‘Rescued from the Street’ produced by Don Bosco Foundation in Makululu

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in Zambia have released the new documentary “Rescued from the Street”, produced by the Don Bosco Foundation in Makululu. The focus is on the lives of youth who lived on the street and the success they find at Don Bosco Makululu in the city of Kabwe.

Youth end up living on the streets for various reasons, including poverty, abandonment and family violence. They earn a living by transporting food, collecting plastic and asking for money. Many start sniffing glue to forget about their situation and quickly become addicted.

A Salesian said, “These youth are poor and lonely living on the streets of Kabwe. Their entire life is challenged by having to develop tricks to survive, unless they meet an outstretched hand to pick them up and offer them an opportunity.”

Don Bosco Makululu is located in what is considered the largest informal settlement area in Zambia and one of the largest in Africa. There were lead and copper mines in the area that make the soil, air and water highly polluted.

The Salesian added, “Now the mines are closed and many people have lost their jobs because of it. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of the nearby villages come to Kabwe because they are convinced that life is easier in the city, but once they arrive, they discover that they do not have a job and that they have to look for occasional jobs to live day by day.”

Most families cannot meet the educational needs of their children, given the extreme poverty. Family breakdown along with alcohol abuse, prostitution and high mortality caused by diseases such as HIV/AIDS, are the most common problems affecting this population.

Youth who arrive at Don Bosco Makululu are as young as age 7. These youth need shelter, clothing, nutrition and security. At Ciloto, the Salesian orphanage for street children, they regain their childhood, although overcoming addictions and trauma is a time-consuming process.

“Our school welcomes all children in difficulty,” said the Salesian. “”Sometimes we get 14-year-olds who can’t read and write. They would no longer be accepted in a public school. We create classes for them, so that they can start their education. We have more than a thousand students in the school. In the future, they will be able to find a job and not worry about their daily meals.”

The Don Bosco Foundation produced the documentary available in Italian and English on YouTube. It was previously produced in Polish by the Salesian Missionary Foundation Don Bosco in Warsaw.

Poverty is widespread in Zambia with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line. For those living in rural areas, the poverty rate rises to 80%, 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.

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Sources:

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

ANS – Zambia – “Saved from the Street” the documentary by the Don Bosco Foundation in Makululu

Don Bosco Makululu

Salesian Missions – Zambia

UNICEF – Zambia