In Ethiopia and South Sudan, millions of women and children live in extremely vulnerable conditions, marked by poverty, conflict, inequality and harmful cultural practices. In response to this reality, the Salesian Sisters of the AES Visitatoria (Ethiopia, Sudan and South Sudan) have launched an ambitious and concrete project to promote rights, protection and gender equality within educational communities in both countries.
The 12-month project involves 13 educational centres and aims to create safe, inclusive and aware school environments where girls and boys can grow up protected and valued. The objective is twofold: strengthening child-protection systems and promoting gender equality through training, awareness-raising, and the active involvement of teachers, parents and students.
Promoting gender equality means ensuring that girls have equal opportunities to access, remain and succeed in school, tackling discrimination, early marriage, violence and stereotypes that too often hinder their growth. It also means transforming schools into spaces of empowerment, where girls can develop skills, self-confidence and awareness of their rights.
The educational impact of the project is significant: more than 320 teachers are trained on child-protection and gender-equality topics, improving teaching quality and the ability of schools to address the needs of their most vulnerable students. Nearly 10,000 pupils take part in programmes on citizenship, respect and non-violence, while 160 young leaders – many of them girls – are trained to lead awareness campaigns and establish school clubs dedicated to gender equality.
In a context where girls’ school dropout rates remain very high, especially in rural areas, this project represents a concrete investment in their future. By providing quality education and a protective environment, it lays the foundations for long-lasting social transformation — where every girl can become the protagonist of her own path.
Women’s empowerment means providing tools and opportunities to strengthen autonomy, skills and active participation in society. Through education and concrete support, we help women become true agents of change within their communities.
Direct beneficiaries: about 10,000 students
Indirect beneficiaries: Local communities surrounding the 13 educational centres in Ethiopia and South Sudan indirectly benefit from the project. This includes families, students not directly involved, school and religious authorities — all of whom gain from cultural change, strengthened local skills and greater awareness of women’s and children’s rights.
The 13 Salesian educational centres in Ethiopia and South Sudan are true hubs of education, protection and human development.
In Ethiopia, the missions of Addis Ababa, Adwa, Dilla, Zway and Gubrye provide kindergarten, primary and secondary education, vocational training (TVET), artisanal workshops and basic health services.
In South Sudan, the missions of Wau, Tonj and Gumbo focus on basic education, women’s literacy and access to health services, often in areas affected by conflict and extreme poverty.
In all these places, school is much more than a classroom: it is a safe space where children can grow, learn and build a better future.
With the goal of supporting basic education and vocational training, the Foundation invests in infrastructure and initiatives addressing educational challenges such as the empowerment of girls and women.
Each project is developed in collaboration with local communities and aims to promote education, personal growth, and sustainable development.
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The Nuovo Fiore in Africa Foundation is recognized as a public utility organization, registered with the Federal Supervisory Authority, and all donations made are tax-deductible.
