Caritasnews 2013 Summer by Caritas Australia

#135 SUMMER 2013

Health and Disability SOWING HOPE

>GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH CHRISTMAS GLOBAL GIFTS >LEARN, PRAY AND ACT ADVENT CALENDAR >HEALTHCARE IN THE SUDAN WELLBEING OF FAMILIES

End poverty. Promote justice. Uphold dignity. 1800 024 413

www.caritas.org.au

The Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development

THANK YOU

FROM THE MMP

Founded in 1964 as the Catholic Overseas Relief Committee by the Australian Catholic Bishops, next year Caritas Australia celebrates 50 years of solidarity with people across the globe. Thank you for walking with us, we look forward to the future with your support.

This issue’s letter is from the Manager of Mission and People, Mark Green. Mark has worked with Caritas Australia for seven years. His previous role was the First Australians Program Group Leader and prior to that Mark was the in-country Program Manager in Timor Leste.

On 8 November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines. Over 12 million people are now in need. You can help by donating to our appeal at www.caritas.org.au/donate. Thank you.

In this issue, we focus on health and disability. Our agency works in over 35 countries worldwide; all our programs aim to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. This year we have 70 programs in 27 countries with a health component and 23 programs in 12 countries that empower people with disabilities.

One billion people around the world are suffering from hunger and yet there’s enough food for everyone. Caritas envisages a future without hunger. On 10 December, join our global network in launching our global hunger campaign: One human family, food for all. To join the wave of prayer and for information on the campaign head to www.caritas.org.au

Thanks to your consistent and persistent accompaniment and cupped hands of solidarity around children, women and men, many people worldwide have been able to create new lives for themselves. Through the safe confines of your support, they have achieved better health and hope for the future. This is the story of the Gospel. God in Jesus places us in cupped hands, creating an environment in which we grow and reach out to others. God surrounds us in all the places where we dare not look for fear of shame and disappointment. We, in our turn, offer the same solidarity and support to people in our world, people who are most shut out from experiencing their full dignity, the full value and meaning of the precious gift of life. Our solidarity, precisely because it is a reflection of the love that is in Jesus, can raise up many who are bowed down. In this way we celebrate Christmas. Christmas reveals a newborn child, born in an experience of poverty, displacement and vulnerability, as the light of the world. Through our solidarity and accompaniment we reach out towards this light which shines for us again in the faces of those living on the edge. We build Caritas. In this season of Advent, Caritas Australia welcomes our new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Paul O’Callaghan. Paul brings diverse experience in aid and development, social and disability services and the Catholic sector to the CEO role, and we look forward to his leadership and direction. On behalf of all our staff and the entire Caritas Australia community, I wish you and your family a safe and peaceful Christmas.

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CONTENTS SOWING HOPE: OUR HEALTH AND 03 DISABILITY PROGRAMS

04 HEALTHCARE IN DARFUR: SUDAN HYGIENE, BETTER HEALTH: 06 GOOD INDONESIA 07 A SECURE LIFE: INDIA 08 2012-13 ANNUAL REPORT: SNAPSHOT 10 GIVE WITH GLOBAL GIFTS COMMUNITY: 11 CARITAS CARITAS KS FOR COMPASSION Cover: A mother holds her baby who has just received the polio vaccine and other immunisations, at a camp for displaced people in Darfur, Sudan. Here, thousands of camp residents have access to medical care, clean water, schools and other services thanks to Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance and Caritas Internationalis. Photo: Laura Sheahen, ACT Caritas All photos Caritas Australia unless otherwise stated.

Mark Green, Manager of Mission and People

For the latest news, events and updates head to: twitter.com/CaritasAust

www.caritas.org.au

facebook.com/CaritasAU youtube.com/CaritasAustralia

Caritas Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of the land.

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1800 024 413 (toll free) 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday

Caritas Australia is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).

We are also fully accredited by the Australian Government and are one of 10 partner agencies in the ANCP, an Australian aid initiative.

Sowing Hope

Health and Disability

“Poverty calls us to sow hope …. Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus, in that child who is hungry, in the one who is sick, in those unjust social structures.” Pope Francis, July 2013 Caritas Australia believes that every woman, man and child has the right to basic healthcare and the right to be socially included, and that this is essential to living a life of dignity, free from poverty. Poverty and disability go hand in hand, creating a cycle that’s hard to escape. According to the United Nations, globally more than one billion people live with a disability and 80 percent live in developing countries. Why is this so? There are a number of reasons, but put simply poverty increases the risk of disability and poor health because many marginalised communities worldwide:

Norn Num, 38, lost his leg when it was bitten by a venomous snake. In 2008, he joined livelihood training and received a US$150 grant from Caritas Australia partner, Phnom Neang Kangrei Association. This allowed him to purchase chickens, seeds and fishing equipment. He is now able to provide for his family and they are looking towards the future. Photo: Philong Sovan

• Live in conditions which cause or exacerbate health problems. • Have a lack of access to clean water and sanitation. • Have a lack of nutritious food available. • Are unable to access, and pay for, basic healthcare, medicines and disability services. Disability also contributes to poverty within families and communities. A person with a disability, and living in a marginalised community is less likely to have access to opportunities which could otherwise reduce poverty.

We couldn’t help as many people as we do without you. Thank you for your support and solidarity, together we are sowing hope for the world’s poorest and helping them to steer their own development. For more on our programs: www.caritas.org.au/health www.caritas.org.au/disability

Thanks to your support, Caritas Australia and the international Caritas network have long-term community development programs that are working for change across whole communities. All our programs focus on increasing the dignity of the most vulnerable.

over ONE BILLION PEOPLE

We do this in a number of ways including the provision of healthcare services, rehabilitation and education, and improving access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Our agency also supports initiatives specific to people with disabilities and ensures that all programs are accessible to people with disabilities. This empowerment enables them to actively participate in community development and be agents for change – leading to a more positive future.

Source: united Nations (UN)

Caritas Australia Programs Examples of our partners and programs include: • In Australia, Red Dust Healing participants are reporting life-changing experiences and improvements to their wellbeing in First Australian communities across the country. In 2012-13, 2041 support visits were made by the Unity of First Peoples of Australia to people with diabetes in WA’s Kimberley region. • In Laos, the Lao Disabled Persons Association aids both parents and teachers in developing the skills of children with intellectual disabilities. In 2012-13, 2418 people with disabilities were supported in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. • In Kenya, 1440 school children attended HIV/AIDS preventative education. • In Peru, 2588 people in 2012-13 attended Mercy Family Health Care talks on hygiene, nutrition and cervical cancer. • Our Emergency Humanitarian programs assist with food, shelter, water, healthcare and other relief supplies.

(15%) in the world live with a disability.

DATES FOR

YOUR DIARY 1 December, World AIDS Day: the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that globally, new HIV infections declined by 33% between 2001 and 2012. See the work our agency is doing at www.caritas.org.au/HIV-AIDS 3 December, International Day of People living with a Disability: this UN day aims to promote an understanding of people with disability. Caritas Australia features in an End the Cycle video, available at www.facebook.com/CaritasAU

10 December, International Human Rights Day: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on 10 December 1948. The date has since served to mark Human Rights Day worldwide.

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AFRICA: DARFUR, SUDAN

Since 2004, Caritas Internationalis and Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance have been working together to assist the local women, men and children of Darfur in Sudan. We provide clean water, healthcare, nutrition, education and livelihood training to families living in camps.

The ACT-Caritas Darfur Emergency Response program was developed in response to the 2003 conflict which displaced millions of people and left an urgent need for humanitarian assistance. This conflict, which was the result of decades of civil war in the Sudan, killed approximately 2.5 million people and left another five million without homes. Ten years on, an estimated 3.4 million people still depend on humanitarian aid, including 1.7 million people still living in camps. The continued volatility of the region means that most of those living in camps are unable to return to their land or rebuild their villages. Melville Fernandez, Group Leader, Caritas Australia Humanitarian Response Team has been working in development and humanitarian response for over 35 years, and says that the humanitarian situation in Darfur remains very serious. “Since secession from South Sudan, the country has seen increased conflicts and violence; in addition it is facing a serious economic decline and subsequent rising food prices, further impacting on those most in need.” Despite the many challenges of operating in Sudan, this program remains one of the largest aid agency programs in Darfur – providing assistance to approximately 500,000 people in camps annually. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. In the Darfur camps, as well as throughout all the marginalised communities the Caritas network assists worldwide, the complete wellbeing of families is essential. For this reason, we provide healthcare and disability support, as well as – for example – education for children and adults, agriculture support, peacebuilding initiatives, and livelihood skills. Our aim is to assist people living in camps until they can relocate back to their villages and places of work. Catholic Social Teaching in our work

The staff and healthcare workers at the camps receive regular health promotion and preventive care training which improves provision of good healthcare practice. Photos: Laura Sheahen, ACT Caritas

Despite the many challenges of operating in Sudan, this program remains one of the largest aid agency programs in Darfur – providing assistance to approximately 500,000 people in camps annually.

Melville says that his strong beliefs in Catholic Social Teaching, particularly the value of human dignity, influence his every action. “It is important to make conscious efforts at every opportunity, whether it’s an emergency situation or development, to raise and discuss principles of Catholic Social Teaching among partners and communities so it becomes well known, less complex and practiced by people of goodwill who are committed to serving the common good. “The provision of healthcare services in Caritas supported camps is commensurate with the dignity of each and every person. For that reason, this program aims to ensure a functional health system by providing well-equipped health facilities, and to ensure that prevention, treatment and care services are accessible to every woman, child and man residing in the camps.” The program, adds Melville, continues to improve and implement learnings through participatory review and reflection with greater participation from all residents including people with disabilities.

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In 2012, over 200,000 people in Darfur were assisted with health and nutrition services across 11 health facilities and four supplementary feeding centres.

Since 2004, Caritas Internationalis and Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance have been providing clean water, healthcare, nutrition, education and livelihood training to families living in camps.

In the Darfur camps, as well as throughout all the marginalised communities the Caritas network assists worldwide, the complete wellbeing of families is essential. Healthcare initiatives in Darfur include: • Nutrition treatment care and prevention of malnutrition among children under five years of age, pregnant and lactating women. • Community awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention and transmission. • Provision of clean water through boreholes and solar powered water systems. • Improved sanitation facilities through building latrines (toilets) and distributing soap. • Treatment and prevention of waterborne diseases, as well as the provision of mosquito nets. • Various immunisation antigens including yellow fever, polio and malaria, as well as pre-natal vaccinations (in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health). • Health, nutrition and hygiene talks. • Maternal, neonatal, child and reproductive healthcare services. In 2012, over 200,000 people in Darfur were assisted with health and nutrition services across 11 health facilities and four supplementary feeding centres. In September 2013 alone, due to the rainy season and increased cases of diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and pneumonia, 29,503 patient consultations were conducted. You can help You can help us continue our live-saving work in Africa by donating to the Africa Emergency Appeal. Donations $2 and over are tax deductible. Donate by calling 1800 024 413 toll free or go to: www.caritas.org.au/donate

Continuing Civil War

in the Sudan In January 2011, after decades of fighting, a referendum on independence was held. Over 98 percent of the South Sudanese population voted to secede and independence was officially announced in July 2011. Although the initial transition to independence proceeded relatively smoothly, inter-ethnic tensions and fighting in Sudan and along the border soon erupted. Fighting has forced more than 400,000 people from their homes and as many as 80,000 across the border. By December 2011, as many as 1,000 people were fleeing into South Sudan daily. South Sudan is also fighting internal struggles against at least seven armed groups in nine of its 10 provinces as well as incursions from neighbouring states.

LEARN> For more about the Darfur Program, head to www.caritas.org.au/act-caritas

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Southeast Asia: Indonesia

DONATE>

Good Hygiene, Better Health

Your donations help support our health and disability programs. Head to www.caritas.org.au or call 1800 024 413.

In 10 remote villages throughout Banten Province, Indonesia, Caritas Australia is working with local partner, Laz Harfa to improve sanitation facilities for thousands of villagers. Clean water, sanitation and good hygiene are essential to living healthy lives, however according to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide or 35 percent of the world’s population lack basic sanitation.

As our agency ensures that all our programs are accessible to people with disabilities, Willy says that the facilities were designed so they can be accessed by all members of the community with disabled signs in clear view.

Since 2010, the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights has recognised water and sanitation as a fundamental human right, allowing all people to enjoy an adequate standard of living.

Health Benefits

And for many years, Caritas Australia has worked with marginalised communities to develop access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities, and to implement better hygiene practices.

According to the local health centre, from December 2011 to December 2012, diarrhoea cases decreased by 21 percent. Environmental Services Program In 2006, Caritas Australia began supporting Laz Harfa to implement the Environmental Services Program* in a number of Indonesian villages. The work focuses on ensuring access to clean water and improving basic sanitation. In these marginalised communities, as with many worldwide, many people experience diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and malaria which are brought about by a lack of good hygiene and poor sanitation practices. This program aims to educate people on the benefits of good hygiene through workshops and the installation of toilets and leaching pits, which are economical underground septic systems, in each village. In one of the villages, for example, only 37 out of 247 houses, have toilets. This program has encouraged the building of seven permanent toilets and four leaching pits for community use in this village. These facilities provide a simple means of disposing of wastewater and solid fecal matter without harming the environment or other people’s health.

“Before the facilities were installed, the villagers would defecate anywhere,” says Willy. “Since the program began, they have learnt that defecating in improper places can lead to contagious diseases and environmental pollution. The program has served as an entry point to mobilise communities to completely eliminate open defecation.” Willy also mentions that through better hygiene the number of people with illnesses has decreased and many are stating that their health has improved. According to the local health centre, from December 2011 to December 2012, diarrhoea cases decreased by 21 percent. “Due to these benefits, we have found that neighbouring villages are also interested in making leaching pits for the community members,” adds Willy. This program is providing many communities with a greater sense of empowerment, better health and wellbeing, and hope for the future. *This program is an Australian aid initiative partly funded by the Australian Government.

“In a recent June 2013 visit to one of the villages, public sanitation facilities were constructed using local volunteer labour and donated materials. And over the 2012-13 period, 840 new toilets were constructed voluntarily in accompanied communities,” says Willy Tan, Caritas Australia Program Coordinator, Indonesia and Philippines. “A high level of enthusiasm and contribution from the villagers has meant more facilities have been built and locals are more committed to their maintenance. As well, some villagers who were also keen to get involved built their own leaching pits without subsidies. In all our programs, community members contribute and keenly participate in the program activities.”

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This program aims to educate people on the benefits of good hygiene through workshops and the installation of toilets and leaching pits. Pictured are enthusiastic community members showing their commitment to building these sanitation facilities.

A Secure Life

South Asia: India

When Rashid from East Delhi tested positive to HIV he slipped into a deep depression. Thanks to a Caritas Australiafunded local Information and Support Centre, Rashid received counselling, psychological support, income generation support and a referral for further medical care. His life is now looking brighter. Did you know the majority of the 35.3 million people infected with HIV live in developing countries? Lack of education and the financial burden of HIV/AIDS continue to drive millions more into poverty. In 2012, approximately 1.6 million people died from AIDS and 2.3 million people contracted HIV. (Source: UNAIDS)

When Rashid was feeling well again, he took part in a number of workshops to improve his economic situation and established his own wallet manufacturing business. He is pictured here with his wife and daughter. Photo: Deepti Foundation

The Catholic Church and its agencies are one of the largest providers of HIV/AIDS treatment in the world. And although antiretroviral treatments can reduce the mortality and morbidity of HIV, their high cost means that prevention is the key to controlling the pandemic.

“The aim of the centres is to reduce HIV/AIDS-related illnesses and deaths by improving access to quality care, support and treatment, as well as improving economic opportunity and access to greater livelihood security.” What is Caritas Australia doing? One in four people with HIV/AIDS in the developing world is supported by the Catholic Church, and Caritas Australia alone has over 20 years’ experience in responding to the crisis. We assist communities around the world through a three-phased approach: • We aim to offer those suffering from HIV/AIDS a dignified life through providing healthcare, counselling, nutrition and training. • We support those who are directly impacted, such as the children and parents of people with HIV/AIDS, who are often left without the family’s income earner. • We educate the public about HIV and its impacts, and preventative techniques to avoid contracting the virus. Our work in India Since 2006, our agency has been assisting people living with HIV/AIDS in the East Delhi slums of India. Our drop-in Information and Support Centres offer services including counselling, psychological support, income generation support, self-help groups and referrals for further medical care. In 2012-13, our five centres throughout this highly populated area helped 30,315 people; due to these high numbers we plan to establish another five centres in 2013-16. “The aim of the centres is to reduce HIV/AIDS-related illnesses and deaths by improving access to quality care, support and treatment, as well as improving economic opportunity and access to greater livelihood security,” says Kylie Supramaniam, Caritas Australia Program Coordinator for India.

Rashid’s Story Rashid, 35, was a day labourer working in a wallet manufacturing unit in Old Delhi when he tested positive to HIV. His status caused him to slip into a deep depression, very soon losing his job, leaving his home and family, and finding a spot on a local railway station platform to live. Fortunately, someone recognised him and informed his family members who then visited one of our Information and Support Centres. Here, Rashid received counselling along with psychological support and a referral to a government-funded medical centre. When he was feeling well again, he took part in a number of workshops to improve his economic situation and established his own wallet manufacturing business. “Livelihoods and income generation is one of the components of our program. Caritas Australia provided Rashid with a low interest loan and business knowledge so he could move forward with his ideas,” says Kylie. Rashid now employs others, is married with a healthy daughter and owns a home in the area. He shared with our local partner that his life is more secure and he feels that his dignity has been restored.

ACT> Take part in an activity to help end poverty with caritas australia at www.caritas.org.au/act/events

#135 SUMMER 2013 | 7

The theme for the 2012-13 Caritas Australia Annual Report is Catholic Social Teaching: Woven into our Work. What does this mean?

Cover: Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Mary Pan and Pantjiti McKenzie, collaborate on a woven basket. Our First Australians team has been supporting this Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) initiative since February 2005. Together we are assisting over 400 weavers from 28 communities across NPY Lands (350,000km). On 29 November 2012, we marked the anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s 1986 address to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples by changing the Australian Indigenous Program team name to the First Australians Program. In August 2012, Caritas Australia launched our advocacy campaign Walk As One: Connecting with our world’s Indigenous Peoples. www.caritas.org.au/walkasone Photo: Jo Foster © Tjanpi Desert Weavers, NPY Women’s Council

In 2012-13:

OVEr 2.48 million people were assisted through our emergency humanitarian programs

63%

of our total income (about $24 million) was raised through the generosity of supporters

$11.04 million

was raised through Project Compassion 2013

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With support from Caritas Australia, residents of a camp for displaced people in Darfur, Sudan, are learning to sew, weave baskets, and make handicrafts. These incomegeneration programs are especially important for women as it means they do not have to leave the safety of the camps. Photo: Laura Sheahen/ACT Caritas

As the international aid and development organisation of the Catholic Church in Australia, Caritas Australia believes that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore everyone has dignity. Our agency’s core mission and directions promote dignity by focusing on people and building right relationships in all our work, whether staff, volunteers, partners or community members. In the 2012-13 Annual Report we explore how Catholic Social Teaching (CST), which places human dignity at the centre, is woven throughout all of our work. Our Year at a Glance Every day, our Caritas network’s staff and partners walk alongside the world’s poor. With Catholic Social Teaching as our foundation, we respond to the needs of people affected by natural disasters and conflict, and empower communities to become architects of their own development. Our aim is to build a just world by ending poverty, promoting justice and upholding dignity. In 2012-13: • Caritas Australia had 195 long-term development programs and 143 partnerships in 35 countries. • We supported 73 emergency programs in 36 countries and assisted over 2.48 million people. • The 2013-18 Strategic Plan was completed in December 2012 and operationalised in July 2013. For the full report, head to www.caritas.org.au/strategy • A total of $24,771,299 was spent on long-term development programs and humanitarian assistance.

2012-13 ANNUAL REPORT

CST WOVEN INTO

OUR WORK Pope Benedict XVI, in the Encyclical Deus Caritas Est, asks us to professionalise the work of Caritas. He said, “While professional competence is a primary, fundamental requirement, it is not of itself sufficient. We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care.

DITURE

“They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern … Consequently, in addition to their necessary professional training, these charity workers need a ‘formation of the heart’.”

Financial Snapshot The ongoing loyalty and generosity of our supporters throughout the year accounted for about $24 million of our income, which is close to 63% of our total income. Of this income, $11.04 million was from Project Compassion 2013 and $7.6 million was from general donations (a total amount of $18.64 million). In a time of uncertainty and continuous prioritisation of government grants, this ongoing generosity from our supporters has ensured that Caritas Australia continues to meet our financial commitments, and deliver longer term and sustainable programs and services across the network.

donation breakdown ($m) 31 30 29 25 21 17 13 9 5 50

45 40 35 30 25 20

APPEALS

PUBLIC DONATIONS

PROJECT COMPASSION

GENERAL DONATIONS 10

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

EMERGENCY APPEALS

BEQUESTS

TOTAL INCOME

Income vs expenditure ($m) 50

“Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation ... He is the man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man … How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor.” Pope Francis

A New Pope On 14 March 2013, we welcomed the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, Pope Francis, as the first Latin American and Jesuit Pontiff. He is named in the great tradition of St Francis of Assisi who was a man of social justice and peace and had a love for the poor. In May this year, the Pope said that Caritas is an essential part of the Church, explaining that “a Church without charity does not exist”.

TOTAL EXPENDITURE income by source ($m)

TOTAL INCOME

OTHER INCOME

PUBLIC DONATIONS

TOTAL EXPENDITURE

EMERGENCY APPEALS

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

35 30 25 20 15 10 5

LEARN>

25 21 17 13

For the complete 2012-13 annual report, head to www.caritas.org.au/annualreport 9 5 1

OTHER INCOME

PUBLIC DONATIONS

EMERGENCY APPEALS

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

PROJECT COMPASSION

#135 SUMMER 2013 | 9 EMERGENCY APPEALS

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Global Gifts is a wonderful way to make giving meaningful and help vulnerable e communities com commu om mmu ies at a the tth same time. There are six gifts to choose from and each of them will make a difference rence ence e in the t e lives l es e of those who need it most. In return for your donation toward your chosen gift, you will receive a card to give to o your loved ved v d one one which explains how you have made a contribution on their behalf.

GI V E A GLOBA L GI F T A N D SPR E A D HOPE HO O PE TO T H E WOR L D T HI S CH R I ST M A S : Call us on 1800 024 413 Visit us online at www.caritas.org.au/globalgifts Order your e-cards online today.

The Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development

Caritas Ks for Compassion Every day, many women and children around the world must travel many kilometres to fetch water or simply to survive. Caritas Ks is an easy way to help our agency end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity for the most vulnerable and marginalised people in over 35 countries worldwide, including Australia. All you need to do is get sponsored to walk, run, swim or ride for Caritas Ks and donate the proceeds to Caritas Australia, just like our superstar siblings Josie and Johnny Neall, and adventurous traveller Cate Boyd. Josie and Johnny Earlier this year, Johnny and Josie Neall, 5 and 7, from Edenhope in Victoria, were watching television and were moved by images of children in developing countries. Wanting to raise money for these children, Johnny collected all his toys and placed them in the front yard for a quick sale. But their mum, Katherine Neall, decided there was a better way to go – Caritas Ks! The local Lake Wallace Perimeter Track at 5,520m was the perfect place to raise sponsorship money. So using our online fundraising web page, a page was set up for sponsors to donate funds. Then Johnny and Josie wrote a speech which they read out at their school and a number of local churches. On 6 October 2013, the children, their parents and a number of locals walked and rode around the track. “It is a very long way but I want to do it to help kids. Sometimes they have to walk a long way to get water,” said Johnny before his quest. With an aim of raising $1,000 – the Neall family was overwhelmed with the community’s generosity, raising over $4,600 to assist Caritas Australia’s long-term development programs. “I’m so proud of my children,” said Katherine. “But a big thanks to everyone who donated.” Caritas Ks Kilimanjaro Challenge In September 2014, Cate Boyd and an adventurous group of travellers will be climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise funds for Caritas Australia. Cate tells us why she’s getting involved. “I once saw a documentary about climbing Mt Kilimanjaro – from desert to snow – and ever since, I’ve wanted to go. But I needed to do it for more than just me. I’ve previously participated in group physical activities which raise funds. What pushes you every step of the way is the people who have sponsored and supported you, and the people you’re doing it for.

To combine my dream and the agency I feel most passionate about is an irresistible opportunity. Caritas Australia provides opportunities for people to reach their potential. What’s special about the agency is that they acknowledge this equality and work in partnership with people. I’ve been a regular supporter of Caritas Australia all my adult life and now it’s a family thing. I hope my children will be inspired to do the same. As a physiotherapist, I see people go through injury and disappointment – I’ve been through some myself. But I tell my patients, and myself, that we all need a goal and motivation. So, go for a walk for yourself and for those not lucky enough to live in this lucky country. It’ll change you and change the lives of others.”

FIND OUT MORE Would you like to take part in the Caritas Ks Kilimanjaro Challenge? For more information or to register, please contact Penelope Frew on 02 8306 3449 or email penelopef@caritas.org.au For more on Caritas Ks or to set up a fundraising page, head to www. caritas.org.au/fundraising or email communityfundraising@caritas.org.au

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Yes, I want to help Mothers and their newborn babies

$27 could provide a basic village midwife kit $51 could pay for the transportation of five midwives from their villages to their nearest training centre

$73

could provide a hall to host induction training sessions for three midwife groups

$100 could cover the essential costs of

food and accommodation for a midwife during her training period

Alternatively, I’d like to give $

Make a difference

this Christmas bY

giving a mother a healthy newborn baby

Miss

Mrs

Mr or

other

Name: Donor Number (if known) Address: Postcode: Phone:

Parish:

Signature:

Please debit my credit card: Visa

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Expiry Date:

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You can help communities like Oloka Toppo’s improve maternal health.

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From now on I want to give monthly.

Please charge my credit card or direct debit account with this amount on the 27th of each month.

Complete the form to the right and return it in the envelope provided or fax it to 1800 887 895

Please direct debit my account:

or call us on 1800 024 413 with your credit card details

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visit us online at www.caritas.org.au/donate or drop in to see us at 24-32 O’Riordan St, Alexandria NSW 2015

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N3TD 3.13NL

Before payments commence, Caritas Australia will provide you with a full Service Agreement and confirmation of your details regarding this arrangement. Payments will be deducted on 27th of the month. If this is not a normal business day, payment will be deducted on the next normal business day.