CatholicOutlook August 2015
3
Project Compassion appeal breaks records
An elderly man in Kavre district with household items he has received from Caritas.
Photo: Caritas Australia.
Caritas moves mountains in Nepal
The Caritas network is the secondlargest humanitarian network in the world.
In Nepal, it has reached more than 300,000
people with humanitarian assistance,
including emergency shelter materials,
water and hygiene kits containing
aquatabs, soap, washing detergent,
toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Caritas Australia’s Humanitarian
Emergencies Manager, Melville Fernandez,
is on the ground in Nepal.
“We have so much to celebrate as an
agency and community, but we are not
yet through the hardest part. We are still
racing to reach some of the country’s
most remote communities with life-saving
aid before the monsoon rains intensify,”
he said.
“We are now prioritising the distribution
of corrugated iron sheeting so that families
have as much protection as possible against
the monsoon rains.
“The rains are desperately needed to
ensure full growth of the crops that Nepali
families depend on for food and income,
yet we know the downpours will bring
further landslides, mud and damage to
many who are still recovering.
“As we mark the three-month
anniversary, we are already planning for the
longer term. After the emergency phase we
will support people to revive their means
of earning a living, rebuilding and restoring
their communities so they can withstand
future disasters.
“It is the extraordinary generosity of
our Catholic community in Australia, and
the world over, who ensure we work in
solidarity and honour the dignity of Nepal’s
most vulnerable people long after the news
has moved on.”
“Pope Francis last year said in response
to the global food crisis that it is truly
scandalous,” she said. “The Australian
Catholic community has responded to
that call, through their overwhelming
generosity to Project Compassion in
solidarity with those facing global injustice
and extreme poverty.
NSW-based Global Education
Adviser, Brendan Joyce, said Just
Leadership Days held across the
state were attended by more than
750 students and demonstrated
exceptional student and teacher
leadership on global social justice.
Just Leadership Days encourage students
to become leaders for justice, in their
schools and their communities, for both
local and global change.
More than 350 schools and
300 parishes in NSW fundraised
for Project Compassion.
“Schools across NSW held the
most extraordinary events during
Project Compassion from cake
stalls, to book fairs and sponsored
solidarity walks,” he said.
“The money raised helps us to enable
those communities globally to transform
their lives. By participating in learning
more about global poverty, the students
and teachers fundraising or participating
in Just Leadership Days are changed for
the better.”
Find out more about Just Leadership
Days or how you, your school or parish
can get involved in Project Compassion in
2016 by phoning 1800 024 413 or visiting
www.caritas.org.au
St Pauls Catholic College at Greystanes raised more than $8000 for Project Compassion. As part of
their social justice initiatives, the Student Representative Council and the college community also
donated non-perishable food items, blankets and warm clothing to the
St Vincent de Paul Conference in the parish.
ND1022 | CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 01032F
Three months ago Nepal was devastated
by one of the largest earthquakes to hit
the country.
Caritas Australia thanks and
acknowledges the efforts of t