Aug. 12 raises awareness of issues affecting young people around the globe.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Aug 12, 2026) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in recognizing International Youth Day. Celebrated each year on Aug. 12, International Youth Day was established by the United Nations to raise awareness of issues affecting young people around the world.
The U.N. has noted more than half of the global population is 30 years old or younger, and this is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030. By 2050, the people who are under 25 today will compose more than 90% of the prime-age workforce.
Working in more than 130 countries, Salesian missionaries provide a range of social development and educational programs for youth who are poor and at risk. They help ensure that youth have the basic needs of nutrition, shelter, safety and healthcare accessible to them. Salesian missionaries also offer more than 5,500 primary and secondary schools and more than 1,000 vocational, technical, professional and agricultural schools around the globe.
“Salesians are focused on education but know that youth in poverty must focus on basic needs before focusing on school,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “This is why Salesian feeding and sheltering programs, youth centers, medical clinics, and more are essential to a young person’s overall well-being and enable them to focus on their education to gain the skills for future employment and self-sufficiency.”
In honor and celebration of International Youth Day 2026, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight Salesian initiatives that educate and empower youth.
ECUADOR
The San Patricio Basic Education School, located in Quito, Ecuador, had the funding to help improve quality education for 190 youth in poverty. The donor funding came from Salesian Missions.
Salesian missionaries completed teacher training and provided school kits and school uniforms to the students. The funding also provided comprehensive psychological care for 87 students identified with emotional or behavioral needs with personalized follow-up and emotional regulation activities.
In addition, the funding supported 30 students with help with reading and writing and 28 students with mathematics. Ten students were identified with specific educational needs not previously diagnosed.
One of the students supported was Jorge Mathias Galeas Culqui, aged 13, who once worked on the streets selling empanadas. When his mother went to prison, he was left alone in Ambato, until his grandmother managed to raise money to bring him to Quito. Today, they live together in a small warehouse in a park.
A Salesian explained, “In previous schools, he had been teased for wearing the same clothes and shoes and not being able to pay fees or participate in activities. But at San Patricio Basic Education School, Culqui found something different. He enjoys a real understanding and support of teachers who not only teach, but who believe in him. Now, after two years of studying, Culqui is enjoying his school accomplishments. He discovered that he likes to speak in public and wants to be part of the student council. He attends events at the Salesian University and hopes that one day he will be a student there.”
MALAWI
Don Bosco High School, located in Nkhotakota, Malawi, has improved living conditions for 80 young girls thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The project funding was used to purchase five buildings as well as the adjacent land. The new area was also fenced for safety.
Three houses were renovated and adequately equipped. One house and another building were taken down because they were not in good condition. Seven toilets and 14 showers were constructed, as well as a stand for two 5,000-liter (approximately 1,320 gallon) water tanks. Water and electricity were also connected.
A Salesian explained, “The main objective of the project was to create better safety and living conditions for the school girls. This was achieved, and as a result, the girls punctuality improved because of the availability of more showers, toilets and available water.”
Jenallah Mkandawire is a teacher at the school. Before the project, she noted that the living conditions were not adequate for the girls. She explained, “Now the girls are on time and have adequate water for washing their clothes and sanitary needs. Since they have more places to wash themselves and to wash their clothes, the general hygiene of school has improved.”
PAKISTAN
Salesian missionaries operating a hostel for youth, located in Lahore, Pakistan, had donor funding to help support boarding students. The funding is from Salesian Missions and covered food costs for 160 youth, 10 more than originally planned in the project. There was also a small surplus, which was used to buy sports equipment for the students.
The youth, aged 14-21, come from disadvantaged families. Sixty percent of them attend the Don Bosco Technical Center while others are in formal education at another Salesian school. Almost all come from large, single-income families. Some have lost one or both parents while others come from single-parent families.
A Salesian explained, “The main goal was to cover their nutrition, which is the biggest expense at the hostel. We worked closely with our cooks and kitchen staff and planned the meals based on their experience and the typical dishes the boys eat at home with their families. We bought groceries every week, making sure to choose suppliers with the best quality and prices. We also update the menu regularly to include fresh, seasonal products.”
While living at the hostel, the youth gain a sense of responsibility for their living environment. They clean rooms, care for the greenery, perform small maintenance tasks and help in the preparation of events.
PERU
Salesian missionaries have been able to complete comprehensive maintenance on a swimming pool at the Bosconia Center in Piura, Peru. The project was made possible thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. Completion of the required maintenance and repairing the pool will impact the 400 youth, aged 8-21, who participate in the Sol Bosco programs and those who are there for holidays and festive oratories. These youth come from families who face precarious social and economic conditions.
The project included the implementation of the maintenance of the semi-Olympic swimming pool and the children’s boat. The recirculation and filtration systems were repaired, and electric pumps, sand filters, valves, grilles, flowmeters, and pressure indicators were replaced. There was maintenance done to the electrical system, including the review and optimization of the control panel, guaranteeing safe operating conditions.
Cristian Peña Rivero, aged 16, is one of the youth who benefits from the donation. He said, “I live in the Nueva Esperanza Human Settlement with my mother and my siblings. The situation where we live is complicated by the risk of crime, drug addiction and cases of family violence. I currently study operations and warehouses in the morning at Bosconia and in the afternoon I attend the fourth year of secondary school. I am doing well in my studies and my dream is to become a professional in accounting.”
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About Salesian Missions
Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. For more information, go to SalesianMissions.org.
