A ‘Brigade of Joy’ in Ciudad Juárez

Extortion. 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...

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Taking a Stand Against Human Trafficking

In India’s remote Himalayan foothills, where educational and economic opportunities are scarce, youth are particularly vulnerable to migration, labor exploitation and human trafficking. An innovative new partnership between Salesian College Sonada and the Rimpocha tea company promises to address...

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Global Battle Against Hunger

In East Timor, poverty is rampant and hunger is a daily fact of life. Most families rely on subsistence farming and rice cultivation as their primary source of food and income. But because of drastic weather patterns and other threats—such as pests and crop disease—that are beyond their...

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Innovative Technology to Track Homeless Youth

No one really knows how many kids roam the streets of Santiago, Chile—because they are notoriously difficult to find. Today, thanks to an innovative, award-winning tool created by staff at Fundacíon Don Bosco, case workers can literally see where they are—and deliver critical, personalized...

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Advice for Girls in South Africa: “Aim higher!”

Innocentia Vilakazi is a woman in a man’s world: a successful welder who helped build Mbombela Stadium—home to South Africa’s 2010 FIFA World Cup—as well as the imposing Medupi Power Station in Limpopo. She’s also an instructor at the Don Bosco Educational Projects (DBEP) in the suburbs...

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“Thank you for the clean water!”

Picture this: a steady stream of women, laboriously approaching a foul-smelling pool of water, each carrying an empty 20-liter bucket on her head. Taking turns, they plunge their containers into the mire—filling them to capacity before hauling 44 pounds of contaminated water home to their...

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From a Life of Despair … Into a Future of Hope

Adriana arrived with nothing but the shoes on her feet and the clothes on her back. At just 17 years old, she had already endured displacement, destitution and discrimination at levels that no one should ever have to experience. She had slept on the street, begged for money and engaged in petty...

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New Program Plants the Seeds of Hope in Ghana

Youth migration—and the poverty that drives it—is a key concern for Salesian missionaries serving in Ghana. Here, a budding agricultural project promises to cultivate a new generation of skilled farmers whose capabilities will command a decent salary, contribute to their country’s sustainable...

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