Caritas Uganda Roots for less Privileged Children through Local Fundraising

 

by Valerian Kkonde
ACCPU               

 

Some of Caritas Uganda staff at their office in Nsambya- Catholic Secretariat. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

“A swift adoption of diversified fundraising strategies and broad engagement of grassroots givers can help ensure stability while creating a stronger base for future cultivation.”

That is the advice of Paul Clolery having noted a decrease in both the number of donors and dollars given across all donor types during the first quarter of 2023. This advice is aimed at countries like Uganda which are heavily dependent on donor- funding.

For Caritas Uganda, almost 100% depending on external donors and having no back-up plans when the donor taps run dry, this is a word to the wise.

Caritas Uganda is a Commission of the Uganda Episcopal Conference. It is the social services development and charitable arm of the Catholic Church. Caritas’ four priorities are: “Demand Truth and Accountability, Pursue Justice, Educate and Mobilize, and Strengthen People’s Participation.”

In order to remain relevant to its mission and mandate of caring for the needy members of the community, Caritas Uganda has come up with a program known as Childcare and Emergency Relief Program (CERP). CERP enables flexible funding to help Caritas Uganda respond to the food, education and health needs of the orphaned and vulnerable children, adolescent youths, and the sick and the elderly and offer real time response to the emergencies that occur in Uganda.

Such emergencies include famine, floods, wars, landslides and drought to mention a few.

“This program offers an opportunity to each and every person or organisation, in and outside Uganda, with an interest of supporting children and emergencies in Uganda, to make a free contribution to this cause,” points out Rosemary the Coordinator of the program.

According to UNICEF 2023 study, Uganda is home to over 900,000 child refugees and asylum seekers who have fled conflict or persecution from South Sudan, the DRC and Burundi. In the same year, the UNHCR study revealed that 2,207 people died of hunger in Karamoja region as a result of long dry spells. This led to acute famine.

Uganda continues to face major challenges in providing quality and accessible basic education to children and adolescents. The UNICEF study further revealed that only one of four children who start Primary School attends Secondary schools. There are a number of factors responsible for this.

Environmental crisis. The Church's prophetic voice is needed in these turbulent times. 
Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ACCPU

The global economic outlook remains fragile amidst a highly challenging environment and uncertainties. The wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, and many other parts of the world occupied with pandemics like COVID-19, recurrent epidemics like Ebola, the increasing state of HIV/AIDS of which globally 38 million people are still living with HIV.

According to the UN 2020 report, 25.4 million people are now on treatment and 12.6 million people are still waiting.

The new waves of natural disasters including floods, earthquakes, cyclones and droughts have reversed years of global progress across many years of sustainable development including poverty, healthcare and education affecting particularly women and children in developing countries

A new report by the World Bank found that in 2020 alone, the global extreme poverty rate rose from 8.4 per cent to 9.3 per cent as the pandemic drove 70 million more people into extreme poverty.

The areas targeted through this program include Education of the orphaned and vulnerable children, Food emergency and relief response to children in families hit by natural calamities and war, as well as Children and teens spiritual and psychosocial support.

Other areas targeted are Nutrition for children and breastfeeding mothers, Relief for children living with disabilities, and Skilling children living with disabilities and their caretakers. Health care for orphaned and vulnerable children as well as Child protection and safeguarding are also to be catered for.

According to Rosemary, the Coordinator of the Program, those interested in supporting this cause can contact Caritas Uganda at the Uganda Catholic Secretariat in Nsambya.

Fundraising strategies include direct bank standing orders, organizing a run and selling kits countrywide as well as organizing a dinner. Emergency appeals will also be made whenever national or regional disasters strike.

Keeping the young in school is a crucial battle for Uganda’s future. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ACCPU

During the Lenten Season, bags will be sent out countrywide so that people can make their Lenten savings from Ash- Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Individuals who may want to make direct sponsorship for orphaned children and those without a family able to support them in their education are also welcome. Direct sponsorship requires recommendation by the LC1, Catechists and Parish Priests. For those at university level, the Bishop’s recommendation will have to be added.

With increasing levels of poverty and rampant disasters, Caritas Uganda’s drive to bring hope and dignity to the less privileged children should be given the necessary support. It is a crucial battle for Uganda’s future. Through such support to the vulnerable we can all look to a future where sustainable peace and development are assured.

 

 

Pope Leo XIV tells the World that Defeating Hunger is the Path to Peace

 By Linda Bordoni

Pope Leo XIV visits the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome to mark World Food Day and the 80th anniversary of the organization’s founding. In his address he reaffirms the Holy See’s closeness to the institution and calls for a shared global commitment to end hunger and malnutrition.

Sandwiched between the Caracalla Baths, the Aventine Hill and the Circus Maximus and the high Roman ideals they represent, the FAO headquarters in Rome is a microcosm that represents the world. Its mission to defeat hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition in a sustainable way, upholding the dignity of every human being, resonates in a world where conflict, the climate crisis, forced migration and a widening gap between the rich and poor, cast doubt on the goodwill of the international community to place the human person above profit in the name of justice and peace.

That’s what Pope Leo XIV did on Thursday morning when he addressed a star-studded audience of UN and world leaders and goodwill ambassadors gathered at FAO to mark World Food Day and the organisation’s 80th anniversary.

 “We cannot be content with proclaiming values; we must embody them,” he said, calling for a renewed ethical foundation: “Slogans do not lift people from misery. We must place the human person above profit and guarantee food security, access to resources, and sustainable rural development.”

His visit, in the footsteps of all his predecessors starting with Pope Paul VI in 1970, provided him with the occasion to renew the Holy See’s long-standing support for the UN agency and to urge the international community to redouble its efforts to eradicate hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity — evils he described as “a moral wound that afflicts the whole human family.”

Pope Leo XIV at FAO   (@VaticanMedia)

“Whoever suffers from hunger is my brother”

Choosing to speak both in Spanish and in English, the Pope said that the fight against hunger “is not only a political or economic task but a profoundly human and moral duty.”

“Whoever suffers from hunger is not a stranger,” he said. “He is my brother, and I must help him without delay.”

He recalled that eighty years after the FAO’s creation, millions of people still lack adequate food and nutrition.

“Ending these evils,” he said, “requires the contribution of all: governments, institutions, civil society, and every individual person.”

A collective moral failure

Citing current data that show over 673 million people go to bed hungry and 2.3 billion lack a nutritious diet, the Pope said these are not abstract numbers but “broken lives and mothers unable to feed their children.”

He denounced “an economy without a soul” and a system of resource distribution that leaves vast populations in misery, calling the persistence of hunger in an age of abundance “a collective moral failure and a historical fault.”

“Food must never be a weapon”

Pope Leo expressed deep concern that food is once again being used as a weapon of war, calling this a “cruel strategy that denies men, women, and children their most basic right — the right to life.”

Recalling the UN Security Council’s past condemnation of starvation as a war crime, he lamented that “this consensus seems to have faded.” The silence of those dying of hunger, he said, “cries out in the conscience of humanity,” urging all nations to act decisively.

“Hunger is not humanity’s destiny but its downfall,” the Pope said. “It is not just a problem to be solved; it is a cry that rises to heaven.”

Pope Leo with FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu   (@Vatican Media)

An ethical vision of politics

The Pope did not neglect to reaffirm a concept that was dear to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who never tired of pointing out that to throw food away means to throw people away.

He too condemned the waste of food while others starve, and urged world leaders to end “outrageous paradoxes” and to “awaken from the lethargy that dulls our compassion.”

“Water is life, water is food”

Referring to this year’s World Food Day theme, the Pope said the message — “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind” — calls all people to act together.

“At a time marked by division and indifference, unity through cooperation is not just an ideal but a duty,” he said. “Only by joining hands can we build a future in which food security is a right, not a privilege.”

He paid special tribute to women, whom he described as “the silent architects of survival, the first to sow hope and the careful stewards of creation.” Recognizing their contribution, he said, is “not only a matter of justice, but a guarantee of a more humane and lasting food system.”

Renewing multilateral cooperation

Pope Leo reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism and dialogue among nations, urging that the voices of the poor be heard directly. “We must build a vision that allows every actor in the international community to respond effectively to the genuine needs of those we are called to serve,” he said.

He also made a heartfelt appeal for the many peoples suffering hunger and violence in Ukraine, Gaza, Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, the Central African Republic, Yemen, and South Sudan, insisting that “the international community cannot look the other way.”

“Give them something to eat”

Ending his address, the Holy Father quoted Jesus’ words to His disciples, “Give them something to eat” (Mk 6:37).  This Gospel command, he added, “remains a pressing challenge for the international community.”

“Do not tire of asking God,” he concluded, “for the courage and the energy to work for a justice that will yield lasting and beneficial results. You can always count on the solidarity of the Holy See and of the entire Church, which stands ready to serve the poorest and most disadvantaged throughout the world.”

Pope Leo signs book of honour at FAO   (@Vatican Media)

 

Catholic priest calls for ‘forgiveness’ hoping ceasefire really will end war in Gaza

 Maria Lozano, Nathalie Raffray  

HOLY LAND -   14th October 2025                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Father Gabriel Romanelli during the mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza (Image: © Holy Family Church Gaza)

A PARISH priest who defied evacuation demands to leave Gaza City has called on his flock to “forgive all those who have failed”, as he hopes the ceasefire will bring an end to this “atrocious war”.

A ceasefire in Gaza took effect on Friday (10th October) after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of the 20-point peace plan brokered by Donald Trump, with the next phases still to be negotiated.

In his Sunday address in the Holy Family Catholic Church, Gaza City, Father Gabriel Romanelli said: “This ceasefire, God willing, will become the end of this atrocious war.”

He added: “The long-awaited day has come to begin the implementation of the peace process or peace agreement… May God, in his goodness, grant the Holy Land – and particularly this part of the Holy Land, which is Palestine, Israel – that we may begin to live in peace, in justice, in reconciliation.

Fr Romanelli expressed his profound gratitude and hope following the first Sunday without bombing.

During the Mass, the priest invited parishioners to give thanks to God for their enduring faith and to participate in an act of reconciliation and forgiveness, inspired by the teachings of Pope Saint John Paul II. 

He said: “To forgive all those who, voluntarily or involuntarily, have failed, and ask forgiveness for our own shortcomings”.

At least 57 members of the Christian community have died during the war, including those who died while sheltering in the Catholic compound and the neighbouring Orthodox parish. 

Fr Romanelli e said: “War destroys everything, but we also experienced good things: solidarity and generosity, even in the most adverse conditions.” 

Invoking the words of Fr Werenfried van Straaten, founder of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need Fr Romanelli said: “Human beings are much better than we think.”

The priest expressed gratitude for the constant support of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, as well as the prayers and support of Popes Francis and Leo XIV.

He stressed the importance praying and working so peace could take root for the region.

Fr Romanelli concluded: “Let us hope that it will truly be a just and lasting peace for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.”

                

Catholic Church in Africa Urges World Leaders, Institutions to Urgently Commit to Protect Our Common Home

 by Valerian Kkonde

ACCPU

 

Catholic Communicators at the Kigungu site  on the shores of L. Victoria where the first Catholic missionaries in Uganda- Fr. Lourdel Mapeera and Bro. Amans first set foot on 17th February 1879. The Church's voice plays an important role in the response to the impact of climate change.

This year, for the month of September, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV is in a special way calling upon the faithful and all humanity to try and go an extra mile to experience the interdependence with all creatures through the inspiration of St. Francis. The Pope further reminds the people that all creatures are loved by God and are worthy of love and respect.

In the same month, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has called upon world leaders and global institutions to consider addressing the climate crisis as a priority, with the urgency and commitment it deserves. SECAM made this global appeal during the Second Africa Climate Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on September 7, 2025.

The global appeal comes at a time when the world is gearing up to the 30th Conference Of the Parties (COP30) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be hosted by Brazil in Belem from 10-21 November 2025. Expectations are that the Conference will accelerate the implementation of climate agreements, most especially the Paris Agreement.

COP30 is further expected to focus on the areas of transitioning to renewable energy, forest and biodiversity protection, climate finance, and building resilience to climate change impacts. Brazil, as a country, is expected to highlight the crucial role of nature, especially the Amazon, in achieving climate goals.

More on the global stage, the UN is increasingly seen as an institution that has failed to unite member states to work for peace and development, in respect to Israel’s genocide in Palestine and other conflicts, turning the world into a wounded and weary place.

Endemic in society today are the structural sins which we do not address.

“We must move beyond the mentality of appearing to be concerned but failing to bring about substantial change. We are still not facing the issues squarely, and the commitments made are weak and hardly fulfilled.

We cannot continue to make excuses; what is needed is courage and determination to move away decisively from fossil fuels, to embrace renewable sources of energy, and to make genuine lifestyle changes for the sake of our common home,” observes SECAM.

As a continent, Africa is ravaged by wars, conflicts and poverty. Africa is enormously endowed with natural resources but unfortunately, these are being plundered by the so-called developed countries. In a way, all these are the result of the good governance crisis, and lack of integrity, that continue to bedevil the continent. The would-be leaders many times become agents for multinational companies and plunder national resources in the name of foreign investors.

L. Victoria the world's second largest fresh water lake is an extraordinary resource shared among Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Rusting metal and the water hyacinth are some of the threats it faces. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

National resources have in effect become the property of Africa’s strongmen, leaving majority nationals wallowing in abject poverty. In Africa, poverty and environmental degradation go hand in hand, and the same can be said of poverty and bad governance.

The voice of the Church plays a crucial role in addressing the devastating impacts of climate change. This is a voice driven by the common good and not power, profits and extortion.

“The Church calls on wealthy nations to repay their ecological debt through transparent, accessible, and no-indebting climate finance. Loss and Damage and Adaptation Funds must be swiftly operationalized, reaching vulnerable communities directly and fostering resilience rather than dependency.”

Currently, many young Senegalese are desperately migrating to Europe in search of greener pastures. Fishing, which is the backbone of their economy, is being plundered by powerful European fishing companies. While many continue to perish in the seas as they ply the Mediterranean in dangerously loaded boats to land on the shores of Europe, and even endure dehumanising treatment, many more keep undertaking the treacherous journeys to flee from the poverty and other injustices.

For Uganda, endowed with the marvels of Lake Victoria- the world’s second largest fresh water lake- many local fishing communities are destabilised by government’s pampering of foreigners. Many Ugandans are finding it too expensive to buy fish; they now settle for the scattered flesh left on the bones grudgingly and sarcastically called “fillets.”

Many fishermen have lost their lives while others have been permanently crippled by government’s zeal to enforce oppressive and dehumanising laws that ensure that the benefits of L. Victoria and other water bodies serve the interests of the foreigners who help keep them in power.

As the Chinese continue to mine sand from L. Victoria and grow rice in Lwera, neighbouring communities are devastated by floods to the extent of being forced from their properties. Schools and health facilities have turned into small lakes and the Katonga bridge was destroyed forcing traffic to far away alternative routes. Markets and other economic activities had to close, forcing residents to uncertain lifestyles.

“As Catholic communities in Africa, we ask the leaders of nations and institutions to recognise their moral duty and commit to urgent and ambitious action to protect our common home and the most vulnerable. Delay and half-measures only deepen the suffering of our people and jeopardise future generations.”

Irresponsible garbage disposal at Luzira Pier is another of the many threats to Lake Victoria. From such sites methane gas which is a key contributor to climate change is produced. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

SECAM maintains that African nations must be compensated for the untold suffering they are forced to endure, leading to health, social and environmental hazards despite contributing least to global emissions.

“This is a matter of justice and solidarity with the poorest and most affected communities. Adaptation efforts must safeguard food security, water systems, and livelihoods, prioritizing the poor and marginalised.”

For its part, SECAM promises to collaborate in educating, mobilising and accompanying affected populations. They however urge the developed countries to “recognise and pay their ecological debt to the Global South, without continuing to indebt our nations through loans disguised as climate aid.”

SECAM has also called upon the perpetrators of this environmental crisis to stop making excuses, but to boldly come out and move away from fossil fuels.

“The future is this renewable energy, namely solar panel. It is crucial to invest in clean energy and upgrade infrastructure to address Africa’s energy poverty,” SECAM urges the leaders.

Justice and respect for one another, especially the developing countries, will play an important role in ensuring sustainable use of the resources. The rich and the poor alike, have a duty to care for and respect creation in a manner that recognises our interdependence.

The calmness of Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, was on September 25, 2025 treated to a rude awakening as many young people took to the streets to protest over frequent water shortages and power outages. They demanded for respect for human rights and a dignified lifestyle. This later led to a military coup, gravely affecting every aspect of life!

Madagascar is famed for its vast natural resources including rich mineral deposits, along with significant agricultural potential and favourable climate. The island nation is also exceptionally rich in unique biodiversity, encompassing diverse ecosystems and species found nowhere else on Earth.

But the World Bank estimates indicate that over 70% of its over 30 million population is living below the poverty line.

Bruno Rajaspera, Country Director- Africa, Madagascar- captures well the Island nation’s vulnerability to climate change: “Madagascar’s natural resources are currently under serious threat, and we need to act quickly to reverse the trend of degradation that is exacerbating poverty. Let’s act together to safeguard this natural heritage by mobilising resources and inviting key stakeholders to join our efforts to combat environmental pressures and build a sustainable economy based on the management and restoration of Madagascar’s landscapes and seascapes.”

In Ghana’s capital Accra, Africa witnesses one of the biggest and most dangerous industrial dumping sites on the continent. At Agbogbloshie is the dumping site of Europe’s electronic- waste. At least 40,000 people are estimated to live in this area.

Old televisions, computers and refrigerators are set on fire here, giving off toxic fumes in an area covering 16 square kilometers. These emissions pollute the soil and the water. More so, they leave traces of plastic in the environment.  No wonder it is referred to as the “Toxic city.”

The developing countries lack the infrastructure to sort and recycle the waste. The result is dumping, and then burning of the waste, further complicating the situation for the innocent victims. Poverty and limping health systems turn everything into a crisis: environmental, health, financial, cultural and educational. Every aspect of life is gravely threatened.

 Will the UN regulate and prohibit Europe from exporting plastic waste to poor countries like Ghana? Why do these countries generating these mountains of waste not leave them in their own countries? Who will ensure that the perpetrators of the environmental crisis fulfil their obligation to make good of their promises to pay for these crimes?

Papyrus play a crucial role in filtering all the water from the land before it joins the main lake. Rampart environmental destruction and dangerous waste disposals have destroyed these natural safeguards. Photo by Valerian Kkonde/ ACCPU

SECAM further commits to “establish an Ecclesial Observatory on Climate Justice to monitor implementation of climate pledges and partner with ethical actors to build a green and resilient Africa.”

The Catholic Church in Africa unequivocally advocates for a transformation that puts the care of life at the centre, the sovereignty of indigenous and rural peoples over their territories, and the active defence of the rights of women, climate migrants and new generations.

It is in that regard that the Catholic Church in Africa warns and calls upon humanity to be cognizant of the fact that the injustices, excuses, greed, procrastinations, denials and half-measures all end up devastating our common home.

“The earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor.”