“Underage single mothers” Beneficiaries of Salesian-Sponsored Shelter in Angola

According to Fr. Gus Baek, the Director of Salesian Missions, which is the U.S.-based development arm of SDB, “There are many barriers to education for young girls, especially underage single mothers, but Salesian programs around the globe work to eliminate those barriers and provide supportive services and education to all.”

He adds, “Salesian missionaries have seen that young girls who are able to access safety, shelter and education are more often able to achieve financial independence and make better and healthier choices that affect not only themselves, but their families and communities as well.”

Members of the 161-year-old Religious Order started working with street children in Angola in the 1990s when children fleeing the civil war settled in the capital, Luanda.

Today, long after the war has ended, the Salesians note, children are still fleeing their homes for a variety of reasons such as parental neglect, abuse and accusations of being sorcerers or witches who bring misfortune to their families.

“Once on the street, these children wander from neighborhood to neighborhood, sleep wherever possible, and survive due to small jobs like shining shoes, washing windows and carrying bags,” SDB leadership recounts and adds, “Many girls end up prostituting themselves.”

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Virtually all inhale gasoline and glue to calm the pangs of hunger and find relief from a sense of emptiness, SDB officials say.

Inspired by a desire to help the street children, the Salesians created shelters and programs where street children “can be safe and receive the care they need, including rehabilitation and reunification with their families when possible.”