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Salesian Entity Spearheading Livelihood Program for Learners, Women in Zambia: Report

Children receive meals to improve education in Zambia. Credit: Salesian Missions

The U.S.-based development arm of the Religious Institute of the Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB), Salesian Missions, has reported spearheading a livelihood program that is benefiting hundreds of God’s people in Katongo village in Western Zambia, including learners and women. 

In a Monday, July 11 report, SDB officials say that people living in the Zambian village received better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian entity committed to “feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit”. 

“A rice-meal shipment was received in November 2021 and provided meals for more than 700 people,” SDB officials say in the report, and add that “among the recipients of the donation was the Salesian-run Mornese Mission which educates more than 200 students in primary and secondary school.”

Salesian officials continue in reference to the livelihood initiative they are spearheading at Mornese Mission in the Zambian village of Katongo, “Children received the rice-meals three times a week at school, which supplements food that is procured locally.” 

As a result of the livelihood program, SDB officials say in the July 11 report, “There was an increase in the number of children attending school and class participation on the days the food was provided.”

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“This demonstrates the strong link between nourishing food and positive educational and social outcomes,” they say, adding that “other recipients of the donation included children, women and the elderly in the Katongo village.”

SDB officials further report that “in the village, women work hard to provide food for their children, and even some of the elderly adults are still working to provide for their grandchildren,”.

The livelihood initiative has had a positive impact on Precedence Chama, a tenth-grade student living with her mother in Brown village, the July 11 report indicates. 

“Because of their financial situation, they only eat once a day and sometimes it is hard to afford even that,” SDB officials say about Precedence Chama and her mother, and continue, “Chama has been receiving the rice-meals at school and since that time she has gained weight and become more active.”

“She likes reading, playing netball and visiting different places. She hopes to be able to travel around the world,” they add.

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In the July 11 report, a Salesian missionary has been quoted as saying, “Mornese Mission is located in an area where early marriage is common. Because of this practice, many boys prefer to drop out of school and start work to earn money.”

However, the Salesian missionary adds, “without finishing their education, their lifelong earning potential is severely hampered.”

“Mornese Mission seeks to reverse this trend, and the food provided by Feed My Starving Children helps keep students in school,” the missionary says in the July 11 report.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.