“As I am fond of saying to Karina’s donors – and I am sure they will remember me for this! – although programmes of work are our spearhead, it is proper and accountable financial management that will build the reputation of any national Caritas!” Sophie Toligi of Karina, the national Caritas of Indonesia, points out that just six years after being established, Karina has full funding of its emergency programmes and is confidently approaching donors to extend its areas of work.

Sophie is enthusiastic about the Improving Financial Management and Transparency Programme which was introduced by Caritas Internationalis in early 2011. It offers member organisations the support to assess their own strengths and weaknesses, pinpointing any needs for training, systems and best practices.Working collaboratively, members will then create new standards of management and transparency.

Caritas Internationalis is the steward of valuable resources, holding them in trust and making them work as effectively as possible to meet the needs of the world’s poorest people. In a fast-changing world, both beneficiaries and donors increasingly expect Caritas to be professional and responsible. By strengthening Caritas, it will have a greater capacity to deliver real change to the people it serves.