Education and Transformation in Papua New Guinea
March 9, 2020
Ten years ago in Papua New Guinea, young Xavier Loipio’s life was in a downward spiral. Having dropped out of school and sporting a self-described attitude problem, he sold the highly addictive betel nut on the streets in order to fund his developing drug habit. “I often wondered, ‘What will...
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Walking in Mama Margherita’s Footsteps
March 9, 2020She was raising five children as a single mother—yet still had enough love to give to others. Hearing the call to serve, Berta André approached Salesian missionaries in Luanda, Angola, and soon discovered herself caring for some of the city’s most vulnerable youth. Today, she remains an...
Empowering Youth Through Education
March 9, 2020In El Salvador, violence and crime have soared to such an alarming degree that an estimated 60,000 youth are involved in some form of gang activity—the heartbreaking, and seemingly intractable, legacy of the country’s brutal civil war. In response, Salesian missionaries are working hard to...
Cooking up Hope for Lebanese Students
February 11, 2020With unemployment nearing 22 percent among young adults in Lebanon, it’s difficult for the country’s youth to maintain optimism for their futures. In collaboration with expert Italian chefs, Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Technique in Fidar aim to change this with a newly revitalized...
Serving Those Fleeing Poverty and Violence
February 11, 2020“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me…” Matthew 25:35-36. In Guatemala, Salesian missionaries are living these words every day. All along the Guatemalan-Mexican border,...
A Wellspring of Kindness in the Desert
February 11, 2020It was a sweltering afternoon and a relief supply vehicle has traveled for two hours through the vast desert to a remote African village. A group of children and elderly have gathered around in hopes of getting something to eat and drink. Despite their desperation, each person patiently waits their...
A Future Beyond Extreme Poverty in Ethiopia
January 17, 2020Culturally and commercially, Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s shining star: a capital city bustling with outdoor markets, world-class museums and a vibrant diversity. Glistening in almost constant sunshine, this metropolis of nearly 4 million people manages to transcend its construction, congestion and...
A ‘Brigade of Joy’ in Ciudad Juárez
January 17, 2020Extortion. Drugs. Gangs. Violence. In the not-too-distant past, life in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico was so dangerous that few residents ventured into the streets. Storefronts closed. Parks and playgrounds emptied. A generation’s worth of joy was draining from the city as children—especially those...