Annual Report 2020 Our work against poverty
2020
Editorial
2021 marks the start of a new era for Caritas Switzerland. Peter Marbet assumed responsibility as our director on 1 January. I am delighted that we were able to attract an extremely experienced and competent person. For the last thirteen years, Peter Marbet was the director of the Berner Bildungszentrum Pflege, an advanced vocational school for nursing. As the former head of policy and communication at santésuisse, he also brings experience that is of great importance for a nationwide organisation like Caritas Switzerland. The year 2020, on which we are reporting in this annual report, was under the aegis of Hugo Fasel until the last day. We owe him great thanks. For twelve years, but especially in this last, exceptionally crisis-afflicted year, he positioned Caritas Switzerland as an organisation that is fully dedicated to the fight against poverty. We were able to respond to the coronavirus crisis with the largest relief effort that Caritas has ever undertaken in Switzerland. Nor was our international work neglected, and we responded in a targeted way to the humanitarian and social consequences of the pandemic and the needs of the population. Hugo Fasel had a clear message for the politicians and the public: ‘The corona crisis exacerbates poverty. There is an urgent need for action’. This met with a positive response, and we received a lot of support. The communication with donors, with supporting institutions and companies, with clients, representatives from government and administration, media workers and not least our employees is an important pillar for Caritas Switzerland’s success. Peter Marbet will pursue this dialogue with determination – in the interest of people in need.
Mariangela WallimannBornatico President Caritas Switzerland
Content 4
Activities in Switzerland
Thousands of people who experienced hardship during the coronavirus crisis contacted Caritas and received support.
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Humanitarian aid
Nearly 10 years of war in Syria. Caritas supports the population with cash and access to education.
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Interview
To reduce global poverty, solutions must be found to deal with climate change. Efficient development cooperation is key.
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Caritas in figures
Caritas Switzerland accounts for its income and how the funds are used.
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International cooperation
World hunger is increasing again, exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis. Caritas calls on the federal government to act and develops its own projects.
Switzerland
Coronavirus crisis exacerbates poverty Caritas’ largest relief effort in Switzerland Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, Caritas has been there for people who have fallen on hard times. Until the end of 2020, Caritas Switzerland and the 16 Regional Caritas Organisations supported more than 100,000 people in need with direct payments, social counselling and targeted projects. This is Caritas’ largest-ever relief effort in Switzerland. In Geneva in spring, thousands of people queued for hours to receive a free food parcel. The images published by the media in Switzerland and abroad shook the people in Switzerland. The pictures made visible what had been going on in silence: The coronavirus crisis deprives people of their income, and as a result, they are plunged into an existential crisis from one day to the next. Some families lost their extra earnings from a second job which had enabled them to just about make ends meet. Others were on short-time work. The 80 per cent compensation was not enough for people in the lowwage sector, so that many of those affected tried to survive by using their hard-earned savings, until these were used up and they needed more help. People who were trying to build a livelihood through self-employment suddenly had no orders coming in but could not count on assistance from the public sector.
Mélanie Dieguez, a social worker at Caritas Vaud, experienced the direct consequences first hand: ‘Sometimes we received up to 50 calls a day on our specially installed hotline’, she recalls as she looks back to the first wave of coronavirus. ‘We had many people on the line who had lost their already small income from one day to the next. They could no longer pay their rent and could only buy the most essential food items.’ The requests to Caritas for support and advice remained at a high level and increased again with the start of the second wave and the associated restrictions towards the end of the year. Lorenz Bertsch, head of the debt counselling service St. Gallen-Appenzell, described the situation at the end of the year to Radio SRF as follows: ‘It is becoming clear now that many people only just managed to get by since the lockdown in the spring. They are in arrears or have agreed to pay in instalments. First and fore-
Ruth Mauron (56) lost a large proportion of her income due to the lockdown in spring. Her budget was already very tight before that, and now it can’t be stretched any further. She turned to Caritas St. Gallen, who helped her with shopping vouchers for the Caritas Market.
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Activities in Switzerland
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In the coronavirus crisis, Caritas helped people experiencing hardship with
12.2 m
Swiss francs in the form of direct payments and specific projects.
The Caritas coronavirus aid offers benefited more than
100,000 people who had fallen on hard times.
most, they can no longer pay health insurance premiums, tax and rent for their accommodation. With the new shutdown measures that are necessary to fight the pandemic, the house of cards is now threatening to collapse in some cases. The crazy thing is that many don’t even have enough money to buy food.’ Despite extensive aid packages from the federal government and the cantons, there is a large group of people who cannot count on support in their time of need. They fall through the cracks. In response to this increased poverty, Caritas is engaged in the largest relief action of its history to support the Swiss population. Caritas received a lot of support from private individuals, institutions and church organisations. Numerous enterprises from the private sector started
actions and supported Caritas’ relief effort with significant amounts. Caritas’ assessment was in great demand in the media. Caritas Switzerland cooperated closely with the 16 Regional Caritas Organisations and thus ensured the nationwide coordination of the relief action as well as closeness to the people affected. The total aid provided by Caritas, which also includes all regionally targeted projects to alleviate the coronavirus crisis, amounted to 12.2 million Swiss francs by the end of 2020. This also includes significant contributions from Swiss Solidarity, amounting to 9.7 million francs. We reached more than 100,000 people in need with our action. The relief action is continuing in 2021. An easing of the situation is not foreseeable at present. Social counselling doubled Those people who suffered increased financial hardship due to the coronavirus crisis, or who
Andrina Oswald (22) works once a week as a volunteer in the Caritas Market St. Gallen. She wants to give something back to people and help them. She enjoys meeting people from different cultures.
6 7 Activities in Switzerland
Mélanie Morillo (36) had her old bicycle repaired at a very reasonable cost at Caritas Jura. This helped the self-employed hairdresser – a single mother with three children – to travel independently and feel safe.
were affected for the first time, faced many questions since the outbreak of the pandemic. What is the way forward? Can they apply for support? It is important for them to get professional and trustworthy advice. By the end of 2020, Caritas Switzerland and the Regional Caritas Organisations had conducted more than 10,000 counselling sessions for people seeking help. That is around double the number as in normal years. The social counselling services of the Regional Caritas Organisations support those affected with comprehensive advice, inform them about other services and refer them to the appropriate office. With the second wave, inquiries have again risen markedly. Direct payments for around 16,000 people In addition to the advice sessions, we also offered financial support. We were able to provide bridging aid to around 16,000 people until the end of 2020. The direct payments were up to 1,000 Swiss francs per person, and up to 3,000 francs for families. In severe cases, they were paid several times. This help was possible thanks to the support from Swiss Solidarity as well as generous contributions Caritas received directly. The total amount used for this direct assistance amounted to 5.7 million Swiss francs. The assistance was supplementary. The enquiries about such financial support continued in the summer and autumn. The reason for this is that many of those affected managed to keep afloat for a longish period by using up their
‘ In 2020, Caritas conducted more than 10,000 counselling sessions throughout Switzerland for people seeking help. ’
financial reserves and only asked for help when these reserves were exhausted. The renewed restrictions on trade and commerce in the second wave have further increased the need. Coronavirus projects for 78,000 people In addition to the counselling service and direct assistance, the 16 Regional Caritas Organisations and Caritas Switzerland are responding with 59 projects to the specific needs of the people who have experienced hardship as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Around 78,000 people benefit from these offers. The costs, amounting to 3.7 million Swiss francs, can be financed with
the support of Swiss Solidarity. In the canton of Aargau, for example, volunteers assist with online contact with public authorities, with filling in digital forms or with e-banking. In various regions, there are meal services or home delivery services for food and medicines. In the canton of Jura, a bicycle repair service is creating jobs and low-cost access to bicycles which have become a more important means of transport in these times. The Caritas Culture Pass gives people on a tight budget additional opportunities to benefit from low-cost educational offers. These are just a few examples of how Caritas responds with a strong local focus to coronavirus-related needs and helps people in a targeted way with new or adapted offers. Caritas Market cuts prices The 21 Caritas Markets in Switzerland have taken on an important function since the start of the coronavirus crisis in providing help for the people affected by, or at risk of, poverty. The suppliers have shown generosity in supplying us with goods at greatly reduced prices despite the fact that they are themselves in a difficult situation. As a result, the Caritas Market cooperative was able to maintain the supply chains and thus the range of goods in the shops at a steady level. In order to ease the financial hardship of the customers as much as possible, the Caritas Market reduced prices significantly as of spring 2020 for basic food items that were in high demand, including fruit and vegetables. Demand for the latter products has increased by 25 per cent. Across the total range of goods, the price cut averaged around five per cent. Despite this, turnover increased compared to the previous year. Until the end of 2020, around 860,000 purchases were made in the Caritas Market. Although this is slightly less than in the same period of the previous year, the average purchase increased from 13 to 15 francs. The customers came less frequently but bought larger quantities. 31,000 shopping vouchers distributed In addition, Caritas distributed 31,000 shopping vouchers worth 10 francs each for the Caritas Market. For people who do not live near a Caritas Market, we provided 2,000 shopping vouchers for other shops. Since the start of compulsory wearing of masks on public transport in early summer, our customers were given a free mask on each visit to the shop. By the end of 2020, almost half a million free masks were handed out. The employees in the social counselling services and the projects of the Regional Caritas
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Activities in Switzerland
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In 2020, Lisseth Rodriguez and Sophie Grangier took countless calls for help from people in need and organised help.
Social workers at their limit Sophie Grangier (36) and Lisseth Rodriguez (30) both work for the social service of Caritas Vaud in Lausanne. Sophie already experienced the first wave of the pandemic. From one day to the next she found herself – like everyone else – working from home. Lots of calls came through the very quickly installed hotline which she and the other social workers had to answer. The waiting list of people in need of help grew daily. Many people who worked in restaurants, private households and on building sites had lost their job. Meeting everyone’s needs Sophie felt under a lot of pressure. How could she meet everyone’s needs? In addition, it was not possible to build a relationship of trust through personal interaction, as had been the case in normal counselling situations. Everything had to progress in a very targeted way. Often, there were also difficulties in communication, and Sophie had to resort to German and English. Most of the people could no longer pay for food, rent, electricity or health insurance premiums. Caritas helped with direct payments or with vouchers for the Caritas Market.
Organisations throughout Switzerland remain under a lot of pressure. Their huge commitment and the great solidarity shown by the Swiss population enabled Caritas to organise the best-possible offers to serve the people in Switzerland affected by the crisis. This work will continue to be in great demand in the coming weeks
Of tests and residence permits Then came the second wave. Lisseth Rodriguez had started her job in July 2020 and had an inkling of what was coming. She had the advantage of speaking Spanish and Portuguese and was able to advise the many people of South American origin. Many worked in the informal sector and had a restricted residence permit or none at all. If such individuals caught Covid-19, they often did not get tested because they were not insured, and because they did not want to give their address. They were worried that they would lose their residence status. In the second wave, it was more difficult to grant rapid aid because Caritas Vaud had to change its criteria for direct payments. Various funds were tapped, which made the work more complex for the social workers. At one point, Lisseth felt that the situation was getting on top of her. Fortunately, she was well supported by her superiors. At the end of the year, Lisseth and Sophie felt exhausted. They felt guilty about taking a few days off while people in need were waiting for their call. But they did it anyway. Taking a deep breath and looking after oneself. It did them good. But they knew: it will continue. There was no end in sight.
and months, because for the poorest section of the population, this crisis is not nearly over.
Work in the network Cooperation with the Regional Caritas Organisations
Inexpensive bicycle repairs for all The bike workshop of Caritas Jura in Delémont repairs bicycles, whether old or new, branded bicycles or cheap bikes. The workshop helps people on a tight budget to change from using public transport to individual forms of transport and protect themselves during the pandemic. The repairs are done professionally at low prices. In 2020, the workshop employees repaired around ten bikes per week. Caritas Jura wants to install more workstations so that more work can be carried out. This would also result in more training places for recognised refugees who can thus integrate into society.
Basel Aargau
Jura
Solothurn Lucerne
Neuchatel Bern
Fribourg
Vaud
Geneva
Valais
Food delivery ‘à domicile’ La Toque Rouge of Caritas Neuchatel prepares healthy and balanced meals every day. In addition to vegetarian food, La Toque Rouge also offers gluten-free and lactose-free menus. The organisation delivers these meals to its customers seven days a week. Most of them are elderly or ill and can’t cook for themselves. During the pandemic, orders doubled, since many of the delighted customers were in the ‘at-risk’ group. This service freed them from daily shopping. Moreover, La Toque Rouge also offers jobs for people without work. This gives them the chance to reintegrate into the labour market.
Zurich
St. GallenAppenzell
Grisons
Ticino
Digi Meeting at Caritas Aargau A life without a laptop and without a smartphone? Something that seems almost unthinkable is the reality for some of the population. But social participation is becoming increasingly difficult without digital knowledge. Job applications, registrations for social security, grant applications, searches and applications for housing are now mainly done online. People without digital skills are at a disadvantage. That’s why a new project has been launched at Caritas Aargau: The digi-meeting. Its aim is to make people of any age and any background digitally fit.
The Caritas network makes coronavirus help possible Caritas has organised the largest domestic relief action in its history in a very short time. This was achieved not least thanks to the good cooperation in the national Caritas network, i. e. between Caritas Switzerland and the Regional Caritas Organisations. The federal structure of the Caritas network has helped in this. Well established at cantonal level The Regional Caritas Organisations know the situation in each canton very well and are integrated in the regional networks. Moreover, the rapid response was possible because existing offers such as the social and debt advice services could be extended. The procedures and the experience in this area already existed, they are part of Caritas’ basic services. In the joint relief action, Caritas Switzerland was able to draw on the expertise of the Regional Caritas Organisations with regard to immediate assistance. They in turn benefited from the contacts Caritas Switzerland has to Swiss Solidarity and other financial donors. Thanks to active exchanges, it was possible to respond quickly to new situations and jointly find solutions. For the political work, too, close interaction with the social workers in the Regional Caritas Organisations was essential and contributed to Caritas’ prominent media presence. Caritas was perceived as an important national partner in the fight against poverty. It was thanks to the close and well-functioning cooperation that the challenges of the coronavirus crisis could be successfully managed. The crisis has mobilised great forces.
Figures for the Regional Caritas Organisations 1,083 4,726 237,061 186
Employees Volunteers Hours voluntary work Training places
10 11 Activities in Switzerland
Thurgau
Distributing food donations In spring 2020, as increasing numbers of people were experiencing hardship due to the pandemic, Caritas Thurgau decided to distribute free food to those in need. Two bakeries contributed the bread, and the Restessbar Frauenfeld supplied the other food items. Initially, Caritas distributed 15 food packages. But demand continued to grow. So the Caritas team looked for more partners. In addition to the Schweizer Tafel, the parish of Weinfelden also became involved and recruited volunteers who helped with the food distribution. The number of food packages distributed weekly eventually rose to 40.
Caritas Care: 24h Care at Home Increasing numbers of elderly people would like to live in their own home for as long as possible. To make this feasible, Caritas Switzerland offers 24-hour care. It recruits qualified women who come mostly from Romania or Slovakia and already have experience in the care sector. They speak good German and, thanks to Caritas, work under a legal and fair contract. Despite the pandemic and thanks to professional protection measures, Caritas was able to continue the 24-hour care in 2020. The existing care assignments continued successfully. Our care workers received compensation for the unpaid quarantine after their arrival. This guaranteed the continuous care of our customers.
youngCaritas in the coronavirus year
The year 2020 demanded a lot of flexibility and creativity of youngCaritas. Thanks to the versatile commitment and the energy of the young people, we look back over an active year despite the crisis. There were some highlights to celebrate: The launch of the podcast on the theme of development cooperation, the 5th anniversary of youngCaritas Zurich, the founding of youngCaritas Aargau and the successful organisation of the intercultural summer camp. The migration weekend ‘MigrAction’ organised by volunteers, numerous visits to schools, as well as the live broadcast of the youngCaritas-Award event rounded off a turbulent year.
Social Almanac 2021 Poverty restricts participation in social life in various ways. The Social Almanac 2021 focuses on the mechanisms of social marginalisation and shows how these are connected to the problem of poverty. It shines a light on social power relations which marginalise people despite guaranteed social and political rights in a democracy. The labour market has increasingly lost its integration function without an appropriate response from society. As the coronavirus crisis shows, it is precisely the people in poorly paid jobs who are most at risk of unemployment. At the same time, having a job is no longer a guarantor of inclusion. A precarious employment situation not only has an adverse effect on financial circumstances but also increases social isolation. shop.caritas.ch
Caritas-Forum On 31 January 2020, Caritas Switzerland welcomed 300 people in Bern to its forum on the topic ‘Welfare assistance is essential!’. The number of people affected by poverty has grown steadily in recent years. Caritas is therefore demanding a national strategy of combating poverty in which welfare assistance plays a key role. Many people do not claim their entitlement to welfare assistance for fear of stigmatisation or because they feel ashamed. Welfare recipients should have choices and not be forced into a standard programme. They should continue their education and training in order to acquire sufficient basic skills for the labour market.
Huge solidarity for mountain farmer families
Asylum: Legal advice and legal representation
Acting on behalf of the federal government, our lawyers are responsible for providing legal advice and legal representation to asylum seekers: in Western Switzerland (Boudry, Giffers, Vallorbe, Geneva airport), in Central Switzerland (Glaubenberg) and in Ticino (with SOS Tessin). Within the framework of the accelerated asylum procedure based on the new asylum law, 2,779 mandates were recorded last year, and 390 appeals were dealt with. In the extended proce-
dure, the legal advice centres in the cantons of Fribourg, Jura and in Central Switzerland took on 221 mandates. In Western and Central Switzerland, the legal advice centres also deal with dossiers that are not funded by the federal government: Dossiers which still come under the old asylum law, applications for family reunifications or change of canton, hardship case permits or reconsideration requests (392 new mandates).
12 13 Activities in Switzerland
When the coronavirus crisis arrived in Europe in February 2020, Caritas Switzerland was worried about not being able to mobilise enough volunteers for the mountain farmers. Recruitment was restricted due to protection measures and closed borders. Caritas and the mountain farmer families were all the more grateful for the huge solidarity shown to them. In total, 1,200 volunteers registered, 45 per cent more than the previous year. The volunteer helpers – 53 per cent women – supported 107 farming families and worked a total of 7,840 days (in 2019, it was 5,780 days). This corresponds to 30 working years of one person. Although the volunteers do long days of strenuous work, they are enthusiastic. Away from their hectic daily life, they feel mentally invigorated and experience great satisfaction. Their volunteering also gives them an insight into a completely different world. Quite a few remain in contact with the farming family for a long time and return to do voluntary work.
More social justice Peter Marbet joined Caritas in November 2020 and has occupied the post of Director since January 2021. In this new function, he intends to work for the reduction of poverty in Switzerland and abroad. The situation of poor people has worsened due to coronavirus. Hunger is increasing again in the global South, and even in wealthy Switzerland the number of people affected by poverty is growing. ‘I cannot remain indifferent to the suffering which confronts us on a daily basis. I want to give an opportunity to people who have been less fortunate. That’s what motivates me’, says Peter Marbet. After completing his studies of history, politics and social psychology, Peter Marbet was head of the policy and communications department of santésuisse. After that, he worked as the director of the Bern Bildungszentrums Pflege, an advanced vocational school for nursing. However, he had felt for some time that he wanted to broaden his horizon in Switzerland and at the international level. He spent two years in Brazil and one in the USA. International cooperation The complexity of international cooperation demands a high degree of professionalism. Caritas is active in the thematic fields of income, climate and migration. Added to this are humanitarian operations in disasters. ‘All four themes have
great urgency and are closely interconnected’, as Peter Marbet knows. ‘I will do everything to make sure that the expert knowledge of our professional staff as well as the donated funds entrusted to us will be deployed so that their impact is efficient, direct and long-term’, he says. Social work and social policy in Switzerland Peter Marbet, just like his predecessor Hugo Fasel, advocates a national poverty strategy and regular monitoring. Caritas Switzerland proposes various instruments to combat poverty in Switzerland, as for example more funding for the reduction in health insurance premiums, or supplementary benefits for families. Especially in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, additional efforts are needed to alleviate the burden on people affected by poverty. Many who just about made ends meet before have now slipped into poverty. Personal Peter Marbet is the father of two adult sons. He is married to a Brazilian and lives in Bern. His passion is running. He is a keen long-distance runner. Endurance seems to be part of his character, which will benefit him at Caritas.
In the developing countries, the Covid-19 pandemic is having a drastic impact on people’s health and livelihoods. Latin America has recorded the largest number of deaths worldwide. Caritas is distributing hygiene kits to people in Brazil, Bolivia and Haiti and informs them about preventive measures. In north-eastern Brazil, it alleviates their plight with food parcels, and in Haiti it installs hand washing stations. On the African continent, Caritas Switzerland has launched various information campaigns. In Mali, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Somaliland as well as in Chad and South Sudan, Caritas supplies people with hygiene kits and educates them about preventive measures. Radio broadcasts and posters in local languages also raise awareness. caritas.ch/pandemic
Development Policy Almanac 2021 The number of people who go hungry has been rising again for several years. And no end is in sight, given the dramatic effects of the coronavirus crisis. What approaches can help to achieve a breakthrough for the basic right to food for all? The aim is not only for people to have enough to eat, but also to ensure that they do not suffer from any deficiency symptoms. The Development Policy Almanac gives an overview of the global dimension of the hunger crisis and asks how the social and ecological transformation can succeed. shop.caritas.ch
With satellite images against erosion 14 15 International Cooperation
Coronavirus in the global South
Tajikistan is among the countries most severely exposed to climate change. Temperatures have risen significantly. Floods and landslides are on the increase. To prevent further erosion, people are creating agroforestry systems with fruit trees, with support from Caritas. They protect the soil and provide an extra income. The farmers can also count on innovative technical support from Caritas. Caritas uses satellite images and makes them available to the local people. The images show where the land is particularly eroded, but also where it has become green and fertile again in recent years.
Position Paper: Shaping Migration
Switzerland has been pursuing an active foreign migration policy for several years. Its aim is to reconcile migration policy interests in Switzerland and development policy goals worldwide. To be able to make a positive contribution to the challenges of migration, Caritas Switzerland calls on the Swiss government to implement a humane, cause-oriented and coherent foreign migration policy. The focus is on protecting women, men and children on the ground and along the flight and migration routes. International migration movements must be fair and humane.
‘ Solutions for climate change are needed in order to reduce poverty ’ Interview with Franziska Koller, Head of the International Cooperation Section and Member of the Executive Board
Increasingly, climate change is hitting poor countries harder. What can we do against this? Poverty and the drastic consequences of climate change are an expression of unjust global social and economic policies. It is unjust that some have to starve so others can enjoy their
‘ Our aim is to multiply our income from donations. ’ wealth. Caritas is committed to combatting poverty, promoting social justice and alleviating the consequences of climate change for the people in the global South. What impact does climate change have in the global South? The injustice is exacerbated because it is precisely those countries which are responsible for only a fraction of global climate change that are particularly hard hit by it. In these countries, the great majority of the population lives from agriculture and are now experiencing the destruction of their livelihood. We help farmers to adapt to climate change so that they can generate a higher income despite droughts or floods. We support humane migration for those forced to leave their country. Development cooperation must go hand in hand with humanitarian aid.
Does Caritas have the means to achieve its goals? We pursue global development that gives people hope for the future. That is only possible if we use natural resources sustainably and for the benefit of all people. Development cooperation and humanitarian aid are signs of solidarity. However, it would be illusory to expect this alone to overcome global poverty. That would require a reorientation of the global economic system towards more social justice. Caritas tries to play its part. We do everything to multiply our income from donations. Our appeal for donations last summer to help fight the locust plague in East Africa found great resonance among donors. And thanks to the contributions from several United Nations organisations, we were able to increase these donations fourfold. Networks and local cooperation seem to be becoming increasingly important? Sustainability will only be possible if it is globally equitable and is pursued in cooperation with a range of actors. We must assume our responsibility together and enable other societies to assert their rights. It is important to bring together the professional skills of local NGOs, universities, research institutes as well as the private sector and public authorities. The international network and the local partners are part of Caritas Switzerland’s strengths, not only because of the wide range of professional expertise, but also for their work in very fragile countries. It enables us to obtain funding from international bilateral donors and NGOs. What impact has the coronavirus crisis had on your work in 2020? Covid has caused a fourfold crisis in the countries in the global South: at the economic, social, health and humanitarian level. In 2020, we deployed a fifth of our budget in international cooperation for emergency Covid aid, which we delivered in almost all our countries.
16 17 Interview
Finding solutions for climate change is essential in order to reduce global poverty and achieve greater social justice. The key is efficient development cooperation.
Social policy Switzerland The coronavirus crisis exacerbates poverty Gaps in the aid package People suffering from or at risk of poverty have been badly hit by the coronavirus crisis. The aid measures taken by the federal government and the cantons to cushion the economic and social consequences of the pandemic were a necessary response, but they expose serious shortcomings. They fail to reach many people who already have very little. Direct payments of 1,000 Swiss francs In the run-up to the coronavirus special session in May 2020, Caritas Switzerland called on the Federal Council and Parliament to agree a support programme for people and households on a low income. The key point was the idea of direct payments of 1,000 Swiss francs.
Reduce premiums and fully compensate short-time working Caritas also proposed relief through free nursery places, an increase in the funding for health insurance premium reductions and short-time working compensation of 100 per cent instead of only 80 per cent of wages. All the demands flowed into the political arena through parliamentary initiatives. So far, only the full compensation for short-time working for those on low wages has been agreed, though only from December 2020. This is worrying, because the trend in Caritas’ social counselling work clearly indicates that the coronavirus crisis is exacerbating poverty in Switzerland.
The quote on the federal government’s policy
‘ This crisis makes clear how people are plunged
into into great difficulties from one day to the next. Our traditional social security systems are not adequate to deal with this. ’ Hugo Fasel, Director of Caritas Switzerland to the end of 2020, in the 9 May 2020 issue of the newspaper ‘Le Temps’
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A queue of people about 100 metres long wound its way along Langstrasse in Zurich one day in May 2020: People were queuing for free meals, bags of food and hygiene products.
Development and Migration Policy Global poverty demands action from Switzerland The coronavirus pandemic and worldwide hunger More and more people suffer from hunger – and Switzerland must not turn its back on them! Every eleventh person is undernourished. For some years now, hunger has been spreading around the world again. The coronavirus crisis further aggravates the situation and brings hardship to millions of people. In September 2020, Caritas Switzerland called on Parliament and the Department of Foreign Affairs to supplement the coronavirus aid package for Switzerland with an additional package for humanitarian aid abroad and to provide one billion Swiss francs for this purpose.
Foreign migration policy Caritas Switzerland addressed Switzerland’s foreign migration policy in a position paper. The focus must be on the protection of women, men and children on the ground and along refugee and migration routes. In the longer term, the aim must be to counteract the causes of involuntary migration. But foreign migration policy must not – simply for domestic policy reasons – aim to deter, prevent or repatriate poverty-driven labour migrants. Development funds must neither be linked to conditions relating to repatriation, nor offered as a trade-off for repressive border controls.
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Ways out of the hunger crisis A world without hunger is not a utopia It is a scandal: More and more people in the world have to go hungry. Since 2014, the number of people affected by hunger has steadily grown again. The coronavirus crisis further exacerbates the situation and destroys years of efforts to fight hunger. In view of this dramatic development, Caritas Switzerland calls on the federal government to act. And the aid organisation is fighting hunger with its own projects. According to United Nations figures, 690 million people worldwide suffer from hunger. Around 150 million children are stunted, which has a negative effect on their development and learning ability. Although global food production would be sufficient to feed everyone, the number of people going hungry has been growing again since 2014, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Poverty, injustice, insecurity, climate … What is the cause? The United Nations see the reasons for the rise in hunger as extreme poverty, the glaring inequalities that persist in the
‘ An additional 130 million people could be affected by an acute food crisis. ’
world, and the structural problems of global agricultural and food production. The international food conglomerates prioritise intensive, export-oriented agriculture with huge areas under monoculture. But food insecurity is also
a result of the political instability in the regions plagued by conflicts. For Caritas Switzerland, the situation is clear when confronted with hunger in the areas where it works: It is above all the accelerating climate change that is leading to growing hunger in the world. Globally, more than 70 per cent of people affected by poverty live in rural areas. Agriculture is their livelihood. Since the beginning of the 1990s, the number of climate events such as droughts and floods has doubled. Farmers are particularly hard hit: Their food base is destroyed. … and coronavirus. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic led to a further drastic deterioration of the situation. Caritas Switzerland helped more than 150,000 people worldwide to protect themselves from coronavirus and to overcome financial hardship. Most people in the global South make their living from informal economic activities. These came to a halt because of movement restrictions and other prohibitions, which led to a sharp increase in poverty. Border closures made trade in agricultural goods more difficult and led to rocketing food prices. The closure of schools meant that millions of children missed out on the only square meal of the day. The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) fears that 130 million more people may face an acute food crisis. The goal the international community had set itself in the 2030 Agenda – a world without hunger – is receding ever further into the distance.
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International Cooperation
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Caritas Switzerland improved the food security of around
260,000 people thanks to local and sustainable agriculture projects and humanitarian aid.
In Mali, Caritas Switzerland has built warehouses so that shallots can be stored properly and sold at the right time at a good price.
Hidden hunger An insidious phenomenon afflicts more than two billion people worldwide: hidden hunger, or the lack of micronutrients. Particularly in the countries of the southern hemisphere, people eat nothing but rice, maize or grains day after day. They suffer from vitamin and protein deficiencies. In children, this leads to irreversible impairment and their chances of leaving poverty behind one day are further reduced. ‘To break this vicious circle, the fight against hunger must include a stronger focus on hidden hunger’, is the clear view of the German professor of nutritional medicine, Hans Konrad Biesalski, in Caritas Switzerland’s 2021 Development Policy Almanac. Sustainable agriculture and local markets Caritas Switzerland firmly believes that a world without hunger is not a utopia. The aid organisation is fighting hunger with its own projects. Its priority projects are implemented in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, with the focus on Mali, Chad, Ethiopia and Uganda. The Caritas projects promote local and sustainable agriculture with low greenhouse gas emissions and great adaptability to climate change. This enables farmers to produce high-quality agricultural products in sufficient quantities. The Caritas projects promote the fertility of farmland soils and enable the farmers to produce or buy suitable seeds.
Caritas Switzerland cooperates with local partners who work hand in hand with the small farmers in promoting the cultivation of sustainable agricultural products and support them in the processing and sale of their agricultural products. The goal is to develop fair distribution channels and market outlets for the agricultural products that take account of the needs of the poorest people. Such sales channels enable an escape from dependency, a higher income, and in the long term, adequate nutrition. A special aid package against hunger In view of the dramatic development brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, Caritas called on the federal government in 2020 to act decisively and implement a humanitarian aid programme with a volume of one billion Swiss fracs. ‘Most of the countries in the southern hemisphere depend on help in this humanitarian crisis’, declared the then Caritas director Hugo Fasel. He also urged Switzerland to develop a cooperation strategy with Africa and to align its agricultural policy with fair trade principles.
Mali: Improving food security
Ethiopia: Using water sustainably In order to prevent the drying up of the Ziway-Shala Basin in Ethiopia, Caritas Switzerland promotes the sustainable use of water and farming systems that increase agricultural production. Moreover, they contribute to stabilising an endangered ecosystem in the long term. The use of these methods promotes local markets and strengthens the resilience of the small farmers.
Haiti: Protecting soils against erosion Malnutrition is a widespread phenomenon in Haiti. The aim of the Caritas project is to enable the small farming families of Délatte to increase their crop yield through more efficient and environmentally friendly farming methods. An important aspect of the project is reforestation. In training sessions, the farmers learn which tree species are best for preventing landslides.
24 25 International Cooperation
In the municipality of Kendie on the Dogon Plateau in Mali, the construction of stone embankments helps to retain rainwater, preserve moisture in the soil and improve the fertility of the arable land. As part of the Caritas project, warehouses were built to enable the correct storage of shallots. This means that the farmers can sell the products at the right time and at a good price. The higher crop yields and better income contribute to the farming families’ food security.
Almost 10 years of conflict in Syria Caritas Switzerland has been working to support the victims of the Syrian crisis for almost ten years. The presence on the ground made it possible throughout these years to provide comprehensive and fast aid that is geared to the acute needs. Furthermore, Caritas Switzerland was able to develop a close-knit network that allows direct access to those affected. An important element of this aid is the direct support of households in need with cash assistance. As early as in the second year, Caritas Switzerland took over the co-chair of the Cash Working Group together with the World Food Programme. This committee establishes the agenda for cash assistance, thus increasing the efficiency of international aid. Working with the public authorities in Lebanon, Caritas Switzerland is developing a model for further teacher training in order to prepare teaching staff throughout the country to teach Syrian refugees. This systemic support ensures that young Syrians and Lebanese have access to education in the state school sector. After the explosion in Beirut harbour, Caritas Switzerland set up several consortia on an ad hoc basis to respond to the unexpected event. In this way, it pooled the relief efforts of the international Caritas network. This enabled Caritas Switzerland to significantly broaden its own aid with additional funding and avoid duplications. Tense situation after the explosion in Beirut The explosion in Beirut harbour has further aggravated the already precarious situation in the crisis region. Due to the increased poverty in Lebanon, a competitive situation is created in the distribution of humanitarian relief: The local people as hosts and the Syrian refugees have to share the humanitarian aid. In the last two years, Caritas Switzerland was able to broaden its assistance and partnerships in Syria and the two host countries of Lebanon and Jordan. It focused on emergency aid, education in crisis situations and measures to secure people’s livelihood.Caritas’ goal is to enable sustainable development.
1,648 children in Syria were able to access schooling thanks to Caritas.
Caritas Switzerland supported
people in conflict regions in Syria.
27 Humanitarian Aid
43,775
26
On the ground in an emergency In the world’s hot spots
Haiti January 2020 was the tenth anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010. The event has left deep wounds. The country still suffers from a political and economic crisis which is further aggravated by coronavirus. After the earthquake, Caritas Switzerland helped to rebuild homes and schools, and continues to train people in the construction sector. They learn how to build earthquake and storm-resistant houses. In recent years, Haiti had to cope with further natural disasters, including three violent hurricanes in 2012, 2016 and 2017. They claimed many casualties, and set the economy back by years. The frequency of hurricanes in Haiti is a consequence of climate change, as is the increased occurrence of droughts. As a result, agricultural yields are further reduced, and more than 40 per cent of the population suffer from food shortages. Caritas Switzerland is helping to improve this situation with agricultural projects.
Mozambique Many people lost everything, including their home, in the wake of cyclone Ida which hit the coast of Mozambique coast in March 2019. Since then, many people in the Manica region have been able to build new mud huts. In 2020, Caritas supplied 650 families with 3,210 litres of cooking oil and 6,420 kilo of beans, as well as salt and flour so people had enough to eat. The farmers were given seeds and taught about methods of sustainable agriculture. In addition, all families in the villages of Muchai and Magaro were given new plastic buckets and soap so people can protect themselves against the spread of Covid-19. Caritas also visited the villages to inform people about the virus.
Albania
28
The earthquake in November 2019 caused enormous damage in Albania, killing 50 people and injuring 1,000. It cut a swathe of destruction along the coast. Around 6,000 houses and flats were destroyed or so badly damaged that they were no longer habitable. The poorer population was particularly hard hit, and some continue to live in temporary shelters. Caritas Albania and Caritas Switzerland provided 1,200 people in two improvised tent cities with meals, water and blankets. Caritas disaster relief experts developed a two-month emergency relief package as well as a one-year programme to improve people’s livelihoods. In March, the coronavirus pandemic arrived and put even more pressure on the weakest. Women, children, the elderly and people with a disability in particular benefited from Caritas’ cash assistance.
Ethiopia In addition to the coronavirus crisis, East Africa has been afflicted for more than a year by the biggest locust plague in decades. In some regions, the huge swarms destroyed up to half the harvest. From June, Caritas – based on a mandate from the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) – supported the hardest hit families in the south-east of the country with an emergency relief programme. They received cash assistance so they could quickly buy food and protective material for their animals. Caritas also distributed 240 tons of wheat seed so that the people could quickly re-sow and harvest their crop. Since the project has been very successful so far, Caritas has been able to increase the volume of cash transfers to households and improve the food security of an even greater number of people.
Humanitarian Aid
29
Caritas in figures Sources of Caritas income
Private donations / income and public-sector contributions 8.8 % Own revenue
25.4 % Direct donations
4.5 % Federal gvt. other contributions
11.6 %
9.3 %
59.2 %
Swiss Solidarity
Private donations / private income
11.1 % Other organisations
3.2 % International Caritas network
40.8 % Public-sector contributions
SDC
1.4 % Migration and Passport Office Liechtenstein
24.7 % Cantons and communes
Thanks to financing alliances with Swiss Solidarity, the federal government and other partner organisations in Switzerland and abroad, Caritas is able to quadruple the effect of each franc donated to it.
Allocation of income
Figures in conformity with Zewo guidelines
37.1 %
91 %
International Cooperation
Projects
47.9 % Projects Switzerland
4.3 %
Administrative expenses
4.7 % Fundraising and marketing expenses
3.4 % Direct administrative project support
0.7 %
Research and other project contributions
4.7 % Fundraising and marketing
1.9 %
4.3 %
Information and communication
Administrative expenses
These figures were collected in accordance with the rules of Swiss GAAP FER 21 and the guidelines of the Zewo Foun dation for determining administrative expenses of non-profit organisations.
The detailed financial report is available on our Website at: www.caritas.ch/annual-report
Balance sheet as at 31 December 2020
2020
2019
Assets
CHF
CHF
Cash
38,376,270
23,551,355
Short-term assets with stock market price
34,769,349
35,565,413
Receivables
10,916,525
11,893,151
140,272
263,887
30
1,858,249
4,073,687
31
Fixed assets
22,211,772
22,400,274
Total assets
108,272,437
97,747,767
CHF
CHF
Caritas in figures
Short-term liabilities
5,261,409
5,282,204
Long-term liabilities
4,027,928
4,065,192
Fund capital (restricted funds)
80,783,067
70,044,621
Organisation capital
18,200,033
18,355,750
108,272,437
97,747,767
Statement of operations 2020
2020
2019
Operating income and operating performance
CHF
CHF
Donations
34,000,266
27,814,091
Contributions from third parties
33,384,416
20,787,104
Total income from donations and private contributions
67,384,682
48,601,195
Contributions from public authorities
54,642,837
54,114,997
Net sales from goods and services
11,852,831
12,413,389
Total operating income
133,880,350
115,129,581
International cooperation
46,381,043
40,256,737
Projects Switzerland
59,808,781
52,274,251
838,448
845,658
Information and communication (publishing and education)
2,362,874
2,392,223
Direct administrative project support (evaluation, IT, rents etc.)
4,336,888
4,446,591
113,728,034
100,215,460
Fundraising and marketing expenses
5,824,958
5,881,343
Administrative expenses
5,345,108
4,903,651
11,170,066
10,784,994
124,898,100
111,000,454
8,982,250
4,129,127
1,363,185
4,864,251
107,355
–199,595
10,452,790
8,793,783
–10,608,507
– 6,440,435
–155,717
2,353,348
Inventories Prepayments and accrued income
Liabilities
Total liabilities and equity
Research and policy and other project contributions
Total project expenses
Total fundraising, marketing and administrative expenses Total operating expenses Operating result (corresponds to EBIT) Financial and extraordinary result Financial income (before change in value fluctuation fund) Extraordinary or one-off income or income for other accounting periods Annual result before fund and capital movements Change in fund capital (– = increase / + = decrease) Annual result before capital movements
Boards
Mariangela Wallimann-Bornatico
Robert Moser
Gisèle Girgis-Musy
Jean-Noël Maillard
Claudius Luterbacher
Mario Slongo
Erwin Tanner
Steering Committee Steering Board President: Mariangela Wallimann-Bornatico, lic. iur., former General Secretary of the Federal Assembly, Wabern BE Vice President: Robert Moser, Deacon, Steg VS Max Elmiger, lic. theol., Director Caritas Zurich, Zurich (until 31 May 2020) Jean-Noël Maillard, Director Caritas Jura, Delémont (from 1 June 2020) Mario Slongo, Dr. Dr. hc. Chemist/Meteorologist, Tafers FR Gisèle Girgis-Musy, lic. oec., Leutwil AG Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, member of the Council of States JU, Les Breuleux JU (until 31 May 2020) Claudius Luterbacher, Dr. theol., Chancellor and Economist of the Diocese of St. Gallen, St. Gallen (from 1 June 2020) Erwin Tanner, Dr. iur. / lic. theol., General Secretary Swiss Conference of Catholic Bishops (SBK), Fribourg
Additional Steering Committee Members Andreas Brun-Federer, lic. theol. Responsible for Pastoral Care, Diocese Basel, Solothurn // Jean-Claude Huot, lic. ès. lettres, Cossonay // Claudius Luterbacher, Dr. theol., Chancellor and Economist of the Diocese of St. Gallen, St. Gallen (until 31 May 2020, from 1 June 2020 Member of the Steering Board) // Marco Fantoni, D irector Caritas Ticino, Pregassona (Lugano) // Bruno Gut-Fuchs, Deacon church leader parish St. Nikolaus, Hombrechtikon ZH // P. Alois Kurmann, lic. theol., former Vicerector Monastery Einsiedeln, Einsiedeln SZ // Jean-Noël Maillard, Director C aritas Jura, Delémont (until 31 May 2020, from 1 June 2020 Member of the Steering Board) // Hubert Péquignot, Director Caritas Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel (until 31 May 2020) // Alexandre Antonin, lic. sciences politiques, MBA, Director Caritas Valais, Sion (from 1 June 2020) // Dalia Schipper, Director Caritas Bern ad interim, Bern (until 31 May 2020) // Fabienne Notter, Director Caritas Aargau and Caritas Solothurn, Solothurn (from 1 June 2020) // Roland Loos, Electronics engineer ETH Lausanne, Yverdon-les-Bains (from 1 June 2020) // Iris Utz-Huwiler, President and manager of Accordeos Foundation, Meggen LU // Monika Otter, MAS Ethics FHNW, Widen AG // Monika Elmiger, Manager Jungwacht/Blauring Switzerland, Lucerne (until 31 May 2020) // Lucia Lindegger, lic. iur., Adligenswil LU (until 31 May 2020) // Sabrina Corvini-Mohn, President Caritas both Basel cantons, Allschwil BL (from 1 June 2020) // Dr. Benno Schnüriger, former President Synodical Council Roman Cath. Body Canton ZH, Zurich // Dr. Hans-Jörg Ruppen, Mathematician ETH, Dr. ès sciences and Titular as well as Honorary Professor EPFL Lausanne, Gampel VS // Joseph Thali-Kernen, member of the Roman Cath. State Ecumenical Council BL and emerit. Church leader, Allschwil BL (until 31 Mai 2020) // Markus Schmid, former Human Resources Manager and Organisation Consultant, Lucerne (from 1 June 2020)
32
Boards
33
Hugo Fasel
Peter Marbet
Elisabeth Karagiannis
Franziska Koller
Chantal Cornaz
Marianne Hochuli
Hans Krummenacher
Head Office Caritas Switzerland Executive Board Director: Hugo Fasel, lic. rer. pol. (until 31 December 2020) Peter Marbet, lic. phil. (from 1 November 2020) International Cooperation: Dr. Franziska Koller Research and Policy: Marianne Hochuli, lic. phil. Projects Switzerland: Bruno Bertschy, Association Manager VMI Communication and Marketing: Elisabeth Karagiannis, lic. phil. Human Resources: Chantal Cornaz, lic. phil. Finance and Administration: Hans Krummenacher, Business Economist, cert. Public Accountant
Bruno Bertschy
Andreas Lustenberger
Business Audit Committee President: Alois Bissig, Notary and Lawyer, Ennetbürgen NW Ursula Muther-Guntern, President Caritas Bern, Orpund BE (until 31 May 2020) Markus Köferli, dipl. theol., Head of special spiritual welfare Synodical Council Zurich, Zurich Kurt Grüter, former Director Federal Audit Office, Bern Statutory Auditors BDO AG, Lucerne
Delegate of the Executive Board Andreas Lustenberger, MSc Geography, member of the Cantonal Council, Baar ZG (from 1 August 2020)
About Caritas Switzerland Caritas Switzerland is an independent association with its Head Office in Lucerne. The organisation helps people in need in Switzerland and world-wide in around 20 countries. Together with the Regional Caritas Organisations, Caritas Switzerland provides practical help where people in wealthy Switzerland are affected by poverty. Globally, Caritas provides emergency relief in disasters, helps with reconstruction, and is involved in development cooperation. Caritas Switzerland is a member of the international Caritas network. This comprises organisations in 165 countries throughout the world.
At the end of 2020, Caritas Switzerland had 413 employees, corresponding to 326.76 full-time equivalent posts. 262 persons, or 63 per cent of employees are women and 63 per cent, of all employees work part-time. The average age is 42.8 years. Around 30 per cent of all employees are based in French-speaking Switzerland. In addition, around 185 staff work on hourly pay, for example as interpreters or at Caritas Care in 24-hour care work. In addition, more than 263 locally employed staff work for Caritas Switzerland in project countries.
Strong partnerships From business, politics and society
Companies
ABS Alternative Bank Schweiz AG // ALDI SUISSE AG // Barclays Bank (Suisse)
SA // BDO AG // Georg Fischer AG // Lidl Schweiz // Migros Genossenschaftsbund // NIKIN AG // Orell Füssli Thalia AG // Payot SA // Procter & Gamble, Switzerland SARL // Renault Suisse AG // QoQa Services SA // Sunrise Communications AG // SWICA Gesundheitsorganisation // Swissquote Bank SA // thinkQ2 AG // Twint AG Foundations Aiuto Stiftung // Alois und Jeanne Jurt Stiftung //
Glückskette // Christa Foundation // Däster-Schild Stiftung // ESPERANZA kooperative Hilfe gegen Armut // Ernst Göhner Stiftung // Fondation Philanthropique Famille Sandoz // Kahane Foundation // Leopold Bachmann Stiftung // MIHI Foundation // SV-Stiftung // Ursula Zindel-Hilti Stiftung // Medicor Foundation // Solaqua Stiftung // St. Anna Stiftung der St. Anna Schwestern // Stiftung Mercator Schweiz // Stiftung Sonnenschein // Stiftung Wegweiser
Federal government
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) // Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) // State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) // Federal Office of Culture (FOC) // Federal Office of Justice (FOJ)
Cantons, cities, municipalities
Canton de Fribourg // Canton de Genève // Canton du
Valais // Lotterie-fonds des Kantons Zürich // Société de la Loterie de la Suisse Romande // Kanton St. Gallen // Canton du Jura // Stadt Zürich // Stadt Luzern // Kanton Schwyz // Gemeinde Arth // Stadt Bülach // Gemeinde Baar // Gemeinde Düdingen // Gemeinde Muri bei Bern // Commune de Collonge-Bellerive // Ville de Genève
Universities Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz // Berner
Fachhochschule für Agrar-, Forst- und Lebensmittelwissenschaften (HAFL) // ETH Zürich Zentrum für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (NADEL) // Schweizerisches Tropen- und Public Health-Institut // Pädagogische Hochschule Zug Institut für Internationale Zusammenarbeit in Bildungsfragen
Church institutions Association Fraternelle Romande // Benediktinerkloster Mariastein // Com-
munauté des Religieuses Trinitaires // Röm.-kath. Gesamtkirchgemeinde Bern und Umgebung // Katholische Kirche im Kanton Zürich // Kloster Heiligkreuz // Röm.-kath. Landeskirche Basel-Landschaft // Kath. Kirchgemeinde Luzern // Röm.-kath. Kirche Basel-Stadt // Gemeinschaft Liebfrauenschwestern Bilateral and multilateral donors Agence Française de Développement (AFD) //
Amt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten Liechtenstein (AAA) // Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (EuropeAid) // European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) // European Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) // United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) // Hochkommissariat für Flüchtlinge der Uno (UNHCR) // U.S. Department of State (USDOS) // Caritas Austria // Caritas France // Caritas Liechtenstein // Caritas Luxembourg // Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) // Cordaid // Austrian Development Agency (ADA)
They are the partners who make our work on behalf of disadvantaged people possible. Our warmest thanks!
‘ In the past year,
Caritas provided rapid and uncomplicated aid during the coronavirus pandemic in order to alleviate poverty and need worldwide. For the SDC, experienced and locally well-established partners who can act rapidly are very important.’
‘ Since 2018, we have been organ-
ising ‘Fair Friday’, a fundraising action in our shops in aid of Caritas. It is our response to ‘Black Friday’, a day that promotes excessive consumerism and neglects ethics and sustainability – two urgent social issues.’ Pascal Vandenberghe CEO Payot AG
‘ I think it’s great to be involved
with youngCaritas because in the projects I interact with people from different cultures, and I have had many new experiences as a result. Moreover, youngCaritas offers a lot of support to implement one’s own ideas and projects.’ Chantal Schüssler Organisation Committee MigrAction
‘ Faithful to our vision of being on
the side of the weak, we cooperate with Caritas to support people in Switzerland who are experiencing hardship due to the coronavirus crisis.’
Patricia Kahane President Kahane Foundation
Imprint Cover photo:
Alexandra Wey, Caritas Market, Switzerland
Pictures: Reto Albertalli, Marc Baumann, Hasan Belal, Fabian Biasio, Caritas Schweiz, Pierre-Michel Delessert, Lesly Dolcé, Monika Flückiger, Conradin Frei, Steve Johnson, John Kalapo, Pierre Louis Phalonne, Mario Macilau/ Fairpicture, Pierre Montavon, Nique Nager, Giulia Paravicini, Marc Renaud, Benjamin Schilling, Frédéric Sidibé, Alexandra Wey, Fabienne Wheeler Editors: Lisa Fry, Stefan Gribi, Vérène Morisod Simonazzi, Fabrice Boulé, Elisabeth Karagiannis Translation:
Barbara König and BMP Translations AG, Basel
Graphic Design: Evelyne Bieri
Caritas Schweiz Communication and Marketing Adligenswilerstrasse 15 P.O. Box CH-6002 Lucerne Telephone: +41 41 419 22 22 Fax: +41 41 419 24 24 E-mail: info@caritas.ch Post Office account: 60-7000-4 You can find detailed information about current projects on Caritas Switzerland’s website www.caritas.ch
34 35 Strong partnerships
Jasmina Opardija-Susnjar Programme Officer Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
Doing the right thing
Caritas Switzerland Adligenswilerstrasse 15 P. O. Box CH-6002 Lucerne
Telephone: +41 41 419 22 22 Fax: +41 41 419 24 24 E-mail: info@caritas.ch
Website: www.caritas.ch Post Office account: 60-7000-4 IBAN: CH69 0900 0000 6000 7000 4
Quality management system ISO 9001, Reg. no.14075 NPO-Label, Reg. no. 22116
