Mission News
Saint John (“Don”) Bosco devoted his life to those on the margins of society, particularly the migrant workers and day laborers of Turin, Italy. These young, impoverished boys were seeking better opportunities and a brighter future in the city. Today, in a fitting tribute to Don Bosco’s legacy, members of the Don Bosco Workers’ Center…
A Meaningful Legacy for Haiti’s Children
September 14, 2015
In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, a loyal supporter of Salesian Missions approached us with an idea — one that will provide hundreds of school children with the tools they need to build a brighter future.This supporter is Mr. Giancarlo Oderda — and his dream is to…
Improving the Health of Impoverished Women
July 31, 2015
This past March, Salesian missionaries in Mumbai, India helped organize a free health clinic for impoverished and marginalized women who otherwise could not afford care. The one-day clinic was held at the Don Bosco Provincial House and staffed by medical professionals from a nearby hospital. More than 550 patients received screenings and preventive education to…
Salesian Missions’ Gifts-In-Kind Program
July 31, 2015
Late last year, as the Ebola epidemic ignited and spread across West Africa, the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs (also referred to as the property and logistics program) quickly sprang into action. Rallying their extensive network of “giving supply” partners, the office succeeded in organizing and shipping emergency and humanitarian aid supplies that would…
Giving Back, Giving Hope Through Soccer
July 31, 2015
For Cesar Cantancio, a young boy living at the Don Bosco Boys’ Home on the island of Cebu in the Philippines, soccer provided a previously unimaginable opportunity. It helped him to overcome adversity, attend college and build a better life. Today, he directs his life’s passion toward helping other at-risk boys and girls realize the…
Clean Water for Children in Rwanda
July 8, 2015
As part of an ongoing commitment to improve access to clean water, and the infrastructure that supports it, Salesian missionaries in Rwanda recently completed a project that now delivers fresh drinking water and improved sanitation to hundreds of school children and their families.
Finding Harmony through Music
July 8, 2015
It may seem odd to consider the violin as a powerful weapon. But in the capital city of San Salvador, El Salvador — where brutal gang warfare renders the country one of the most dangerous places on earth — close to 1,000 at-risk youth are battling the violence, crime and poverty of their community through…
Renewed Hope for Child Slaves
July 8, 2015
“Trafficking isn’t the children’s wish … and it’s a terrible situation for the girls and boys who suffer it. It kills their hope.” So says Marc Tsanda, a child psychologist who works on behalf of rescued youth at the Don Bosco Center in Porto-Novo, Benin. Sadly, far too many adults in this West African country…
South Africa: From Gang Member to Role Model
June 9, 2015
They are huddled on almost every corner, yet feel mostly invisible — except for the stares of disgust from passersby who judge them as being inferior, delinquent or criminal. Malnourished, ill and traumatized, their days are awash in alcohol and their hours numbed with sniffing glue, the only escape from the pain of abandonment, abuse,…
Our Mission in Action
June 9, 2015
What is it really like to work with some of the most impoverished youth and families around the world? What are the challenges, rewards, heartbreaks and successes? For eight weeks beginning in June, you can hear directly from some of our Salesian missionaries stationed across India, Central America, Africa, the Philippines and more — as…