#internationalcooperation | Salute e Sviluppo

SNEHAGRAM: THE INDEPENDENT LIFE OF YOUNG HIV-POSITIVE PEOPLE

The project “Towards the future of young people at Snehagram Centre Transition Programme for Independent Living’.thanks to the contribution of the Catholic Church, which earmarks part of the eight per thousand of the total IRPEF revenue for charitable interventions in favour of the Third World. We had already told you about this project that has kept us busy in India since 1 September 2018, aided by the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) and in collaboration with the Sneha Charitable Trust (SCT) association, to complete the education and training of no less than 70 HIV-positive girls and boys.

In India, HIV status still represents a stigma for society: all those with HIV/AIDS are shunned and placed on the margins of a society that still struggles to accept them. Most HIV-positive young people have often been orphaned by the very disease that afflicts them. In such cases, it is crucial to accommodate them in facilities that give them the possibility of not being alone and of building a decent future for themselves. The programme promoted by the association Sneha Charitable Trust is divided into several pathways, each of which is tailored to a specific age group: from a very young age, children are taken in, living in the community, having access to all necessary medical care and growing up in an educational and stimulating environment.

Snehagram is the last phase of the project and involves accompanying 18-24 year olds towards independent/semi-independent living. In order to achieve the goal, the initiative provides a housing solution for each of the young people and vocational paths suitable for enhancing their skills and entering the world of work.

For this reason, four ‘cluster houses’ were built. In each house lives a group of five or six young people, whose members have been trained to do different jobs according to their abilities, specifically: some are engaged in animal husbandry, others in agriculture, mechanics, plumbing, IT, photography, videography and tailoring. All training courses were chosen by the students according to their own inclinations, helped by a tutor.

After an initial phase in which the young people were able to train and decide for themselves the discipline in which they wanted to specialise, the project started a second phase in which all of them were able to carry out their chosen task in a professional manner and start earning an income.

Four barns were built and 25 cows and two bulls were purchased, as well as two milking machines to facilitate the work. The milk produced was sold to neighbouring dairies and all income went to the project boys.

It was poultry breeding also increased with excellent results: 10 batches of chickens were produced and sold on each of the four farms, the resulting profit went to the young people participating in the project who, already starting to receive an income, can gradually become more and more independent.

In the agricultural area, a total of four greenhouses and a pond were built to collect rainwater, which is used for irrigating the land. To improve this aspect, a reservoir and other facilities for storing open water were also provided, and a well was dug. Hydroponic cultivation was also started, with the purchase of materials for drip irrigation, specific tools, saplings for planting and fertile fertiliser.

Other boys dedicated themselves to making paper bags from old newspapers, which were then sold to neighbouring medicine shops. Each boy came to produce an average of 500 envelopes or 100 paper bags.

Finally, all those trained in mechanical, electronic and hydraulic systems were placed in various production and assembly companies in the area. Their housing also tries to respond as best as possible to the need to be close to the workplace, being located not near greenhouses and farms, but close to industrial areas.

The project has been very successful and now, at the end, the impact it has had on the lives of every single boy in Snehagram is tangible. They have been successfully launched into independent living: each of them has already started earning an income, being able to live in a house that is adequate for their health needs, and also close to their working environment.

The project should have been finished earlier, but the Covid- 19 pandemic slowed down the work. India was hit hard and even the Snehagram centre was not spared, most of its occupants fell ill and planned activities did not continue as planned. At the end of the pandemic emergency there were no further hiccups and the project continued as planned.

We are happy to have been able to help the young people of Snehagram who, in the absence of the centre founded by the Sneha Charitable Trust, would have been forced into a life on the margins of society, with no chance of employment.

FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF JUVENANT SAINT CAMILLE

The Juvenat Saint Camille is a school in Ouagadougou, run by the Camillians, which welcomes many children from the surrounding areas, offering them a proper education and a serene environment in which to cultivate their studies and interests.

The education centre needs to proceed with further modernisation to enable the facility to provide more and more services to the students. In particular, the need for a well and a pumping system to provide enough drinking water for the needs of the students and the school was emphasised; and it seemed essential to proceed with the installation of a computer room.

Faced with these needs, Salute e Sviluppo was delighted to be able to contribute to the improvement of the centre, initiating this project which aims to both provide water and equip the hall.

Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and, although it is the country’s best-supplied city, it suffers from the general situation of the nation which, in addition to extreme poverty, in recent years has also had to deal with terrorists who attack the country in waves with attacks and violent acts. It seems essential to help the population with agri-food, health or – as in this case – educational development projects.

As of 1 November 2022, we decided to start work on the improvement of the school centre: work on the construction of the well and pumping system was swift and went smoothly. Already now the system is functioning and gives the school access to an adequate supply of drinking water.

As far as the computer room is concerned, the project includes the purchase of 24 computers and the fitting out of the entire room, which will give the children the opportunity to study computer science – an absolutely necessary subject – do more in-depth research on school topics, connect to the net and expand their knowledge in this way. The room would also be used for presentations, small conferences and other learning situations for the children.

P. Felice de Miranda, President of Salute e Sviluppo, had the opportunity a short while ago, during his last mission to Burkina Faso, to visit the school and see how the work was progressing: he found many happy children waiting for him, who were grateful to Health and Development for the ongoing project.

Activities will end in June 2023, by which time the computer room should be completed and properly equipped. We will keep you updated on all the milestones we achieve!

IN BURKINA FASO WITH A GOAL: CULTIVATING VALUE

The New Year has just started and we at Salute e Sviluppo are already on the road! The mission that saw us in Burkina Faso to plan the activities of the new project ‘Cultivating Value: good practices and innovative methods for inclusive and sustainable agro-livestock production’, financed by the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS), ended a few days ago.
This new initiative was inaugurated at the beginning of the year and for 36 months we will be committed to strengthening the structures and production activities that we had started in 2017 thanks to the support of the Italian Cooperation – MAECI, within the project ‘Innovative rice production and valorisation of local products for food sovereignty and sustainable rural development in the Bagré area, Burkina Faso’.

We are again in Bagré, a rural area in the central eastern part of Burkina Faso, which – due to its extreme poverty – has been the focus of several of our interventions for many years. In this region, the population, already exhausted by precarious living conditions, must also deal with the fear and violence brought to the country by Islamic terrorism, which aims to make the country’s already fragile balance even more unstable.

Terrorism, which has escalated in recent years, also makes it complex to carry out cooperation projects in large areas of the country, which are considered unsafe. We at Salute e Sviluppo also came up against this sad reality, having to coordinate the project from the capital Ouagadougou, instead of directly from the intervention site. Without allowing ourselves to be discouraged by this, we nevertheless decided to take on this new challenge, which has the sustainable development of the Burkinabe primary sector as its primary objective.
La parola chiave è diversificazione: durante questi 36 mesi, ci proponiamo di rendere la produzione agricola e zootecnica della zona il più varia possibile, garantendo così alla popolazione locale non solo cibo a sufficienza, ma anche una dieta varia e la salvezza dalla malnutrizione.

At the same time, the project will bring other benefits: thanks to the strengthening of existing farms and agrarian supply chains, more jobs will be secured for locals who, by becoming part of this production system, will be able to increase the economic capacity of the community’s families. A real improvement in conditions will hopefully help curb the desire to emigrate, considering the absorption of many locals into the new jobs that will be created.

Strengthening the primary sector is of paramount importance to achieve the project goals as agriculture and animal husbandry are still conducted using traditional methods. An important aspect of the initiative is the promotion of women’s empowerment through the transfer of knowledge to local women who will thus have the opportunity to improve family food production based on horticulture and forest products.

The project appears ambitious in terms of its objectives and at the same time difficult due to the unstable and dangerous condition of the area. Fortunately, there are many partners actively participating in the project, bringing added value: the NGO Santé et Promotion Humaine (SAPHE), which has been collaborating for many years with Health and Development for the agricultural and livestock development of the country, managing the production chains created with the previous project with local personnel; the Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI) of the University of Florence, which specialises in food production and environmental protection and recovery in tropical and sub-tropical countries, thanks to many research and cooperation activities; the NGO AES-CCC, which has been rooted in the Burkinabé territory for many years with programmes to combat malnutrition and food security, with a specific focus on empowering women at both the local and institutional level.

In addition, several local stakeholders are joining the cause by helping us in this new challenge: Bagrépole, the Women’s Associations of the Region and the Government Departments at municipal level in the area, all of which are rooted in the territory with the ability to act in a timely manner in solving any problems.

Despite the endemic difficulties of the area, the Health and Development project is designed to be long-lasting, sustainable and rooted in the territory: the fundamental objective is to bring about a positive change in Burkinabé productive capacity, which will prove to be so at the end of the 36 months, enabling the local population to improve their living conditions in the long term.

We are only at the beginning of this new adventure, an ambitious challenge that we hope to win, thanks to the funding from AICS and the valuable cooperation of partners. We will always keep you updated on the small and big milestones we achieve!

MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOSSEMPTÉLÉ

Not many months have passed since we told you about our project Health and Nutrition for the Vulnerable Population of the Sub-Prefecture of Bossemptélé, which is part of the ‘Emergency Initiative in Support of the Vulnerable Population in the Central African Republic’ funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), and whose aim is to improve the living conditions of the population of the Bossemptélé Sub-Prefecture, which is particularly tried by the instability in the country. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The Central African Republic has never enjoyed such tranquillity as to allow it to grow and prosper; on the contrary, it has had to contend with numerous coups d’état and as many dictators who, acting without scruples, have allowed the exploitation of the country’s resources, without a thought for the increasingly sacrificed population. The situation in recent years has been particularly difficult: rebel groups have clashed several times with state forces, causing violence and deaths, especially among the most vulnerable population.

In this complex context, the John Paul II Hospital played a key role, providing a point of reference for the population of the sub-prefecture. Despite the clashes and violence, the hospital has always continued to operate and provide support.

Our project starts with the John Paul II Hospital with the intention of increasing its capacity to respond adequately to the needs and requirements of the population. Before our intervention, the facility did not have a proper emergency room in which to receive urgent patients. Now the renovation and extension work on the premises is almost complete and by the end of the project – December 2022 – it is also planned to provide the emergency department with all the necessary furniture and machinery.

Another deficiency found within the hospital concerned the nutritional aspect: a triple problem considering that most of the patients are in a serious state of malnutrition upon admission, that food is necessary to ensure a proper course of treatment and rehabilitation, and that most of those who come from the neighbouring villages, once they arrive in the city, do not have the possibility of buying anything at the local market due to the excessively high prices.

For these reasons, it was decided to build a canteen to provide three full meals a day – based on cereals, meat or fish – for the in-patients, who can thus follow a correct diet and sufficient caloric intake to aid their recovery. The canteen service is also offered to relatives from afar who care for patients in severe need. Currently, more than 2250 meals per month are provided.

In order to improve the quality of the hospital’s services, it was necessary to train 38 in-service health workers in specialist disciplines such as obstetrics and ophthalmology. The training courses are already leading to a significant improvement in hospital performance.

One of the most ambitious components of our intervention is the strengthening of the medical centres located in the villages surrounding Bossemptélé, where services are almost non-existent. Thanks to the AICS-funded project, we have rehabilitated – or in some cases built from scratch – several postes de santé, each of which has a well with access to drinking water. The work is almost complete and the population of the villages of Gbawi, Bodangui, Bombalou and Yangoro already has access to basic health services, without having to make the journey to the city of Bossemptélé, unless strictly necessary for the treatment of more complex illnesses.

Not only qualitative reinforcement of the hospital and postes de santé, but also a mobile clinic service that, twice a week, visits the most difficult-to-reach villages, providing treatment and health education with awareness-raising meetings on prevention and first aid.

Thanks to the support of AICS, our work in the Central African Republic has reached new heights that we hope will mark the beginning of a better life for many people living in the sub-prefecture of Bossemptélé.

This article was produced within the framework of the project Health and Nutrition for the Vulnerable Population of the Subprefecture of Bossemptélé AID 05/RCA/12049/2021 funded by the Italian Development Cooperation Agency. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Italian Development Cooperation Agency. The Italian Development Cooperation Agency is not responsible for information that is considered erroneous, incomplete, inadequate, defamatory or in any way reprehensible.

A SCHOOL AND MANY NURSES

Our Project Director, Mariella, and Fr. Felice de Miranda, President of Salute e Sviluppo, went in the Central African Republic for the usual monitoring of ongoing projects in the country.

The area in which we are currently operating is part of the sub-prefecture of Bossemptélé, an area that is particularly poor and lacking in infrastructure. The only health centre in the area is the John Paul II Hospital, which, as we have repeatedly mentioned, was fundamental for the population, especially during the harshest periods of the civil war fought in the country.
On 1 January 2021, the Project to set up a nursing school: vocational training paths for improving health conditions in the Central African Republic, funded by the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI), began.

The aim of this project is to complete, by 2023, a nursing school with the aim of training specialised personnel who can implement the services provided in the hospital. Besides the construction of the school, a fence and a well are also planned. At a later stage, furniture, computers and other materials will be purchased to meet the needs of the students who will undertake this certified and nationally recognised course of study, which will also make use of the synergy with the John Paul II Hospital for field placements.

If at the beginning of the year we showed you photos of the construction of the well and the beginning of the fence, we can now announce that construction work on the building is proceeding at a good pace, while work on the well and the fence has been completed. Thanks to this last mission, it was possible not only to ascertain the progress made, but also to help the local contact persons with the most optimal design of the facility, which is expected to be ready in a few months.

It makes us particularly happy that from the start of the project to date, the feedback from the population towards our initiative has been more than favourable: while in the first year 11 students enrolled, this year 25 students will be selected out of 30 applicants who applied by taking the school’s admission test. All the teachers are university professors from Bangui, who teach the classes to a high standard, at the end of which a diploma is awarded – after a positive assessment by the examination board – which is valid in the entire country.

In addition, the health workers of the postés de santé of the villages in the area will also participate in the lessons next school year, as the Central African government has stipulated that all public health personnel must increase their level of competence. The government authorities have identified our nursing school as the right place for their theoretical and practical training and will take charge of their preparation.

In addition to increasing staff and hospital standards, the project also aims to increase social inclusion and help many young people integrate constructively into society.

Since the beginning of the year, progress has been remarkable, and it is only a short time before the structure is completed. These achievements make us all the more proud, considering the situation in the Central African Republic, which still suffers from a situation of very strong instability that undermines the possibility of improvement and growth. We hope to give you many more happy updates on our activities!

THE FUTURE OF SNEHAGRAM

Towards the future of young people at Snehagram Centre Transition programme for independent life is the title of the third phase of the initiative that sees Salute e Sviluppo engaged in India to help HIV-positive children thanks to the contribution of the Catholic Church, which allocates part of the 8xMILLE of the total IRPEF revenue for charitable interventions in favour of the Third World.

HIV continues to be such a serious problem for India that the government, especially in recent years, has been pushing a massive education and prevention campaign. The results of this policy have been remarkable: in most of the territory, the percentage of new infections has dropped considerably. However, the number of HIV-positive children and young people who have been orphaned by this same disease and who risk a life of poverty and segregation still remains high: marginalised because they are considered infected and alone without relatives.

Sneha Charitable Trust (SCT) has been working for many years to welcome, care for and educate HIV-positive orphans, aiming at their full integration into society. Salute e Sviluppo, supported by the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana (CEI), assists the centre’s activities through a multi-stage programme, each of which refers to a specific age group. At the moment, the third project is underway, which focuses on young people aged 18 to 24 and aims to get them into work and achieve autonomy/semi-autonomy.

All children accommodated at Snehagram are encouraged to choose their subjects and activities according to their own inclinations. This enhances learning and allows specialisation in a specific field that can be their future employment and source of income. Some decided to specialise in agriculture, others in animal husbandry, others in IT or mechanics. Based on these fields of interest, the centre equipped itself with everything necessary to help the young people acquire effective practical training: fields were created, a greenhouse and a farm were built, seeds, fertilisers and various equipment were bought.

In addition to vocational training, a key part of the project is the construction of housing that will be allocated to each young person according to their chosen field of work and health status. Those who, over the years, have specialised in areas such as mechanics or IT need to be close to the city, as opposed to those who, working in the fields or on the farm, need to stay in their immediate vicinity.

Those who benefit from this project are both the 40 young people who, having grown up at the Snehagram reception centre, have become adults and need to become socially and economically self-sufficient; and the community, which will have a young and specialised workforce that can be employed in several professional sectors.

The stigma of HIV is still very much felt in India, and being able to integrate these young people into the social fabric, thanks to the technical skills they have acquired, means moving them away from the segregation and isolation that a disease like AIDS has as its direct consequences in some parts of the world.

Salute e Sviluppo launched this two-year project in 2018. During the first year, the set objectives were achieved and the deadlines were met. The advent of the pandemic in March 2020 made the smooth continuation of the programme impossible: all Snehagram’s activities were converted to cope with the COVID, which erupted violently in India, affecting most of the centre’s guests, workers and even local Camillians.

It was not until last autumn that all project activities could be resumed. At the end, we at Salute e Sviluppo will be proud to introduce you to the 40 boys from the Snehagram centre, who, thanks to the help of the CEI, can now look forward to a peaceful life fully integrated in their society and community.

Tag Archives: #internationalcooperation