Feeding programs essential part of many Salesian schools, centers.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 16, 2025) Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, joins the international community and organizations around the globe in honoring World Food Day. Celebrated each year on Oct. 16, the day was established to bring attention to the plight of people in the world who are hungry and undernourished while providing an opportunity for a deeper understanding of the complex solutions for ending hunger.
This year’s theme of “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future” calls for global collaboration in creating a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous and food-secure future. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has noted, “By working together, across governments, organizations, sectors, and communities, we can transform agrifood systems to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy diet, living in harmony with the planet.”
The organization further indicated, “In some places, the severity of food insecurity is overwhelming. An estimated 673 million people are living with hunger. Elsewhere, rising levels of obesity and widespread food waste point to a system out of balance — where abundance and absence coexist, often side by side.”
“Salesian Missions is working to ensure youth who are poor and vulnerable have the nutrition they need to grow and learn effectively,” said Father Michael Conway, director of Salesian Missions. “Through strategic partnerships, Salesian Missions is shipping meals to Salesian programs around the globe. These are provided to youth and children through feeding programs in Salesian schools and centers.”
This World Food Day Salesian Missions is proud to highlight agriculture projects and feeding programs to ensure youth have the nutrition they need to survive and thrive.
HAITI
More than 2,300 youth in Haiti received nutritious food through a partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization growing a global movement to end hunger. The shipments of meals were received by the Salesians of Don Bosco and then distributed to the three Salesian centers of Don Bosco Technique, Lakay Don Bosco and the Vincent Foundation in the second half of 2024.
Vincent Foundation, located south of the city of Cap-Haïtien in the suburbs of Vertières, is the only space in the neighborhood that opens its doors to youth in the area to allow them a safe place for play, leisure and a meeting point. The foundation was able to distribute the meals to youth in the center who do not receive regular meals at home. Salesians report that there was a peaceful climate among the youth because they knew that a hot meal would be provided by the center.
Lourdena Bien-Aime Pierre, an educator and food manager, said, “Since receiving the Rise Against Hunger meals, the change within the community is very palpable because we see that the youth develop physically and also improve academically. Before, it was difficult to teach them since ‘a hungry belly has no ears.’ We have seen improvements for all of our students, especially one of our students Jeannot. The meals help him study and learn better. We are proud of him because he is committed, very responsible and he has determination.”
SOUTH SUDAN
More than 1,800 people in a Salesian camp for people who are internally displaced, located in Gumbo, on the outskirts of the city of Juba, South Sudan*, had access to better nutrition during the second half of 2024. The food shipment was the result of a partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger.
People in the camp face challenges, including the rising price of commodities and the weakening of the local currency. Food insecurity is a major challenge. Thanks to the meals, Salesians have seen reduced hunger, improved nutrition and enhanced food security.
Salesians have tried to address food challenges by offering small plots of land, encouraging people who are displaced and the local community to cultivate crops to supplement the meal rations that are offered. However, this can only happen during the rainy season and not everyone can receive a plot. Therefore, Salesians heavily rely on partner support to address the food insecurity.
UGANDA
More than 2,100 youth at Salesian schools in Uganda have access to better nutrition through a partnership between Salesian Missions and Rise Against Hunger. Three Salesian schools received meals in the second half of 2024.
More than 650 youth at Don Bosco Children and Life Mission (Don Bosco CALM) benefited from the nutritious meals, as well as more than 1,000 students at the Don Bosco School Bombo and close to 400 students at the Salesian vocational school in Kamuli.
In Uganda, like the rest of East Africa, food prices have increased, which has in turn impacted feeding programs at Salesian schools. These economic challenges are a result of climate change that affected the agriculture sector, doubling the cost of basic food staples like maize, rice and beans.
ZAMBIA
Salesian missionaries in the St. John Bosco Community, located in Lusaka, Zambia, created the Don Bosco Farm to enhance learning experiences for students thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions. The farm will also provide nutritional support for students and Salesians.
Salesian missionaries operate three agriculture schools in the region. Students receive classroom instruction and spend three months honing their skills on a working farm. Finding enough farms willing to take students has been a challenge. Establishing the Don Bosco Farm ensures students have the hands-on working time they need.
With the donor funding, Salesians purchased layer chickens, pigs and cattle, as well as feed. They also paid for farm maintenance and wages. The project beneficiaries include 40 students and educators in Makeni, 28 Salesian novices in Kabwe, and 50 Salesians and lay people attending activities at the provincial house.
*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 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.