Mission News
Until recently, 14-year-old Carmen suffered from what she called “much abused feet.” Living under the blistering sun of Tuxtla Gutierez, Mexico, her long walks to school without proper footwear left her vulnerable to sunburn, cuts and infections. Not only that, but the fact that she felt poorly dressed negatively impacted her self-esteem and performance in…
New Hope for East Timor’s Orphans
February 5, 2015
Living conditions in East Timor are among the worst in the world. More than one million people struggle with extreme poverty, malnutrition and poor health — conditions directly related to a brutal and lengthy civil war that claimed an estimated 183,000 lives and left survivors struggling to meet even their most basic needs. Now that…
A Contract for the Future of Colombia’s Youth
February 4, 2015
For 15 years, Father Jaime Garcia enacted his dream of training the poor youth of Colombia for future employment. Now, a new program called Pacto Motor is helping ensure that the vast majority of his students find decent jobs immediately after graduating.
Help for Sri Lanka’s Flood Victims
February 4, 2015
On Dec. 26 in Sri Lanka, a week of non-stop torrential rains unleashed nature’s fury — triggering catastrophic flooding and mudslides that killed at least 39 people and forced more than one million men, women and children from their homes. Salesian missionaries in the central and northern regions of the country were among the first…
Escaping Poverty Through Tea
January 16, 2015
“This project has been a miracle!” So says Lawrence Kerketta, a former tea laborer in the Indian province of Assam. Having once earned less than $1 a day — an amount that left him unable to cover his family’s basic expenses — he now owns and operates a modest tea garden that provides income to…
New Hope for the “Children of Conflict”
January 16, 2015
More than 35 million people around the world — 85 percent of whom are women and children — have been devastated by war, natural disasters and other catastrophic events. And many of these innocent victims end up in cramped refugee camps — where they languish for years, with no chance to work or even attend…
Progress in Haiti
January 16, 2015
Five years ago in Haiti, a devastating earthquake shook an already fragile country to its core. Today, thanks to focused leadership by our Salesian missionaries on the ground, steady progress toward a complete recovery — and restoration of hope — continues.
Helping Migrant Children in Adversity
November 12, 2014
Every day, in impoverished countries around the globe, the same scene plays out over and over: driven by political chaos, violence and dire poverty, desperate parents make the gut-wrenching decision to send their children — sometimes their only children — away, sincerely believing they will find new opportunities and a better life. Salesian missionaries are…
Mentoring and Internships for Visually Impaired
October 14, 2014
Founded in 2001 by the Salesians, the Pinardi Federation of Madrid, Spain, has long fostered job skills training and work preparation for society’s most vulnerable youth. Now, a new agreement with the Atresmedia Foundation further expands this mission to include the visually impaired.
Devastating Drought in Guatemala
October 14, 2014
The Guatemalan government has declared a state of emergency after a devastating drought has ravaged the crops — and livelihoods — of more than 256,000 families. In a country already battling one of the world’s highest rates of chronic under-nutrition in children under the age of five, the situation is desperate. Salesian missionaries have rushed…