Mission News
In Thailand, the visually impaired inhabit the margins of society. Millions of men, women and children have literally been cast aside — deemed “third-class” citizens incapable of meaningful work. In the capital city of Bankok, Salesian missionaries are preparing previously marginalized young adults for careers, and life — by teaching them a traditional art.
Catastrophic flooding in the Balkans impacts 1 million people
May 29, 2014
Never before in 120 years of recordkeeping has the Balkan region experienced the amount of rainfall seen in the past few weeks. Entire villages are under water. Mud slides have wiped out homes, schools and other buildings. Dozens have been killed and hundreds of thousands are homeless.In Bosnia, the destruction is being compared to the…
Education and New Hope in Guinea
May 15, 2014
Although Guinea boasts a wealth of mineral and agricultural resources, its people are among the poorest in West Africa – often forced to survive on less than $1 a day. In the west-central region of Kankan, Salesian missionaries are working on behalf of Guinea’s youth, improving their future opportunities through education.
Overcoming Physical Disabilities in Cambodia
May 15, 2014
According to a 2013 UNICEF report, children with disabilities are significantly less likely to complete their education than their peers – a situation that directly correlates to ongoing unemployment, endemic poverty and poor health. In Cambodia, Salesian missionaries are working to ensure that all students, regardless of physical ability, can access the basic education required…
From Misery to Stability in Madagascar
May 15, 2014
“This is misery, not poverty.” So describes the plight of Madagascar’s people – by Bishop Rosario Vella, a Salesian missionary in Ambanja, Madagascar. This island nation of more than 22 million people is one of the poorest in the world – where education is not guaranteed, and illiteracy tops 31 percent. In response, Salesian missionaries…
Empowering Girls to Live Independently
April 23, 2014
In Mexico’s capital city, nearly 240,000 children — many of them girls — live in profound poverty on the streets. Robbed of their basic rights and dignity, and with little hope of attending school or earning a living, these girls face a bleak future. Through the “Yolia” program, Salesian missionaries are working to change that…
Giving Hope & Dignity through Water & Electricity
April 23, 2014
On March 22, global leaders, communities, and individuals marked World Water Day with a slate of activities highlighting the growing need for fresh, clean available water. More than 768 million people worldwide lack access to reliable water sources. This need is especially urgent — and Salesian missionaries are working tirelessly to resolve this critical situation…
Overcoming the Odds in Peru: Children of Lead Project
April 23, 2014
As a young child living in the slums of Puerto Nuovo, Peru, little Alvaro happily played in the shadow of shipping barges — never knowing the danger lurking in the air he breathed, or in the soil beneath his feet. These barges carried one of Peru’s largest exports, lead. And the nearby mines supplying that…
Brighter Futures for Homeless Youth
March 10, 2014
Today in Bolivia, more than 4,000 innocent boys and girls — some as young as 6 years old — live on the streets. Many have been abandoned by parents too desperately poor to feed them. Others have escaped violence at home or at school. At the Don Bosco Project in the capital of Santa Cruz,…
Improving the Standard of Living for Child Slaves
March 10, 2014
This month, in the lead-up to Ash Wednesday and the sacrifices of Lent, celebrants from around the world marked Shrove Tuesday with traditional foods, costumed parades, live music and jubilant displays of fireworks. Sadly, the euphoria inspired by these pyrotechnics easily masks the grave human rights violations behind their manufacture — a situation Salesian missionaries…