Salesian Missionaries Offering Education to Togolese Youth at Risk of Social Exclusion

At the Foyer Jean XXIII Education and Formation Center, the youth who are mostly school dropouts are empowered through courses such as cooking, pastry making and sewing. 

“Once they complete the courses, youth receive a diploma recognized by the state that facilitates entry into the job market,” the Salesian officials say. 

They add that the Salesian Centre “adapts its courses to the needs of students and the local economy, ensuring that youth have access to the internships and apprenticeships they need to apply the skills they learned in the classroom.”

SDB missionaries and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA), also called Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, have been working with the youth in Togo for almost half a century. 

In the July 22 report, SDB officials indicate that the Salesians Nuns and Priests present in the West African country "are committed to educating youth who are living in poverty and are marginalized in the community." 

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The Director of the U.S. development arm of the SDB, Salesian Missions, Fr. Gus Baek says, “Salesian missionaries play a vital role in their communities, helping to provide support and assistance to at-risk youth and those in need of an education.”

“Youth should be encouraged to gain an education in order to find stable employment. They are then able to support themselves and give back to their families and communities,” says Fr. Baek.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.