The aid sent from Ecuador helps to support three schools run by the Salesians, institutions which operate without state funding or financial support from the local Church. In the current academic year, the schools have exceeded 1,000 enrolled pupils, a figure that reflects growing confidence among families in the Salesian educational approach: in the previous year, enrolment had not even reached 800.
Among the factors explaining this increase are the stability of school fees and the arrangements made to help families cover the costs of their children’s education by paying with agricultural produce or livestock. Furthermore, efforts have been made to improve teachers’ working conditions, with their average salary rising from 20 to 40 dollars a month.
The contributions received in South Sudan from the missionary campaign of the Salesian province of Ecuador have played a significant role in all this, and have enabled progress to be made on the construction of a perimeter fence around one of the schools – a project aimed at enhancing security, discipline and support for the pupils.
However, the most significant impact of these funds is seen in the lives of those who are now able to continue their studies thanks to scholarships funded by international Salesian solidarity.
This is the case, for example, with James, a fourteen-year-old who lost his parents in his early years and was raised by his grandmother. Despite financial difficulties, he has always stood out for his outstanding academic commitment, right from the start of his formation.
“Last year, I was only able to pay the school fees for one term. I covered the other terms by helping out with odd jobs at the mission so that I could carry on studying. This year, thanks to your generosity, I’ll be able to continue attending school,” James told his Ecuadorian benefactors.
For him, the scholarship represents the chance to continue an educational journey that his family has championed with dedication for years.
Another story is that of Thomas, who, until recently, had never attended school. After being separated from his parents, he lived temporarily with various relatives and would go to the Salesian mission only to tend the vegetable garden, in exchange for a meal. His situation led the Salesians in Maridi to set up a special class for children like him, who had never had access to formal education: the aim is to facilitate accelerated catch-up learning, so that they can then be reintegrated into the mainstream system with the necessary skills.
Today, Thomas is in his first year of primary school. Despite the challenges posed by his family circumstances and a lack of financial resources, he continues to attend lessons and work towards building a different future for himself.
Stories such as those of James and Thomas demonstrate the extent of the solidarity that mobilised hundreds of people during the 2025 Salesian Missionary Campaign in Ecuador. Thousands of kilometres away, the support of the ECU Province continues to open doors where education is still a privilege rather than a guaranteed right. There, amidst economic and social difficulties, the Salesian mission continues to invest in education as a path to transformation for the younger generations.
Fr Heraldo Bosquez,
Ecuadorian Salesian missionary in South Sudan
Source: Salesians of Ecuador
