……..celebrate 14 years of impacting lives

By: OLAYINKA LATONA

Caritas Nigeria, the development and humanitarian arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria CBCN, has called on Nigerians to support the group in uplifting the poor and becoming the voice of the marginalised in society.

The group made the appeal through the country’s board chairman, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins at a press briefing held in Lagos.

Archbishop Martins stated that since its inception, in the past 14 years, Caritas Nigeria has reached out to over 15 million beneficiaries through various initiatives, adding that the group is totally committed to the support and empowerment of the poor and needy in various parts of the country.

In his words: “In a society ravaged by injustice, inflation, poverty, hunger and conflicts, we call on government and people of goodwill to join Caritas  Nigeria in uplifting  the poor and becoming the voice of the marginalised.

“Whether as individuals, the private sector or civil societies, we are, first members of a community created by God who are created to love and serve Him in others.

“A lot of financial and other resources are needed in order to continue this humanitarian work, which is, in fact, a mandate from Jesus Himself. We call upon men and women of goodwill to support these charity activities of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria  that are being executed on their behalf by Caritas Nigeria.

“We call on all Catholics and indeed all people of goodwill: government at all levels, individuals,  corporate institutions and organisations to support our work. From providing educational support for a child and meeting the full needs of indigent households to visiting care facilities. The poor and the needy are waiting to receive our expression of love with eagerness and outstretched hands”.

In celebrating 2024 Caritas Day, September 22, Bishop Martins revealed that the foundation shall be giving back to the communities that have shaped it by contributing, uniquely, to their growth and well-being.

According to him, this year’s celebration of Caritas Day is a reminder of the need to strengthen collaboration with different stakeholders in order that we may better impact people’s lives. It is also a memoment to reaffirm our commitment to our cause, that is, to take care of the most vulnerable in our communities and leave no one behind.  Over the years, we have demonstrated this unwavering commitment by accompanying millions of needy people to navigate their challenges through different projects and by promoting social justice,  building the resilience of displaced persons, refugees, and migrants,  and supporting several development initiatives on behalf of the Catholic church in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Caritas Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina, in his remarks, thanked all those who have supported the foundation over the past 14 years, including international donors. He assured them that the foundation will remain transparent and accountable by ensuring that the resources at its disposal are judiciously utilized for the purposes they are meant for.