CARITAS BOTSWANA
Caritas Botswana, known as the Tirisanyo Catholic Commission, was founded in 1984 with the aim of working with local people to help lift them out of poverty. The agency is the development arm of the Catholic Church in Botswana, with the mandate to serve as an umbrella body for its development and humanitarian organisations in the country. The agency’s vision is to foster integral human development through grassroots efforts that fight against pandemics, for the eradication of poverty, for the improvement of infrastructure in communities and to provide social services for the disabled.
Caritas Botswana’s work raises the standard of living of the poor through measures addressing:
1. Education
The aim is to provide early Education and development, better access to health services, more effective use of resources, good nutrition, psychosocial support and by involving the community at all stages of development.
2. Care for Orphans & Vulnerable Children
Caritas Botswana puts a major emphasis on caring for vulnerable children and orphans by operating over 50 pre-school centres that provide training to pre-school teachers and education, nutrition, clothing, welfare and health care to over 1500 orphans and vulnerable children.
3. Migrants & Refugees
In the Diocese of Francistown, clergy and nuns provide spiritual assistance, counselling, and food to the migrant and refugee population. Also, all the sisters and priests are responsible for visiting the Dukwi detention centre, where undocumented migrants and refugees are held, providing them with spiritual & psychological support. The diocese also tries to convey the message that immigration is an opportunity for growth because it attracts a lot of talent, knowledge, skills, and hope. Finally, the clergy and women of this diocese seek legal advice on how to assist migrants and refugees without breaking the laws of the country.
4. HIV & AIDS
In a country where many people live with HIV and AIDS, Caritas intervention is critical in fighting the spread of the disease. Its work through the Home Based Program provides education, psychosocial support, and good nutrition, raises awareness and helps with transport for HIV patients to their treatment. We have a built Hospice for terminally ill patients.
5. Kgalagadi North Development Program for the Rural Areas Dwellers RADs/SAN
In the Kgalagadi North settlements program, the children here are taught Setswana, which is the national language, (but not spoken by the children) and the medium of instruction in all Government primary schools. The second reason is to provide nutritional feeding for children under five years in an area where malnutrition is common. The project supports about 250 vulnerable children in the six settlements
Caritas Botswana aims to assist poverty-stricken people. They provide the most vulnerable population with access to education, health services, and more effective use of resources and community participation at all stages of development. It also works with people living with HIV and AIDS to combat the spread of the disease. It further provides vulnerable children and orphans with education, nutrition, welfare, and health care services. Caritas Botswana guides and conducts its services through 2 Caritas Diocesan offices in the country. (Diocese of Gaborone and Diocese of Francistown)
Caritas Botswana Coordinator – Mr Fredrick Koti
Address : P O Box 218,Gaborone,Botswana – Email Address: caritas@gaboronediocese.org – Tel:3912958