter clothes, stoves and fuel. There were 1,000 hot meals cooked and delivered per day. The meals have been made possible thanks in part to the Department of Civil Defense, which has provided four field kitchens.

This project is part of the broader initiative carried out by the coordination of Salesian organizations in Germany, Italy and Poland. Salesians in Poland have been on the front lines of housing refugees and bringing supplies into Ukraine. The Polish government and city officials in Lviv have set up a modular citadel that has been housing 350 people for six months. Salesians are involved in the care of the people housed in the camp, including educational and recreational activities for children, psycho-social assistance, and distribution of hot meals.

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Photo courtesy of SDB Emergency Response coordinator

Salesian Missions

UKRAINE: Salesians bring humanitarian aid to children

*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.

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PERU

(MissionNewswire) Salesian chapels in Peru received solar panels to help with electricity thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Solar panels were provided to Santa María de Cahuapanas, Barranquita, Chopiloma and one other chapel.

Given the size of the Santa María chapel, two solar panels were installed. Prior to the installation, the chapel did not have electricity. One Salesian said, “This is a very large chapel and many people participate in the Mass there. They have not had any electricity for a long time and during my visits I have suffered a lot to be able to celebrate Mass at night. One battery would not be enough to illuminate the whole chapel.”

The chapel is also undergoing other renovations including upgrading the roof and adding solar lighting. The work is being done in coordination with the local Catholic community. People have been grateful for the donation and the consistent electricity.

“We are grateful for donor support to provide this new source of electricity for Salesian chapels in Peru,” said Father Timothy Ploch, interim director of Salesian Missions. “This provides an opportunity for people to attend church services more comfortably but is also helpful for the priests saying Mass.”

Peru faces high levels of income inequality and has more than a quarter of its population living in poverty, according to the World Bank. Poverty levels are significantly higher in rural areas but urban areas struggle most with inequality, most notably metropolitan Lima. Poverty in the country is made worse by a shortage of productive farmland and a lack of job skills among women entering the workforce, as well as a lack of adequate housing, nutrition and education.

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Salesian Missions – Peru

World Bank – Peru

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

(MissionNewswire) Students gathered at Don Bosco Secondary Technical School in Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, at the end of December for the closing of their annual programs. Salesians and benefactors joined the youth for an exchange of Christmas gifts. The day began with Catholic Mass presided over by Father Moise Paluku, parish priest, who urged youth to participate in parish activities planned for the coming year. He also encouraged them to be more active with their leadership skills in their respective communities.

During the second part of the day, students engaged in a singing competition with Salesian staff taking part as judges. The program ended with a gift offered by the Salesians and benefactors to all youth who participated in the program.

A Salesian missionary said, “This was a chance for Salesians and school staff to celebrate the accomplishments of youth this past school term. It was a time to enjoy the holidays and ensure that youth receive gifts and praise for their hard work.”

Salesian missionaries in the country provide primary and secondary education as well as technical skills training to prepare youth for the workforce. Missionaries also help to ensure that basic needs like shelter, food and water are met so students are able to focus on their studies.

Papua New Guinea has a population of approximately 7.5 million people. It is a resource-rich country with oil, gas and gold reserves as well as fertile land capable of producing high crop yields. Despite this, an estimated 40 percent of Papua New Guineans live below the poverty line of $1.25 per day, according to the World Bank.

Close to 50 percent of adults are illiterate and 25 percent of children are unable to attend school in Papua New Guinea. Part of the problem with getting to school, work and hospitals has to do with the country’s infrastructure. In rural areas, where nearly 88 percent of the population resides, there are few roads or means of transportation to get to schools or places of employment.

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Don Bosco Secondary Technical School

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical School, located in the city of Bukavu in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo*, provides education to both young men and women. While many women do not take courses traditionally reserved for men, some women see these courses as a way to a viable and empowering career path. For example, Blandine, age 20, was the only woman in her mason course.

Blandine is the eldest of seven siblings, and although she always dreamed of studying English and becoming an interpreter, her family’s financial situation and the responsibility of taking care of her siblings prevented her from doing so. When she was told that she could learn a trade at Don Bosco Technical School, Blandine didn’t hesitate. She decided to become a bricklayer and was the only woman in her class to try. Thanks to her education, she now has a steady job, helps her family and can pay for her younger siblings’ schooling.

Blandine explained, “Not all girls have to be seamstresses and not all boys have to be mechanics or welders. I was always interested in how to build walls and buildings, and since there is a lot of construction going on in Bukavu right now, I thought it would be a good future for me and that I would be good at it.”

Blandine set a goal and took all the exams, participating in the practical training along with her male classmates. She obtained her professional certificate and will always be grateful for the theoretical, practical, and religious education she received from the Salesians.

After finishing her studies, Blandine got her first contract. “In these two years, I have worked at five construction sites and have always been complimented on my work. I never lacked employment. Thanks to a stable and professional job, I have money for my expenses, to save and to help at home. Now I can pay my younger siblings’ school fees, and we are planning to expand our house as well.”

Blandine encourages other young women to follow in her footsteps if they are interested in the profession. “I advise girls to learn manual jobs that are thought to be reserved only for boys, because of course we are just as capable. This is the best way to ensure that we are not taken advantage of, that we don’t marry too young, and that our rights are clear.”

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – Blandine, the only female mason in her class, life changed by Don Bosco center in Bukavu

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*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.

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ECUADOR

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco alumni associations in Ecuador collaborated to bring joy to vulnerable people in cities across the country during the Christmas holiday. In Cuenca, 500 families were helped with baskets containing food, clothes and basic medicines, while more than 1,500 children were given toys and candies. Don Bosco alumni in Quito and Riobamba delivered baskets to more than 300 low-income families.

Many alumni helped the Salesians by offering and collecting donations. The Don Bosco alumni associations included Healing Wounds, Salesians of San Francisco, Centro San José de Manta, the Don Bosco Alumni Center and the Carlos Crespi educational community. On Saturdays during the year, a solidarity breakfast is also held in these locations.

A Salesian missionary noted, “These Christmas events provided a great opportunity for Don Bosco alumni to pay it forward and give back to their communities. So many families are faced with poverty, even more so now given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic crisis. This was a chance for them to receive much-needed food and other necessary items and for children to receive gifts to brighten their Christmas.”

Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20 percent of the population receives almost 50 percent of the national income, while the poorest 20 percent receives only 5 percent. According to the World Food Program, almost 26 percent of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31 percent in rural areas and 47 percent in Indigenous communities.

Close to 20 percent of Ecuador’s population is people of Indigenous heritage. For poor, rural and Indigenous youth, education provides the best opportunity for finding employment, reducing inequities and breaking the cycle of poverty. Salesian missionaries have been providing education and other social programs for disadvantaged youth across Ecuador for more than 125 years.

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PHILIPPINES

(MissionNewswire) Caritas Don Bosco School, located in Santa Rosa, Philippines, celebrated the Christmas season with outreach projects and home-made gifts. Almost everyone at the school participated. Teachers and school employees took part in the annual Christmas outreach challenge, while students prepared messages in hand-crafted cards and gifts.

Groups from the educative pastoral council came together to bring joy to marginalized youth and Indigenous people. Outreach activities were planned to support the local community, along with helping to support others within the school. During the school Christmas party, individuals who participated in the challenge showed videos of their projects and shared reflections from what they learned. One teacher noted that it was not difficult to reach out and it is good to be the source of joy for others.

The parent-teacher council also conducted Christmas outreach activities within the school community and in the local surrounding community. Within the school, the council supported security guards and non-teaching employees and provided gifts to poor communities.

Students got involved with outreach activities as well. Student leaders and alumni organized a Christmas fellowship for marginalized youth and provided items that met their basic needs. The Voces Inspirare School Choir and robotics team collaborated for a light and choral show to benefit the school’s Batholomew Garelli Project, an education fund for poor senior high school students.

Throughout the Philippines, Salesian missionaries offer a variety of educational and social development programs for youth. The goal is to provide the opportunities necessary to gain an education and skills training to break the cycle of poverty and retain long-term employment.

More than one-quarter of the population of the Philippines lives in poverty, according to UNICEF. Poverty is most severe and widespread in rural areas where 80 percent of the population — close to 88 million people — make their home. The poorest Filipinos are Indigenous populations, small-scale farmers who cultivate land received through agrarian reform, landless workers and fishermen. In addition, poverty rates are higher for women than men.

Illiteracy and high levels of unemployment contribute to the elevated poverty rate. With more than 11 million out-of-school youth in the country and dropout rates doubling as children reach secondary school, access to education becomes a critical step in breaking the cycle of poverty.

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COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco City in Colombia has won a special award for carbon neutrality during a ceremony for the “Business Recognition in Sustainability” program. This recognition program was created in 2017 to encourage companies to work with greater commitment to local sustainability. The goal is to recognize companies that promote social stewardship and efficient use of natural resources, as well as implement good practices related to sustainable production, consumption and pollution prevention.

There are currently 79 companies certified as carbon neutral in Colombia, including 17 in Antioquia. Don Bosco City is the first Salesian organization in the world to achieve this recognition.

A Salesian representative from Don Bosco City said, “Our Salesian center has been awarded the gold seal for its practices, such as implementing renewable energy that reduces electricity consumption, planting more than 3,000 trees of native species, incorporating the circular economy and waste management. These are institutional dynamics that focus on caring for the common home and sustainable work development through innovation. These are actions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

Don Bosco City is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Since its start in 1965, the program has rescued more than 83,000 boys and girls. Through the program, Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty. Currently, there are 900 youth between the ages of 8 and 12 living and receiving education at the program. The work of Salesian missionaries in Colombia is internationally recognized.

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Though Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

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Don Bosco City

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HAITI

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries organized a Christmas party for youth attending Salesian programs in Pétion-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Salesians collaborated with other organizations and several past pupils of the Domenico Savio boarding school. The initiative offered 250 poor youth a meal and toys during the holidays.

A Salesian missionary said, “This was a good opportunity for poor youth to have time to relax with their peers and enjoy the festive holiday season. These youth who need so much love and support were reminded that there are caring adults looking out for their well-being.”

Salesians offer educational and social programs in Pétion-Ville including the Timkatec schools, which were founded in 1994 for former street children. Later, the schools were expanded to include local disadvantaged children who had not had the chance to attend school until ages 8-10. The vocational schools were added later so youth could learn a trade for employment.

Salesian missionaries began working in Haiti in 1935 in response to the Haitian government’s request for a professional school. Since then, Salesian missionaries have expanded their work to include 11 main educational centers and more than 200 schools across the country.

The 11 main centers each include a number of primary and secondary schools, vocational training centers, and other programs for street children and youth in need. Salesian programs are located throughout Haiti, including in the cities of Port-au-Prince, Fort-Liberté, Cap-Haïtien, Les Cayes and Gressier. Today, Salesian missionaries in Haiti provide the largest source of education outside of the Haitian government with schools providing education to 25,500 primary and secondary school students.

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ANS – Haiti – Christmas in Salesian work of Pétion-Ville brings food and gifts to poor children

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BENIN

(MissionNewswire) Children at Foyer Don Bosco (Don Bosco Kandi), a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, have their needs met thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The funding covered food for three months, school fees for 10 children and clothing for 50 children at Christmas.

Leon Kansomede, age 8, was appreciative of the clothing he received. He said, “I celebrated Christmas well at Don Bosco Kandi and received beautiful clothes and had a nice party. Thank you and may the Lord bless you.”

Kaifatou Tino is a sewing apprentice who had her school fees paid so she could continue her education. “I thank Don Bosco for the financial help. It has enabled me to remain in school and have hope for the future.”

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

Foyer Don Bosco relies on donations so that Salesians can provide youth with food, clothing, education and medical care. Salesians also work with families and try to provide reunification when appropriate.

Children in Benin face significant challenges gaining an education within the country’s poor educational system. According to UNICEF, Benin remains one of the poorest countries in the world with close to 70 percent of its population living in poverty. About half of all children between the ages of 5 and 13 are engaged in some kind of forced labor in the country and almost 20 percent are chronically undernourished. Youth in Benin also face overwhelming challenges in combating poverty, one of the root causes of child trafficking.

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Salesian Missions – Benin

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian centers, services and pastoral teams joined together to launch traditional Christmas campaigns in multiple cities across Portugal. These campaigns provided a range of items for poor youth and their families during the holiday season.

In Estoril, the campaign helped two associations through the sale of tickets to Christmas parties at three schools. With the proceeds, the Ajuda de Berço Association was provided food and hygiene products. The Turma Solidária Association in Alcabideche was provided clothing collected by the students.

In Évora, SolSal-Family Support Service promoted the “Hands that Multiply” food collection campaign among the educational community. Father Sebastião Coelho, director of SolSal, encouraged everyone to help more than 200 families supported by the organization and provide donations at the parish solidarity bazaar.

A campaign also took place the Salesian School in Funchal to provide comfort to the neediest families near the school. Some students were asked to contribute basic necessities for personal hygiene while others brought requested food items.

Students, teachers and staff of Salesian centers in Lisbon were asked for donations for the Christmas Campaign to benefit poor families. Students contributed hygiene products, food and baby products.

In Manique, 57 classes from the local Salesian institute made Christmas baskets filled with non-perishable food items based on the needs of local families assigned to them. In Mirandela, the campaign benefited the Children and Youth Home and families in need in eight Salesian parishes. Salesians in Mirandela also provided clothing for students in some of the city’s institutions.

The National Shrine of Our Lady Help of Christians in Mogofores collected food, clothing and gifts with the help of the parish’s social store and youth groups that will participate in World Youth Day to be held in Lisbon in 2023. The distribution of gifts during the Christmas celebration is a Shrine tradition.

Finally, the Association of Parents and Guardians of Pupils of the Porto Salesians launched a food collection drive. The baskets benefited poor families in the school, youth center and Salesian Past Pupil Center.

According to the World Bank there is close to 2.6 million people living below the poverty line in Portugal, 487,000 of whom are under the age of 18. The country is one of the most unequal countries in Europe as far as wealth distribution. Wealthy citizens earn five times the rate of income than those living in poverty.

Unemployment and low incomes are two of the factors that contribute to unequal wealth distribution. Portugal has a low hourly rate for workers in comparison to other countries in Europe. Many parents have to work multiple jobs, which leaves less time at home with their families and children. This leaves children without the proper guidance at home leading to behavior problems and lack of preparedness for school, including getting homework done and eating breakfast before coming to school.

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Past Pupils National Federations from Malta, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary and Spain met in Rome in December to launch the “Digital Divide and Supporting Unemployed Young People” project. This project is financed by Erasmus+, the European Union’s program to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Past pupils will create a training program for unemployed youth with the goal to support them in accessing jobs.

The project will include online training for youth workers and Salesian staff in the five countries, an in-person training course for Salesian staff in Malta, the development and pilot testing of five courses for youth in each participating country, a transnational meeting in Budapest, and an evaluation of the project led by Spain.

Bryan Magro, president of the World Confederation of Past Pupils of Don Bosco, is coordinating the project. He stated, “This is another initiative that is helping the past pupils’ movement to fulfill its Salesian mission to work with the youth, especially those who are unemployed and require support to access jobs.”

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

Poverty rose sharply in 2020 to its highest level in 15 years as the COVID-19 crisis brought economic challenges for much of the country. Close to 5.6 million people or 9.4 percent of the population are living in absolute poverty unable to buy goods or services to achieve a minimally acceptable standard of living, according to the World Bank. This number includes 1.3 million minors.

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ANS – Italy – Past Pupils start new Erasmus+ Project on Digital Divide and Supporting Unemployed Young People

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BRAZIL

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Brazil Network held the third annual Operation Maturacá project, in collaboration with the Armed Forces and several donors, to support Indigenous communities in need. Hundreds of garments were delivered to the most inaccessible areas of the Amazon thanks to the generous donation of Pluriforme, a company that manufactures and provides school and corporate uniforms. The logistics of the delivery was supported by the company Equilibrium.

“Since I became aware of the difficulties faced by the missionary communities of Alto Rio Negro, I have felt the call to look for strategies to strengthen the supportive actions carried out on the ground,” explained Sister Silvia Aparecida da Silva, executive director of the Salesian Brazil Network. “The collaboration with Pluriforme and the Armed Forces has helped us reach the community of Maturacá to deliver the donations we have obtained.”

In addition, 30 boxes of clothing were delivered to the Salesian mission in Maturacá. Students, educators and missionaries mobilized to distribute the goods.

“We are extremely grateful for this important gesture from the Salesian Brazil Network,” said Father Wellington Abreu, a local Salesian missionary. “The children can now have an extra shirt and shorts to go to school. Some families have eight or nine children and giving them new clothes is often a big challenge. Clothing is also crucial for hunters and fishermen who now have adequate clothing to do their work. We are very close to the Pico da Neblina and when it rains the temperature drops a lot. It was a great help for them to receive jackets, sweaters and long-sleeved shirts.”

Many in the Maturacá community said they were happy and relieved to have received this donation. “They are really very nice uniforms and it was a joy for the families to see their children in new uniforms,” said Maciel Figueiredo Mendonça, a teacher at the Immaculate Conception State Indigenous School in Maturacá.

Everton de Souza Maia, a student at Immaculate Conception School, added, “For me, receiving this donation really meant a lot. For parents who have many children, it is not easy to buy new clothes. But now we can have very good quality uniforms.”

Operation Maturacá was launched in 2018 and continued to 2020 when it was stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was successfully resumed in 2022 with plans for it to continue each year.

Salesian missionaries in Brazil provide education, workforce development, and social services throughout the country and specifically focus on children with disabilities within several programs. Missionaries help to meet the basic needs of poor youth, including street children, and provide them with an education and life skills to gain employment, break the cycle of poverty, and lead productive lives.

According to the World Bank, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Brazil with poverty tripling in 2021. Nearly 17 million people fell into poverty in the first quarter of the year and the poverty rate now is higher than it was a decade ago. Researchers estimate that 12.8 percent of Brazil’s population, some 27 million people, are now living below the poverty line.

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(MissionNewswire) In the 10 months since the beginning of the bombings in Ukraine*, the war has left thousands dead and wounded, millions displaced, and nearly 16 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Salesians continue to send aid to alleviate the devastating effects of the war on the people of Ukraine.

The massive wave of airstrikes that began on Oct. 10 has damaged essential gas, electricity, and water infrastructure and further challenged an already desperate situation due to low temperatures and heavy snowfall.

Daryna, who left Dnipro at the end of February 2022, returned this past summer with her three young children. Her father and husband are still fighting away from home, and she has no resources to face the winter. She said, “The house is damaged and the windows have been broken by shrapnel. We spend whole days without heating and hot water, and there is nothing left in the supermarkets. It is too cold for the children and we want the war to end now.”

To help those remaining in the country and returning refugees, Salesian missionaries are continuing the Ukraine Emergency campaign to raise financial and material support. The goal the last few months has been to distribute insulated and warm clothing and to help to fix homes, collective spaces, and schools that have been damaged.

While the war in Ukraine continues, economic crises and war still rage in other countries. There is fighting in Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, and Nigeria. In these and other countries, millions of children are living on the street and are at risk of trafficking, violence and malnourishment, and remain out of school, denied an education.

A representative from the Salesian Missions office in Madrid said, “We will continue to bring help and hope to the most disadvantaged and suffering. We want to fill the places where we work with good news and sow peace in every painful situation we face.”

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ANS – Ukraine – Celebrating Christmas with sub-zero temperatures, no water, electricity, and heating

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*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Ten months after the start of the war in Ukraine*, Salesian missionaries, through the Salesian Coordination for Emergency Response in Ukraine, are still committed to helping those in need through the delivery of humanitarian aid and basic necessities. Salesians in Ukraine and bordering countries are also sheltering refugees and those displaced. Services offered include psycho-social support, job guidance, recreational and educational activities for minors, and language courses.

For young girls like Erika, who is from Irpin in the Kyiv region, the help is desperately needed. She said, “My dream has become easier than before. But it seems so difficult to achieve. I just want to go home. I really want to go home.” Erika’s family has lost everything in the war. Salesians are helping them to recover as best as possible and those efforts have not gone unnoticed.

Father Peter Jacko, vicar of the Salesian Mary Help of Christians Province in Slovakia, received the Biela vrana award for a socially useful and courageous civic acts. Those awarding the prize said, “This award is given as a thank you to the rare people around us who are willing to stand up for truth and justice, who have demonstrated civic courage through a concrete act, who have suppressed personal interests in the name of the public good, values or principles, and who may have taken risks.”

Since September, Savio, part of the Don Bosco Network, has been coordinating humanitarian aid and, through fundraisers and various initiatives, financing housing and care for mothers and their children in Slovakia.

Salesians are also caring for 13 of the 47 Ukrainian young orphans who were living in a Salesian orphanage in Lviv. Others were able to return to that city to resume their studies. Those remaining in Slovakia are the youngest of the group. In recent months, they have made huge strides in learning the language and with integrating socially to their new communities.

In addition, Salesian oratories and centers have welcomed about 300 youth ages 6-15. Twice a week, two groups of 12 volunteers provide recreational-educational courses including music class, dance class, creative workshops and group games.

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ANS – Slovakia – Uninterrupted welcome, help, support: Salesian response to suffering of Ukrainian refugees

Salesian Missions

*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Salesians provide education and social development programs for poor youth and their families in Conakry, Guinea. While Conakry is a modern city, most people rely on informal jobs that yield very little in economic terms.

After school, many youth spend their time trying to contribute to their family’s needs. They sell handkerchiefs and food at traffic lights, polish shoes, and act as window cleaners. In reality, these efforts do little to improve their parents’ economic condition. The government does not prioritize education and youth educational performance is at the bottom of countries in West Africa.

Salesians began their work in the country in 1986 and in 2015 started the Saint Jean Bosco School Group. In Kankan, they built the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center and in Siguiri, they created a school complex where the most vulnerable children and youth are prioritized.

At Saint Jean Bosco School, 370 students receive an education. The elementary school was established in October 2021 to improve the academic level of children, especially those with learning difficulties. The school has grown rapidly both in the number of students and the quality of education offered. Ninety percent of the children attending the school come from families with little means.

Don Bosco Missions has provided 39 scholarships for these students and aims to support 23 more in the upcoming school term. This is financial aid is for children who are 5- to 9-years old-and the funding will cover the first three years of elementary school.

One of the biggest challenges to education is creating awareness among families of the importance of sending their children to school instead of work.

Conakry has a population of about 12 million people who live in a subsistence economy that is not supported by the revenues derived from the natural resources that make the country rich. The country has the world’s largest deposit of bauxite, a mineral essential for aluminum production. A difficult world economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been compounded by the war in Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.

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ARGENTINA

(MissionNewswire) The Ceferino Namuncurá Salesian School, located in Salta, Argentina, educates 1,250 youth who live in situations of vulnerability. Through its projects, the school seeks to promote the well-being of youth as well as the planet. Youth are encouraged from an early age to take part in environmental responsibility through different activities.

The school offers family gardens, clean energy projects and ongoing education. Recently the school installed two solar water heaters with the support of the National Institute of Agricultural Technology and the Salesian Vocational Training Center in San José.

With the family gardens, Salesians have an opportunity to educate youth while growing food for the community. The gardens also provide waste for composting. In addition, the school works with the National Institute of Agricultural Technology’s Prohuerta program to provide training and seed deliveries to families who have children in the school. This encourages them to start their own gardens.

Salesian organizations around the globe have been focused on environmental sustainability projects in response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ to raise awareness and increase action on the values ​​of integral ecology. Salesians are working to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders.

More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37 percent and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12 percent of children ages 5-17 are working instead of being in school and 20 percent need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.

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ANS – Argentina – Triple-Impact Point Education at Salta Salesian School

Salesian Missions – Argentina

World Bank – Argentina

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(MissionNewswire) Holy Family Parish, located in the Khan-Uul district in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, was entrusted to the Salesians in 2007. The parish is located where poor families live in tents, even in the winter when it drops far below freezing.

Among them is a family who has two older children. The father of the family was paralyzed six months ago and the mother is taking care of him. She survives by picking up cow dung in order to warm up the tent. The oldest child has three children but does not have any permanent work. The second is still studying in college. Salesian Father Mario Gaspar dos Santos, from the parish, recently visited the family.

He said, “The house was terribly cold when I entered. She did not warm the tent yet because there is a lack of coal. It was minus 15 outside. The husband lay down on the bed, covering himself with three layers of blankets. When I looked around there was nothing but an empty basket for the coal. So, I asked how they were going to cook dinner for the night and if they had any food. The mother replied that they hadn’t eaten for the whole day and did not have food for dinner. She then said she was going to look for some wood in order to heat the tent.”

Fr. Gaspar dos Santos provided the family flour and two heads of lamb. When he went to buy coal, he asked for help from the Don Bosco Day Care Center’s manager. He explained, “When we found the store, we went directly to the seller, saying we are going to buy coal for the poor family, could you allow us to buy 12 sacks? Due to the fact that, in Mongolia, a family is allowed only to buy six per week. Since we were buying for the poor family, they gave us special permission to purchase 12 sacks. The family was very grateful for the help we offered to them.”

Salesians have parishes, primary and secondary schools as well as the Don Bosco Technical Institute, which helps older youth gain the skills for employment. Since 2001, youth who have not been able to complete a traditional high school education have found educational opportunities at Don Bosco Technical Institute. The training facility started with 30 students and today has more than 300 students who are gaining skills in car mechanics, tailoring, secretarial services, welding and construction.

Close to 27.8 percent of the population in Mongolia is living at or below the poverty line with a significant jump to 35 percent for those living in rural areas. Herders in the countryside struggle to survive as their traditional livelihood dissolves, and there are few job opportunities for young generations.

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ANS – Mongolia – Helping the needy is daily mission and witness for Sons of Don Bosco

Salesian Missions – Mongolia

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) Since the beginning of October 2022, almost 28,000 people seeking refuge from violence have arrived at Don Bosco Ngangi, located in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*. Salesian missionaries are reporting that the war between the regular armed forces and the M23 rebel group has caused thousands of people to flee toward the city in search of safety and shelter.

Salesian missionaries with Don Bosco Ngangi, with support of volunteers from the Salesian-run International Volunteering for Development (VIS), are supporting people as best they can. Those displaced were provided with water as they set up make-shift shelter on the playgrounds. Electricity was also provided from the Salesian enter.

More than 100 children under age 5, including a dozen newborns and their mothers, are fed a tonic soup every day. Children received treatment for the elimination of worms and parasites, which was offered by the medical staff from the Ngangi Center clinic. Also, more than 80 families receive a dry ration of enriched rice with various seasonings every day.

A Salesian missionary said, “Sparks of charity and compassion can be seen among those displaced and those providing care. About 20 elderly people, including two octogenarians from the distant territory of Rutshuru, were brought into the center to help improve their condition from being outside. They are gradually stabilizing. We are also working to improve the health and psychophysical balance of some widowed women, two of whom are mothers of eight children under the age of 10.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – Don Bosco is present among thousands of displaced people in north of Goma city

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*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.

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) A generator manufactured by Zatti Productions from Don Bosco Tech Silchar (Boscotech) in India was unveiled by Father Paul O Lyngkot, provincial. The 63KVA generator Zatti Power is the first product from Zatti Productions.

Brother Regy Cherukunnel, director of Boscotech, said that the manufacturing process started a year ago with planning, scientific calculations, and advice from experts in the field. He added, “The 63KVA silent generator is ready for dispatch to the first buyer.”

Boscotech is a vocational training institute run by the Don Bosco Society to provide job skills primarily to youth who have dropped out of school. It was established in 2005, under the umbrella of Don Bosco Tech India, which has 130 vocational training institutes across India. The job-oriented training programs emphasize communication and life skills.

Boscotech offers training in six-month programs in computer hardware and networking, modern office management, financial accounting, general welding, tailoring and wiring. There are also short-term training programs conducted every two months in English language, basic computer and tally accounting. These short skill enhancement programs are for current students, employed and self-employed youth as well as others who want to improve their skills.

Access to professional training and workforce development services is highly valued in India. The country, which is home to 1.34 billion people (18 percent of the world’s population), will have overtaken China as the world’s most populous country by 2024, according to the World Economic Forum. While India has the world’s largest youth population, it has yet to capitalize on this, leaving some 30 percent of this population without employment, education or training.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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ANS – India – Zatti Power: Indigenous Generator from Don Bosco Tech Silchar

Boscotech Silchar

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BURUNDI

(MissionNewswire) Mission Don Bosco, the Salesian Mission office in Turin, Italy, has provided support for a new center in Kagwema, Burundi*, a town of 60,000 people. Infrastructure and services are lacking, and as a result, many children and youth are unable to receive an education.

The goal of the Salesian project is to start with the construction of a parish church. This will be followed by the construction of an oratory to welcome the children of the community.

A Salesian missionary with Mission Don Bosco, said, “Thanks to the work of Salesian missionaries, we want to kindle hope for the people of Burundi and start a new center in the village of Kagwema. We believe in a tomorrow of equality, justice and development for all, which is why we support with all our strength the new Salesian missions in the poorest countries.”

Salesian missionaries in Burundi and around the globe provide education and social development programs to help poor youth and their families achieve self-sufficiency and have hope for a better life. Through schools, vocational and technical training programs, youth centers, medical clinics, and more, Salesians are ensuring youth have the services and programs they need to thrive.

Burundi, located in the heart of the African Great Lakes region, has seen more than a decade of violence and conflict which has contributed to widespread poverty, according to UNICEF. Children are some of the most severely affected by the country’s rampant poverty. Fifty-three percent of children under the age of 5 suffer from growth stunting caused by inadequate food, low-quality diet, poor infant feeding practices, poor household management of childhood diseases and the general decline of the country’s health system.

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ANS – Burundi – Giving light to a new mission: the support of “Missioni Don Bosco” to Salesian project for Kagwema

Mission Don Bosco

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UNICEF – Burundi

*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins Catholic organizations around the globe in honoring the Catholic World Day of Peace. Every year on Jan. 1, the Pope marks the day with a special message inviting all people to reflect on the important work of building peace. Pope Paul VI established the day in 1967, after he was inspired by the encyclical “Pacem in Terris” of Pope John XXIII and with reference to his own encyclical “Populorum Progressio”. The day was first observed on Jan. 1, 1968.

Pope Francis focused his message for the day on the theme “No one can be saved alone. Combating COVID-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace” and called on everyone to reflect on their connection with others.

In his message, Pope Francis wrote, “Certainly, after directly experiencing the fragility of our own lives and the world around us, we can say that the greatest lesson we learned from COVID-19 was the realization that we all need one another. That our greatest and yet most fragile treasure is our shared humanity as brothers and sisters, children of God. And that none of us can be saved alone. Consequently, we urgently need to join together in seeking and promoting the universal values that can guide the growth of this human fraternity.”

Salesian missionaries provide social development and educational programs around the globe to youth and families in poverty regardless of gender, race, or religion. They are on the forefront of trying to level the playing field for poor youth so that they have the support needed to gain an education and the skills for future employment.

To mark Catholic World Day of Peace 2023, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education.

BENIN

Children who have been abused or abandoned have their needs met at Foyer Don Bosco in Benin.

Children at Foyer Don Bosco, a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, had their needs met thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The funding covered new clothing for 30 children. Additional funding provided food support for 36 children, as well as cleaning products and medicines for the infirmary. Ten girls and boys have also benefited from the purchase of toolboxes for various trades.

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

DR CONGO

Donor funding from Salesian Missions paid school fees for 55 orphans at Don Bosco Shasha in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Orphans attending Don Bosco Shasha, located in the Mupfunya Shanga-Shasha village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo*, received support through donor funding from Salesian Missions. The funding paid teachers’ salaries and covered the cost of school fees for 55 orphans, including 23 girls, whose families could not afford schooling.

The Masisi Territory is facing armed conflicts and is one of the worst areas of violence. Conflicts have increased the number of orphans and displaced people within the territory. When conditions are too hard and incomes are low, many families remove their children from school because they do not see it as a necessary expense.

The students receiving funding through this project were selected because they have benefited from counseling and additional psychological support. Many of them have continued on with their education despite facing depression and anxiety. Salesians have paid for their schooling as well as additional social support and psychological care.

One of the students, Buuma Bihira Phélicien, is from a family of five children, of which three of them have died. The father also passed away last year leaving the family with little support. Phélicien said, “After my father passed, I was told I had to leave school but the Salesians supported me. My mother sells bananas. It’s a small business that feeds us, but she couldn’t pay for our schooling after the death of our father. Father Kizito, director of Don Bosco Shasha, helped us a lot and he told us that there are benefactors from Salesian Missions who have supported us during this year, offering us free education. I thank all the benefactors who have supported us. I hope that this will continue because if the support ends, I will be forced to abandon my studies.”

INDIA

Women were empowered with information about their rights, along with skills training at the Salesian Surakshita Home in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Fifty young women who live at the Salesian Surakshita Home, located in the town of Ravulapalem in Andhra Pradesh, India, were supported through donor funding from Salesian Missions. Surakshita Home provides living facilities for young women who have been in legal trouble. There are dorms, bathrooms, a dining hall, a work room and a training hall.

The funding, which provided support from March to October 2022, was used for empowering women with information about their rights, along with skills training in tailoring, Maggam and other handicrafts. Funds were also used for the purchase of training materials.

When young women enter the program, they are given clothing and proper nutrition. They are sent for a medical examination, and women with special health needs receive individual follow-up care. They are also able to access a counselor and legal support for their cases in court.

During eight months, 50 women completed the tailoring course and some found jobs at tailoring shops. Others were able to do dress making and embroidery work for themselves and for others. Twenty of the women were given tailoring machines to earn an income and sustain themselves. At the end of the training and their time at Surakshita Home, 13 women were able to reintegrate back with their families.

HAITI

Women and children in Salesian communities in Haiti received soap donations from Eco-Soap Bank through Salesian Missions.

Women and children in Salesian communities in Haiti had access to better hygiene thanks to a soap donation secured by Salesian Missions. The shipment of soap was from Eco-Soap Bank, a humanitarian nonprofit organization working to save, sanitize and supply recycled soap with hygiene education for the developing world.

The Rinaldi Foundation, the Salesian Planning and Development Office in Haiti, received the soap and distributed it. The first distribution was held on Mother’s Day to honor the mothers in the community. Salesians chose to prioritize mothers for the first distribution and included soap in the bags that were given out at church. The soap was used for hand-washing, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, and other uses.

After the initial donation, soap was provided to children and older youth who are attending Salesian programs and schools including Fondation Vincent, Don Bosco Lakay OPEPB (the Little Schools of Fr. Bohnen), and the Salesian Diocesan Center of Arts and Trades (CDAM).

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BENIN: Children in need receive clothing

Catholic World Day of Peace 2023

DR CONGO: Donor funding supports orphans, teachers

INDIA: Women empowered through donor funding from Salesian Missions

HAITI: Women and children in Salesian communities receive soap donation from Eco-Soap Bank

Salesian Missions

*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.

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town Vocational Training Center, located in Nairobi, Kenya, recently held a graduation for 117 young men who are ready to find long-term employment with the skills they learned. The graduation began with Catholic Mass celebrated by Father Simon Asira, superior of the Salesian Vice-Province of East Africa. The guest of honor was Praveen Eazhawa, national director for vocational training and skills development.

In a speech at the graduation, Eazhawa presented various programs that many youth were not aware of and urged them to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by the government for young entrepreneurs.

“Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training. This enables them to learn the skills for long-term stable employment and is a path to self-sufficiency.”

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills training programs to choose from, including automotive mechanics, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electricity, solar energy and refrigeration, cosmetology, tailoring, welding, and fabrication. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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ANS – Kenya – 117 students of “Don Bosco Boys’ Town” Vocational Training Center graduated

Salesian Missions – Kenya

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Sadan, a rehabilitation center for boys, located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala, was inaugurated by Honorable Antony Raju, minister for road transport. The new center is part of the Drug Rehabilitation Education and Mentoring (DREAM) initiative of Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS). The goal of the new center is to provide youth with a way to achieve sobriety and live a healthy life.

Don Bosco Sadan will provide residential rehabilitation and addiction services for youth under the age of 18. The services offered include in-patient and out-patient treatment and counseling with individual, group and family, life skills training, recreation, and more available. After the inauguration, a workshop was held about the increasing substance abuse rates of children and how drugs and addiction impact families.

The DREAM program, launched in Kerala at the end of 2021, is financed by the German government and will run from November 2021 to February 2025. Program activities will span 10 districts in Kerala and reach 40-50 village councils, 50 schools and 10 colleges in each district. The focus will be training and awareness activities aimed at youth on the dangers of drug abuse and digital addiction. The goal is to have a counseling center in every district housed at a Don Bosco institution.

Father Binu Scaria is coordinating the project at the state level and a Salesian priest will oversee each district. The Salesian team also has two counselors and a social worker to operate at the ground level. At the launch of the project, Father Jose Koyickal, provincial, said, “Today, the greatest pandemic is drug abuse. We need to join hands with each other and the government to eradicate the pandemic.” He further noted that Salesians are at the forefront working for the well-being of children in vulnerable situations.

Salesian programs in India are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – DREAM taking shape; Rehabilitation Centre for Boys

BREADS Bangalore

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, in collaboration with Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, Comboni Missionary Sisters and Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, facilitated the “How are the girls?” study, according to a Vatican News story.

The research explored how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the lives and rights of girls in Ecuador, Peru, South Sudan, Kenya, India and Nepal. According to the article, the congregations presented their findings at the headquarters of the International Union of Superiors General in Rome.

The research included a quantitative study focused on a larger pool of girls across the six countries and a qualitative study administered to a smaller group of girls in the same communities. A team of researchers in the fields of economic and social studies, including economists and experts of children and women’s rights, designed and developed the global survey.

More than 3,440 girls and young women ages 10-20 participated in the research across 30 communities within the six chosen countries. The study showed that girls had less access to online education than boys, and that their workload increased, according to the article. Further, 35 percent of girls reported experiencing “serious hardship” during the pandemic. There was a lower incidence of “hardship” reported by girls who were able to continue their education, showing a correlation between access to education in a school and overall well-being.

Educational differences were not all that emerged from the study. The research also showed that learning loss, poverty and food crisis, mental health issues, and violence (including sexual and domestic) increased. Levels of child marriage and teenage pregnancy also increased for girls during the pandemic. For families who lost their jobs during the pandemic, there was also an increase in prostitution and sexual exploitation. Many girls reported feelings of sadness, worry, and increased mental and economic stress, which can have a lasting effect.

In the article, Mathilde Gutzenberger, a member of the research coordination team and a senior expert in gender and children rights, said, “Returning to school was a relief for many girls. What we have found is that education is protection. That is what the girls have told us.” She further noted that pre-existing problems and inequalities were exacerbated, thus worsening whatever situation a girl found herself in. Knowing this is a good indicator of what can happen during future epidemics.

The collaborative work will not end with this study. Additional work in the same six countries will include a new qualitative study on the digital divide, upgrading technological equipment, provide training on the safe use of online platforms and designing a program for mental health. The sisters also hope that this current study can provide guidance for developing an aid guide aimed at preventing negative impacts on young girls in the event of future pandemics or large-scale health crises.

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Research findings – How are the girls?

Salesian Missions

Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco

Vatican News – Four groups of women religious present study on girls’ rights during pandemic

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ARGENTINA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries launched a new building at a vocational training center in Formosa, Argentina. The building is dedicated to Mary Help of Christians and was built and equipped as part of the “Women and Work” project to improve the living situation of women through job training. The training center includes study areas, multifunctional offices, green spaces, and a kindergarten for the care of children while their mothers are busy in classes or at workshops.

The new building complements the existing vocational training center, which has been providing education for the past 55 years. Young women and men take courses to find stable employment and become self-sufficient. With the new space, Salesians will offer new courses in maternal and child care assistance, gerontological assistance, event organization, computer science, tailoring, microenterprise start-up, aesthetics, hairdressing, and design.

Father Horacio Barbieri, provincial of the Salesian Saint Artemide Zatti Province of North Argentina, said, “We are convinced that work is the best tool to foster social integration and give dignity to people. Today the Salesian community, attentive to the needs of all, is called to take charge through concrete actions of the needs of our contemporaries. It is our desire to value the personal dignity of every human being and to be custodians of the inalienable rights of each person.”

The building was made possible thanks to funding from the German government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Don Bosco World Mission Office, based in Bonn, Germany, among others.

More than a quarter of the people in Argentina live in conditions of poverty with no formal employment and poor-quality education, according to the World Bank. The country’s high school dropout rate is close to 37 percent and youth account for a third of those unemployed. Almost 12 percent of children ages 5-17 are working instead of being in school and 20 percent need government assistance. Many face malnutrition, a lack of clean water and sewage, and inadequate housing.

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ANS – Argentina – New Vocational Training Center inaugurated in Formosa

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NIGERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have continued to develop the St. Joseph’s Farm, in Sagamu, Nigeria, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The farm is a center for training, research and production on 25 hectares of land acquired by the Salesians.

Since it started, the farm has improved the farming skills of many local and small farmers, brought awareness to youth on the importance of farming, trained local people on various farming techniques, and created a cooperative of small farmers.

With the funding from Salesian Missions, the farm developed both a fishery and a pig farm, which is being expanded. The current pig barn has 20 rooms for the pigs and two rooms for feed storage. A total of 29 boars and sows are at the farm, along with 135 piglets that have been purchased or reared at the farm.

The pig barn still needs to be plastered, as well as have proper flooring and plumbing completed. With the high cost of materials and services caused by national economic inflation, construction has been delayed. It is currently about 90 percent completed.

The facility also needs better water, a regular generator and solar power supply for the survival of the pigs. An eight-feet tall water tank was installed for the provision of regular water. In addition, another 7,000-liter water tank is needed to supplement the water supply.

There are six paid workers who ensure that the piggery is properly cared for and the pigs well fed and nourished. These are local farmers who have been trained over time to rear animals especially pigs. To date, more than 100 people have received farm training.

With a population close to 256,000, including a mix of Christians, Muslims and traditionalists, Sagamu is known for its agricultural products such as cocoa and kola nuts. The region’s rich vegetation and large masses of unoccupied or unused land attract people who develop an interest in agriculture. Yet, the region has high rates of unemployment and underemployment, as well as a low rate of formal education. St. Joseph’s Farm is one among many programs that Salesian missionaries have launched since they first started working in the region in 2014. There is also a parish ministry, missionary out-stations, youth ministry, chaplaincy and agro-projects.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050. While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day.

About 64 percent of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32 percent of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Mithra School, located in Bangalore, India, collaborated with Rainbow Children’s Hospital to spread awareness about the challenges faced by children post-COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,500 children from schools in the region took part in a walk while carrying signs with messages about issues children are facing.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a complex array of mental challenges for children. These include grief, fear, uncertainty, social isolation, increased screen time and parental fatigue that have adversely affected children. One of the ways Salesians are working to address these issues is by helping children to get back to their daily way of life. Salesians are also spreading awareness on important topics like physical wellness, being with nature, mental wellness, socialization and immunity.

At the event, doctors and specialists from the health sector spoke about the importance of health hygiene, physical and mental wellness, and daily exercise. Father George PS, manager of Don Bosco Mithra School, spoke about the challenges for teachers while educating students who face difficulties concentrating on the lessons taught in the class. Children also performed a skit where they used first aid in an emergency. Programs at the event also taught children about personal hygiene.

“This was an important program to educate children and the community at large about the issues that many are facing following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “While Salesians focus on education, they know that children are dealing with much more and aim to address these other challenges to help children and families.”

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. A multidimensionally poor child is one who lacks at least one-third of 10 indicators, grouped into three dimensions of poverty: health, education and standard of living.

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Sources:

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

ANS – India – Children’s Walkathon Spreads Awareness of Post-pandemic Health Problems

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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KENYA

(MissionNewswire) More than 350 children and older youth raced with Luke Kelly, a 22-year-old marathon runner and a member of the famous musical group “Kelly Family” from Germany, on his most recent trip to Kenya. Some of the youth were street children who have found a new home at Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys) in Nairobi.

In October, Kelly visited the Kenyan capital to learn about Don Bosco’s work with street children. He said, “Everyone should be given the chance to live a dignified life. It impressed and inspired me to see how effective and close Don Bosco’s help is to the children. The enthusiasm with which the children ran along was incredible. Boys and girls of all ages joined in. It was truly the run of my life.”

In the future, Kelly would also like to inspire German children to run and learn the work of Don Bosco. He has school visits planned in 2023 to spread the word about this initiative. Kelly stressed the important values such as discipline, perseverance and community that youth learn through sports. He explained, “Sport plays a very special role in the rehabilitation of street children. I have experienced this with the Bosco Boys.”

Dr. Nelson Penedo, managing director of Don Bosco Mission Bonn in Germany, said, “We are very happy to have won Luke as an ambassador. He will certainly inspire children and young people for sports not only in Nairobi, but also in Germany.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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ANS – Germany – “The Run of My Life”: Luke Kelly and Bosco Boys in Kenya

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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NIGERIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesians with Don Bosco Tech Africa in Nigeria are providing training about safeguarding and protecting children. Brother John Njuguna, deputy director of Don Bosco Tech Africa, in collaboration with Cathrine Kisasa and Sister Damaris, is conducting the training for Salesian rectors and the provincial council.

In-depth knowledge and skills in safeguarding can prevent harm to both children and practitioners. One five-day training was held in early November, and another followed in late November in the Ibadan location for 92 post-novitiates. The group includes young people from different congregations.

One Salesian said, “Child safeguarding and protection are important in our daily work given that we are working with young people who are in most cases coming from disadvantaged backgrounds. The trainers were excited about the diverse methodologies. It was well attended and an eye-opener for all involved.”

Salesians work with abandoned children in two centers in Nigeria. One is in Lagos, opened in 2018, and the other is Ibadan, opened in 2009. These centers are changing the lives of hundreds of children who are trafficked, abused, orphaned, in conflict with the law or are facing addiction. Through scholarships and grants, Salesians are able to ensure that youth have a stable foundation and gain an education.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050. While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day.

About 64 percent of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32 percent of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Nigeria – Child safeguarding and protection Training – ANN Province

Don Bosco Tech Africa

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria

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ANGOLA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries have provided 150 families with corn seeds and fertilizer as part of the “The Mwenho Usupoka ‒ Life in Abundance” agriculture project taking place in Munda, Huambo, Angola.  The initiative was made possible thanks to the contribution of the Angolan company I.E.P. With this project, families will be able to increase the production of their farms to better be able to feed their families as well as sell the yield for additional income.

“Providing seeds and fertilizer helps farmers to expand their farms and have a better yield from their crops,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Along with providing the supplies directly, Salesians also help to show farmers better ways to tend to their farms for the greatest production of food for their families and community.”

In Angola, Salesian missionaries began work with street children during the 1990s when groups of children fleeing the war flowed into the capital. Today, long after the war has ended, children are still fleeing their homes for a variety of reasons. Many run away from home because of parent neglect, some as a result of abuse and others because they are thought to be sorcerers or witches who bring misfortune to their families.

“The educational opportunities provided by Salesian programs can be truly life-changing for children,” added Fr. Baek. “Through educational programs, both youth and adults have an opportunity to learn and develop the skills to become self-sufficient, supporting their families and communities.”

Salesian missionaries in Angola also continue to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged during the civil war that lasted from 1975 to 2002. Much was destroyed during the conflict including schools, medical buildings and churches. Living within the communities in which they work, Salesian missionaries have been perfectly positioned to respond to local needs and lead projects for community betterment.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Angola – Salesian agricultural project helps over 150 families increase their productive capacity

Salesian Missions – Angola

UNICEF – Angola

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MOZAMBIQUE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Mozambique

World Bank – Mozambique

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco College, located in Golaghat, Assam, India, has inaugurated a new academic arts building, which includes a computer lab and a solar panel power plant. The inauguration event was attended and led by Ajanta Neog, finance, woman and child development minister. The program was organized by the Don Bosco College management and student forum under the leadership of Father Amaladoss, vice principal of Don Bosco College Golaghat.

During the event, Minister Neog said, “When I entered into this institution, the environment of love, peace, devotion, and dedication could be seen and experienced. You are very lucky and I am honored to inaugurate the college building. This kind of environment is essential for the purpose of education. Education is the foundation of the society which needs to be strong. I congratulate all of you. Don Bosco College Golaghat is an institution which is playing a very vital role for the promotion of our society along with the path of education and upliftment.”

Neog also congratulated the institution for achieving a “B+ grade” in the first cycle of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) assessment in just seven years in operation. She added that the students of the institution are truly blessed and should take pride while studying there. In concluding, Neog pledged to help the institution financially.

Father Policarp Xalxo, Ph. D. and principal of Don Boco College, described how the institution is growing year after year. He highlighted the cultural diversity when students performed folk dances and dressed in their Assamese, Karbi, Adivasi, Wancho and other traditional dresses.

Don Bosco College was established in 2015 to provide higher education for poor youth whose families are working in tea gardens and those in remote tribes from the neighboring states. The college provides a vital education and housing for 150 boys and 135 girls.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – Assam Finance Minister Smt Ajanta Neog inaugurates Academic Arts Building of Don Bosco College

Don Bosco College

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Don Bosco College Golaghat adds new academic arts building first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring International Migrants Day. Each year, International Migrants Day is held on Dec. 18 to recognize the efforts, contributions and rights of migrants worldwide.

Youth often leave their homelands in search of employment, education and a better way of life. Many choose or are forced to migrate to escape poverty, violence, or conflict, or they are displaced due to the effects of war or climate change. The United Nations notes that youth are heavily represented in migration for humanitarian reasons including as refugees, asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors.

According to the U.N., there were 280.6 million global migrants in 2020, representing close to four percent of the world’s 7.8 billion people. In the last decade alone close to 60 million more people became international migrants. This has been driven by labor and family migration.

Migration slowed during the global COVID-19 pandemic but increased back to current levels in 2021 and 2022, once the lockdowns ended and vaccines became more widely available. People are on the move once again in search of work, better education and humanitarian protection.

Salesian missionaries care for and provide educational services to young migrants in countries around the globe. Unaccompanied migrant youth often face rejection, homelessness, exploitation and delinquency as they make their journey to find a new way of life. They are also at risk of human trafficking and exploitation.

“Salesian programs help migrants have an easier transition into their new communities through language and skills training and workforce development programs,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian missionaries are also working to create new educational and employment opportunities in countries youth leave as an incentive for them to remain at home.”

To mark International Migrants Day 2022, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that provide life-changing education and social support to migrants.

GUATEMALA

In Guatemala, Casa Betania welcomes thousands of people every year, most of them migrants in search of a better life.

The Salesian-run Casa Betania, located in San Benito Petén, Guatemala, welcomes thousands of people every year, most of them migrants in search of a better life. Children, youth, adults, pregnant women, families, and the elderly find support and relief thanks to a group of volunteers.

One of these volunteers, Rosa Forlán, said that in the three weeks she worked at the Salesian facility she witnessed the tragedy experienced by thousands of people. She said, “Esteban arrived with his feet seriously injured by the long walk. Matias was picked up at the door, dehydrated, almost dying, and it was necessary to call for medical assistance. Hours later, Maribel arrived, a single mother with two children under 8, and Julia, with her three daughters. The eldest, aged 11, had a hand injured from a fall on the way across the border. I also met Luis, who appeared alongside Oscar, Lucas and William, who said they were unemployed, but with a desire to work and improve despite their poor education.”

Every day, Salesian volunteers listen to stories of migrants who arrive exhausted and tired, due to the high temperatures, hunger and thirst. At Casa Betania, they receive accommodation, food, rest, psychological assistance and other services.

INDIA

Don Bosco Job Placement Network has focused efforts on helping migrants in Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network has been helping migrants find and retain safe and secure jobs, helping to mitigate challenges with migration. Recently, more than 400 youth who are skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled were provided with job opportunities across several business sectors through the network.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network has focused efforts on helping migrants in Ranchi, the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand. The goal is to provide skills training and connect them with jobs in the formal labor market. Through Don Bosco ITI in Ranchi, youth attend courses and gain the skills they need. Once they graduate, the Don Bosco Job Placement Network can help them gain employment in fields that are hiring.

Recently, the network organized six placement drives which connected graduating students and migrants to partners from different employment sectors including manufacturing, hospitality, customer service, health services, financial services and IT.

MEXICO

The Salesian Tijuana Project in Mexico provides for the needs of 30,000 migrants and poor youth each month.

The Salesian Tijuana Project has been providing services to migrants and poor youth living on the border between Mexico and the U.S. for 34 years. The Salesian organization is divided into eight programs including five oratories, two educational institutions and a public meal program, known as the Salesian Padre Chava Refectory. Salesian services are located in the city’s most vulnerable and high-conflict areas. Every month, 30,000 people access food, medical and psychological services, legal advice, sports, cultural activities, and basic education.

The goal of the Salesian Tijuana Project is to create an extensive educational network in areas where poor youth are at risk of social exclusion. The project took shape through Salesian oratories and educational centers where children grow up learning to share faith, culture, and sports within their communities.

The Salesian Tijuana Project also acts as a hub for migrants who, besides much-needed material help, are offered a familiar and welcoming environment. They can access haircuts, a change of clothes, a shower, and an opportunity to call and make contact with families. The Salesian center also has a partnership with the Red Cross and local volunteer doctors who offer psychological and medical help and assistance.

SENEGAL

The “Stop Trafficking” campaign in Senegal provided activities to promote development and reduce migration in East and West Africa.

The “Stop Trafficking” campaign launched activities to promote development and reduce migration in East and West Africa. The project activities focused on youth in Senegal, Gambia and Guinea Bissau.

The project provided access to education through scholarships and work grants so that youth were prepared for employment in the current labor market. The project also provided kits to allow participants to start micro-enterprises in strategic sectors.

The project strengthened the existing formal and informal psycho-social care that young migrants receive when they return back to their home countries to help them reintegrate into their communities. It also provided them with the resources to connect to education and employment in their own countries to reduce the need for migration. Finally, the project raised awareness among youth about the risks of migration. The work was done through a series of radio campaigns and cultural events, including theatrical performances, film screenings, and debates.

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Sources:

GUATEMALA: Migrants find support and relief/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

INDIA: 400 youth find employment/Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

International Migrants Day 2022

MEXICO: Programs serve 30,000 migrants and poor youth each month/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

Salesian Missions

SENEGAL: Stop Trafficking campaign launches new activities to provide access to education for poor youth at risk of migration/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

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SPAIN

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Institute of Pamplona in Spain, in collaboration with two non-governmental organizations, Medicine Open to the World and Help Container, received a Learning-Service Award. The project “Incubators that save lives” began in 2021 and continued into 2022 with the support of seven other education centers.

This year, 359 projects were submitted for the awards and involved 121,429 students from more than 600 educational centers and social organizations from all Spanish autonomous communities. The themes addressed by the winning projects included healthy habits, solidarity, human rights, inclusion, environment, cooperative work, gender equality, the inclusion of people with disabilities, immigration, and reading.

The Spanish Learning-Service Network, Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, and the City of Seville, with the collaboration of the Edebé Foundation, announced the 21 winning projects for the Learning-Service Awards. The awards will be presented in Seville on Dec. 16, as part of the 15th state meeting of the Spanish Learning-Service Network.

The meeting will bring together more than 500 professionals seeking to promote the Learning-Service working methodology, which combines learning objectives and community service to provide a pragmatic and progressive learning experience while meeting society’s needs.

In recent years, the Learning-Service methodology has grown exponentially in Spain as an element of social and educational transformation. The methodology improves academic achievement, fosters students’ motivation, educates them about life and society’s problems, opens the school to the outside world, and develops an attitude of service to others, while helping students become supportive and committed citizens.

Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco said, “We congratulate these students for their accomplishments. Projects like these reinforce how important hands-on preparation is in the education of new skills. Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.”

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Spain – “Learning-Service 2022 – Development Cooperation” award to “Life-saving Incubators” project of Pamplona Salesians

Salesian Missions – Spain

World Bank – Spain

The post SPAIN: ‘Incubators that save lives’ project honored first appeared on MissionNewswire.

GHANA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Home, located in Sunyani, Ghana, provides social support and education to young boys in the care of Salesian missionaries. Recently, the International Voluntary Service (VIS) contributed funding for materials, textbooks, and uniforms for youth to attend school with the supplies they need.

VIS also launched an environmental education and organic agriculture training program. As part of this initiative, VIS brought 52 young boys to the Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary and the Kristo Buase Monastery. The guides facilitated an exploration of the rainforest, century-old trees and huge rock formations.

In addition, agronomists conducted training in organic agriculture and helped youth start an organic garden. The boys are cultivating maize, tomatoes, zucchini, salad greens and peppers. The garden complements the other the farm facilities, improving the self-sufficiency of the center with organic vegetables. Youth are also able to have hands-on practice with sustainable agriculture techniques.

“Youth at Don Bosco Boys Home have been given a chance to get out of the classroom and engage in educational activities that focus on the environment,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Many Salesian programs have launched projects to help youth understand their environmental impact and improve agriculture and other practices for greater sustainability.”

While Ghana’s economy continues to improve, nearly 45 percent of the population lives on less than $1 a day, according to UNICEF. Rural poverty remains widespread in the dry savannah region that covers roughly two thirds of Ghana’s northern territory. Small-scale farms suffer from a lack of infrastructure and equipment, both of which are needed to shift from subsistence farming to more modern commercial farming which would yield greater incomes and a chance to escape poverty.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter July – Sept. 2022

Don Bosco Child Protection & Youth Empowerment Projects Newsletter July – Sept. 2022

Salesian Missions – Ghana

UNICEF – Ghana

The post GHANA: Youth take part in environmental activities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Father V M Thomas, a Salesian missionary in India and former chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University Guwahati, has launched 19 training programs for Oil India Ltd. The two-day programs, scheduled for 576 sessions of 30 people each, began in July and finished in November, according to an article on Matters India.

The training, known as Skill Matrix Assessment Retreat and Training or SMART, focused on four key areas including self-awareness, teamwork, creativity and innovation, and leadership.

“At the invitation of Oil India, we built a uniquely curated training program that would be delivered to 576 young employees under 35 years of age,” explained Fr. Thomas in the Matters India article. “The program helps in identifying leaders of the future and plays a role in succession planning. By helping participants get a deep understanding of themselves, they are provided a base to build on and become the best versions of themselves.”

In the article, Fr. Thomas explained the dynamics of the program. He said, “Our program helps unlock people’s minds and address stereotypes, socio-cultural biases, gender biases and assumptions among others that compartmentalize people’s thoughts limiting their thinking.”

The program used a mix immersive and multi-sensory lectures, discussions, music, videos, simulated exercises and group activities. The program also administered multiple assessments based on popular tools. According to the article, at the end of the program, each participant was able to understand how to enhance their personal and professional effectiveness and make a significant, positive impact through their work.

The training also offers a second phase, which will be assisted by a team of professionals. A five-day advanced leadership training programs entitled SHARP (strengths, health, absorption, relationship and purpose) will train 130 participants to enhance their leadership skills.

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

Matters India – Salesian priest trains hundreds of young Oil India executives

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

The post INDIA: Salesian missionary offers training to oil industry professionals first appeared on MissionNewswire.

MADAGASCAR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Sources:

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

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

Notre Dame de Clairvaux Facebook

Salesian Missions – Madagascar

UNICEF – Madagascar

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

CHILE

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Foundation launched a new family residence known as Casa Pinardi in Santiago, Chile. The new house was opened in August and already has 19 adults and children living there. Casa Pinardi recently held an event to showcase the new facility.

At the event, Claudio Chávez, development director of the Don Bosco Foundation, welcomed representatives from the Regional Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, the Municipality of Padre Hurtado, and the presidential delegation of the Province of Talagante. A formal ceremony at the event began with a tour of the facilities.

Fr. Victor Mora, president of the Don Bosco Foundation, thanked representatives from the Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, for their contribution and joint work. He said, “I am grateful for the presence of the authorities because this is a sign that working together is more fruitful. May this place be a home for families, a home where they can meet and be formed.”

Alesio Castillo, a Venezuelan migrant and resident of Casa Pinardi, who lived on the streets with his family, expressed how grateful he is for the program. “I used to sleep in the squares with my two children and my wife. This foundation has given us a hand. This space feels like a home.”

Patricia Hidalgo, from the Ministerial Secretary of Social and Family Development, said, “We already knew the human quality of the foundation team. Thank you for having faith in us and our methodologies, you are our allies. We have to make these synergistic alliances so that the children of our country grow up happy, and we have to give their parents the opportunity then as well.”

Casa Pinardi joins other Don Bosco Foundation houses like the Cardenal Silva Henríquez family residence. These homes are temporary shelters for families living on the streets that provide them access to psychosocial support, training, and help in finding stable housing.

According to the World Bank, Chile has a fairly low poverty rate of less than 10 percent. However, Chile struggles with high rates of income and education inequality. Salesian missionaries working in Chile focus their efforts on providing education and social services to poor and at-risk youth. At Salesian schools, universities and youth centers throughout the country, youth can access an education as well as the skills and resources necessary to break the cycle of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Chile – “Fundación Don Bosco” inaugurates new family residence in “Padre Hurtado” district

Salesian Missions – Chile

World Bank – Chile

The post CHILE: Families without housing find home first appeared on MissionNewswire.

KENYA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Boys Town (Bosco Boys), located in Nairobi, Kenya, launched the Dual Apprenticeship Training program focused on the latest plumbing technology. This program will train 50 students in its initial class and is the first of its kind in Kenya. It is approved by the Ministry of Education, made possible through the Swiss contact, and funded by the Hilti Foundation in Switzerland.

There are 11 top plumbing companies in Kenya as partners. The project aims to provide apprentices with modern technology that bridges the gap between training institutions and job market needs. The training lasts for two years and is certified.

“This training program will help youth have access to world-class training in plumbing and be relevant to the job market,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Programs like these ensure youth are able to take the skills learned in the classroom and utilize them in real working environments, benefiting both the student and the employer.”

Don Bosco Boys Town provides education and technical skills training to former street children. Students who complete their primary education are then assisted with secondary education or are advised to choose technical training in sister institutions. The secondary education is most often provided at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School in the town of Embu, northeast of Nairobi.

The two-year technical training provides youth with a wide variety of skills to choose from, including tailoring, car engineering/mechanics, carpentry, electrical work, and welding, as well as secretarial skills and a full spectrum of computer-related job skills. After graduation, more than 80 percent of graduates are employed in their fields of study. Many students go on to attend university or establish their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in Nairobi.

According to the World Bank, more than 7.8 million people in Kenya are living in extreme poverty, with the majority in rural areas. There are approximately 6.6 million people living on less than $1.90 a day in rural regions, while 1.1 million extremely poor people live in urban areas. Overall, the poverty incidence declined in recent years, but at a lower rate in urban areas than rural ones.

Youth living in Kenya’s larger cities like Nairobi are at risk for exploitation, forced labor and other abuses. Few attend the later stages of school as compared to those living in Kenya’s more rural areas. The few schools serving this disadvantaged community are beyond the financial means of most families.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Kenya – Dual apprenticeship project launched at “Don Bosco Boys Town”

Salesian Missions – Kenya

World Bank – Kenya

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INDIA

(MissionNewswire) Salesian College, with campuses in Siliguri and Sonada in the Darjeeling district, India, has been deemed able to govern itself after having completed three National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation cycles and retaining an “A” grade in the last two. The college has also retained two rounds of its status as College with Potential for Excellence. The Vice Chancellor of the University of North Bengal Professor Om Prakash Mishra announced that the Salesian College has been “deemed-to-be autonomous.”

Currently on the Siliguri campus, more than 2,100 students take arts and humanities, commerce, science and professional courses from 20 departments disciplines. There are also post-graduate courses in English, education and psychology. Another 400 students pursue undergraduate studies in 10 courses on the Sonada campus. The academic community is led by a team of 10 Salesians in management and 104 faculty members.

“This is a great example of the quality of Salesian education in India and around the globe,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.”

India has the world’s fourth largest economy but more than 22 percent of the country lives in poverty. About 31 percent of the world’s multidimensionally poor children live in India, according to a report by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Photo courtesy of Don Bosco South Asia

Don Bosco South Asia – University of North Bengal Vice Chancellor announces Salesian College deemed-to-be Autonomous

Salesian Missions – India

World Bank – India

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and the international community in honoring Human Rights Day, celebrated each year on Dec. 10. Human Rights Day commemorates the day in 1948 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been translated into more than 500 languages. This milestone document proclaimed the inalienable rights that everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being — regardless of race, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status.

This year’s Human Rights Day “Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All” focuses on “recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” The call to action is #StandUp4HumanRights.

Through education and social development programming, Salesian missionaries in more than 130 countries around the globe work to ensure that all youth know their rights, are able to fully participate in their communities and have their voices heard.

Whether it’s combating child labor, assisting homeless youth or building schools where children previously had no access to education, Salesian missionaries are 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 faced with many more challenges that sometimes prevent their access to education,” Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesians 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.”

In honor of Human Rights Day, Salesian Missions highlights unique programs that are helping poor youth receive an education and find a path out of poverty, bringing them hope for the future.

BENIN

In Benin, Foyer Don Bosco serves children in complex situations, including those who have been abandoned.

Children at Foyer Don Bosco, a home for abused and abandoned children in Kandi, Benin, have received food support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The funding provided food support for 36 children, as well as cleaning products and medicines for the infirmary. Ten girls and boys have also benefited from the purchase of toolboxes for various trades.

Foyer Don Bosco serves boys and girls in very complex situations, including those who have been abandoned by their families, victims of abuse, and victims of forced marriages. The area of Kandi often has an influx of children who are on their own. Children are sometimes sold on the black market and exploited in the workforce. A transit home was started with the support of UNICEF to host these children, while guiding them to other homes or trying to find their families.

Foyer Don Bosco was created for children who have nowhere else to go or need to stay for long periods of time. In collaboration with the juvenile courts of Benin, minors who are in conflict with the law and in high-risk situations are assisted by the Salesians. The border police also intercept children being trafficked from Niger and Burkina Faso.

INDIA

In India, the Ekalavya Children’s Home supports youth who are school dropouts, rescues child laborers and provides basic needs for at-risk children.

Children living at the Ekalavya Children’s Home were supported by donor funding Salesian Missions. The home was created by the Salesian-run People’s Action for Rural Awakening for disadvantaged children in Konaseema, located in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.

The home, which can accommodate up to 50 children, was started to support school dropouts, rescue child laborers, and provide a home for at-risk children, those living on the street, or those who have run away from dysfunctional families. Ekalavya Children’s Home is a child care institution licensed under the Juvenile Justice Act. Every home for children at risk needs to be licensed by the Women Development and Child Welfare Department of the state government.

While providing for basic needs and connecting children into educational programs, Ekalavya Children’s Home also helps children understand their emotions and connect better with their peers and adults. The home provides a weekly meeting where children can talk about issues that are bothering them, whether it’s with other children, school or adults. This helps children work through interpersonal issues and helps them resolve conflict in a productive way.

NIGERIA

In Nigeria, 150 students from the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center Koko received scholarships thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions.

Youth attending the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Koko, within the Kebbi State of Nigeria, received scholarships thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The 150 students who received scholarships were selected based on criteria developed at the school.

Among the students were youth who were directly affected by bandit attacks, teenage girls who were about to be forced into marriage, youth from poor backgrounds, and orphans who lost either parent. Other students selected had not received any formal education and were willing to learn a skill.

Lydia, one of the recipients, is the oldest of seven daughters. Three years ago, her father died and her mother passed away last year. Lydia was left to take care of her siblings, but she cannot afford the fees to send them to school. She is continuing her education to be able to help her siblings.

SRI LANKA

In Sri Lanka, the Bosco Sevana Center provides nutrition, medical care and educational support to vulnerable children.

Bosco Sevana Center, in Uswetakeiyawa, Sri Lanka, started more than 25 years ago as a rehabilitation center for sexually abused minors. Since then, the center has been converted into a children’s home where vulnerable children, such as street children or orphans, receive care and support to become responsible citizens.

These children, ages 7-16, often grow up on their own and face drug addiction and sexual abuse at an early age. As a result, the school dropout rate has risen alarmingly, exceeding 53 percent. The recent political crisis in the country has compounded an already dire situation.

The multifaceted project aims to ensure that children receive healthy nutrition and good medical care, along with an education. Students can can attend the nearby state school and participate in evening educational support classes. A Salesian noted, “We want to give children the opportunity to continue growing up in a protected family environment, enjoying moments of sports and play like all children in the world.”

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Human Rights Day 2022

BENIN: Children receive food support thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

INDIA: Donor funding from Salesian Missions supports Ekalavya Children’s Home/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

NIGERIA: Scholarships awarded to 150 students/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

SRI LANKA: Vulnerable children receive support/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

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COLOMBIA

(MissionNewswire) A group of past pupils from Don Bosco City, located in Medellín, Colombia, has developed a project to improve food access for street children. The goal is to guarantee at least one decent meal at least once a week for these youth who live in extreme poverty. Thanks to the leaders of this project, Salomón Brand and Alex Sepúlveda, other past pupils and friends have joined in to support this initiative. Their project, which has grown to 20 people, is now an example for other past pupils who want to launch projects to support those living in poverty.

Brand and Sepúlveda are among more than 83,000 youth that Don Bosco City has rescued since it opened in 1965. The organization is one of the oldest and largest programs for street children in Latin America. Salesian missionaries offer a multi-pronged approach designed to address the broad social issues that contribute to the poverty and exploitation these youth face while training them in the skills necessary to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

The long rehabilitation process at Don Bosco City focuses on three things youth need to learn — how to trust, to have hope for the future and to build relationships with others. Psychologists and teachers work together with youth, giving them the tools for a better future including basic education and more advanced skills training that will lead to stable employment.

“We are grateful for the efforts that Don Bosco City’s past pupils are making to pay forward the support and lessons they have learned,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “It goes to show the real value of what they learned at Don Boco City and a testament to who they are as people that they are willing and able to lead such an initiative.”

Just over 34 percent of Colombians are living below the poverty line. Although Colombia is among the world’s emerging economies, more than three out of 10 Colombians still live in poor conditions. Colombia is also the world’s seventh most inequitable country.

One in five children in the country has no access to education. Many orphaned youth live in poverty and have lost their parents to natural disasters, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and other diseases, war or domestic issues. Some children remain living with a single parent, struggling to survive, and are often pulled out of school to earn income for the remaining family. Other youth live in shelters or on the streets.

By providing education, workforce development services and social programs across Colombia, Salesian missionaries help to give poor youth hope for a better life.

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

ANS – Colombia – Past Pupils of “Ciudad Don Bosco” develop a solidarity project

Don Bosco City

Salesian Missions – Colombia

World Bank – Colombia

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ITALY

(MissionNewswire) Salesian Giostra Oratory in Messina, Italy, has announced that one of its students, Giovanni Napolitano, has been named one of the three best students in the first edition of the Samsung Customer Service School. This free advanced training school, promoted by Samsung Electronics Italy, Randstad Italy and Salesians for Social, was created to train service specialists. Salesians for Social developed this partnership with Samsung and other companies to create employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth.

In Italy, there is a current shortage of prospective employees with the right technical skills to fill service specialties. As a result, companies are having a difficult time filling positions. In July 2022, this impacted more than 40 percent of planned hires, about 10 percent higher than in July 2021.

The first class of the Samsung Customer Service School had 13 students, ages 18-22, from all over Italy. The students studied topics like thermodynamics of refrigeration, air conditioning, electrical engineering, fault diagnostics, data analysis, service marketing, behavioral techniques, entrepreneurship and customer service, among other topics.

“The first edition of the Customer Service School has come to an end. I appreciated the lively curiosity of the students and the healthy spirit of competition to achieve the result,” said Vito Fortunato, head of customer service at Samsung Electronics Italy. “I believe I can say that we have set up the school with rigor, leaving nothing to chance.”

Ettore Jovane, head of the air conditioning business at Samsung Electronics Italy, added, “The development of our products, designed by leveraging the most innovative technologies, must necessarily go hand-in-hand with the training and enhancement of human capital. Thanks to this joint project with Randstad and Salesians for Social we can offer advanced skills and train complete and up-to-date professional figures on new trends thanks to a unique path on the market.”

Osteljano Doka and Luigi D’Angelo are the other two award winners, both final-year students at the Luxembourg Institute in Milan. Each of the chosen students will be awarded a scholarship worth approximately 2,000 euros, which includes free enrollment in a course to obtain the F-GAS license, which is essential to work as service technicians on air conditioning systems. The students will also receive a tool kit for refrigeration/air conditioning technical interventions and additional in-depth training focused on management and entrepreneurship topics.

Salesian programs across Italy help youth who are unable to attend school and others who drop out to work at the few jobs available to them. A growing number of children work as laborers on farms and others have turned to the sex trade to help support their families. Those in poverty often live without adequate shelter, hot water, regular meals and health care.

Poverty rose sharply in 2020 to its highest level in 15 years as the COVID-19 crisis brought economic challenges for much of the country. Close to 5.6 million people or 9.4 percent of the population are living in absolute poverty unable to buy goods or services to achieve a minimally acceptable standard of living, according to the World Bank. This number includes 1.3 million minors.

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

ANS – Italy – Young man from Messina’s Giostra Salesian oratory among best in first edition of “Customer Service School”

Salesian Missions – Italy

World Bank – Italy

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SPAIN

(MissionNewswire) The Pinardi Federation of Salesian Social Platforms, in collaboration with the Community of Madrid, launched the First Professional Experience program that aims to address youth unemployment. The program is funded by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration and the Next Generation EU fund through the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan in Spain.

The initiative launched in the Salesian centers of Atocha, Puerta del Sol, and Pan Bendito in Madrid and in the cities of Alcalá de Henares, Fuenlabrada, and Parla, where 400 youth will gain skills and have a chance to work in companies to put the skills they learned in the classroom into practice.

The program offers youth in socially vulnerable situations professional experience and provides companies with the opportunity to discover potential talent. The main idea is to connect youth who have a desire to work with companies that are committed to people. The key to success lies in professional mentoring in a real work environment, which facilitates learning personal and professional skills in an intensive and experiential way.

One Salesian said, “The project pursues an inclusive approach to training and learning, breaking down the barriers that often exist between young people and companies, and betting on those young people who have been left on the sidelines and instead are just waiting for a second chance to train, learn, and discover their vocation.”

Youth will have educational and professional support throughout the program. They will have personalized social support and access to scholarships so that their economic situation is not an obstacle to training. They will also access professional mentoring in the workplace for personal and professional development.

Businesses are at the center of the program and are involved in designing and updating the training program according to the needs of the labor market.

Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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

ANS – Spain – Launching “First Professional Experience,” a solution to youth unemployment, pilot project of Pinardi and Community of Madrid

Salesian Missions – Spain

World Bank – Spain

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are still helping flood victims with shelter and other supplies in the wake of the devastating flooding that impacted Pakistan in late August, killing more than 1,700 and leaving one third of the country underwater with at least half a million people homeless. The government said a total of more than 33 million people were affected and indicated there was at least $10 billion in damage, including more than 1 million animals killed and crops wiped out.

Salesians responded immediately to the emergency, providing what they could locally. Internationally, others organized to provide aid. Brother Piero Ramello, a native of Italy who has been a missionary in Pakistan since 2020, immediately contacted the Salesian Mission Office in Turin, which took immediate action, ensuring that those in need in Pakistan would receive initial help through its emergency fund.

Bro. Ramello said, “With the funds received from Salesian Mission offices in Turin, Madrid, South Korea and Switzerland, we will be able to help many families in need. In Jacobabad, Sukkur, and Shakarput we’re reaching 100 families for a total of 720 people, including many children and older youth. In the city of Sukkur, the money has been delivered to the parish priest and the distribution has been taken care of directly by the parish. In Jacobabad and Shakarput, the distribution is taken care of directly by the Salesians in Lahore who, with the help of some past pupils and older boys from the boarding school, are in charge of delivering the material, avoiding gatherings and trying to make the recipients comfortable.”

The materials distributed consist of food (flour, rice, lentils, oil), camp tents, mosquito repellent tents, and personal hygiene supplies. Medicine has also been distributed, especially medicines for the prevention and treatment of cholera and dengue fever.

A similar project supported by funding from Don Bosco Mission Bonn, the German Salesian Mission Office, is being led by the Salesians in Quetta. Bro. Ramello said, “Through the two initiatives, the Salesians in Pakistan are bringing relief to more than 1,200 people.”

Salesians in Pakistan operate schools and centers in Lahore and Quetta. Salesian schools provide economic benefits, scholarships and accommodations for students from the poorest families so that education is not only accessible but also an incentive for parents to send their children to school. Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in South Asia at less than 50 percent. Although the country’s constitution acknowledges free and compulsory education between the ages of 5-16, the rule is often not followed in rural areas for those over age 13.

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

ANS – Pakistan – With a large and multifaceted international effort, Salesians benefit more than 1,200 people affected by floods

Don Bosco Lahore

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Pakistan

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) Thousands of people from the area north of the city of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, have sought shelter on the playgrounds surrounding Don Bosco Ngangi. Salesian missionaries are reporting that the war between the regular armed forces and M23 rebel group has caused thousands of people to flee toward the city in search of safety and shelter.

Men, women, and children who are depressed, tired, hungry, and traumatized have set up a camp in the center’s three sports areas. The situation is dire as there are not enough supplies for people and this area was not set up for a camp like this. There were no latrines, drinking water, food or firewood. During the first day, about thirty trees were cut down to obtain wood to build more stable shelters and wood for cooking. In addition, about 10 food plantations of local residents were damaged.

Salesians are working to provide support and organization for this camp. Father Jean Pierre Muhima, director of Don Bosco Ngangi, and Brother Augustin Mupoyi, bursar, visited the camp and made an assessment of the most immediate needs required for the people. In collaboration with Mercy Corps, toilets were immediately installed. Nineteen people who were sick and weak and in the most desperate need of care were brought in from the camp and housed in a dormitory in order to protect them against bad weather.

Supplies were also provided to those who are most vulnerable including the elderly, pregnant women and women who are still breastfeeding. Close to 300 people received tarpaulins, soap, mattresses and clothing. In addition, 300 people received food assistance including rice, salt, flour, and vegetable oil, along with non-food items. More than 30 children received clothing and shoes.

“Salesians are working to support the influx of people to Don Bosco Ngangi and provide them with the necessities while they are displaced,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “People have had to flee for their safety leaving behind everything. Salesians are calling on the international community to help support their efforts during this difficult time.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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Photo courtesy of World Coordinator, SBD fundraising (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNICEF – DR Congo

*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.

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ECUADOR

(MissionNewswire) The Salesian Technical Education School in Cuenca, Ecuador, hosted Don Bosco Skill, a Salesian artistic fair organized by the National Council of Salesian Education to celebrate the school’s 25th anniversary. The fair was attended by close to 150 students who are members of dance and music groups from 15 Salesian schools and centers.

Ten groups presented folk dance choreography from Ecuador and Bolivia as well as urban dances and ballroom dances. Five musical groups shared a repertoire of national, pop, rock and cumbia music. Youth were able to highlight their skills and talents during their performances.

“The fair was a great opportunity for youth to highlight their talents while also sharing the achievements of the Salesian school over the past 25 years,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “The fair also provided a chance for youth from different Salesian schools to meet, network and connect with their peers.”

The event was attended by Father Francisco Sánchez, provincial of the Salesian Province of Ecuador; Father Wladimir Acosta, president of the National Council of Salesian Education; Father Juan Flores, rector of the Sacred Heart Community of Cuenca; Salesian leadership and staff, delegations from invited institutions, teachers, students, and parents.

Ecuador is one of the most inequitable societies in the world, according to UNICEF. The richest 20 percent of the population receives almost 50 percent of the national income, while the poorest 20 percent receives only 5 percent. According to the World Food Program, almost 26 percent of all children under age 5 have stunted growth, increasing to 31 percent in rural areas and 47 percent in Indigenous communities.

Close to 20 percent of Ecuador’s population is people of Indigenous heritage. For poor, rural and Indigenous youth, education provides the best opportunity for finding employment, reducing inequities and breaking the cycle of poverty. Salesian missionaries have been providing education and other social programs for disadvantaged youth across Ecuador for more than 125 years.

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

ANS – Ecuador – At Salesian Artistic Fair, youth share their talents in dance and music

Salesian Missions – Ecuador

UNICEF – Ecuador

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions Australia has launched an emergency relief appeal for food relief to help support Salesian programs in the Horn of Africa. Salesians have been providing access to food relief, education, basic necessities and agriculture programs, especially in the wake of food shortages and unrest in the region.

Food shortages have increased in the Horn of Africa and Central Africa where Salesians have programs. According to an article in CathNews, food shortages continue to increase in these areas as the number of internally displaced people continues to swell as conflict in the region uproots people in search of safety.

In Tigray, Ethiopia*, Salesian missionaries are distributing food to more than 3,000 families while also repairing damaged schools and churches that currently house many families. In Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, increased conflict has sent thousands of people flooding into the city and seeking shelter on the playgrounds surrounding Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center.

At Palabek Refugee Resettlement Camp in Uganda, Salesians operate many educational and social programs. With decreasing food rations available from the World Food Program, Salesians have been working through food distribution and agriculture programs to increase the food availability for those in the camp.

Father Ubaldino, rector of the Salesian community in Palabek Refugee Resettlement Camp, has established 25 farming groups, involving 1,250 people who attend to over 92 acres of maize, soybeans, and sunflowers. While maize is a diet staple of the people at Palabek, it cannot be consumed without processing. Salesian Missions Australia has purchased a maize huller and maize miller, which are vital in aiding the food crisis.

Fr. Ubaldino said, “The agriculture groups are very important because they enable those involved to contribute to their families, supplement food rations, and restore dignity.”

In Juba, South Sudan*, close to 4,000 children access Salesian primary and secondary school. In addition to providing access to education, Salesians are providing women’s programs and sports programs for children in the camp.

Salesians in Australia and around the globe will continue to monitor the growing crisis in the region and work to address it through food aid, other supplies and direct donations.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions Australia

CathNews – Salesian launch emergency appeal for displaced Africans

Salesian Missions Australia

Salesian Missions

*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in honoring International Day of People with Disabilities. Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations has outlined and reiterated its commitment to calling for the creation of inclusive, accessible, and sustainable societies and communities. In 1981, the U.N. proclaimed Dec. 3 as a recognized day for the celebration of the achievements of people living with disabilities across the world.

Almost 1 billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, are living with a disability, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) World Report on Disability. Nearly 250 million are living with a mental or neurological condition, and almost two-thirds of these people will not seek professional medical help, largely due to stigma, discrimination, and neglect.

This year’s theme “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world” focuses on innovation for inclusive development in the areas of employment, reducing inequality, and sport as a practice example.

“Children living in poverty with a disability are even less likely to attend school and have the same opportunities as their peers,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian programs around the globe facilitate social and educational projects that pave the way for advanced research, learning and innovation that aid the inclusion of people with disabilities.”

Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian programs that advance inclusivity for people with disabilities on International Day of People with Disabilities 2022.

EL SALVADOR

Don Bosco University in El Salvador completed the “Walking Anew!” project to transform lives of people with mobile disabilities.

Don Bosco University in San Salvador, El Salvador, is empowering the next generation of medical rehabilitation practitioners to transform the lives of people with mobile disabilities through its “Walking Anew!” project. This project was made possible thanks to a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA) program secured by Salesian Missions.

The project expanded and upgraded the facilities at Don Bosco University’s School of Rehabilitation Science and the equipment used to train medical rehabilitation professionals. Completed in June 2022, it is revolutionizing the field of rehabilitation science across Latin America with a new laboratory and research annex, modern technology, and extending the reach of Don Bosco University School of Rehabilitation Science through an expanded distance learning program.

The construction of the new building, which houses the Applied Research Center, allows for the exchange of information with professionals in the field at an international level as well as provides space for a new podiatry laboratory and other specialized practices. The program has already trained people from El Salvador, other countries in Central America, South America, Haiti, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2022, the project was also able to train students in Uganda through the distance learning program.

INDIA

Don Bosco Job Placement Network in India held a job fair for youth with disabilities, resulting in several youth attaining jobs.

Don Bosco Job Placement Network in India, through collaboration with Bangalore Rural Education and Development Society (BREADS), organized a job fair for employment seekers with disabilities. Working with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, Don Bosco Job Placement Network held the job fair at Bell Hotel Majestic for more than 100 candidates with varying levels of ability.

At the job fair, Quess Corp. Pvt. Ltd. Bangalore recruited candidates for jobs in warehousing, business process outsourcing and e-commerce, and logistics (packing and billing). The Don Bosco Job Placement Network coordinator and the Quess team assisted the candidates in career counseling and by explaining the job roles. Of nearly 40 candidates who applied for the various jobs, 12 received immediate offers and others were shortlisted for future placement.

The Don Bosco Job Placement Network aims to improve employment opportunities for underserved job seekers through career guidance and skills training. The organization also enables access to secure job markets through job referral services, ensuring retention, and improving quality job opportunities with adequate wages and decent, safe, and secure working conditions.

MEXICO

Construction is underway for the new Latin American Center for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries in Mexico funded by USAID.

People living with spinal cord injuries will have a new treatment center thanks to funding Salesian Missions received from USAID’s ASHA program for the “Raising Standards of Care for Spinal Cord Injury Patients” project. The project will construct and equip Mexico’s first comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation center to assist patients who have been paralyzed by spinal cord injuries, with a special focus on youth.

The project runs from October 2018 through the end of September 2023. Construction is currently underway. The Latin American Center for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries, which will be built in Guadalajara, will be the only center in Mexico dedicated to serving the target population. The treatment center aims to promote the American values of equal access and opportunity by empowering young people with spinal cord injuries with the physical independence and renewed self-esteem needed to actively participate in society.

The state-of-the-art treatment and rehabilitation center will be equipped with cutting-edge technology and innovative resources. In addition to treating patients, the center will also generate and disseminate new science and technology. Within its first four years, it is anticipated that the center will treat 500 patients with spinal cord injuries, mainly youth and young adults between the ages of 12-35 who live in poverty and in a state of high vulnerability.

SPAIN

The Don Bosco Institute in Cadiz, Spain, has launched a soccer team for youth with disabilities.

Cadiz Virgili Don Bosco, a five-a-side soccer club founded at the Don Bosco Institute in Cadiz, Spain, expanded its sports-educational offerings with a team dedicated to people with disabilities known as the Eyser team. The team launched in 2021. Training for team members takes place free of charge on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Don Bosco Institute.

The team’s name honors George Eyser, the first Olympic athlete with a disability, who won six medals as a gymnast. The Eyser team was an initiative of the Don Bosco team’s coaches, Teresa Atero and Néstor Villegas, and has received the support of the Don Bosco Polideportivo Club and of the five-a-side soccer team Cadiz Virgili Futsal.

Cadiz Virgili Don Bosco currently has several teams engaged in tournaments and training. The teams are run by qualified and certified coaches who, with the support of the Salesian community, promote the individual care and development of athletes.

Salesian Father Rafael Cazorla, coordinator of the Salesian sports club, added, “We want to achieve greater integration in sport. It is very important to work in this direction and that is why we want this team to continue to grow and be able to compete in tournaments in the near future.”

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Sources:

EL SALVADOR: Don Bosco University completes “Walking Anew!” project to transform lives of people with mobile disabilities/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

INDIA: Youth with disabilities gain jobs/Photo courtesy of Don Bosco India

MEXICO: Construction underway for the new Latin American Center for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries funded by USAID/Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions

SPAIN: New soccer team launches for youth with disabilities/ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

International Day of People with Disabilities 2022

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NIGERIA

(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Online Radio, located in Lagos, Nigeria, recently hosted the third edition of the Africa Face of Peace Pageant. This year, there was a focus on environmental sustainability and a selection of a king and queen and three members of their court. The radio station first put out a call for sponsors and released information for the applicants to register.

An audition was conducted online, given the various locations of the contestants. At the end of the process, 13 applicants were chosen to formally compete in the pageant. The contestants came together at the Don Bosco Animation Center in Akure in October.

During the event, they had to perform a defense of the topic “Environmental sustainability: How to battle plastic pollution as a pageant king or queen.” They also had to present any home appliance made from plastic or glass bottles. The contestants impressed the judges with the creative things fashioned out of bottles, including flower vases, a waste bin, a pencil and brush holder, pencil cases, toys, a table and a flower.

Contestants also participated in a skills program, karaoke night, movie night, drama presentation, environmental talk with an expert, and dance lessons. On Oct. 6, the contestants went to the ancient town of Idanre, in southwestern Nigeria, to climb the 660 steps up the ancient hills and experience the once thriving civilization.

The grand finale started with a unity dance performance by the contestants, and after the dance, contestants were each introduced. From there, they wore creative outfits portraying an African deity of their choosing and then performed in traditional outfits representing their ethnicity. The final event was a formal dinner outfit made from Ankara and other traditional African attire. At the end of the night, Franklin Ezeigbo was crowned king and Zita Akinrimisi was crowned queen.

“Salesian organizations around the globe have been focused on environmental sustainability projects and this pageant was a unique way to highlight youth talent and skills while promoting the topic,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This pageant also brought youth from all over Nigeria together to connect and learn from each other while focusing on an important topic that impacts us all. It was a great event for everyone involved.”

According to UNICEF, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the ninth most populous country in the world. By United Nations estimates, Nigeria will be one of the countries responsible for most of the world’s total population increase by 2050. While Nigeria has the second strongest economy in Africa, it also has extreme rates of poverty with 100 million people living on less than $1 a day.

About 64 percent of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32 percent of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Nigeria – ANN Province promotes environmental sustainability with beauty pageant

Salesian Missions – Nigeria

UNICEF – Nigeria

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the Dominican Republic have launched the Salesian Environmental Training Center, known as EcoBosco, which is a space built to promote the environmental care and defense of natural resources. EcoBosco is located in Arroyones de Básima in the province of Villa Altagracia and is 45 minutes from the city of Santo Domingo.

EcoBosco was built with the support of the Swiss Salesian organization Jugendhilfe Weltweit through the Salesian Don Bosco Foundation. It also received funding from the Office for the Promotion of Nonprofit Associations granted by the Department of Community Participation of the Ministry of Education.

The goal is to train future leaders in the management and care of natural resources, as well as promote and develop sustainable actions for care, reforestation, and agriculture in the area. The center’s training programs will encourage youth to be more environmentally focused. EcoBosco has a multi-purpose hall with a capacity for 250 people, camping areas, two houses, a kitchen and dining hall, paths for access to a forest, a lagoon, a parking lot and other common areas.

This project was developed as a response to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ to raise awareness and increase action on the values ​​of integral ecology. This is one among many ecological projects Salesian missionaries have launched around the globe.

“Salesians are focusing on creating training programs and other initiatives to focus on environmental sustainability,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesians are working to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders.”

The center’s inauguration was attended by authorities from the province, environmentalists, Salesians, and youth from the Salesian ecological movement, who were able to learn first-hand about all the projects that will be developed there.

Nearly half of youth under the age of 18 live in poverty in the Dominican Republic, according to UNICEF. Although the country’s economy has been steadily improving, the country’s poor still struggle to get enough food to eat and to access safe drinking water and adequate housing. Only 30 percent of youth finish primary school and only 18 percent finish secondary school on time. Schools are in poor shape with nearly half having no access to safe drinking water and more than 60 percent lacking adequate bathroom facilities.

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

ANS – Dominican Republic – Salesians inaugurate environmental training center “ECOBOSCO”

Salesian Missions

UNICEF – Democratic Republic of the Congo

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) Young women in need of vocational training turn to Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, for courses at Salesian centers such as Maison Marguerite and Foyer Annuarite. Recently, 166 young women, including many single mothers, graduated from vocational training. More than 80 of them were trained in cutting and sewing, 49 as hairdressers and beauticians, and 33 in culinary arts.

International Voluntary Service (VIS) supported Salesian efforts to train young women as part of the project to eradicate forms of violence against adolescent girls and adult women in vulnerable situations as well as victims of conflict in Goma. Empowering women is only one step in the fight to end violence.

The graduation ceremony began with a Catholic Mass presided over by Father Jean-Pierre Muhima, rector of Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center. This was followed by the distribution of the vocational placement kits to the newly graduated women. There were numerous state authorities in charge of vocational training from labor and social affairs, Salesian trainers, and lay staff from VIS present at the graduation.

“Young girls and women who have access to education have a chance at a better life,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “By empowering women through education, we are putting their futures in their hands. They will be able to earn an income and support their children, make healthier choices and have more stability in their lives while giving back to their communities.”

Don Bosco Ngangi Youth Center has been providing social development, medical, and educational services to poor youth and their families since 1988. Started first as a youth center, it expanded to provide assistance to those in the region affected by war, other violence and natural disasters. In 1997, the center added kindergarten, elementary, secondary and vocational education as well as a literacy center and medical facility. In the midst of wars, violence, and poverty, the center has welcomed, educated, cared for, and supported more than 26,000 children.

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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Sources:

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

ANS – D.R. Congo – 166 girls and mothers in need graduate from “Don Bosco Ngangi” vocational training programs

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNICEF – DR Congo

*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.

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(MissionNewswire) Residents of the Ruurumwe village, located outside of Rundu, Namibia, have access to clean water thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The project, part of the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative,” provided a new borewell, water tank and pump.

NAMIBIA

The 550 people living in the village are poor and survive on small-scale farming and government grants. The water supply from a small seasonal river is erratic and too often not enough. During the summer, residents survive on water from holes and small wells, but this water is not safe for human consumption. The new borewell and 5,000-liter water storage tank will supply fresh, clean water for the entire village and allow people to grow food for the community.

One of the beneficiaries, Ethel Hamutenya, has had a difficult life. She had to stop school at grade 9 after she became pregnant, and she has not been able to go back. Hamutenya struggles to find work to earn money to feed herself and her child. She is grateful for the new water supply.

Hamutenya said, “Today I have a small garden that has given me hope in my life. I have planted some vegetables and my life has changed because of this water. If I work hard, after next year, I will have enough money to go back to school.”

According to the World Bank, Namibia is just one of nine countries in Africa considered as upper middle income, but poverty is still prevalent with extreme wealth imbalances. Namibia’s poverty rate is 32 percent with an unemployment rate of 29.6 percent. Poverty in Namibia is acute in the northern regions of Kavango, Oshikoto, Zambezi, Kunene and Ohangwena, where upwards of one-third of the population lives in poverty. HIV prevalence in the country is 16.9 percent.

Salesian programs across Namibia are primarily focused on education. Salesian primary and secondary education in the country helps youth prepare for later technical, vocational or university study. Other programs help to support poor youth and their families by meeting the basic needs of shelter, proper nutrition and medical care.

To learn more about the Salesian Missions Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Namibia

World Bank – Namibia

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EL SALVADOR

(MissionNewswire) Two nursery and primary schools in El Salvador received school furniture thanks to a donation from Father Mark Hyde, former director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Fr. Hyde is currently working at St. Rosalie parish in New Orleans. When the parish primary school closed, Fr. Hyde made sure that the furniture was donated to Salesian Missions for use abroad.

The donation, which was sent to the Laura Vicuña Pro Education Foundation for distribution, impacted 127 students at the Mary Help of Christian School in San Salvador and 275 at the Obra Social María Auxiliadora School in Chalchuapa. The new furniture has improved the educational environment of these two schools.

Sister Maria Antonieta Salguero Abrego said, “Educational environments are a fundamental part of the learning process for many children. Receiving new school furniture has created a more comfortable environment for the children to sit and engage with the learning materials. Comfort not only helps students pay attention, but it also allows the body to be in correct postures that leads to better learning. Improvements in the children’s academic performance is ultimately what we strive for.”

Sr. Abrego added, “This also builds children’s confidence and allows them to aim for academic excellence. This will better secure their futures after school and will further aid them in taking care of themselves and their families after school. Being able to provide an enriching experience for the children not only makes the staff and children happy but also brings comfort to parents knowing that their children are being well looked after and prioritized at school.”

Close to 22 percent of El Salvador’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. Youth in El Salvador 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 in El Salvador is more important than ever with 12 percent of youth ages 15-24 unemployed and 41 percent underemployed.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – El Salvador

World Bank – El Salvador

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ZAMBIA

(MissionNewswire) More than 300 residents of the Kamakuti village in Kabwe, Zambia, have clean, fresh water thanks to the Salesian Missions “Clean Water Initiative.” The project provided funding for a new borewell, water tank and pump in the village, which hosts one of the Salesian St. Mary’s Parish village chapels. Salesian Missions is the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

St. Mary’s Parish has four village chapels where priests meet people on a weekly basis for catechesis, prayers and sacraments. During the weekdays, the Salesian community utilizes these chapels for daily meetings and fellowship. Local women also use the chapels as meeting places and children’s preschools.

The villages lack basic services including water, proper sanitation and transportation. There is also a lack of education facilities for children, and people travel long distances to access a health center.

This is the first time this community has clean fresh water. Women and children will no longer have to travel a distance to bring back water to the village. Mr. Kasongo, a long-time village resident, could not believe that running water was now available. Another woman shouted, “Our children will live!” Children are often given the only water available from unsafe shallow wells, which can cause health complications that impede their growth.

“We appreciate our donors who have supported this water project,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions. “Water projects in Zambia and around the globe ensure people coming to Salesian parishes, schools, and centers have access to the water they need. This brings a sense of hope and dignity to the people Salesians serve.”

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64 percent of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80 percent, according to UNICEF. Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily and people do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as shelter, nutritious food and medical care.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic has also taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.

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Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia

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(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries offer a range of social services and educational programs in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Salesians operate a parish, a youth center, primary and secondary schools, and a vocational center. The Salesian vocational center is currently offering the program “Vocational Training for Young Mothers in Malabo.”

The program caters to young women who had to drop out of school early because of pregnancies, those who were forced out of the home by their parents or those with children who are not recognized by their fathers. Currently, the Salesian program has 30 young women who are pregnant or have newborn babies. The program is supported by Don Bosco in the World Foundation, which promotes and supports programs in Salesian organizations around the globe.

This program is particularly important because laws in Malabo prevent pregnant young women and young mothers from attending school. Without the opportunity offered by the Salesians to learn a trade, these young women would not be able to gain an education. They would remain in a system that stigmatizes and punishes them while restricting them from gaining the skills for stable employment.

“This Salesian vocational training program provides young women an opportunity for education when they have been denied an ability to gain these skills,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Without an education or any skills for employment, young women are not able to care for themselves or their children. The skill they are learning will not only improve their lives but ensure that their children’s basic needs are met and that they too can go on and gain an education, having a solid start in life.”

Equatorial Guinea is experiencing a deep economic crisis caused by the worldwide decline in oil prices. The poverty in which most of the population was already living has worsened even more with the loss of jobs due to the closure of oil facilities.

In 2020, the United Nations Development Programme ranked Equatorial Guinea 145 out of 189 countries in its Human Development Report. While poverty statistics are hard to come by because the government in the country controls the media, the U.N. has noted that more than half of Equatorial Guinea’s population is living in conditions of poverty and still lacks access to clean water. The country also lacks good infrastructure including schools and hospitals.

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

ANS – Equatorial Guinea – “Vocational training for young mothers of Malabo”: a schooling and reintegration project for adolescent mothers

Human Development Report 2022

Salesian Missions

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, are reporting that the war between the regular armed forces and the rebels of the M23 group, accused of being supported by some neighboring countries, has caused thousands of people to flee toward the city.  Mostly women and children are suffering and dying.

Thousands of people from the area north of the city of Goma have come to the playgrounds surrounding Don Bosco Ngangi. They are seeking peace and security and have set up a camp for displaced people in the center’s three sports areas and on the fields of neighboring communities. Men, women, and children who are fleeing the combat zones in the Rutshuru Territory, North Kivu Province, are visibly tired, hungry, and traumatized.

The situation is dire as there are not enough supplies for people and this area was not set up for a camp like this. There are no latrines, drinking water, food or firewood. During the first day, about 30 trees were cut down to build more stable shelters and provide wood for cooking. In addition, about 10 food plantations of local residents were damaged. Supplies are desperately needed and Salesians are calling for help.

Father Aurélien Mukangwa, Salesian provincial delegate for the eastern zone of the Central Africa Province, resides in Goma and recently released a statement about the ongoing situations. He wrote, “We have just returned from a patrol completed as far as Kilimanyoka to learn about the conditions of the people displaced by the war, who are still without assistance, and especially the situation of the displaced youth and children. We also went to Kanyarucinya parish for a discussion with the pastor who has already referred an orphan to our Don Bosco Ngangi center. It is difficult to witness, unable to intervene, the misery to which so many innocent people are being forced. There are more than 2,500 displaced and homeless families.”

Fr. Mukangwa requested, “That is why I ask you, dear brethren who are in Goma, to be open and willing, according to your possibilities (and as a community) to do something for the displaced youth, in collaboration with the Project Office of the AFC-EST Delegation. The time has come when we must go out to meet the youth, our target recipients, in the existential peripheries. I invite you to go and see for yourself so that you can see this for yourselves. Let us unite in prayer for peace in the east of our country.”

Salesian missionaries in the Democratic Republic of  theCongo have responded with support and humanitarian aid. Salesians noted “Let us make this situation known and, according to our possibilities, let us bring humanitarian aid and call for peace in the Great Lakes region. And let us pray both for the victims of this situation, and for those in power.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – An appeal to help people fleeing war

ANS – Democratic Republic of Congo – A camp of displaced people spontaneously arises around Salesian work “Don Bosco Ngangi”

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNICEF – DR Congo

*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.

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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

(MissionNewswire) More than 360 youth received nutritional support at Don Bosco Kansebula, located in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo*, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Youth benefiting from this food were ages 6-22. Many are are in secondary school and college as well as 82 young Salesians studying at Don Bosco Kansebula. Single mothers from the villages also received this donation. The goal was to provide ongoing balanced nutrition for young Salesians and other vulnerable youth.

Don Bosco Kansebula also has a 44-hectare farm that supplies food for the Salesian formation house and to the village nearby. Since its beginning, Don Bosco Kansebula has provided young Salesians with philosophy education and has given them shelter and nutritional support while at the school. Villagers living near Don Bosco Kansebula have used the farm to cultivate food for themselves and the community.

One of the beneficiaries was Kyundundu Mbilizi Fabrice, who is 25 and in high school, Fabrice said, “I studied agriculture in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at Uvira. Now, I am at Kansebula as Salesian of Don Bosco in post-novitiate. At Kansebula, we have a garden and we produce vegetables and keep some domestical animals. Villages and confreres have benefited from what is produced in the garden and in the farm as well. I am really happy for what our benefactors are doing for us in order to fight hunger and I encourage them to continue in that direction.”

Salesian missionaries have been working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for more than 100 years ensuring that the most vulnerable children are not forgotten. Salesian primary and secondary schools and programs lay the foundation for early learning while Salesian trade, vocational and agricultural programs offer many youth the opportunity for a stable and productive future.

Despite its vast material wealth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has long been a very poor nation. Half of the country’s population lives below the poverty line living on less than $1 a day, especially those in rural communities. Because of ongoing strife and violence within the country, more than 8.5 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. More than 4.1 million Congolese are now displaced with 620,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.5 million people do not have enough food to eat.

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Sources:

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Salesian Missions – Democratic Republic of the Congo

UNICEF – DR Congo

*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.

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