How Caritas Mthatha Promotes Women’s Leadership In March 2018, Caritas Mthatha/Catholic Development Centre initiated a program called Masiphunge Women Empowerment Program. Masiphunge is a Xhosa word meaning, “Come, let’s have a cup of tea together”. The concept is based on an idea that women used to drink tea together and began to share important information ...
Address: Caritas Gabon, BP 2146, Gabon
Telephone: +241 07 55 33 51 Fax: +241 7 24 368
Email: caritas.gabon@yahoo.fr
In the 1950s assistance was provided to Gabon by Secours Catholique (Caritas France). Then in 1967, following the massive influx of refugees from the war in Biafra, the Episcopal Conference of Gabon decided to set up an organisation that could provide assistance to these displaced persons. Thus Caritas Gabon was born.
Established for more than 45 years, it now comprises 5 dioceses, an Apostolic Prefecture and around 80 parishes, which add up to a substantial and respected presence throughout the country.
The work of Caritas is focused on poverty reduction, particularly among the most vulnerable such as the elderly, refugees and street children. Its mission includes promotion of equality between men and women, provision of food and medical aid, and support for displaced persons, as well as fostering the well-being of the community and the health of all its members.
To this end Caritas runs two centres, one for street children who receive education until they are reintegrated within their families, and another that serves as a place of transit where children who have been victims of human trafficking can learn to read and write before returning to their countries of origin. Caritas also runs shops where medicines are available at affordable prices.
Regarding emergency aid and support to refugees and displaced persons, Caritas Gabon relies on volunteers and, in order to achieve its goals and best mobilise its efforts on behalf of the poor, it advocates via the media with messages from the bishops and consults various humanitarian organisations.
Caritas Gabon’s partners include: UNICEF, UNDP and the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Family.
Updates from Gabon
This year, as part of the global Caritas Internationalis campaign to eliminate violence against women and girls (25 November – 10 December), Caritas South Sudan launched their national initiative Act Now: Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Women and Girls to celebrate and stand in solidarity with women and girls combatting all forms of violence ...
Nearly 10 years on, terrorism and violence instigated by militia groups continues to threaten the peace and safety of tens and thousands of families throughout Burkina Faso. Since 2015, men, women and children have been forced to flee their homes and leave everything behind. In more recent years, Burkina Faso has witnessed unprecedented levels of ...
Due to the conflict that broke out in Sudan last April, several men and women have been forced to leave their homes and villages behind in search of safety and for the survival of their families in other parts of the country and beyond, including Chad. In their flight, many displaced families did not have ...
“We have witnessed drought before, lost animals and crops, however, unlike other periods, we usually had enough livestock and crops to sustain ourselves until the rainy season. Now the rains have failed for the fourth time and we are not sure if the fifth rainy season will come,” shares Habey Maanur Mohamud, a 60-year-old mother ...
As part of the inauguration of the Global Year of Action of the “Together We” campaign, aimed at promoting integral ecology by simultaneously protecting people and our planet, Caritas Internationalis will launch its publication Displaced by a changing climate, highlighting the vital need for collective action to address the consequences of environmental degradation. Caritas Internationalis, ...
Since conflict erupted in Sudan in mid-April, it has become one of the most dangerous places not only for families and communities affected by the crisis, but for the national and international humanitarian workers and partners supporting them. Since the onset of the crisis, more than 4.3 million people, including aid workers, have been forced ...
Caritas Internationalis joins the appeal of His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus, Rev. Kes Yonas, Patriarch Abune Mathias, and Rev. Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin in urging US Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Food Programme (WFP) to resume life-saving food distribution immediately. The food aid was suspended on the 30th of March 2023 in the Tigray region ...
Sudan has been embroiled in a devastating armed conflict since last April, triggered by power struggles among the country’s military factions. The fighting, primarily between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has had a profound impact on civilians, resulting in large-scale displacement and shattered access to food, water, health care, fuel, ...
“Everybody is trying to leave Khartoum because practically no one is sure of his remaining there and being safe. And so people run away. I also had to leave, I crossed the border by car. There is a huge need for help both in Sudan and in neighbouring countries to accommodate people fleeing the conflict”. ...
Caritas Africa Info
- Angola
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