(MissionNewswire) “Youth movements are shaping global trends” is one the three key opportunities identified in the Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). According to the report, “This new level of engagement presents a unique opportunity for the international humanitarian system to integrate youth perspectives and leadership, ensuring humanitarian action is more inclusive for young people.”

The opportunity comes at a time when youth are facing increasing difficulties, according to the report, which adds, “Economic and employment prospects for young people—already tough before the pandemic—have become even more dire.”

“The proportion of youth who are not engaged in employment, education or training activities has remained stubbornly high over the past 15 years. It now stands at 30 per cent for young women and 13 per cent for young men worldwide. An estimated 600 million jobs would have to be created over the next 15 years to meet youth employment needs,” states the report.

Working in more than 132 countries around the globe, Salesian missionaries focus on empowering youth and providing them with opportunities to use their talents and make their voices heard. The wide range of programs offered includes skills development in more than 1,000 vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools.

Ensuring job training for youth at risk of trafficking

Youth at Salesian centers in Ghana have access to education and skills training so they are able to find and retain stable employment.

In Ghana, Salesian missionaries operate four centers across the country that serve poor youth who are at risk of exploitation, child labor and human trafficking. There are two centers in the urban area of Accra, a center in Tatale and one in the city of Sunyani.

Salesian Technical School, located in Tatale, has recently started courses in construction, catering and electricity. The new courses provide both classroom learning and hands-on experience in the field, so that youth can demonstrate their practical experience when applying for work.

Many youth gain employment from the internships that they have as part of their education, which makes the transition from school to work easier.

“Youth at these Salesian centers are provided social services, including shelter and nutrition, and also have access to education and skills training so they are able to find and retain stable employment and become self-sufficient,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Part of the goal of providing education in employment sectors that are hiring is to discourage youth from leaving Ghana and seeking employment in other countries where they often fall victim to human trafficking and other risks.”

Strengthening youth-led initiatives

Computer science students hope to provide technology tools to vulnerable populations in 12 cities across Ecuador.

Students at the Salesian Polytechnic University campus in Quito launched the “Donate your computer” initiative to bring technology tools to students for remote learning access. The 30 computer science course students who started the project hope to provide technology tools to vulnerable populations in 12 cities across the country.

The initial goal is to provide 500 technological tools—including tablets, laptops, PCs and keyboards—so that children and older youth can attend virtual lessons, do their homework and maintain hope for a better world through education.

One of the students taking part in the initiative said, “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate what it means to be good Christians and upright citizens.”

Salesian University offices on the campuses in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca are donation collection centers. An IT application was also developed that allows donors to know the status and destination of what they have donated, providing transparency. The evaluation and repair of the equipment are handled by students in the system’s engineering and computer science courses. The Salesian Province of Ecuador, Don Bosco Mission and Salesian Polytechnic University collaborated on the project.

María Rosa Chasiluisa, who lives south of Quito and has six children, was one of the recipients of the donation. She said, “Thank you very much for giving this help to my children. I’m very happy because with this computer, they can make a career for themselves. I felt bad because my children, many times, were unable to connect to lessons or send their homework on time.”

According to UNICEF, only 37 percent of families in Ecuador have internet connection. In rural areas, only 16 percent of households have network connectivity. This means that these children cannot study at home, which has been critical since many areas are focused on remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Giving vulnerable youth opportunities

Poor and orphaned youth receive educational programs, summer activities and more through the support of Salesian Missions donor funding.

At Don Bosco Snehalaya, located in Guwahati within the Indian state of Assam, Salesians of Don Bosco operate five homes for poor and orphaned youth in the region, as well as educational programs, summer activities and more through the support of Salesian Missions donor funding.

When there are not lockdowns in place, children in the five homes go to school for the day, and in the evening, they engage with their peers in social activities or receive extra help with their schoolwork.

“Students who did not perform well in school are being given extra tutoring in the evening so they can do better and keep up with other students,” said Father Thadeus Kujur, director of Don Bosco Snehalaya. “The situation with the pandemic is difficult because children have not been able to participate in their normal activities and are missing time in school. Staff at Don Bosco Snehalaya have been supporting students and their families as much as we can right now.”

In addition to education, youth are provided health checkups, individual and group counseling. Students have also participated in anti-child labor, anti-child abuse and anti-trafficking activities to bring about more awareness of and exposure to these issues.

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Sources:

Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

GHANA: Youth gain employment with new courses, internships

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

ECUADOR: New Salesian initiative brings technology tools to children and older youth for remote learning access

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

INDIA: Salesian Missions donor supports programs for youth at Don Bosco Snehalaya

Photo courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

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(MissionNewswire) Due to COVID-19, up to 150 million new people could be living in extreme poverty by 2021, says the Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The report also states how unemployment is affecting workers worldwide:

— Nearly 80 percent of the 2 billion workers in the informal economy have been hurt by work hour losses.

— Many are working in the hardest-hit sectors such as accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and retail.

— Women, who make up the majority of informal workers and are over-represented globally in these sectors, have been disproportionately hurt by economic losses.

Around the globe, Salesian missionaries and Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, focus on helping vulnerable people by providing access to educational opportunities that match the local employment needs.

In nearly 1,000 Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools, youth gain the skills they need to secure sustainable jobs and improve their lives. Many programs focus on job training for young women.

Scholarships support young women in South Sudan

Scholarships covering 50 percent of school tuition makes it much easier for young women to gain an education in South Sudan.

Young women attending the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center in Juba, South Sudan, have received scholarships to help continue their studies thanks to funding from Salesian Missions donors. The scholarships cover 50 percent of the school’s tuition, making it much easier for young women to gain an education.

“This program has given me the courage to return to school after completing my secondary education. I had not been able to continue in school because of financial problems. After noticing that women were given this opportunity, I became much motivated because it is now affordable for me. This program has contributed much in my personal life by allowing me to obtain knowledge and skills. Without it, I cannot imagine how I would have continued my education or found a good job,” said student Ayany Pamela.

John Garry, a teacher at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center, noted that the center and education provided have played a role in transforming the lives of youth in many ways. In South Sudan, due to lack of financial support, many families force their girls into early marriages. The program’s goal is to reduce the incidence of early marriage and allow young women to gain an education and independence in the workplace.

Garry added, “As a citizen of the country, I see a lot of improvements as more girls gain an education. There are numbers of girls joining technical fields such as general electricity, auto mechanics and computer IT, which has not always been the case in South Sudan. Without any doubt, very soon our girls will compete with men in the development of the country in such fields. Don Bosco and our benefactors have given hope to many parents with very limited financial income.”

Partnership with USAID helps young, vulnerable as part of COVID-19 response

The “Salesian Solidarity with Italy: the Emergency Response to COVID-19” project gives students access to online tools and technology.

With support from the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Salesian Missions has launched a new project: “Salesian Solidarity with Italy: the Emergency Response to COVID-19.”

This activity is one element of USAID’s $50 million commitment to Italy to help save lives and build resilience for the future.

The project will help develop technical and vocational training for students who have experienced a lapse in education due to the pandemic. With an unpredictable timeline for a return to normalcy, these investments in career-focused training will help young people make up for any loss in education access. With the local Salesian partner CNOS-FAP, this effort will reach more than 25,000 students.

In addition, the project will provide the funding to acquire annual licenses for technical software, e-simulators and e-platforms aimed at delivering distance learning in vocational fields and at simulating practical work-based environments. One of the challenges with e-learning is the inability of lower income students to access online tools. Thanks to ongoing relationships with Apple and other companies, it is possible for CNOS-FAP to acquire educational devices for its students at competitive prices. In addition, 550 start-up technology kits will be donated to the most vulnerable and poor students.

“The United States is proud to support ‘Salesian Solidarity with Italy: the Emergency Response to COVID-19.’ This project will provide online educational training, as well as food, protective equipment, and psychological assistance to vulnerable populations across Italy. Coordinated action is essential to mitigating the long-term effects of COVID-19,” said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, Callista L. Gingrich. She added, “Faith-based organizations such as Salesian Missions are reliable partners in providing care and support to those most in need during this pandemic.”

Young women gain skills for available tailoring jobs in India

Salesian programs prepare students for work in fields that are hiring and jobs are available, such as tailoring in areas of India.

Don Bosco Human Resource Development Center, located in Gagillapur, Hyderabad, India, has graduated 15 young women from a two-month basic training course in tailoring. The center has trained more than 3,000 youth since 2010.

The training helped them prepare for work in a tailoring shop or some may start their own small tailoring business to make a living, support themselves and help their families.

“Salesian programs not only educate, but they prepare students for work in fields that are hiring and jobs are available,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions.

Earlier in the year, the Don Bosco Development Center’s tailoring department was able to sew 1,000 masks as part of the early prevention efforts for the COVID-19 pandemic. The masks were distributed free of charge to the poor in the local area and within the state of Telugu.

“Salesian centers around the globe are working in their local communities to address the pandemic that is affecting us all,” said Fr. Baek. “Salesian missionaries live in the communities where they work and are perfectly positioned to respond in times of crisis. They are working within their programs to keep youth and staff safe and healthy and providing help to their communities when possible.”

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Sources:

Photos courtesy of Salesian Missions (contact for usage permissions)

Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

SOUTH SUDAN: Salesian Missions donors provide funding for scholarships for young women to attend Don Bosco Vocational training center

ITALY: With US government support, Salesian Missions to help over 24,000 young people and vulnerable populations across Italy

INDIA: Young women gain skills for tailoring jobs

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