NEWS
MPE: Salesians of Don Bosco Forge a Bold Path to Uplift South Asia’s Poorest
New Delhi, India – November 2025 : In a landmark year of action and impact, the Salesians of Don Bosco in South Asia have marked a significant milestone in their ambitious initiative, Mission Poverty Eradication (MPE), aimed at transforming the lives of the region’s most vulnerable youth and families. With over 59,000 interventions documented in its first year, the project is rapidly evolving into a powerful network of hope, empowerment, and systemic change.
Launched officially on August 5, 2024, MPE was born out of the Salesian Provincial Conference of South Asia’s (SPCSA) commitment to the call of GC28 and the Rector Major to prioritize “the poorest, the most abandoned and defenceless.” The initiative aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the goal to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere.”
Fr. Biju Michael, General Councillor for South Asia, hailed the initiative as a “charismatic, professional, transparent, and data-driven” mission. “We take rightful pride in our work for the poor and pledge steadfast commitment to poorer youth,” he stated in the annual report. “Let us charge ahead—together, with faith and fire—trusting God’s abundant Providence in every mission for the most vulnerable youth.”
A Data-Driven Foundation
The first year of MPE saw an extraordinary mobilization across 235 Salesian communities, resulting in 59,776 data entries assessing the current reach to the poor. These assessments revealed that:
- 85% of those assessed were classified as poor, very poor, or extremely poor.
- 71.6% were under 25, highlighting the youth-centric nature of the mission.
- 73.9% belonged to non-Christian faiths, reflecting the inclusive and secular outreach of the initiative.
- 55.7% of beneficiaries were female, underscoring a strong focus on gender equity.
The data also revealed that 51.6% of beneficiaries lived in rural areas and 10.9% in urban slums, ensuring that geographical disparities are being addressed.
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