School to educate 250 students, with young girls a priority.
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (June 17, 2025) Salesian sisters with Mary Help of Christians were able to start construction for a nursery and primary school in Ikorodu, Nigeria, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The foundation and raising of the walls of the new structure have been completed, and work is continuing. When finished, the school will educate 250 children, with priority given to young girls.
Salesian sisters have been in Nigeria since 2019 providing education for youth. In 2021, they bought land in Mowo-Kekere. They developed a skills training center for short-term courses to help educate youth to give them employable skills, and they also run an oratory. The structure is made of containers.
The sisters have been working in the community long enough that they are able to identify challenges for people in the community. One of the biggest is the lack of public primary schooling for the children, especially girls. The few private schools that are available have tuition that is too high for families who are poor. The project to develop a new school will ensure that children from these families will be able to access quality education.
“Education is the primary focus of Salesians and providing education, especially where there is a lack, is essential for community development,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “We support the Salesian sisters in their endeavor to ensure there is quality, accessible education for children from marginalized families. Education is one of the most effective pathways out of poverty.”
Salesian missionaries in Nigeria provide a range of social development and educational programs for youth who are poor and marginalized. The goal is always education, but Salesians know that youth often need extra support. Youth centers, feeding programs, health clinics and other programs help to ensure that youth are healthy and have their basic needs met so they can focus on school.
About 64% of households in Nigeria consider themselves to be poor while 32% of households say their economic situation had worsened over a period of one year, according to UNICEF. Poverty still remains one of the most critical challenges facing the country and population growth rates have meant a steady increase in the number of people living in conditions of poverty.
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About Salesian Missions USA
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.