Mission News
Growing up in the suburbs of San Salvador, El Salvador, young Carlos faced a grim future. And it’s no wonder: as one of the most violent countries in Central America, El Salvador has entrapped nearly 60,000 young people into gang-related and other criminal activity that becomes almost impossible to escape from. But, the Salesians are…
Building Better Lives for Youth in DRC
October 13, 2017
In Bukavu, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the streets are filled with homeless children. These desperately poor girls and boys wash windshields, carry luggage, beg and sometimes even steal in order to feed themselves. It’s a heartbreaking situation that our Salesian missionaries are working hard to address. “We saw this was a…
Bringing Dignity to the Slums of Santiago
October 2, 2017
Dozens of families live on the outskirts of Santiago, Chile, crammed into “Camp Giappone” — a filthy shantytown built with materials scavenged from a nearby landfill. “You can breathe the segregation and inequality here; it’s as acrid as burning garbage,” observe our Salesian missionaries serving in Santiago. Along with volunteers from the Silva Henríquez Catholic…
Scoring New Opportunities for Migrant Youth in India
October 2, 2017
In India, approximately 450 million people — or 37.5 percent of the country’s population — have streamed from the rural countryside into major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata in recent years. Most of these “internal migrants” are between the ages of 16 and 40, searching for better economic opportunities and brighter futures. Yet, their quest…
Clean Water for Tanzania
October 2, 2017
In Tanzania, safe drinking water is scarce. Residents who do not live near one of the country’s three major lakes — Victoria, Tanganyika, or Malawi — must rely on water that is often contaminated with toxic waste. This situation disproportionately affects the more than 18 million people who live below the poverty line. Today, thanks…
Natural Disasters Wreak Havoc
September 18, 2017
As Hurricane Irma barreled through the Caribbean and toward southern Florida, our missionaries in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Belle Glade prepared for catastrophic destruction. Thankfully, the Salesian-run programs in Irma’s path — and the children and families they serve – were not hit directly, but there is still much to do now…
From the Streets of India to School in Illinois
September 13, 2017
Orphaned and just 10 years old, Sanjoy was “rescued” from the streets of Kolkata by a family who ultimately used him as a domestic slave. Unpaid, unfed, and emotionally and physically abused, Sanjoy saw no choice but to run away. He returned to the streets, living among the countless other children who struggled to survive…
Improving the Health and Future of Child Laborers
August 10, 2017
They have no rights. They don’t go to school. They are poor, malnourished, and subjected to overwhelming physical demands that many adults could not handle. They are the “children of the mines” in Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — where our Salesian missionaries have launched a new effort to improve their health and their…
Helping Youth with Disabilities Succeed
August 10, 2017
Children with disabilities are significantly less likely to complete their education than their peers. This directly correlates to ongoing unemployment, endemic poverty and poor health. In Lima, Peru, Salesian missionaries are working to ensure that all students, regardless of physical ability, can access training opportunities that can open the doors to a better life. Such…
Growing a Better Future for Ghana’s Youth
August 10, 2017
George almost left his home country of Ghana for the uncertain promise of better opportunity in Europe. Now, this 33-year-old former Salesian student aspires to teach other young people how to grow a more sustainable future at home. “I have a great and wonderful dream: eating what I cultivate, and sustaining my country — maybe…