Mission News
“Where will I go?” It’s a question 14-year-old Saïdi wishes he didn’t have to ask. Having endured a frightening escape from the Taliban in Kabul, and a dangerous journey across the sea, this young Afghan craves stability. Still, he knows the opportunities afforded him at the Don Bosco Institute in Tournai, Belgium are exactly what…
Hope and Refuge for At-Risk Girls in Sierra Leone
July 5, 2017
Young Aminata has inherited so much from her grandmother and mother: her expressive eyes, the shape of her face, her quiet manner. But she has also inherited something else — something she isn’t proud of, yet sees no way of escaping: a dehumanizing profession that provides barely enough money to survive, trapping her in a…
Shining Light on Mandalay’s Homeless Youth
July 5, 2017
The streets of Mandalay, Myanmar are no place for a child. Yet today, hundreds of girls and boys — some as young as four years old — call it their “home.” At the Don Bosco Friend of Youth Center, Father Peter Myo Khin and six dedicated staff offer an oasis of love and opportunity to…
A Second Chance for Street Children
June 6, 2017
Not long ago, they begged, stole and struggled to survive on the streets of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — sniffing glue to dull the daily misery of hunger, exploitation and abuse. Now, thanks to a partnership between the Salesians and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these young boys have a new lease…
Redemption from “Hell on Earth”
June 6, 2017
At Pademba Road Prison in Freetown, Sierra Leone, more than 1,800 young men cram into a dark, filthy space designed for just 300. If they’re hungry, they must wait for their single daily meal of cassava leaves and rice. If they’re thirsty, they may not find relief. Far too often, water is so scarce that…
Maison Marguerite: A Place of Rebirth
June 6, 2017
Justine was just 16 years old when she was kidnapped, tortured and held against her will by a rebel soldier in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Two months later, pregnant and afraid for her life, Justine sought help from Goma’s Division of Social Affairs. Now, she and her beautiful new baby live peacefully at…
Feeding Minds and Bodies in El Salvador
May 4, 2017
In El Salvador, countless people fall asleep on empty stomachs: children, the elderly, and other vulnerable people who simply can’t afford to eat. Salesian missionaries in the capital city of San Salvador are easing their hunger — and offering rays of hope — for hundreds of impoverished citizens. According to the World Bank, despite increased…
Healing the Painful Legacy of Civil War in Sierra Leone
May 4, 2017
If not for the grace of God — and the intervention of our Salesian missionaries — young Suntia may not be alive today. At the Don Bosco Girls Shelter in Freetown, Sierra Leone, her future was reborn. Growing up, Suntia endured the painful legacy of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war — a war in which…
Addressing Poverty through Clean Water
April 12, 2017
It’s impossible to imagine cooking with — let alone drinking — water from the toilet. According to the United Nations, 1.8 billion people today rely on a source of drinking water contaminated with human or animal waste — which drastically increases their risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. This is one of many reasons why…
Food and Water for Kenya
April 12, 2017
As a catastrophic drought continues to worsen and spread in Kenya, the Nairobi government has declared a national disaster. With livestock and agricultural crops wiped out, millions of men, women and children literally teeter on the brink of starvation. With the generous support of our donors, Salesian missionaries at Don Bosco Korr continue to do…