After more than eight years of conflict in Syria, not only is the scale of the destruction immense, the economy is also on its knees. The living conditions of the civilian population remain unimaginably difficult. More than 11 million people have been forced to flee their homes, approximately half of them children. Since 2012, Caritas Switzerland h...

The Sahel Zone is particularly hard affected by climatic changes. This leads to water shortages and threatens the food security of people working in agriculture, who form the majority of the population. With this project, Caritas is protecting the available water resources. We are creating incentives for small farmers to use water more efficiently,...

Droughts and extended dry spells have further exacerbated the precarious water supply situation in Ethiopia. In order to counteract the drying up of the Ziway-Shallal basin, Caritas is training the small farmers in efficient, ecological cultivation methods that both conserve natural resources and lead to higher crop yields.

Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world. The population is very young; unemployment and underemployment are widespread. This project supports young people who have no access to schooling. On completion of their vocational training, they will be accompanied when they go out into the working world. Further to that, the project aims to impro...

Tajikistan is the poorest of the Central Asian republics. The difficult situation of the population, most of whom live from agriculture and livestock farming, is exacerbated by climate warming: unpredictable extreme natural events such as heavy rain, which occurs at the same time as the snow melts, and very high temperatures in the summer months oc...

Cambodia is particularly hard hit by the effects of climate change. Floods have increased in intensity, periods of drought are longer. Caritas supports rural communities in adapting better to the changed conditions. This involves important aspects such as establishing a good water infrastructure and disseminating knowledge about ecologically respon...

Uganda has an unemployment rate of between 61 and 83 per cent, and young people have few prospects. Faced with this hopeless situation, many young people turn to crime. At the same time, the country has to cope with food shortages and the consequences of people’s unbalanced diet. As part of the Caritas project, moringa plantations are established o...

Cyclone Idai, which hit the coast near Beira on 15 March 2019, caused massive destruction in Mozambique. Half a million people were made homeless and lost everything. Since the cyclone arrived just before the harvest and destroyed the fields, a food crisis is threatening. Caritas is providing emergency relief in the region of Manica.

In Bangladesh, Caritas Switzerland works in the fields of Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction as well as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene.

Nursery school is central for a child’s learning development – especially for disadvantaged children. However, in the Cantons of Sarajevo and Zenica-Doboj in Bosnia-Herzegovina, many children do not have access to a nursery school. Caritas carries out educational work, supports the communities in improving the range of nursery schools and the servi...

Bolivia has made huge economic and social progress in recent years, but many people still suffer severe poverty and the country is extremely vulnerable to natural phenomena. Addressing the needs of the most vulnerable population group in Bolivia includes better prevention of children's and adolescent's rights violations and ensuring access to safe ...

Nearly one million members of the Rohingya community have fled from violence and repression in Myanmar to seek sanctuary in neighbouring Bangladesh. Their situation is precarious. Caritas Switzerland is providing emergency aid for 50 000 refugees.

The number of people with mental health problems in Palestine continues to rise, but there is a lack of infrastructure, resources and qualified staff to provide treatment. Currently, international experts provide help, but this is expensive and not sustainable. As part of this project, Caritas offers training in psychotherapy. The aim is for the po...

Although many children are now able to attend school in crisistorn Haiti, the quality of teaching is often inadequate. Caritas Switzerland is helping a school to support children from very poor families and provide them with high-quality education. To this end, grants are given, remedial lessons offered, and meals provided. The school’s employees a...

The overall goal of Caritas Switzerland in Bosnia and Herzegovina is to use its broad experience in a comprehensive approach that includes improving living conditions to uphold human dignity, quality education for every child, vocational training for adults, and the creation of job opportunities.

Improving access to education and employment opportunities and enhancing adaptive capacities and resilience to climate change impacts addresses the needs of the most vulnerable population group in Brazil. It counteracts the worst economic crisis the country has seen in a century and reaches both urban and rural areas.