Salesians are ensuring young girls access education around the globe.

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 11, 2024) Top of Form Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in honoring International Day of the Girl on Oct. 11. The day, first held in 2012, was established to promote equal treatment and opportunities for girls. It is an acknowledgment by the world that there is a disparity in the way rights of girls and boys are protected and promoted.

The United Nations has noted, “Nearly one in five girls are still not completing lower-secondary and nearly four in 10 girls are not completing upper-secondary school today. Globally, girls aged 5-14 spend 160 million more hours every day on unpaid care and domestic work than boys of the same age.”

Salesian missionaries living and working in more than 130 countries around the globe are focused on achieving gender equality through educational programs targeted specifically for girls.

“Salesians are ensuring young girls access education and develop the skills needed for employment and self-sufficiency,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Salesian centers foster safe learning environments for girls and encourage them to continue to advanced education and skills training so they can become leaders in their families and communities.”

To mark the International Day of the Girl, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight programs around the globe that empower girls through social and educational programs.

ARGENTINA

Students at Salesian elementary schools, high schools, and technical and vocational training centers in Argentina have new computer equipment thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. More than 2,800 students will be positively impacted by this donation. The project started in 2023 and finished in July 2024.

With the funding, Salesians were able to purchase laptops, desktop computers, monitors, accessories and printers. Each institution obtained the equipment needed to ensure that students are able to learn and will be empowered in their digital education.

A Salesian noted, “Digital education is important for our students to be able to learn and compete in the job market. Learning these skills early will help to grow their digital abilities later in their education. Our technical and vocational students must have access to today’s technology so they are prepared when they enter the workforce. It’s skills they must have and Salesian educational institutions need the equipment to effectively teach.”

INDIA

Salesian missionaries with Don Bosco Snehalaya in Assam, India, were able to fund the “Comprehensive Support for Poor and Needy Children in Assam” project thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The funding provided support for 142 young people in need of care and protection at five Salesian childcare institutions.

Donor funding was used for food, education, clothing and counseling, as well as support for the staff to provide the services. Youth were able to take part in Snehalaya Annual Day, which launched the organization’s Silver Jubilee. They also joined the celebration for the birthday of the co-founder and director, as well as the Republic Day of India.

The institutions that were supported were the Snehalaya Boys Home, which provides support for 29 boys ages 12-16; Auxilium Snehalaya, which supports 30 girls, ages 6-11; Ila Snehalaya, a home for 23 young boys, ages 6-11; Jyoti Snehalaya, a home for 33 girls, ages 12-18; and Snehalaya Center for Child Rights, a home for 25 boys, ages 15-18.

NICARAGUA

Students attending Saint John Bosco Salesian School in Granada, Nicaragua, received scholarships thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. In 2023, 62 primary and secondary students benefited from this scholarship funding.

The students come from families who do not earn a substantial wage or who are led by single mothers. The families have serious financial difficulties and struggle to pay tuition on their own. The scholarship funding ensures youth from these families have access to high-quality education.

A Salesian noted, “Salesian education responds to today’s challenges and seeks to educate and empower youth to develop a sense of responsibility for one’s own life, overcoming obstacles with courage and perseverance.”

The school was founded in May 1912, the year in which the first Salesians arrived in the city. Education is offered for preschool, primary and secondary school.

SIERRA LEONE

Don Bosco Fambul in Freetown, one of Sierra Leone’s leading child-welfare organizations, has added staffing support thanks to a grant from the Flora Family Foundation secured by Salesian Missions. Don Bosco Fambul provides a range of programs to help support youth who are living on the streets, girls who have faced sexual abuse, young women who have forced into prostitution and youth in trouble with the law. With the funding, Don Bosco Fambul was able to add a program manager, advocacy officer and communications officer.

Don Bosco Fambul celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023. It is operating a shelter for young girls who have faced sexual abuse and are in need of support and education. Recognizing the specific need for girls who had been forced into prostitution, Father Jorge Crisafulli, former director of Don Bosco Fambul, created the Girls OS+ (Hope Plus) program inside a therapeutic center. Since the program launched six years ago, it has changed the lives of more than 600 girls.

Fr. Crisafulli said, “The main aim of the Girls Shelter OS+ program is to reach out to underage girls who are involved in prostitution and help them off the streets, offering a safe environment where they can access holistic rehabilitation and physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. The goal is to help them recover their dignity through education and skills training and reintegrate back into their community.”

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