In November 2015, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released their Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, which noted that there are 115,738 homeless in California, higher than that of the previous year and more than several states combined. In the same year, a partial assessment of the County of Los Angeles estimated more than 40,000 homeless within that region.

Youth have met several homeless individuals during the volunteer weekends and have come to learn their stories. Andrew lives on the streets repairing bicycles to earn a meager living. Jimmy has been unemployed for six months and homeless as a result. Nieshell has been living on the streets for more than eight years due to a substance addiction. Another man was left homeless after losing his Louisiana diner during hurricane Katrina in 2005. Youth have not only fed the homeless but have given them a voice, learned their stories, and provided compassion and hope during a challenging time.

“It’s really wonderful to see so many youth focused and happy to be giving to others in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Youth are learning important lessons through their volunteer work. They are working as a team and showing compassion for those that are less fortunate. They are also taking action, helping to improve their own communities. Nutrition is an important part of proper health and also provides dignity to those who often live unnoticed in our society.”

Working in 132 countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries have created a vast network of primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools serving poor youth. With a focus on education and workforce development, Salesians worldwide provide disadvantaged youth valuable resources to help them find livable wage employment to break the cycle of poverty and lead meaningful and productive lives.

Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth clubs offer young people opportunities for engaging in constructive activities during their leisure time. Through organized programs which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth. Some youth clubs also offer small medical clinics and, where needed, lunch programs to protect children from malnutrition. Youth programs also offer valuable volunteer opportunities for youth to have a chance to engage with others and support their own communities.

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ANS – United States – Change is only possible with adequate support

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – The 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress

Photo: ANS

The post UNITED STATES: Youth from Salesian Parish Volunteer to Feed Homeless Each Weekend first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The border between the United States and Mexico spans 1,969 miles and has more than 20 checkpoints along its route. Constant migration is taking place between the two countries with Mexican migrant workers traveling to U.S border towns seeking employment and immigrants from both countries crossing back and forth in addition to cases of undocumented Mexicans being repatriated.

Many border towns are plagued by crime and violence such as the illegal trafficking of drugs, weapons, money and people where the consequences of social and political tensions between the two nations are felt. Salesian missionaries have been working in Mexico and in these border towns for more than 25 years and have recently increased cooperation between the Salesian Province of Mexico-Guadalajara and the Province of USA West. The goal is to work together to address the increase of violence and insecurity in the region and launch proposals for education, social integration, drug prevention and combating the effects of organized crime.

According to UNICEF, there are 52 million people living in poverty in Mexico, approximately 45 percent of the country’s population. For children, the rate rises to just over 53 percent with more than 20 million youth estimated to be living in poverty and 5 million of those in extreme poverty.

Salesian missionaries in Mexico primarily direct their efforts toward the country’s at-risk youth, including girls and young mothers. Creating safe havens and improving educational opportunities are essential to deter youth from life on the streets where they are susceptible to drugs and gang violence.

“Young people need environments where they feel safe,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “In many Mexican cities that are branded as violent and chaotic, Salesian work has revealed that there are many youth living there who are full of dreams and talents and who have high hopes for a productive and happy future free from violence.”

Currently, the Tijuana Project is serving more than 9,000 people in six Salesian oratories, a parish and a public dining hall which serves food to close to a thousand homeless and migrant people every day. The entire project is facilitated by six Salesian missionaries with the help of volunteers, local collaborators and benefactors in both Mexico and the United States.

In support of the project, Salesian missionaries in the U.S. have been organizing “missionary weeks” for young volunteers. This year, volunteers from Bellflower, California worked together in the oratories and in the public dining hall where they fed those in need, organized activities for children and accompanied youth in charitable activities.

“Every day there was a chance to give of their best for the good of others. There is not much time to rest in Tijuana, there is so much work to be done,” said Armando Prieto, one of the volunteers taking part in a missionary week.

Innovative Salesian programs in Mexico are preventing poor children from dropping out of school and are providing important opportunities for their future. At-risk children take part in Salesian programs that integrate education, social activities and technical training. Classes are also offered in sports, music, dance and drama and give youth access to safe environments and adults who serve as mentors. The goal is to guide youth back into mainstream education so that they can reach their full potential.

“Salesian missionaries in these communities continue to provide education, safety and the promise of a better future for youth in need,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Our programs in Mexico differ depending upon the needs of each specific community but they all share the goal of providing education while building a sense of dignity and self-worth.”

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Sources:

ANS – Mexico – A mission of solidarity with those most in need

UNICEF – Mexico

The post MEXICO: Salesian Tijuana Project Serves More Than 9,000 People Living in Poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The tour included visits to various stations in the biomedical engineering workshop at the medical center where engineers explained how the equipment works and how technology is helping doctors and nurses provide the best care for their patients. They also shared with the students what it takes to be a good biomedical engineer: a fascination with the creation of tools that help promote peoples’ health.

The high school students also visited the medical center’s clinical simulation laboratory where they were introduced to patient simulators capable of presenting hundreds of medical conditions in realistic scenarios. The lab is used by medical students to build upon their schooling by developing practical hands-on skills. The Biomedical Pathway program at St. John Bosco gives high school students exposure to many of the major concepts behind human medicine with the goal of inspiring them to pursue higher education and a career in health care.

“Biomedical Pathway students have an interest in health care and unique experiences like this where students can meet health care professionals and explore different careers in health care first-hand is invaluable,” says Robert Linares, biomedical pathway coordinator at St. John Bosco High School.

Throughout their four years at St. John Bosco High School, students are taught health and science technology, biomedical ethics, anatomy and physiology, cell and molecular biology and biochemical genetics as well as participate in field work and gain real world experience. Students conduct independent research, participate in medical simulations and attend lectures provided by physicians, research scientists and other health care professionals. Upon graduation, students have a solid knowledge base to build a future on.

Long Beach, the seventh largest city in California, has close to 18 percent of its population under the age of 18. According to U.S Census data, the city has a poverty rate of 22.8 percent which rises to 33 percent for youth under the age of 18. Access to education and hands-on learning opportunities is critical to prepare youth for advanced studies or the workforce.

“Working in more than 132 countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries have created a vast network of primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools serving poor youth,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “With a focus on education and workforce development, missionaries provide disadvantaged youth an education and valuable resources to help them find livable wage employment all with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty and helping youth lead meaningful and productive lives.”

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Sources:

ANS – United States – St. John Bosco High School Students Explore Careers in Health Care

Census Data – Long Beach, CA

St. John Bosco High School

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Originally founded as the Salesian Boys’ Club, it was established in San Francisco in 1918 by Father Oreste Trincheri to serve at-risk boys and those living in poverty in the North Beach area, an area accounting for 60 percent of the city’s delinquency rate. Father Trincheri’s goal for the club was to provide a positive atmosphere and structured activities for boys in the area. In 1994, after serving only boys for almost 80 years, the club opted to include girls and expand its programs accordingly.

“Our primary mission is working with the underprivileged, but we are very diversified ethnically and socioeconomically,” said Russ Gumina, executive director of the Salesian Boys & Girls Club, in a recent Catholic San Francisco article about the reopening. He also noted that the club has many children from local public housing projects as well as from middle class and wealthy families. He added, “I told the archbishop we are the best kept secret in San Francisco.” The archdiocese is leasing the land the club sits on to the club for $1 a year for 70 years – which the club has already paid upfront.

Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth clubs offer young people opportunities for engaging in constructive activities during their leisure time. Through organized programs which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth.

“I’ve been a member since I was about 4 or 5 years old,” said Dave Mana, 60, at the club’s grand reopening, according to the recent Catholic San Francisco article. “There are so many great things about the club. The fact it kept us on the straight and narrow is one thing.”

The Salesian Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco provides a safe space where youth can engage in sports, music, art and other social activities. Programs help build confidence and teach team building and conflict resolution skills. Leadership development, health programs and wrap-around family services are also offered and help youth connect with their peers, families and communities. The Salesian club offers drop-in services as well as scheduled activities. It also serves as an after-school program for the local St. Peter and Paul School.

“The Salesian Boys & Girls Club targets youth who would otherwise be on their own during their time away from school,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Instead of being on the streets or home alone, young people are able to join in the youth club’s activities and use their free time productively, staying safe and accessing support services that help them stay in school and keep focused on leading a happy and healthy life.”

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Catholic San Francisco – Grand reopening of ‘landmark’ Salesian Boys and Girls Club

Salesian Boys & Girls Club San Francisco

The post UNITED STATES: Salesian Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco Reopens after $11 Million Renovation first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Out of the 1,000 Boys and Girls Clubs across 14 states in the Northeast, the Salesian Boys and Girls Club of East Boston was one of two clubs in the region to be selected for the national award. According to an East Boston Times article, Father John Nazzaro, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of East Boston, traveled to Princeton, New Jersey on Oct. 29 to receive the award on behalf of the club.

“This is really an honor,” said Fr. Nazzaro in the East Boston Times article. “We really are a small club compared to some of these other clubs in the region that have huge facilities but we were able to double our enrollment over the year to 320 kids in attendance daily.”

“This award belongs to the hard working staff and young people who see the Salesian spirit of reason, religion, kindness and active presence every day,” added Fr. Nazzaro in the article.

The mission of the Salesian Boys and Girls Club is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. The organization has been serving youth in East Boston and the neighboring communities of Revere and Winthrop since 1945. The clubhouse provides a space for young people to engage in projects and recreational activities, receive assistance with homework and tutoring and have access to computers and a daily snack. It also serves as a site for neighborhood activities.

The Salesian Boys and Girls Club of East Boston accommodates 320 young people a day in its after-school program which costs $20.00 per child each year, a very minimal fee as compared to similar programs. Serving children ages 6 to 19, the program runs from 2:30 to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The club has more than 1,000 active members.

Through the club’s educational programs, youth learn social and life skills. The Torch Club is a leadership and service club for boys and girls ages 11 to 13 that aims to meet the special character development needs of young adolescents at this critical stage in life. The Keystone Club provides older youth, ages 14 to 18, with leadership development experiences. Members participate in activities in three focus areas including academic success, career preparation and community service. In addition, Salesian staff offer a program that promotes financial responsibility and independence among club members ages 13 to 18. Participants learn how to manage a checking account, create a budget, save and invest, start small businesses and pay for college.

More than 200 young people participated in a summer day camp offered at the Boys and Girls Club last year. Annual fundraising activities such as a breakfast hosted by the club raise money to allow youth who otherwise could not afford the summer programs, to attend.

“We do a lot with the money we get and we have over 40 families that receive scholarships for our program each summer,” said Fr. Nazzaro in the article.

With the addition of new programs and services and a change in location, the Boys and Girls Club of East Boston has been far more successful than in previous years when they were lucky to have 60 to 80 young participants a day. The recent award recognizes the club’s success in attracting and impacting neighborhood youth.

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East Boston Times – Salesian Boys and Girls Club Receives a National Award

Salesian Boys & Girls Club of East Boston

The post UNITED STATES: Salesian Boys and Girls Club of East Boston Receives National Award from Boys & Girls Club of America first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Actor Michael Peña and director Joe Kelly have collaborated on a public service announcement, You Are My Sunshine, for the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles. You are My Sunshine tells the story of a young girl’s journey to the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles where children from less fortunate circumstances are provided a safe place to dream, learn and become successful educated adults.

The public service announcement is available on YouTube and has been shared on Twitter by some of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities including actors Mark Wahlberg and Andie MacDowell, director and producer Michael Bay and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Michael Peña also provided another short film which is available on the Salesian Boys & Girls Club’s website, speaking about his own connection to the Salesian club. Since 1966, the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles, located within walking distance of more than 13,000 elementary, middle and high school students, has served the Boyle Heights and City Terrace communities by providing positive after-school activities and low-cost alternative programs for thousands of at-risk and economically disadvantaged youth between the ages of 6 and 18.

Young people living in the East L.A. area face a number of challenges. According to the most recent 2012 U.S. census data, close to 27 percent of residents of East L.A. live in poverty, an increase from the overall 15.3 percent poverty rate for California. Youth living in poverty face lower rates of high school graduation and difficulty finding and maintaining employment as well as struggle with high crime rates and gang activity. Only 50 percent of youth living in East L.A. graduate high school and only 7 percent go on to college. For those involved in the Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles, more than 85 percent graduate from high school and 50 percent go on to college.

“Youth living in poverty in East L.A. communities often have difficulty remaining in school. They also face high levels of unemployment and pressure to join gangs and engage in other illegal activities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian youth programs provide positive role models, structured activities, a safe place to get off the streets and a nonviolent, supportive environment in which to engage with peers.”

Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth clubs offer young people opportunities for engaging in constructive activities during their leisure time. Through organized programs which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth. Some youth clubs also offer small medical clinics and, where needed, lunch programs to protect children from malnutrition.

Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth clubs offer young people opportunities for engaging in constructive activities during their leisure time. Through organized programs which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth. Some youth clubs also offer small medical clinics and where needed, lunch programs to protect children from malnutrition.

The Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles provides a safe space where youth can engage in sports, music, art and other social activities. Programs help build confidence and teach team building and conflict resolution skills. Leadership development, health programs and wrap-around family services are also offered and help youth connect with their peers, families and communities. In addition, the club offers at least one full meal a day and additional tutoring and educational programs to complement school studies. Currently the club has more than 3,400 registered members.

“The Salesian Boys & Girls Club targets youth who would otherwise be on their own during their time away from school,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Instead of being on the streets or home alone, young people are able to join in the youth club’s activities and use their free time productively, staying safe and accessing support services that help them stay in school and keep focused on leading a happy and healthy life.”

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Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles

United States – Hollywood stars collaborate for LA Salesian Club

The post UNITED STATES: Actor Michael Peña, Director Joe Kelly Collaborate on PSA for Salesian Boys & Girls Club of Los Angeles first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Fletcher Jones Foundation was established in 1969 by computer science pioneer Fletcher R. Jones who was a noted mathematician, businessman and pioneer in the rapidly evolving field of computer science in the 1950s. He co-launched the Computer Sciences Corporation in 1959 with business partner Roy Nutt. While the Foundation’s primary mission is to support private colleges and universities in California, Bosco Tech’s emphasis on preparing bright, talented young men, many from under-served communities, to further their STEM education and careers, is in keeping with the Foundation’s goals in education.

The innovative science, engineering, technology and math curriculum at Bosco Tech allows students to exceed university admission requirements while completing extensive integrated coursework in one of several applied science and engineering fields.

“Bosco Tech is extremely grateful for the Fletcher Jones Foundation’s support and confidence in our students and our programs,” says Xavier Jimenez, president of Bosco Tech. “The new laboratories will function as central learning hubs for students to broaden their understanding of engineering in a sophisticated, real-world environment where disciplines are integrated in up-and-coming professional fields. Students will collaborate on engaging projects that require an understanding of several different areas of science, engineering and design.”

Celebrating its 60th year, Bosco Tech is an all-male Catholic high school that uniquely combines a rigorous college-preparatory program with a technology-focused education. Bringing together young men of all religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, the school has a mission of preparing its students to be life-long learners committed to leading successful and productive lives. Programs at the school include computer science, electrical engineering, media arts and materials science, among others.

According to 2012 U.S. census data, close to 18 percent of residents of Rosemead live in poverty, an increase from the overall 15.3 percent poverty rate for California. Youth living in poverty face lower rates of high school graduation and difficulty finding and maintaining employment. Bosco Tech encourages its students to excel academically while helping them remain in school and stay focused on continuing their education into college. For the last several years, all Bosco Tech graduates have achieved college acceptance.

Working in more than 130 countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries have created a vast network of primary, secondary, vocational and technical schools serving poor youth. With a focus on education and workforce development, missionaries worldwide provide disadvantaged youth valuable resources to aid them in finding livable wage employment.

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Sources:

ANS – United States – Laboratories of the future to be opened at Bosco Tech

Don Bosco Technical Institute

United States Census Bureau – Rosemead, California

The post UNITED STATES: Don Bosco Technical Institute Receives $250,000 Fletcher Jones Foundation Grant first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Pope Francis has nurtured close ties to Salesian missionaries and priests throughout his life and recently praised them for their work bringing hope and relief to those living in poverty. The Pope was baptized by a Salesian priest, educated in a Salesian school and encouraged in his vocation by the same Salesian priest who introduced his parents to one other.

On June 24, prior to his U.S visit, the Pope sent a letter to Father Ángel Fernández Artime, the Salesian Rector Major in Italy, in honor of St. John (Don) Bosco’s bicentennial birthday on August 16. In the letter, Pope Francis praised the work of Don Bosco and the Salesian Family and highlighted Don Bosco’s call to service and his work with poor and disadvantaged youth. Pope Francis also praised Salesian efforts in establishing education and social development services that are open to all youth regardless of language, race, culture or religion.

On the historic occasion of Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S., Salesian missionaries celebrate the powerful bond that unites them on behalf of the poor, the disenfranchised and the exploited.

“Salesian missionaries are dedicated to caring for poor youth through programs that are innovative in design and customized to meet local needs,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Missionaries focus on helping young people become self-sufficient through education and skills training that leads to employment, which in turn builds strong communities.”

To date, more than 3 million youth have participated in Salesian programs. Through these programs, more than 30,000 Salesian missionaries are working in more than 130 countries around the globe providing poor youth and their families access to education, workforce development, humanitarian relief, youth clubs, health services, feeding programs and more. Salesian missionaries educate more than 1 million youth in more than 5,300 primary and secondary schools and nearly 1,000 vocational, technical and agricultural schools.

Salesian missionaries are widely considered one of the largest private providers of vocational and technical training in the world. Programs focus on helping vulnerable youth in some of the poorest places on the planet by providing access to educational opportunities that match local workforce development needs. Through Salesian skills training programs, youth are able to gain the skills necessary to find and retain stable employment. This work helps grow local economies and breaks the cycle of poverty for poor youth and their families.

“Salesian missionaries are often faced with challenges when providing programs in some of the most difficult environments, especially after natural disasters and in regions plagued by conflict and war, but despite hardship, their mission to bring hope and opportunity to those living in poverty remains strong,” adds Fr. Hyde.

With more than 20,000 people in attendance, Pope Francis celebrated mass at New York’s Madison Square Garden during his visit. Among those present included priests from three Salesian communities and Salesian Brother Salvatore Sammarco who led a team of day laborers to make the Pope’s chair for the mass. In addition, some of the linens used during the mass were made by women from the Salesian parish of Corpus Christi in Port Chester, New York.

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ANS – United States – “Go out and proclaim this joy which is for all the people”

Salesian Missions – In Solidarity with Those on the Margins

The post UNITED STATES: Salesian Missionaries Reflect on Pope Francis’ Message of Providing Hope and Opportunity to Those in Poverty first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Don Bosco Children and Life Mission, located just outside of Kampala, the largest city and capital of Uganda, was the primary recipient of the rice-meal donation. Through an educational program at the mission, more than 200 at-risk boys aged 8 to 17 have access to primary, secondary and technical education along with sports programming, youth clubs, guidance counseling and life skills training. The rice meals were also shared with the Salesian-run Children’s Project in Luweero, a town in Central Uganda.

The meals are provided to students during the school day and serve as an incentive for families to send their children to school. As a result of the donation, students are thriving. Many have gained weight, suffer fewer illnesses and are more focused on their studies. Teachers are seeing better student performance in class and the two programs have increased enrollment rates as a result of the feeding program.

“Access to nutritious meals allows youth to be better prepared to take part in school activities and focus on their education,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Prepared students are more likely to learn valuable skills that will help them gain employment, break the cycle of poverty in their lives and enable them to give back to their communities.”

Included in the shipment of rice meals, coordinated by Salesian Missions, were donated books and soap as well as a box of sports equipment donated by the soccer team at Oswego State University in New York. The sports equipment donation was facilitated by Paul Kwoyelo, a student at the university and member of its men’s soccer team. A former student of the Salesian-run St. Mary’s School in Uganda, Mr. Kwoyelo was eager to do something to support the Ugandan students.

“It’s been said to never forget where you came from and I was a student at St. Mary’s seven years ago,” said Kwoyelo in a note he sent to the students with the donation. “The Don Bosco community has played a big role in my life. Throughout my four years at St. Mary’s, I grew as a student, a Christian and a friend. I currently reside in the United States where I am studying computer science at a university. I find myself always reflecting over the wonderful times I had at St. Mary’s. I vividly remember the time when a package was delivered to the boys boarding from the United States. The package brought smiles to everyone’s faces and I have forever cherished that momentous occasion.”

“In the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to have met some great people in the U.S, including my coach and the Oswego State men’s soccer team,” added Kwoyelo.  “With the collaboration of these generous individuals, we were able to put together a package with the goal of making annual shipments to specific locations. I hope this package brings the same joy I once had, back when I was a student, and I hope it motivates everyone to keep working hard.”

Close to 67 percent of Ugandans are either poor or highly vulnerable to poverty, according to UNICEF. While the country has seen some economic growth as well as improvement in its Human Development Index ranking over the last 20 years, the country still ranks near the bottom at 161 out of 186 countries. After decades of war left many displaced, the people of Uganda face many significant challenges as they work to rebuild their country.

Approximately 86 percent of Uganda’s 34 million inhabitants make their living farming but nearly 40 percent of Ugandans lack access to clean water for work and household use. Uganda’s literacy rate has improved with 73 percent of the population literate but only 23 percent of Ugandans go on to acquire a secondary education. According to UNICEF, one of the biggest challenges in the country is combating the serious increase of HIV/AIDS that has left millions of children orphaned.

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UNICEF – Uganda

The post UGANDA: Salesian Students Have Better Nutrition Thanks to Rice Meals Donation from Stop Hunger Now first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Started in 2013 through a $1 million grant from the Social Fund for the Development of Japan and administered by the World Bank, the orchestra was begun as a way to address the rising rates of youth violence in San Salvador, El Salvador and has since become a vital resource for youth living in the area. Close to 1,000 young people who live in violent, gang-infested, crime-ridden areas of San Salvador have turned to the Don Bosco Youth Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus as an alternative to becoming involved in local conflict and violence.

Salesian Father José Moratalla, known as Father Pepe, runs the orchestra program and is president of the Salesian Education and Work Foundation. Originally from Spain, Father Pepe has worked in El Salvador for the past 30 years. Bryan Cea, the 25 year old orchestra director, has had a similar experience to most of his students having grown up in the local area surrounded by poverty and violence. For many of the students, joining the Don Bosco Youth Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus was their first opportunity to pick up a musical instrument or have music lessons.

There are 470 students from various public schools in San Salvador taking part in the music program (220 in the symphony orchestra and 250 in the chorus), ranging in age from 8 to 20 years. Existing school rivalries and conflicts are left behind when they enter the program which is operated out of the Don Bosco Industrial Polygon complex in San Salvador. Unity and a sense of cooperation prevail as geographic and other differences are put aside and the young musicians live and work together peacefully.

“These kids come from 60 public schools in high-risk areas that are sometimes separated by rivalries and competition and by the sad reality of our gangs, but in this endeavor we are one,” said Fr. Moratalla in the NBC news story. “When we put a musical instrument in human hands, and one can see how you can express feelings through it, a child changes both inside and out. They find the hidden treasure they didn’t know they had, they have a sense of security, their self-confidence grows, their personality matures and they all have big smiles. All because of a musical instrument.”

Because of the cost of travel and U.S. visas, only 130 students out of the 470 member ensemble were able to participate in the concert tour. The group spent time fundraising prior to the trip and stayed with local families to save money during their stay. They will continue to fundraise afterwards to pay for any additional costs.

“Our mission at the World Bank is to eliminate poverty, and we look at the obstacles to eliminating poverty including crime and violence, which go hand in hand,” said Humberto López, director for Central American programs at the World Bank in the NBC news article. “With high rates of crime and violence, obviously there won’t be economic growth, and without economic growth you don’t have the kinds of jobs that give these kids an opportunity for a good future. This is a program to counteract the temptations of the streets that lead to crime and violence. And their musical talent is unparalleled.”

The orchestra has a standing invitation to tour and perform in California next year and plans are underway for a European tour as well. The hope is to be able to bring all members of the ensemble on future tours.

Close to 35 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.

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

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Sources:

ANS – United States of America – Don Bosco Youth Symphonic Orchestra from San Salvador wins over Washington

NBC News – Music Frees El Salvador’s Children From the Country’s Violence

The post EL SALVADOR: The Don Bosco Youth Symphonic Orchestra and Chorus Performs in Washington, D.C. on Its First North American Tour first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Recently, staff from the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs visited Ms. Crisafulli and her third grade students at the Academy of St. Francis of Assisi to talk about the shoe drive and share more information about the City of Hope and the students who will benefit from the shoe donation. Salesian Missions will coordinate the shipment and distribution of the shoes later this Spring.

“It was really wonderful to see so many students, especially the very young, focused and happy to be giving to others in need,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive Director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian missionaries in Zambia are working with poor children and their families by providing education and social programs. Having appropriate shoes to wear is important for students’ overall well-being and health.”

The Salesian-run City of Hope, an organization and school, was created to meet the needs of those living in the most severe poverty in Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka. The vast majority of children attending City of Hope programs are children who have been abused or live on the streets and those who are victims of child trafficking.

Currently, there are more than 800 students who attend the City of Hope’s Open Community School which serves those suffering from malnutrition, lack of education and family deprivation. Basic education is offered to youth between the ages of 9 and 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.

The City of Hope also offers a shelter that is home to at-risk girls referred through the social welfare system, the police and other institutions and organizations. Many have been orphaned and have nowhere else to go. There are currently 36 girls who live at the shelter ranging in age from 7 to 22 years. The shelter is not an orphanage but rather a safe place for girls to stay while they gain an education and make the transition either to living with other family or to a more independent life. To date, more than 150 girls have received services through the City of Hope’s shelter.

“The City of Hope is helping youth in Zambia lay the foundation for a better future,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Donations such as shoes help our students to remain healthy while avoiding risk for injury, infections and diseases caused by walking barefoot. Healthy students are more prepared in the classroom, better able to focus on their educational pursuits and go on to create better lives for themselves while improving their communities.”

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 taken its toll on Zambia’s children. More than 20,000 households in the country are headed by children whose parents have died because of HIV/AIDS. Many of these young children are desperate for adult support.

Sources

Academy of St. Francis of Assisi

Salesian Sisters City of Hope

UNICEF – Zambia

The post UNITED STATES: Third Grade Students at the Academy of St. Francis of Assisi Host Shoe Drive to Benefit Salesian-run City of Hope in Zambia first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Partnerships like this are vital in the effort to reduce the spread of disease in Haiti and around the globe. Oct. 15 of each year marks Global Handwashing Day, which seeks to raise awareness about this important issue. According to the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing, washing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries.

Working together, SoapBox Soaps and Salesian Missions are making an impact. Connecting supplies with programs on the ground—and ensuring their delivery and distribution in addition to measuring impact—is a key strength of Salesian Missions. The U.S. development arm is connected to an international network of Salesian missionaries, making it a valuable partner to companies and nonprofits that provide in-kind aid.

“Salesians are on the ground in Haiti working with children in need, so we were able to provide a pathway to bring the soap from the donors directly to the beneficiaries,” says Jessica O’Connor, property and logistics officer at Salesian Missions, the international development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Soapbox Soaps ensured the effectiveness of their donation by working with us to determine all the details of pricing and distribution beforehand.”

As a result of the donation, more than 140 boxes of soap—which will be used for personal hygiene—were provided to Salesian-run centers in Haiti. Salesians have been working in Haiti for many years and are positioned to enable organizations like SoapBox Soaps to reach people in need efficiently, even if the organization does not have an existing presence in the country.

Salesian Missions worked directly with the Salesian-run Rinaldi Foundation in Haiti to determine the brand, price and quantity of soap needed. Then, Salesian Missions made the request to Soapbox Soaps and coordinated the delivery to and distribution from Salesian centers in the country.

The World Health Organization estimates that close to two million people, mostly children under the age of five, die each year from hygiene and sanitation related illnesses. Most are from populations in developing countries who live in extreme poverty.

Since 2010, Haiti has experienced a deadly cholera outbreak and according to the United Nations, the country still hosts the largest number of suspected cholera cases worldwide with 698,893 cases and 8,540 deaths reported from October 2010 to the present. It is widely accepted that having access to clean water and soap is one of the best preventive measures.

“This donation is so vital to our programs in Haiti because it provides Salesian schools and homes for street children the ability to promote clean habits among the students and prevent the spread of disease in the institutions and local communities,” adds O’Connor. “By promoting the practices of washing and cleanliness, the Salesians not only teach students to care for their health and bodies, but also to respect themselves and have personal dignity.”

The donated soap is providing life-saving hygiene to several different Salesian-run sites in Haiti including the Lakay Center for Street Children, a school that brings youth in off the streets and offers them food, clothing, shelter and an education. Salesian institutions like Lakay then work to reintegrate youth back into society through a variety of education and workforce development initiatives.

“We started SoapBox to support amazing organizations like Salesian Missions,” says David Simnick, CEO of SoapBox Soaps,”Our whole mission is to empower customers with the ability to make the world a better place through everyday quality purchases.”

ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS WORK IN HAITI

The post HAITI: Salesian Missions and SoapBox Soaps Partnership Puts Soap into the Hands of Youth and Families at Risk for Cholera first appeared on MissionNewswire.

As reported by the Pew Research Center, the DHS report details, “For example, many Guatemalan children come from rural areas, indicating they are probably seeking economic opportunities in the U.S. Salvadoran and Honduran children, on the other hand, come from extremely violent regions where they probably perceive the risk of traveling alone to the U.S. preferable to remaining at home.”

Poverty is also a primary factor as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are among the poorest nations in Latin America with Honduras having 30 percent, Guatemala, 26 percent and El Salvador, 17 percent of people living in poverty on less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank.

To meet the needs of youth who have fled their Central American homes alone to make their way to Mexico, Salesian missionaries already working in border towns in Mexico such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Nogales, Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Acuña and Nuevo Laredo (among others), are responding with emergency shelter, food and other assistance. The journey these young people take from their Central American communities into these Mexican towns is fraught with danger. Many youth have died or have become seriously injured along the trip and others, faced with little food and water along the way, have fallen prey to theft, sex traffickers and other violence.

Once youth reach the border towns, Salesians there provide the essential first step of meeting their basic needs and offering them a safe place to stay. After settling into Salesian shelters, youth can access other Salesian services such as structured recreation and social activities that provide a way for them to bond with their peers and develop additional interests and skills.

“We reach out to them to provide a home, a school, a parish and a place where youth can meet and share as friends,” says Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez, S.D.B., Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. “Our goal is to address their essential needs.”

For decades, Salesian missionaries have been working throughout Central America on behalf of impoverished youth to tackle the root problems that have caused so many of them to flee. Much of this work focuses on improving economic opportunity through education and workforce development, teaching youth the skills necessary to find and retain long-term employment and become contributing members of their communities.

A cross with a kite attached to it marks where a child died tried to make it into the United States by crossing the Rio Grande in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The river is lined with similar heart-breaking memorials to lost children.

In San Salvador, El Salvador, the Don Bosco Worker Technical Institute offers free education and job training to marginalized youth at risk of joining gangs. As an alternative to criminal activity, more than 400 students pursue training in electricity, mechanics, carpentry, welding and tailoring.

“We cannot change the culture of violence and drugs — the same culture that so many youth migrants are fleeing — with an iron fist,” says Father Jose Moratalla, S.D.B., director of the institute. “Instead, we must use education to produce a new generation of entrepreneurs who can respond positively to the challenges and needs of their country.”

In Guatemala, Salesian missionaries are leading a broad and intensive educational effort that is training hundreds of teachers. In rural mountain villages throughout the country, 835 local students are enrolled in a three-year teacher training course. Upon receiving their certification, the new teachers will serve as many as 600 villages.

“Since this program was initiated, the number of schools in the Alta Verapaz region has doubled,” says Father Tony DeGroot, S.D.B., who founded the initiative. “Now, children who were previously destined to be trapped by a lifetime of illiteracy can see the path to a productive future.”

In Honduras, Salesian missionaries have been working for more than 100 years operating schools, youth centers and medical clinics to help support and educate impoverished youth and their families. In a country where one in four residents struggles with chronic malnutrition, food assistance plays a critical role in as many Salesian-run programs as possible.

“While the recent surge of unaccompanied minors traveling to the U.S. has drawn the nation’s attention to the daily horrors these children face — rampant gang-related violence, brutal murders and devastating poverty — the reality is that these conditions have existed in Central America for a very long time,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Any resolution to this complex situation demands a multi-dimensional response, one that upholds our moral obligation to the children who have already arrived, and one that works to effect systemic, sustainable change on behalf of those who remain in their home countries.”

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Sources:

Pew Research Center – DHS: Violence, poverty, is driving children to flee Central America to U.S.

Salesian Missions – Hope for Central American Child Migrant Crisis

The post CENTRAL AMERICA: Salesian Missionaries Assist Youth Fleeing Poverty, Violence by Focusing on Prevention first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Functioning side by side with Salesian schools, youth clubs offer young people opportunities for engaging in constructive activities during their leisure time. Through organized programs which often include sports and music, youth are taught teamwork and social skills while gaining opportunities for personal growth. Some youth clubs also offer small medical clinics and, where needed, lunch programs to protect children from malnutrition.

Here in the United States, the Salesian Boys and Girls Club in East Los Angeles, California is making steady progress helping youth living in poverty gain an education and go on to lead productive lives. Youth in the East L.A. area face a number of challenges. According to the most recent 2012 U.S. census data, close to 27 percent of residents of East L.A. live in poverty, an increase from the overall 15.3 percent poverty rate for California. Youth living in poverty face lower rates of high school graduation and difficulty finding and maintaining employment as well as struggle with high crime rates and gang activity.

“Youth living in poverty in East L.A. communities have difficulty excelling and remaining in school. They also face high levels of unemployment and pressure to join gangs and engage in other illegal activities,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Salesian youth programs provide positive role models, structured activities, a safe place to get off the streets and a nonviolent, supportive environment in which to engage with peers.”

The Salesian Boys and Girls Club recently wrapped up its summer camp with many campers continuing into the youth club’s fall programs. The club provides a safe space where youth can engage in sports, music, the arts and other social activities. The programs help build confidence and teach team building and conflict resolution skills. Leadership development, health programs and wrap-around family services also help youth connect with their peers, families and communities. In addition, the club offers at least one full meal a day and additional tutoring and educational programs to complement school studies. Currently the club has more than 3,400 registered members, ages 6 to 18.

“The Salesian Boys and Girls Club targets youth who would otherwise be on their own during their time away from school,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Instead of being on the streets or home alone, young people are able to join in the youth club’s activities and use their free time productively, staying safe and accessing support services that help them stay in school and keep focused on leading a happy and healthy life.”

Because of the continued success of its summer and fall programs, the Salesian Boys and Girls Club has been invited to develop programs in three local East L.A high schools as well as to open a new community location.

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Sources

ANS – USA – After Summer, SBGC Continues Don Bosco’s Mission in East L. A.

Salesian Boys and Girls Club

United State Census Bureau –East Los Angeles CDP, California 

The post UNITED STATES: Salesian Boys & Girls Club in East LA Helps Youth Stay Safe, Focused on School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Peru has also been plagued by hunger and disaster. According to the World Bank, close to 25 percent of children in the country are chronically malnourished. Communities continue to rebuild after an 8.0 earthquake in August 2007 which killed more than 500 people in the central coastal cities of Chincha, Pisco and Ica and injured hundreds more. The quake destroyed close to 60,000 residential and commercial buildings, leveled hundreds of acres of farmland and left countless Peruvians without means of livelihood.

Salesians in Peru have provided life-saving support and education to poor youth and their families as well as helped with rebuilding efforts after the earthquake. Salesians focus the majority of their programs on education and workforce development, helping to ensure that young Peruvians have access to the education and technical skills training that will enable them to find and retain long-term stable employment.

Through the Don Bosco Woodcarvers Cooperative of Chacas, young men have the opportunity to become skilled craftsmen. Each year, the cooperative admits 25 new students from impoverished backgrounds who want to advance their education and learn the woodcarving trade. Some of the students have been orphaned and many others are living in farming communities on family farms with little land, few animals and limited opportunities.

“Every young person deserves a chance to have a better life,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “This program helps young men who have very limited future prospects for stable employment and provides them the education and skills necessary to escape conditions of poverty. They are then able to help their families and communities.”

The cooperative provides a free five-year residential education program, recognized by the government, which includes high school education and job training. In addition to traditional academic classes, the cooperative education teaches students to paint and work with glass, wood, metal and stone. In the third year of the program, each student chooses a specialty. Upon graduation, a tool chest of saws, hammers, chisels and other equipment is given to each graduate who then may choose to start his own business or become a member of the cooperative.

Currently, 650 woodcarvers in 10 different areas of the Andes belong to the cooperative. Some of the furniture created is donated to poor families in need in the area. Additional work is exported throughout South America, Italy and the United States. According to a recent Catholic News Service article, the young men in the cooperative are paid according to the number of pieces they finish per month. On average, the woodcarvers earn 1,200 soles (US$430) with more experienced and skilled graduates earning 2,000 soles. That amount, according to the article, is on par with what a teacher or a medical technician earns in the region.

The cooperative was started in the Peruvian Andes in 1979 by Italian Salesian Father Ugo De Censi and is part of Operatión Mato Grosso, an organization composed primarily of young Italians who volunteer time to help the very poor in Peru, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia.

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Sources:

Catholic News Services – High in the Andes, Peruvian artisans create sacred art

Operación Mato Grosso

World Bank – Peru

The post PERU: Don Bosco Woodcarvers Cooperative Provides Education and Employment Opportunities for Poor Youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Few youth residing in Nairobi’s slums 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. UNICEF noted that while Kenya has free and compulsory education, youth in poverty still cannot afford to attend school resulting in close to 90 percent of children from poor households failing to complete their basic education.

Peter Ndung’u was raised in Kawangware, one of Nairobi’s slums. One of seven children, he grew up in poverty without access to education, proper shelter or nutritious food and with a mother addicted to alcohol causing her to be abusive and neglectful of her children. At a young age he lost one sibling to a fire that tore through the slum and another to suicide. Peter was forced to beg for food to survive.

“I was living a life of horror and fear and these circumstances eventually forced me to flee from the slums and join my friends in the streets,” explains Peter. “It is at this point that the harsh reality of life hit me hard. Life as a street boy is like living in the jungle. Survival is for the fittest and being in a gang is the cardinal rule for security and hustling for food and a place to rest at night.”

Although he always had a strong desire to learn and gain an education, the opportunity was not available to him until he met the Salesian Sisters of the Precious Blood Sisters in Riruta, Kawangware who were offering free lunch to street boys and families. The Salesian Sisters recognized Peter’s desire to learn and introduced him to Bosco Boys, Kuwinda where he joined a street youth rehabilitation program and then was chosen to become a student at St. Mary’s primary school.

The Bosco Boys program helps former street children in Nairobi, providing education and technical skills training for more than 600 boys and girls in primary and secondary schools and universities. In addition, the program offers two nursery schools in the slums of Kariua and Kuwinda.

Those who complete their primary education are assisted with gaining a secondary education or are advised to choose technical training at sister institutions. Secondary education can be undertaken at Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, Embu, or any other school close to a student’s home where they can be easily monitored.

In addition to the education provided, youth in the program are given professional counseling to help them overcome the difficulties they face in their lives. The program gives youth the tools to develop a positive healthy outlook on life and the education and training necessary to find stable employment.

Peter remained in Salesian schools through high school and after his graduation in 2010, Father Sebastian Chirayath, director of Bosco Boys, gave Peter an opportunity to volunteer for one year as a computer teacher and an eighth grade assistant. Father Chirayath then helped to secure a college scholarship for Peter who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a major in foreign policy and diplomacy at International University in the United States.

“I urge all the young people out there to go forward and gather a little courage to face the insurmountable mountains of problems before them and grab any opportunities to make their dreams come true,” adds Peter.

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Sources:

UNICEF – Poverty in Kenya

Don Bosco Eastern Africa Salesian Family Bulletin 1^st Quarter February 2014 – One Day I Will Tell My Story

The post KENYA: From Life in Nairobi’s Slums to College Student at International University first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Through a wide variety of programs, the Salesians make skills training in the latest technologies a priority in order for their students to keep up with the ever-changing job market. On-going partnerships between Salesian schools and local employers in the school communities help bridge the gap between classroom and workplace.

Here in the United States, the Don Bosco Community Center in Port Chester, New York is the site of a brand new computer lab made possible by CMIT Solutions of Southern Westchester and a donation from Richard Cashin and Robert Niehaus. Consisting of five Windows-based PC’s, six Macs, laser printers and a Mondopad, the new lab, staffed with instructors from The Digital Arts Experience in White Plains, will help disadvantaged youth learn necessary computer skills that can lead to future employment.

“We’re trying to expose children in Port Chester to this technology to get them ready for real life and teach them how to collaborate digitally,” said Paul Okura, president of CMIT Solutions, in a recent Port Chester Daily Voice article about the new computer lab. “By giving the children the opportunity to be exposed to technology at a younger age, they will be no different in their ability to tap into the digital world.”

Students without computer skills often have a tougher time competing in the job market and not just within technology fields. As other employment sectors such as nursing, finance and law move online, students who are unable to navigate the digital world will find themselves struggling to compete for livable wage employment, as Okura further elaborates in the press release.

“By the time these children grow up, they’re going to be much more competitive. They have no barriers, they will absorb information like a sponge, and will be much more technology savvy than their parents,” he adds.

The new computer lab is just one of many services offered at the Don Bosco Community Center, which has been an integral part of the Port Chester community for over eighty years. Other services include a soup kitchen and food pantry, educational programming for youth and adults and help for new immigrants and Port Chester’s long-time residents who have lived near or in poverty for years. The Community Center’s services are open to all, including adult men and women, parents in need, immigrant and day laborers and the elderly, unemployed, working poor and homeless.

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Sources:

Don Bosco Community Center Port Chester, NY – Website

Port Chester Daily Voice: Port Chester’s Don Bosco Center Launches New Computer Lab

The post UNITED STATES: New Computer Lab Enables the Teaching of Computer Skills to Prepare Youth for Employment first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The Center provides a soup kitchen, food pantry and educational programming for youth and adults. It also offers services to new immigrants and Port Chester’s long-time residents who have lived near or in poverty for years. Services are open to all adult men and women including parents in need, the elderly, the unemployed, the working poor, the immigrant and day laborers as well as the homeless.

“The primary goal of all our programs is to facilitate integration, increase self-sufficiency and decrease community tension while promoting the healthy development of youth, families and immigrants in Port Chester,” said Father Richard Alejunas, the executive director of the Don Bosco Community Center.

Since 2005, Salesian Missions has made substantial contributions to Don Bosco Community Center youth outreach programs by providing funding for building improvements and most recently, scholarship and financial aid assistance for its youth summer day camp.

Specifically for youth, the Don Bosco Community Center provides a Boys and Girls Club during the school year which offers a hot meal program to its members after school and on weekends. During the summer, the Community Center runs a youth recreational camp that operates from late June into August.

While camp costs roughly $700 per camper, past funding from Salesian Missions provided enough scholarships to enable 150 youth to attend camp free of charge. There, youth are able to participate in team sports, socialize with their peers and engage in skill-building activities. In addition, campers are provided breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks. For working parents, both before care and after care are available.

“The entire Village of Port Chester benefits from this project as well as all of the Community Center’s activities,” said Fr. Alejunas. “Our local community is becoming younger and poorer at the same time. Anything we can do to alleviate poverty and increase the quality of life of the young and our neighbors is not a luxury or an extravagance, but essential to building civic society.”

Most recently, the Don Bosco Boys and Girls Club launched Café Alma, a new culinary arts training program at the Community Center. The new program is part of a $2 million expansion aimed at enhancing the quality of life and providing future career prospects to the more than 1,000 youth that utilize the center each year. In June, a culinary educational pilot program for teens ages 13 to 19 began in the existing kitchen at Don Bosco. The hope is that the program will move into its new home when the building addition is constructed in 2013.

The expansion has drawn the attention of numerous Port Chester restauranteurs including Chef Rafael Palomino (owner of Sonora), Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer (owners of Bartaco) and Chef Andy Nusser (co-owner of Tarry Lodge). Local chefs will help develop the curriculum for the new culinary program and Chef Palomino has pledged his support to outfit the new culinary arts training center with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Our kids have big aspirations from owning restaurants to running their own businesses,” said Fr. Alejunas. “The expansion and this educational initiative will provide them the resources they need to achieve these goals.”

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Sources:

Don Bosco Community Center Port Chester, NY – Website

The post UNITED STATES: Salesians Support Local Youth through Don Bosco Community Center in Port Chester, NY first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The President’s proposal would eliminate funding for Food for Peace and Food for Progress programs. Further, it would transfer $1 billion of Title II funds to the International Disaster Assistance Account for local/regional procurement, US commodity procurement and cash transfers to local populations during emergencies and transfer about $200 million to the Development Assistance Account to support a “Community Reliance and Development Fund” that would provide assistance to chronically hungry and poor communities, but would not provide food aid. Lastly, it would create a $75 million contingency fund for emergencies and provide $25 million to a maritime-related program as a partial offset for decreased use of US-flag vessels to carry food aid cargoes.

These proposed changes amount to less funding and less flexibility than what is available in food aid today. The Alliance for Global Food Security, made up of partners from private voluntary organizations and cooperatives including Salesian Missions, believe the stakes in food aid reform are very high since the proposed reforms will affect the lives of millions of vulnerable people around the globe.

“Improvements and containing costs are necessary, but we must remember that the United States has the most comprehensive, transparent and responsive food aid system in the word,” says Ellen Levinson, executive director of the Alliance for Global Food Security.

“Once funds are shifted from Food for Peace to disaster assistance and development aid it is not possible to ensure that in the future they will continue to be used for food aid and technical assistance to help people overcome chronic hunger, the purposes stated in the President’s budget proposal,” explains Levinson. “Instead, it becomes a year-by-year process, eliminating the surety and oversight provided by the Food for Peace Act which has statutory objectives, publicly-vetted guidelines, procedures and regulations and a track record.”

The Alliance therefore recommends a three-pronged approach: maintain funding for Food for Peace and improve procurement and the approach to monetization under that program; use International Disaster Assistance funds for local and regional procurement, cash transfers and food vouchers; and fund a “Developmental Local-Regional Purchase Program” to build the capacity of small farmers and processors in food insecure areas of the developing world to improve the quality, safety and quantity of food aid for local programs. Further details are provided in a briefing paper that has been made available.

The Alliance points out that there is flexibility now to increase the amount of USAID disaster assistance funds used for local-regional procurement, cash transfers and food vouchers during food crises. Despite the difficult budget climate, the amount used for those purposes increased from $232 million in FY 2011 to $375 million in FY 2012. However, local procurement and cash distribution for food crises are not necessarily less costly than providing U.S. commodities. In FY 2012, the USAID programs cost an average of $2,836 per metric ton, compared to $1,188 per metric ton for emergency Food for Peace Title II food aid.

Moreover, the Alliance notes that the types and amounts of commodities available are typically limited in areas where food crises occur.

“Let’s not undermine a system that works and is the most visible sign of U.S. goodwill worldwide,” says Levinson. “Commodities from the United States are greatly needed since recipient countries do not produce enough food to meet their needs with an estimated 12 million metric ton shortfall across the 70 most food insecure countries.”

“Add to that poverty, poor infrastructure and recurring cycles of floods and droughts and it becomes sadly apparent why one out of every seven people has too little to eat,” concludes Levinson.

Alliance members are committed to addressing hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity. They operate in over 100 developing countries implementing emergency and development programs that build the capacity of local communities, enterprises and institutions. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, is one of 14 partners in the Alliance for Global Food Security.

For further information, please see FoodAid.org.

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ABOUT SALESIAN MISSIONS AND THE ALLIANCE FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY

The Alliance for Global Food Security is made up of private voluntary organizations and cooperatives–including Salesian Missions) which are committed to addressing hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity through the effective and accountable use of food aid and other resources in programs that are conducted in partnership with and improve the food security and nutrition of poor and vulnerable populations.  The Alliance seeks the adoption of responsible governmental policies and programs and the provision of adequate resources to achieve this goal.

The post UNITED STATES: Alliance for Global Food Security Suggests Changes in Opposition to President Obama’s Food Aid Reforms first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“The rise of the South is unprecedented in its speed and scale,” says the Human Development Report 2013, which uses the term “South” to mean developing countries and “North” to mean developed nations. “Never in history have the living conditions and prospects of so many people changed so dramatically and so fast.”

Meanwhile, the slowdown in economic growth, austerity measures and rampant unemployment in the industrialized world has brought pressure to bear on governments and societies in the North. Global economic and political structures are in flux and the sustainability of the growth spurt in the South is subject to the interrelated issues of governance and public investment.

The year’s report, entitled The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World, emphasizes that this change represents a global rebalancing far greater than that experienced during the Industrial Revolution, with the South becoming the main driver of economic growth and societal change for the first time in centuries.

“The Industrial Revolution was a story of perhaps 100 million people, but this is a story about billions of people,” said Khalid Malik, the report’s lead author.

The Human Development Report, released annually by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), assesses the state of human development on the basis of health, education and income indicators, as an alternative to purely macroeconomic assessments of national progress.

The initial report was published in 1990 by its authors, the late Mahbub ul Haq and Amartya Sen, and introduced a Human Development Index (HDI), which had been calculated by UN economists from 1975, and was essentially a ranking of countries based on strides made with a people-centric model of progress.

The HDI became an influential paradigm that would prod economists, government agencies, planners and development experts to rethink the income-based indicators that were in standard use to measure development success.

Launched today in Mexico City by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, this year’s report singles out big economies which have shown significant growth over the past 20 years, namely China, India and Brazil. It estimates that by 2020, the combined output of these three countries will surpass the aggregate production of the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada.

However, the ‘rise of the South’ goes well beyond these economies as more than 40 developing countries have made greater human development gains in recent decades than what was predicted.

Countries such as Indonesia, Mexico, Bangladesh, Tanzania and Yemen all registered significant growth, while nations such as Afghanistan and Pakistan had some of the fastest growth rates in the world with 3.9 percent and 1.7 percent over the past 12 years, respectively.

How has the South achieved such dramatic growth levels?

The report attributes many of the achievements of the South to smart national strategies that have allowed them to engage in the global economy while at the same time implementing social programmes that protect those most vulnerable.

“Economic growth alone does not automatically translate into human development progress,” Miss Clark says in the report’s foreword. Southern States are therefore not just tapping into global trade, but they are also improving health and education services, which have allowed them to sustain their growth. This comes in contrast to policies adopted by many developed countries which include austerity measures and cutting social programmes due to the economic crisis.

In Latin America, many countries have put in place programmes to eradicate poverty and address inequality such as Brazil’s Bolsa Familia, Mexico’s Oportunidades, and Chile’s Chile Solidario. These are conditional cash transfer programmes which offer to increase people’s income as long as they fulfil certain conditions such as visits to health clinics and school attendance.

This combination of policies has allowed the middle class in the South to expand and, by 2030, the report projects that more than 80 percent of the world’s middle class will reside in developing countries and account for 70 percent of total consumption expenditure.

Increasing online and mobile connectivity in the South

Increasing connectivity thanks to greater access to technology is also a factor that has contributed to the South’s growth. Globally, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and Mexico have more daily social media traffic than any country except the US. China also has more than half a billion people accessing the Internet daily through smart phones.

Indonesia, for example, invested extensively to connect its large cluster of far-flung islands to open the country to the outside world, and as of 2010, 220 million mobile phones were registered in a country of 240 million people.

In Africa, Asian-built mobile phones have made cellular banking cheaper and easier, while leading to better market performance and increased profits by small farmers, as seen in Kenya, Niger and Uganda.

Increasing incomes and the diffusion of technology have also given way to a more informed middle class that has social and political expectations, Mr. Malik said in a press briefing on Tuesday, which means that “the relationship between the State and its citizens is changing.”

He warned that if States are not mindful of these expectations, it could lead to social instability, as was the case in 2011 in various countries across the Middle East.

“The turmoil in several countries in the Arab States is a reminder that people, especially the young, who are better educated and healthier than previous generations, put a high premium on meaningful employment, on exercising a voice in affairs that influence their lives, and on being treated with respect,” the report says.

Booming South-South partnerships

The report highlights the increase in South-South trade and partnerships and projects that trade between them will overtake that between developed nations.

“Emerging partners in the developing world are already sources of innovative social and economic policies and are major trade, investment and increasingly development cooperation partners for other developing countries,” Miss Clark said.

China is already influential in Africa through trade investment as well as through assistance and cooperation. Between 1992 and 2011, China’s trade with Sub-Saharan Africa rose from $1 billion to more than $140 billion.

India is increasingly playing a larger role as a supplier of affordable capital goods to other countries of the South. For instance, Indian firms are supplying affordable medicines, medical equipment and information and communications technology (ICT) products and services to many countries in Africa.

In addition, migration between developing countries has recently surpassed net migration from South to North. “In our changing world, solutions are moving across the South, not from the North to the South,” said UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Ajay Chhibber.

However, a substantial share of South-South trade is driven by demand in the North. For example, since 2007, US exports to China and Latin America and the Caribbean have grown two and a half times faster than US exports to traditional markets in the North. A growing “app economy” supported by companies such as Apple, Facebook and Google employs more than 300,000 people whose creations are exported across borders, and developing country economies continue to be sensitive to shocks in the industrialized world.

Women’s education as a silver bullet for sustainable growth

While there has been remarkable progress, the report warns that there are still many challenges ahead for countries in the South, including an aging population, environmental degradation and inequality. Poverty and inequality are particularly worrying, as an estimated 1.57 billion people, representing 30 percent of the population in the 104 countries studied for the report, still live in multidimensional poverty.

The report provides a series of recommendations and, in particular, highlights education for girls as “the closest thing to silver bullet formula for accelerating human development.”

Many of the countries in the South still have dramatic gender disparities, and their challenge will be to boost efforts to allow women to participate freely in all aspects of their society.

“Gender inequality is especially tragic not only because it excludes women from basic social opportunities, but also because it gravely imperils the life prospects of future generations,” the report says, referring to findings which correlate women’s education to greater child survival, healthier children and better access to contraception.

The report also notes that the global system will need to adjust itself to the rise of the South, which is currently largely underrepresented in global institutions. For example, China, which is the world’s second largest economy, has had a smaller voting share in the World Bank than either France or the United Kingdom.

“Stronger voices from the South are demanding more representative frameworks of international governance that embody the principles of democracy and equity.”

Meanwhile, it merits mention that not all countries in the South are racing ahead. Of the world’s 49 Least Developed Countries, many are lagging behind in this revolution. Even as some are beginning to benefit from Foreign Direct Investment of the emerging giants like China, India and Brazil, there is much more to be done in terms of development transformation.

The report observes that there are three drivers of transformation: a proactive development state, tapping of global markets and determined social policy inclusion. Looking back at the inception of the HDI, it appears that countries that started at the same level – India and Pakistan, or Chile and Venezuela, or Liberia and Senegal – have ended up with different outcomes.

“History and initial conditions matter, but they are not destiny,” according to the report.

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See this United Nations article at its original location >

Rice fields in Sichuan, China. UN Photo/John Isaac

The post UNITED NATIONS: Developing Countries Experiencing Unprecedented Growth, Says UN Report first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Slade is one of 326 students enrolled in the Corporate Work Study Program at Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School, a private college preparatory school in Takoma Park that partners with businesses across the Washington metro area. For students, the program offers an opportunity to gain some professional experience early on, before they continue their education outside the walls of DBCR. For businesses, it trains the workforce of the future while providing capable, eager hands, willing to perform often mundane but essential office tasks for a low price.

“For me the biggest [value of] this program is the self-responsibility I see the students acquire, the reins they take of their own life,” said Kevin Virostek, managing partner for Greater Washington at Ernst & Young LLP.

The school trains students through a preparatory boot camp of sorts, then sends a rotating team of four to the partnering company’s office from September until June, with each student working about one day a week — five days per month. In return for what essentially equates to one full-time staffer, the company typically pays $30,000.

See the complete article on the Washington Post website >

The post first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The piece reported that 19-year-old Derontae Mason, who once slept in homeless shelters and on school playgrounds, is now headed to college thanks to the Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School in Takoma Park, Maryland, a Catholic college preparatory school for low-income teens.

In the piece, Mason says, “I had many obstacles that came across my way and made me want to be like, just forget it, throw in the towel you know? But the teachers, the staff, friends, family they all pulled together with Don Bosco and helped me overcome those obstacles.”

Mason, the piece noted, is part of Don Bosco’s first graduating class of 70 students, all of whom have already been accepted to various colleges and universities.

The CNN piece detailed early domestic problems and personal conflicts that forced Mason on to the streets when he was 15 years old. As one of six children being raised by a single mom with little money, he was in and out of homeless shelters. CNN reported that it was a child advocate that first alerted Mason’s mother to Don Bosco, which the piece notes is one of 24 schools in the country that use the Cristo Rey model: a combination of employment and academics.

Students, reporter Lazo reports, must work at one of the school’s designated job partners. The students are paid when the employer makes a financial contribution to the school.

Shafran explains to Lazo, “They’re picking up the culture of that corporate environment. They see the people that are there, and they’re picking up some great skills of interaction that’s helping to mold them and their own character.”

The piece goes on to say that Don Bosco went even further for Mason and helped him to arrange housing so he wouldn’t have to sleep on the streets. Families of other students at the school agreed on a rotation to let Mason stay in their homes.

Also in the piece, it says that high school was not always easy for Mason and that in his junior year one of his close friends was killed in a drive-by shooting. His teachers, the piece explained, kept prodding him to stay on track. CNN reports that Mason is now bound for Potomac State college in West Virginia on a scholarship with his sights set on becoming a pediatrician.

The article explains that for Mason this is just the beginning. Mason, a determined, soft-spoken young man, told reporter Lazo how much he will always cherish his four years at the high school. “I walk away from Don Bosco knowing I have people who care about me, more determination, perseverance than I can ever imagine.”

See to the original CNN piece: High School Gets Teen off Streets and into College.

The post CNN Piece Tells Story of How Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School Helped Teen Get Off the Streets, Into College first appeared on MissionNewswire.