Caritas India

Vision

Formation of a Just and Sustaining Social Order, where Gospel Values of Love, Equality and Peace are Nurtured and Lived

Mission

Restore the Human Dignity of the Poor and Marginalised through an Empowerment Process.

What Caritas India aspires to do ?

Alleviate human suffering and misery in a spirit of Charity and Human Compassion.
Give concrete expression to Christian love in humanity, so that all persons may individually and collectively grow into that fullness of humanity at creation.
Educate people and make them conscious and concerned about justice, cooperation and
self-reliance.

How is it realized ?

Empower local communities to initiate and sustain their own humanization process.
Promote the growth & development of local & regional structures.
Advocate grass-root level people’s Organizations towards social justice, peace and total human development.

Caritas India is established on 1st October 1962 as CATHOLIC CHARITIES INDIA (CCI). It started with one man in a single room in CBCI, New Delhi. In 1969, CCI became CARITAS INDIA Today, it is present all over India through its 12 Regional offices and hundreds of local counterparts : Regional Fora, DSSS & NGO partners.

During the year 2003-2004 Caritas India approved a total 782 projects, 142 form programme support services, 464 under decentralization, 47 for CBR, 70 for immediate relief to victims of natural climates, 25 for Rehabilitation and 34 for Envn. management programme.

Programme Support Services (PSS)

Critas India extends programme/project support to Diocesan Social Service Societies, non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and Community-Based Organisations (CBO) for animation, development and institutional support services. The primary thrust of Caritas India is empowerment process through formation of People’s Organizations, hence, community educative programmes receive a priority.

Caritas India supports the following programme :

Educative programmes to generate awareness of the actual situations, capabilities, rights and responsibilities of the focus groups; and facilitate programmes suited to the socio-cultural conditions of the target groups, with in built methodologies for on going awareness and development of community based organization.
Promotional programmes to build community-based organizations, among the under privileged oppressed and marginalised sections of the society and promote community level cooperative ventures.
Culture specific needs and growth of the target group and generate local leadership to achieve self-reliance, social/gender equity and collective growth.
Community based rehabilitation of street children, physical and mentally challenged individuals, durg addicts, sex works and their children & victims of sex trafficking.

Decentralization:

Decentralization has been an important strategy in the organization since 1996. Through this, the local partners screen and decide for the micro-projects as well as implement and monitor them This is a single-window operation through decentralized structures for decision-making. Local projects selection committees called “Deiocesan Projects Selection Committees” (DPSCs) are formed at the level of every Social Service Society and are structurally linked to Caritas India This approach has a triggering effect on village communities to work for their own development.

Decentralization Scheme

The Decentralization Scheme is one of the most popular programmes of Caritas India. The primary stakeholders of Caritas India are keen that it is continued. However, Carita India is facing severe constraints due to resources-crunch. Therefore, it has been discussed and debated during the year at zonal levels and at the level of the Partners to discover new approaches. An in depth analysis and search for alternatives occupied the center-state of organisation’s interaction with the partners.

CBR: Community Based Rehabilitation

With a community oriented approach, CBR supports the social integration and long term improvement of the situation of persons with disabilities towards their self reliance.

CBR’s focus is on prevention and early diagnosis, community based rehabilitation (medical, educational and vocational rehabilitation), public awareness raising, campaigns and lobbying as well as self-organisation and networking of disabled persons. The CBR office is located at Bangalore.

Human and Institutional Development Services

Human and Institutional Development Services (HIDS) in Caritas India are aimed at
Enhancing the competency of individuals and organizations in human development.
Promoting empowerment process by collective learning, intense dialogue & reflection.
Organizing and conducting regular capacity building events and expose.
Facilitating internal capacity building at the central office and field levels.

HIDS promotes Capacity Building among local counterparts in order to :

Increase effectiveness of the people-based development interventions of the partner organizations, mainly in the sustainable empowerment process of the poor and marginalised.
Build communities / local institutions of the primary stakeholders for social transformation through local leadership formation and networking.

Our Focus

Capacitation of the personnel of the partner organizations in knowledge, skill, conviction and commitment for promoting people based programmes.
Support the partners in the institution building process.
Facilitate networks among partners at regional level.

Major Capacity Building Programmes :

Development Dynamics Course (DDC)
ntegrated Development Communications (IDC)
Training of Trainers (TOT)
Gender Perspectives in Development
Environmental Management – Monitoring & Evaluation
Micro Finance
Organizational Development (OD) & Strategic Planning (SP)
Process Documentation and Research Methods
Environmental Impact Assessment
Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP)
Financial Management
Application of Sphere standards

Gender and Development: Since 1987

Enhancement of women’s role as agents of change is the key strategic policy for changing gender relations and rebuilding societies with greater social and economic justice,. Strategic efforts are being made at national and international levels to facilitate changes that will bring in a greater representation of women at all levels of decision making structures.

Objective :

The main objective of Critas India’s Gender Desk is to encourage and support initiatives of deprived and marginalised groups towards sustainable development and gender equity in terms of access to resources, benefits and decision making processes.

Strategy:

Caritas India’s working approach is progressively taking account of the relationship between gender and development in most of its projects and programmes. Enhancing women’s capabilities and identifying interventions that can have rippling effects.

Self Help Strategy is a prime example of a strategic gender intervention that can generate effects across many areas of women’s existence.
Caritas India strives to focus explicitly on gender to improve the integration of gender in its activities and to make the partner organisations more gender sensitive.

Future initiatives :

Impact / assessment studies in the area of gender relations to improve the planning and implementation of development programmes from a gender perspective.

Support programmes for capacity building of partner NGOs on organisational analysis and gender.
Policy advocacy through analysis and evaluation.
Gender sensitisation as a component to increase gender awareness.
Streamlining of methods and tools for social and gender analysis.

Future Concern

Gender Policy formation.
Continuous Capacity Building Programmes on anti-trafficking and strategizing the interventions through our local partners.
Develop Gender Sensitive Indicators in the animation projects and programmes, evolved through gender analysis
Networking with other partners at local / national / international level.

Environment & Disaster Management Services (EDMS)

EDMS department is responsible for responding to the natural and man-made disaster by providing humanitarian assistance. Promotion of natural resource management programmes is a pro active and long-term strategy of the organisation. Further Caritas India’s emphasis is on environment management and disaster preparedness, while providing relief and rehabilitation.

Response of Caritas India to Major National Disasters is immediate through relief assistance. Our Rehabilitation programmes are executed with participatory approach in collaboration with local Governments in order to ensure that Disaster Response leads to long term development of the affected communities.

The landmarks in Disaster Response have been : Bangladesh Refugee relief in 70s, Maharashtra Earthquake Rehibilitation (1993-1998), Orissa Super Cyclone Relief and Rehabilitaion (1999-2003), Gujarat Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation (2001 onwards) Assistance is extended also to victims of natural and man-mae calamities

Pro-Active Approach to Disasters and Environmental Protection:

“The poor can be served better by proper management of environment rather than by relief and rehabilitation measures carried out after natural disasters arising out of mismanagement of the environment”- the pro-poor environmental management policy of Caritas India 1995 Caritas India extends support to community based disaster preparedness, watershed management and other people centred environment-related projects towards conservation of natural resources as well as bio-diversity. Due attention is given to Capacity Building in this sector.

Institutionalisation of Sphere Standards

Caritas India is one of the pilot agencies promoting Sphere standards based on humanitarian charter and minimum standards in Disaster response. It aims at facilitating and ensuring that humanitarian charter and minimum standards are respected in order to foster the dignity of the victimized people. Caritas is committed to institutionalising sphere standards in Disaster Response.

Community Based Disaster Preparedness

Caritas India’s is supporting the pilot initiative in West Bengal in Community Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) programme. Further, with the assistance of the German Foreign Ministry and Caritas Germany, we are planning to support the next phase of the programme through 10 implementing partners, coordinated by the Regional Forum. Caritas India also initiated this process in Andhra Pradesh and the programme is in the final stage of approval. We intend to take up this initiative in the Coastal areas of Andhra, coordinated by the Andhra Regional Form. Plans are on to initiate this process in Assam, Bihar and Orissa during the next financial year. (From Annual Report 2003-2004)

Caritas India considers itself as steward of all the resources entrusted with it. Towards this, Caritas India commits itself to transparent, clear and comprehensive finance management.

Financial Management Services

Caritas India developed a finance manual so that all procedures, practices and systems help the organisation to strive for high standards of transparency and accountability.

Caritas India also gives training to the partners in India as well as in Asia on efficient finance management.

The Finance Advisory Committee of Caritas India and the expert consultant renders information on the changes in the laws governing finance from time to time.

International Partnerships Caritas Internationalis

As the official organization of the CBCI, Caritas India is a member of Caritas Intemationalis (International Confederation of Caritas Organizations) and through their membership, has consultative status with ECOSOC, UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO & FAO of the United Nations.

Caritas Asia:

Caritas Asia is a confederation of Caritas Associations in Asia serving 38 countries and terror ties in which Caritas India is a member.

Asia Partnership for Human Development (APHD)

Caritas India is also a member of the Asia Partnership for Human Development.

Collaborators of Caritas India

Caritas India works in collaboration with Diocesan Social Service Societies and NGOs in the country. Caritas India works within the framework of national plans, needs and priorities in collaboration with the Central and State Governments at various levels.

Caritas India partners network

Caritas Australia, Caritas Austria, Caritas Belgica, Cordaid (Netherlands), Catholic Funds of Overseas Development (CAFOD-UK), Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCOD), Coady International (Canada), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Catholic Overseas Aid Committee (New Zealand), COR UNUM (Vatican), Catholic Women’s Movement (KFO/KJO/DKA-Austria), Caritas Germany, Caritas Norway, Caritas Italy, Caritas Luxem bourg, Misereor (Gemany), Caritas Denmark, Caritas Spain, Manos Unidas (Spain), Secours Catholique (France), Caritas Switzerland, Caritas Poland, Caritas Gipuzkoa (Spain), Caritas Japan including the 163 member countries which form the worldwide family of Caritas Intemationalis.

EU Partnership Caritas India is also working in close collaboration with European Union.

Private Donors

Individuals and small groups who contribute to Caritas are also participating in the partnership of Caritas.

Caritas India Regional Offices

Andhra Pradesh Region

Caritas India Regional Office

Fatima Nilayam – HASSS Building

C.o. Archbishop’s House, Sardar Patel Road

Secunderabad – 500 003 – Andhra Pradesh

Tel: 040 27807469

E-mail: cihydbad@hd2.vsnl.net.in

Bihar – Jharkhand – Andamans