The Office for International Programs

We are the global development arm of Salesian Missions. Our goal is to support Salesian Missions and the Salesians of Don Bosco globally through partnerships with the U.S. Government and private-sector organizations, state-of-the-art concepts, and in-kind financial support.

Since registering with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a private voluntary organization, SMOIP has implemented 70 projects worth over $50 million in financial support.

Property and Logistics Program (PLP)

Our Property and Logistics Program is carried out through generous assistance from government and private-sector partners who contribute millions of dollars in tax-deductible in-kind donations and government excess property. SMOIP leverages the USAID Ocean Freight Reimbursement Grant to deliver these humanitarian aid shipments to their overseas destinations.

Capacity Building

Through grants, SMOIP supports capacity building efforts that strengthen the organizational and technical resources of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) working at the local level. This proactive approach enables local NGOs to become sustainable and improve the quality of services they provide to those in need. The NGOs are also better prepared to influence decisions and actions affecting their respective communities.

Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons

More than 40 million people have been uprooted by global conflict and persecution. SMOIP – backed by international and local agencies – addresses the special needs of children and families living in refugee and displacement camps. Through systematic skills training programs, youth and primary wage earners become better qualified to obtain good jobs and gain independence.

Food Security

SMOIP directly administers youth and community feeding programs with food provided by the U.S. Government and private donors. By getting the nourishment they need, impoverished children and families are better able to prevent severe health problems and have a greater ability to be productive.

Gender Equity

Through programs like the USAID-funded "Girls in the Vanguard" – which supports, trains, and places thousands of women in male-dominated jobs with advancement potential – SMOIP builds the confidence of marginalized women as they work to change deeply ingrained biases and oppressive stereotypes.

Teaching The Youth

SMOIP has been entrusted by dozens of government agencies and humanitarian organizations to be the stewards of funds dedicated to education programs for desperately poor children. Highlights include:

  • The Life Choices program – funded by USAID, CDC, and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS – which has improved the lives of more than 375,000 people living in regions most impacted by the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS.
  • More than 3,400 youth education and trade schools that provide hope and opportunity to nearly 3 million young men and women from 135 countries.
  • Over 90 agricultural schools which train youth and adults in modern and appropriate farming technology, thus enabling them to improve crop yields, achieve food security, and generate income.

 

For more information, contact Jaime Correa-Montalvo, Office for International Programs Director at JaimeC@salesianmissions.org.