(ANS – Rome) – On the occasion of the recent, renewed invitation of Benedict XVI to be concerned about the peoples in the Horn of Africa, the Salesians who are working there provide a picture even though only partial of what they have been able to do to help the people threatened by hunger and thirst.

Last Friday, 7 October the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” organised a Press Conference  with uptodate information about the situation and the activities of the Church in the Horn of Africa. In was recalled there that the Catholic Church through its Institutes and organisations is currently helping 1 million people (out of the 13 million and 300 thousand in need) in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Gibuti and has already made 31 million euro available through its humanitarian organisations. The economic aid to which the Pope has directly contributed 400,000 euro, in the next months should reach 60 million euro.

The Salesians in the region are part of this charitable and humanitarian effort. According to information provided by the Salesian Mission Office in Bonn, the local Salesians, in collaboration with some parishes in the city of  Jijiga, Ethiopia, and with Salesian NGO such as “International Voluntary Service for Development” (VIS) and “Jugend Dritte Welt” (JDW), are at present providing about 10-12,000 litres of water each day, using two water carriers.

Again at Jijiga, in the region most affected  in Ethiopia, Salesian food supplies have reached the first orphanage just opened in the city (made necessary on account of the great increase in the number of orphans in the area); while in the Dolo Ado refugee camp the Salesians are feeding about 11,500 people, including Somali refugees and Ethiopian citizens in great need. The local authorities have asked that the food distribution continue for at least another six months.

Multi-vitamin products and sometimes also multi-proteins are being distributed as far as is possible in all the 11 Salesian centres in Ethiopia.

In Kenya Salesians and volunteers are distributing in the places where they are, maize, vegetables, cooking oil sugar  and salt. So far over 485,000 euro has been raised to finance all this; in the coming months it is hoped that it will be possible to dig new wells and repair  those which have been damaged.

Finally, the Salesian Mission Office in Bonn and JDW, are providing practical support for the Vocational Training Centre at  Kakuma, where over 660 refugees are learning new skills and English in the hope of finding work.

Published 11/10/2011