Ponnur, India – February 2025 – Salesian missionaries in the Don Bosco Mission Ponnur, in the city of Ponnur, Andhra Pradesh, India, have a new vehicle for their mission work thanks to donor funding from Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. The new vehicle is ensuring that Salesians have the reliable transportation they need for promoting spiritual growth, community engagement, and education through various programs and initiatives. The donation will impact 500 families, including 320 youth, living in villages. Salesians will be able to prepare people for the celebration of sacraments and teach catechism to children and older youth. Salesians will also be able to conduct youth pastoral retreats and seminars. Without the transportation, Salesians would not be able to reach these remote areas. Father Charan, parish priest, said, “With the new four-wheeler, we can now reach the villages smoothly and on time, which was a struggle before. Our old vehicle often broke down, making it difficult to fulfill our ministry. Now, the Salesians, Sisters, and catechists can travel together every evening for the celebration of the sacraments. This has been a huge blessing for us. I am grateful for the donation.” A catechist in the mission explained, “For years, we struggled to travel together to the villages, but now, with the new vehicle, we can travel as a team every day. This has made a huge difference in our spiritual work with the faithful.” Salesians provide a range of education and social development programs for poor and at-risk youth and their families in India. They work to mitigate the devastating effects of poverty for these families. India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44% of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10% of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.