Salesian Missions’ work honors this special day year round.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Nov. 20, 2025) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins humanitarian organizations and countries around the globe in recognizing World Children’s Day. Celebrated each year on Nov. 20, the day was established in 1954 to promote international togetherness and awareness on children’s issues worldwide. To date, 194 countries have signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and are bound by international law to ensure it is implemented.
This year’s theme is “Listen to the future. Stand up for children’s rights.” UNICEF noted, “Child rights are human rights. They are non-negotiable and universal. But in too many places today children’s rights are being misunderstood, disregarded or even denied and attacked.”
Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions, said, “Salesian missionaries in more than 130 countries around the globe are working to break the cycle of poverty and bring a sense of dignity to all those they serve. Salesians are ensuring youth are learning about their rights and understand them so they can use their voices to help create a safe and self-sufficient future.”
Whether it’s combating child labor, assisting homeless youth or building schools where children previously had no access to education, Salesian missionaries are making sure those in need have access to programs and services. With more than 5,500 Salesian educational institutions and youth centers, missionaries are educating children in some of the poorest places on the planet.
In honor of World Children’s Day, Salesian Missions is proud to highlight social and educational programs that benefit children around the globe.
ARGENTINA
Salesian missionaries were able to renovate the Betania gymnasium to provide a safe place for the people in the Ludueña neighborhood in Rosario, Argentina, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The project, known as “A place for those who have no place,” impacted more than 2,000 youth across several Salesian centers and programs in the Salesian community of the Vicarage of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The gymnasium underwent extensive improvements, including a new granite tile floor, wall repairs, drainage fixes and a complete electrical system renewal. On the upper floor of the gymnasium, the entrance was improved and rooms were reorganized. A new room and two office spaces were added to serve as a safe space to support vulnerable youth and women. A general-use room was also established. On the ground floor, the restrooms for men, women and individuals with disabilities were upgraded. A storage room for chairs and tables was built, along with access to the initial-level play area.
Salesians understand the importance of having a community space like the gymnasium so youth can engage in sports, connect with their peers and learn essential life skills through social interaction. The space is also available for other educational and social purposes while not being utilized by the students.
LEBANON
Salesian missionaries have been able to provide emergency assistance for people impacted by the war in Lebanon* thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The “Emergency assistance for Fidar and Hossoun communities and refugees in Beirut” project is ensuring that families living in these communities have the basic essentials and the psychological support they need.
With donor funding, Salesians were able to provide medical assistance, psychosocial support, food supplies, fuel vouchers and warm clothes. Families were chosen from those involved with local Salesian centers and schools, including Don Bosco Technique, Don Bosco Hossoun oratories and Angels of Peace School.
A Salesian noted, “Through coordinated efforts, our team provided immediate relief and laid the foundation for resilience and hope during an incredibly challenging period. Moreover, the project had a comprehensive and profound impact, as it combined educational support, psychological care and social activities to address the multifaceted needs of the various communities served by the Salesians.”
SYRIA
Salesians were able to help support children at two orphanages in Aleppo, Syria*, thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. Both an Armenian orphanage housing 30 children and a Muslim orphanage hosting 50 children, aged 6 to 18, were supported through the ongoing project.
Volunteers engaged the children in activities such as sports and games, cultural and educational sessions, psychological workshops, interactive theater performances and a carnival day. Children also had access to individual counseling sessions to begin or continue therapeutic support in a safe, confidential setting. Each child was also taken to choose a new pair of shoes.
Orphanages in Aleppo are critically under-resourced and face overwhelming challenges including overcapacity, staffing shortages and limited funding to meet even the most basic needs of the children.
A Salesian noted, “The Orphan Project represented a powerful humanitarian initiative that delivered essential care and emotional support to orphaned children in Aleppo — regardless of their religion, background or community. Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis and socioeconomic instability in the region, this project has served as a beacon of hope, offering these children not only essential resources but also dignity, love and belonging.”
THE GAMBIA
Salesian missionaries in Kunkundjan Mariama, a small locality in Banjul, The Gambia, were able to increase their beekeeping activities thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The Don Bosco Garden at the school now has an additional 30 hives, which brings the total number of hives up to 50. Salesians also trained 33 students how to care for the hives and extract honey.
The hives provide the school and the students a new opportunity for a source of income. The honey from the hives is collected and sold to those in the local community. A Salesian noted, “The additional hives serve as an additional revenue source and small income-generating opportunity, allowing the population to meet their needs.”
One of the participants, Edouard, noted, “I appreciated the training and hope to become a leader in beekeeping training. I’m going to take all that I’ve learned and train other students here at the school in how to tend to the hives and extract the honey.”
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
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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.