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Caritas Cape Verde

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Caritas Cape Verde
Caritas Caboverdiana
Established1 February 1976; 49 years ago (1 February 1976)[1]
TypeNonprofit
Purposesocial welfare, social justice
Location
OriginsCatholic Social Teaching
Servicessocial services, humanitarian aid
Official language
Portuguese
President
Bishop Ildo Fortes[2]
AffiliationsCaritas Internationalis, Caritas Africa

Caritas Cape Verde (Portuguese: Caritas Caboverdiana) is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Cape Verde.[3] It is a service of the Catholic Church in Cape Verde and was established in 1976.

Structure

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The organisation follows the structure of the Catholic Church and consists of a national office (Caritas Cape Verde) and of two diocesan structures, Caritas Diocesana de Santiago and Cáritas Diocesana do Mindelo.[3] These are in turn working through 41 local parish organisations.[4]

Caritas Cape Verde is a member of both Caritas Africa and Caritas Internationalis.[5]

Work

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The Caritas network in Cape Verde is active in several sectors. It provides its support to the people most vulnerable indiscriminately, regardless of their religion, nationality or political affiliation.[4]

Caritas provides a range of support services aimed at addressing both immediate needs and long-term development. This includes basic social support, such as the distribution of essential food baskets or school kits to families in need, as well as educational assistance. To ensure interventions are appropriate and targeted, Caritas staff and volunteers carry out household visits, during which they assess the families' situations. Based on this initial diagnosis, specific needs are identified and a project is developed in a participatory manner. Funding is then sought from national and international partners and donors.[4]

A significant part of Caritas’ work focuses on development, with the aim of fostering self-sufficiency among individuals and families, while also promoting the overall well-being of the community.[6] This may involve construction or renovation activities, such as building cisterns—including in schools—bathrooms, pigpens, and chicken coops, or distributing fruit trees and livestock for breeding purposes. A variety of training and support programmes are also offered, covering areas such as food security, agriculture and livestock management, dressmaking, and domestic services.[4][7][8]

In addition to developmental efforts, Caritas also provides humanitarian assistance in response to emergencies, such as natural disasters (storms, drought, etc.) or the COVID-19 pandemic. This support includes the distribution of food and non-food items—such as mattresses, kitchen and bedroom kits, bed linen, stoves, clothing, and medicines—as well as covering school-related expenses like monthly fees and supplies.[9][10][11]

References

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  1. ^ "Escolha de Dom Arlindo para cardeal vai ser bom para a Cáritas - secretária-geral" [Dom Arlindo's election as cardinal will be good for Caritas - Secretary General]. Expresso das Ilhas (in Portuguese). 19 February 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  2. ^ "X Assembleia da Cáritas Nacional de Cabo Verde" [10th Assembly of the National Caritas of Cape Verde]. Vatican News (in Portuguese). 20 April 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Cáritas Diocesana do Mindelo começa a construir centro social multifunções em dezembro na Horta Seca" [Caritas Diocesana do Mindelo begins construction of multi-purpose social center in Horta Seca in December]. balai.cv (in Portuguese). 13 November 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Sara Almeida (25 December 2022). "Cáritas luta contra o assistencialismo, mas pedidos emergenciais não param de aumentar" [Caritas fights against welfare, but emergency requests continue to increase]. Expresso das Ilhas (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  5. ^ Dulce Araújo (23 May 2023). "Uma grande experiência de partilha universal" [A great universal sharing experience]. Vatican News (in Portuguese). Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Cáritas Cabo-verdiana propõe "trabalho de parceria" para tornar as pessoas necessitadas autónomas" [Caritas Cape Verde proposes “partnership work” to make people in need autonomous]. balai.cv (in Portuguese). 15 June 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Caritas Luxemburgo apoia Cabo Verde" [Caritas Luxembourg supports Cape Verde]. Contacto (in Portuguese). 18 October 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  8. ^ Ramos, Paula de Azevedo (December 2022). "Promovendo a segurança alimentar e nutricional e a alimentação saudável e sustentável em Cabo Verde" [Promoting food and nutritional security and healthy and sustainable eating in Cabo Verde]. Kwanissa Revista de Estudos Africanos e Afro-Brasileiros (in Portuguese). 5 (13): 257–263.
  9. ^ Sheila Pires (3 April 2022). "Caritas Cape Verde Reaching Out to Persons in "vulnerable situations" amid Drought". aciafrica.org. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Covid-19 Cáritas Cabo Verde apoia mais de 500 famílias afectadas pelas cheias e pela covid-19" [Covid-19 Cáritas Cabo Verde supports more than 500 families affected by floods and covid-19]. A Nação (in Portuguese). 25 January 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Cáritas Cabo-verdiana teve papel relevante em tempos de pandemia" [Cáritas Cabo Verde played a relevant role in times of pandemic]. opais.cv (in Portuguese). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
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