Salesians feed 350 children at risk of starvation.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Nov. 12, 2024) Salesian missionaries in Niamey, Niger, have funding to support 250 families displaced from the communities of Makalondi and Torodi thanks to funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. Salesians are feeding 350 children who are at risk of dying from starvation. They have also been able to establish an emergency fund for the immediate needs of displaced persons.

A Salesian explained, “Being displaced from their communities, parents found it difficult to provide food for their children over the weeks of terrorist displacement. This lack of food was already degenerating to starvation and death until the support was provided. Since the provision of the support, the children have been cared for and nourished.”

Salesians are also providing a range of other services for families including temporary shelter for 61 families; water and kitchen items for cooking; and medical tests and treatments, especially for malnourished children and elderly people. Salesians are also ensuring access to education with preschool activities for children, literacy training for out-of-school adolescents, and awareness programs around personal hygiene, safety, first aid and security. Those who need extra support are also able to access counseling.

Niger, which is hosting more than 900,000 displaced people, is the main country of asylum in West Africa, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

According to the World Bank, Niger has a poorly diversified economy and is mainly dependent on agriculture. The extreme poverty remained stagnant at 48.4% in 2023 and is projected to increase to 49.9% by 2026. Close to 4.5 million people need humanitarian assistance, a number that rose from 3.7 million in 2022.

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