Conflicts, poverty, hunger and exploitation - these are some of the dangers that millions of children face every day in the world. The conflicts in Syria and Iraq alone are forcing more than 14 million children to live daily in fear and in need. More than 27 million children are refugees or displaced persons, far from their homes. 100 million children survive on the streets. 168 million have to work. 57 million do not go to school ... and more than 17,000 die every day from preventable causes.
Ana Muñoz, spokesperson of the Mission Office says "Faced with this reality, we at the Mission Office in Madrid want 2016 to be the year of children". Children must not have to go through another year as difficult as last year. For the Missions Office, at-risk children are the priority. Their protection, their living conditions, their education, their welfare, their laughter and their games are central to the work of the Salesians in over 130 countries. "Children living in extremely difficult conditions can always count on the Salesians," says Ms Muñoz.
However, they cannot carry out this great work alone. For this reason the Salesian Mission Office in Madrid has launched the campaign "Ellos me importan" (They are important to me). United we can send a clear message to governments and the international community that children in need must be among the priorities this year.
"Let us unite so that a loud and clear cry reaches all corners of the planet. Let us remain united, because millions of children around the world are deprived of their childhood. They have no games, no laughter and no schoolbooks. Millions of children around the world do not have an opportunity to be educated and to dream of a better future. Millions of children have known suffering for far too long."
