Salesian Missions Tuloy Foundation runs schools, orphanages and residential programs for street children in the Philippines. Here, according to UNICEF, drop-out rates double as children reach secondary school and more than 11 million youth are out-of-school.

Without education, youth struggle to find work and often remain in poverty. Education and providing access to education for all youth are the primary goals of the Salesians in the Philippines.

“A new book in the hands of a student opens him or her up to the opportunities that are available through education. While this is true whether it takes place down the street or across the globe, it is especially powerful in places like the Philippines,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The Salesian Tuloy Foundation provides a chance for at-risk youth to succeed in school. Youth are able to take part in an alternative learning module with five levels of instruction in six subjects. Students progress from first grade through high school. Older youth pursue vocational training in a variety of technologies, including automotive, electrical, welding and woodworking. Salesian programs provide practical vocational skills in addition to standard education, enabling youth to support themselves once they graduate.

There is also a focus on agricultural education for youth in the Philippines. The Salesians run three specialized training centers teaching modern agricultural skills – as well as how to use and maintain light machinery that make filling, planting and harvesting more efficient. The results are encouraging with almost 60 percent of graduates successful in finding employment and 25 percent of graduates running their own farms.

“Education has proven to be an effective means of breaking the cycle of poverty, while giving the most vulnerable youth a sense of personal dignity and self-worth,” says Fr. Hyde. “Salesian vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools in the Philippines give youth practical skills that enable them to grow into productive adults who contribute by rebuilding communities and stopping the cycle of poverty.”

In addition to residential and educational facilities, youth can also take part in the Tuloy Nature Therapy Center. For those conditioned to life on the street, the 4.7 hectare retreat introduces young people to the beauty of nature. The center also offers youth the chance to learn about farming and agriculture while using its livestock and vegetable garden to help supply food.

Thousands of youth have rebuilt their lives with Tuloy Foundation’s programs. Since it began in 1993 with 12 children, it has grown into a comprehensive program with multiple facilities – all focused specifically on the needs of at-risk youth.

As the needs of youth grow in the Philippines, so do Salesian programs – ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.

In more than 130 countries around the world, Salesian Missions programs range from classroom education and feeding programs to agricultural and trade schools. They have provided orphanages and shelters for homeless youth to more than 3 million. The focus of the Salesians’ work is on making education a reality, even for the poorest youth, while also providing the essentials such as food and housing.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Work in the Philippines

Salesian Missions – Tuloy Foundation

The post PHILIPPINES: Donated Educational Books Increase At-Risk Youth’s Chances for Success in School first appeared on MissionNewswire.

The strollers were provided by Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc., (K.I.D.S.) through a partnership with Salesian Missions. A donation made possible through a partnership with World Vision provided new clothing for youth. The Salesian Missions Office for International Programs worked to identify specific needs for the goods, covered the cost of the shipment and coordinated the delivery and distribution of the items.

The baby strollers—donated by Jeep and delivered through K.I.D.S.—were distributed to Salesian-run sites in Sri Lanka, including child development centers caring for abandoned children with disabilities. The strollers will aid staff in caring for and transporting children with disabilities more effectively.

Dulitha, a 6 year old boy with cerebral palsy, is one of the children who will benefit greatly. Unable to walk and abandoned as an infant, he relies on his caretakers at the center. Previously, the only option was to carry Dulitha so he could take part in activities. However, with so many children to care for this was nearly impossible.

Thanks to the new strollers, Dulitha no longer has to be left behind. “Now his caretakers are able to keep him comfortable as well easily take him around,” said Father Shiran Karawgodage, Salesian project director in Sri Lanka.

The donated strollers will impact families in need for years to come as they are passed down from family to family.

“For families in poverty, the strollers provide a means of greater mobility, allowing mothers an alternative to carrying their infants,” said Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Mothers would often remain at home instead of engaging in community gatherings because of the distance they would need to carry their children. The baby strollers lessen this burden.”

A donation of clothing and outdoor apparel from World Vision reached 1,233 children in nine locations. While Sri Lanka is most traditionally viewed as a tropical island, the central hills of the country can become quite cold, according to Fr. Karawgodage. Many of the families in this region are laborers at the nearby tea estates and local farms. Families are typically large with three to four children and most families are living in poverty.

Dinesh, a 12-year-old boy who lives in Bandarawela received a new jacket—the first jacket he has ever owned. Dinesh is from a poor family and has two siblings, a father who works at a nearby farm and a mother who works as a part-time cook.

“Our work in Sri Lanka goes beyond traditional education and development activities. We work to provide basic needs like clothing and other items. Our strong partnerships aid us in these efforts,” said Fr. Hyde. “Meeting basic needs that many of us take for granted can have a major impact on a person’s quality of life, their ability to engage in their community and, in the case of youth, their self-esteem and ability to learn.”

Salesian Missions depends on donations so that it can help make the delivery and distribution of donated goods and aid available to those most in need around the globe. To learn more and make a donation, go to SalesianMissions.org.

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Salesian Missions is a proud partner of many nonprofit organizations and government agencies in the United States, and around the globe.

About K.I.D.S.

Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.) was founded in 1985 with the mission of providing new kid-essentials to children and teens who have been impacted by poverty and tragedy. With a network of more than 1,000 local partner agencies located in all 50 states and consistently low overhead costs; K.I.D.S. is able to effectively and efficiently deliver products directly to children when and where they need it. Since its inception, K.I.D.S has provided almost 1 billion dollars of new product to help nearly 70 million children. The charity continues to be recognized by Charity Navigator with its highest four star rating. The Chronicle of Philanthropy places K.I.D.S. among the top 2 percent of non-profits in the U.S. and Forbes Magazine ranks the charity 6^th in fundraising efficiency. K.I.D.S. receives both product and financial donations directly from companies, foundations and individuals with 97 percent of the value of all donations going directly to children and teens in need. For more information, go to www.kidsdonations.org.

About World Vision:

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. It serves the world’s poor — regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, visit WorldVision.org/press or follow them on Twitter at @WorldVisionNews.

The post SRI LANKA: Donations from Salesian Missions Partners Help Orphans, Children with Disabilities first appeared on MissionNewswire.

“I read one book. The topic was about the systems in the human body. I read about building strong bones in the body,” says one student, Mulesigwa Wyclif, who wrote about what she has learned about bones, muscles and nerves in a thank-you letter decorated along the edges with flowers. The books are available for the students to use during their study time at the library and during their free time.

“A new book in the hands of a student opens him or her up to the opportunities that are available through education. While this is true whether it takes place down the street or across the globe, it is especially powerful in places like Uganda,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Uganda ranks 157 out of 182 countries in the 2007 Human Development Index. The people of Uganda face many significant challenges as they work to rebuild their country after decades of war left many displaced. One such challenge is combating the serious increase of HIV/AIDS, which has left millions of children orphaned, according to UNICEF.

Recently, the war and the its effects on Africa’s children grabbed international headlines with the release of “KONY 2012,” a short film created by the U.S. nonprofit organization, Invisible Children, which focused on Ugandan guerrilla leader Joseph Kony.

“We have seen the devastating results of conflict on individual lives, families and countries. But we are also seeing how people here in Uganda are making enormous efforts to overcome everything that they’ve faced and build better lives for themselves,” says Fr. Hyde.

Another project of Salesian Missions in Uganda is the Don Bosco Children and Life Mission, located approximately 15 km from Kampala. It currently provides services to more than 210 at-risk boys, ages 8-17, through a variety of programs. These include:

• Educational programs where boys attend primary schools and technical courses to learn job skills.
• Sports to engage youth.
• Youth clubs that increase awareness around HIV/AIDS and sexuality.
• Guidance counseling and life skills training.

“As they grow and develop, boys move through different stages until they reach the final goal of an independent, productive life,” says Fr. Hyde.

In more than 130 countries around the world, Salesian Missions programs range from classroom education and feeding programs to agricultural and trade schools. They have provided orphanages and shelters for homeless youth to more than 3 million children. The focus of the Salesians’ work is on making education a reality, even for the poorest youth, while also providing the essentials such as food and housing.

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