World Food Day: Salesians Highlight Initiatives Ensuring “healthy nutrition” in Africa

They add, “The borehole was drilled by the main road which allows farmers to have access to potable water on their way to their farms.”

In the report, Leticia Gyan, a community resident has been quoted as saying, “It has been our dream and we have been praying about it. It is really difficult to find drinking water here when the stream dries.”

“Sometimes we have to go to Senase, a community 7 kilometers (approximately 4.3 miles) away, to get some water for drinking. So, we have to ration it otherwise. When we finish it, we have to walk through hills and valleys to reach Senase in order to get water again. I think now we can also bathe. I am very happy. We are all happy,” she adds.

In the Indian Ocean Island-nation of Madagascar, Salesian missionaries were able to provide support for 20 families in the Ivato district thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions.

“With the funding, Salesians purchased rice, pulses, sugar and more to meet the daily food needs of the families, along with soap and candles. Salesians also taught the families about the importance of taking care of their bodies and health, with a focus on personal hygiene and nutrition,” SDB officials say in the October 16 report. 

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They further say, “Salesians provided psychological support to help families overcome the difficulties they encounter in their daily lives.”

In Zambia, Don Bosco Agriculture Training Center, located in Lufubu has access to clean water thanks to donor funding from the Clean Water Initiative of Salesian Missions.

In the October 16 Salesian Missions report, SDB officials say, “The 2023 water project brought clean water for more than 90 students and teaching staff and will be used on four hectares of land for farming.” 

“Lufubu experiences a harsh dry season from April until the end of October, when the first rainfall cools down the land. The new water resource will give students and students enough water during this time, while also allowing cattle and fields to thrive,” the report indicates.

They note that “the project provided the funding for the construction of a water stand with capacity for eight large tanks to store 10,600 gallons of water, a solar pump, solar panels, pipes, connectors, garden taps and labor costs.”

“Funding was also used to purchase seeds and gardening tools. The water and seeds are enabling second-year students to start cultivating small fields as part of their training,” SDB officials say.

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.