CAFOD
CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development; it is the official overseas development and relief agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
CAFOD has been fighting poverty in developing countries since 1962.
CAFOD believes that all human beings have a right to dignity and respect and that the world's resources are a gift to be shared equally by all men and women, whatever their race, nationality or religion.
CAFOD is a member of the Caritas International Federation, a worldwide network of Catholic relief and development organisations.
CAFOD raises funds from the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government and the general public so that it can :
promote long-term development, helping people in need to bring about change for themselves through development and relief work.
respond to emergencies, providing immediate help for people affected by conflict or natural disasters.
identify the causes of poverty and raise public awareness of them, encouraging supporters and the public to challenge the structures, policies and attitudes that reinforce inequality.
speak out on behalf of poor communities, explaining the underlying causes of poverty and challenging governments and international bodies to adopt policies that promote equality and justice.
promote human development and social justice in witness to Christian faith and gospel values.
CAFOD's VISION, MISSION AND VALUES
Vision
Drawing its inspiration from Scripture, the Church's social teaching and the experiences and hopes of the poor, CAFOD looks forward to a world in which :
the good things of creation are cherished, developed and shared by all
the rights and dignity of each person are respected, discrimination is ended and all are gathered into a single human family from which no-one is excluded
the voice of the poor is heard and heeded by all and lives are no longer dominated by greed
all have access to food, shelter and clean water; to a livelihood, health and education
Mission
CAFOD's mission is to promote human development and social justice in witness to Christian faith and Gospel values. To fulfil this mission, CAFOD raises funds from within the Catholic community and beyond so that it can :
empower people in need regardless of their race, gender, religion or politics to bring about change through development and relief programmes overseas
raise public awareness of poverty and injustice, increasing understanding of the world-wide interdependence of rich and poor and creating the will to change unjust structures and lifestyles
act as an advocate for the poor, articulating a clear analysis of the underlying causes of poverty and challenging governments and international bodies to adopt policies which incorporate the principles of social justice
Values
The values that inspire CAFOD's work are :
Compassion
Confronted by so much poverty and suffering, our most fundamental response is compassion, regardless of whether or not the suffering is in the public eye.
Solidarity
As we encounter the reality of poverty and exclusion and discern its underlying causes, we seek to stand alongside suffering communities in solidarity, sharing our resources, uniting with them in prayer, defending their rights, and analysing and challenging the systems that bear down on them.
Partnership
Because we reject relationships of dependency, we seek to foster partnership between poor communities overseas and our supporters at home, recognising the importance of listening and trusting each other, of receiving as well as giving, and of working together on programmes overseas and campaigns at home.
Integrity of Creation
We recognise the intimate relationship between protecting and sustaining the environment and promoting human development and we seek to take proper account of ecological sustainability in our work.
Stewardship
We strive to be good stewards of all the resources entrusted to us, openly accountable for our work, systematic in evaluating our effectiveness, professional in managing our funds and responsible in our outlays and overheads.
Hope
We seek to draw upon and, in so far as we can, to reinforce the hope that is so often present in the lives of women and men who are poor, believing that in spite of all the setbacks a change for the better is still possible.
It is hope that provides the dynamic for realising our vision. Working in partnership, CAFOD's partners overseas work on long-term development, lobbying and campaigning and emergency relief. Our partnerships are based on mutual commitment, trust and shared concerns. Sharing experiences, CAFOD aims to strengthen partners through capacity building; the process by which organisations improve their skills, resources and systems so that they can respond better to the needs of their communities.
CAFOD is increasingly looking for opportunities to bring partners together to learn from each other. Here are just a few examples of the many programmes CAFOD staff developed during the year 2003-04 :
a peace and reconciliation programme in the Great Lakes region of Africa
a programme for indigenous rights in Brazil
a youth programme involving partners in West Africa
a peace and reconciliation programme in Serbia, Montenegro and its former Yugoslav neighbours
a human rights programme in Peru
a programme on the impact of mining on indigenous people in the Philippines.
Working with others in the UK, CAFOD also works with
Other relief and development agencies in the UK such as Christian Aid and members of the Disasters Emergency Committee, which raises funds in the UK for crises overseas
Justice and Peace groups and other faith-based networks such as Islamic Relief
Campaigning networks such as the Jubilee Debt Campaign, the Trade Justice Movement and the International Campaign to ban landmines
Governmental agencies such as our Department for International Development and also the European Union
WHAT DOES BEING A CATHOLIC
ORGANISATION REALLY MEAN?
CAFOD's work is one of the ways in which the Church expresses and enacts its belief in human dignity and social justice.
It is inspired by Scripture, by Catholic Social Teaching and by the experiences and hopes of the poor, marginalised and often oppressed communities it supports.
CAFOD is funded and supported mainly by the Catholic community in England and Wales to assist poor communities, regardless of creed. Enacting Gospel values, it works to enact Gospel values, within and beyond the Church, including :
concern for our neighbours and the well being of future generations
serving the common good to enable everyone to develop equally
fighting for social justice and ensuring everyone’s basic needs are met
acting on the basis of need and acting in solidarity with those living in poverty
promoting the values of human dignity, community, stewardship and the integrity of creation.
Putting solidarity and communion into practice, CAFOD puts into practice the solidarity and communion for which the Church stands and strives for a world built on interdependence, mutuality and sharing where exclusion, exploitation and greed do not exist.
CAFOD is proud of its identity as a Catholic organisation, faithful to Catholic teaching and inspired by the spirituality and world view that comes from Catholic faith.
WHAT DOES CAFOD DO?
CAFOD raises funds from the Catholic community in England and Wales, the UK government and the general public so that it can :
promote long-term development
respond to emergencies
raise public awareness of the causes of poverty
speak out on behalf of poor communities
promote social justice in witness to Christian faith and gospel values
Promote long term development
CAFOD works with more than 500 organisations worldwide to combat poverty. Through a diverse range of development work it is helping communities build a better future for themselves. CAFOD and its partners are creating lasting change.
Through listening to local needs and finding out how best to meet them, CAFOD, its partners and hundreds of communities are working together to improve lives and livelihoods.
This long-term development work includes:
ensuring reliable food supplies for vulnerable communities
providing education and job-skills training
improving nutrition, healthcare and sanitation
building irrigation and safe water supplies
developing better farming methods and crop yields
supporting people living with HIV and AIDS
creating employment and income opportunities
promoting fair and peaceful societies
In most cases, development programmes are planned and run by local organisations with in-depth knowledge of the communities in which they work. This creates trust and ensures that the voices of those best-placed to understand local needs are heard.
Disasters and Emergencies come in many forms : natural disasters include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, drought, hurricanes and cyclones, which often happen suddenly. Other disasters are caused by conflict and political crises.
Respond to emergencies
Emergency is the term CAFOD and other aid agencies give to the situation following or during a disaster, when the lives and livelihoods of many people are threatened. During emergencies, it is often the poorest people who suffer most.
Where the need is greatest, CAFOD responds to emergencies on the basis of advice from its partner organisations. If the need is great and if CAFOD feels able to improve the situation, it will do so, raising money from the public and drawing on emergency funds to pay for this assistance.
CAFOD often works in conjunction with other agencies, especially Catholic sister agencies in the Caritas network and other UK agencies who are part of the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Drought has severely hit southern Africa, leaving millions of people facing poor harvests. CAFOD funds emergency supplies, providing blankets, food and hygiene packs, seeds and tools, shelter materials and clean water through relevant partner organisations.
Reconstruction
CAFOD will also remain in the community once the disaster has subsided to help it get back on its feet. This is called reconstruction or rehabilitation, and can take months or even years.
CAFOD and its partners have developed emergency preparedness plans, which mean that they are alert to impending disasters where possible, and have the necessary resources ready should disaster strike. This saves valuable time and lives.
In Bangladesh, where flooding is frequent, CAFOD has supported the building of cyclone shelters. These are raised, concrete buildings where people can stay in safety while a cyclone rages and which are used as community centres during normal times.
Human-made disasters
Emergencies rooted in political crises are increasingly common. Recent examples of human-made emergencies include Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where conflict has triggered refugee crises and the need for large-scale humanitarian aid.
In Southern Africa, the drought that threatened millions of people resulted from a mix of natural and political causes - what is known as a 'complex emergency'.
Raising public awareness of the causes of poverty
CAFOD works to raise awareness of the causes of poverty and how to bring about change. Through supporters in schools, churches, youth and campaign groups, CAFOD puts the spotlight on poverty and on those with the power to eradicate it.
Through media work, e-mail updates and using the latest mobile phone technologies, CAFOD makes sure supporters are up-to-date on the issues that count: in homes, schools, workplaces and even the Houses of Parliament.
In parishes across England and Wales, people take part in fundraising schemes such as today, tomorrow, together, which currently highlights the needs of poor communities in Brazil and East Africa.
Fast Days at Lent and Harvest provide further opportunities to raise awareness and funds for CAFOD's work worldwide.
Campaign groups have shown that campaigning influences the way politicians think and the decisions they make. In 2002, 12,000 people from all over the UK attended the biggest-ever lobby of the UK parliament to highlight unfair trade. Politicians are now listening and trade justice is a key development issue.
Young people
CAFOD helps young people develop a sense of global citizenship and show they care.
It provides schools and youth groups with creative resources and ideas for action.
Fast Track is CAFOD's youth website, a space where young people can share ideas and concerns about global issues and take action.
Speak out on behalf of poor communities
CAFOD speaks out on behalf of poor communities, explaining the often-complex underlying causes of poverty. It also challenges governments and international bodies to develop policies that fight poverty and promote equality and justice.
Alongside partner organisations overseas, CAFOD researches issues such as unfair trade, debt or child labour.
Rooted in this research, it offers suggestions for how governments, businesses and international bodies such as the World Bank and World Trade Organisation can have a positive rather than a negative impact on poor communities.
While this ‘behind the scenes’ lobbying is carried out by policy specialists, hundreds of thousands of supporters back up the demand for change with mass campaign events such as the country-wide Trade Justice lobby in June 2003.
Campaigners write to MPs and government ministers, take part in peaceful protests, lobby governments and international bodies such as the European Union and make others in their local communities aware of injustices that must stop.
Promote social justice in witness to Christian Faith & Gospel Values
Throughout England and Wales, CAFOD staff and volunteers provide support for schools and parishes who are fundraising, campaigning and raising awareness for CAFOD.
Staff working in CAFOD's 12 regional offices recruit and support people to work as Parish Contacts, media volunteers, or in schools, helping young people understand difficult development issues.
CAFOD provides resources and support to hundreds of schools, youth and other groups throughout England and Wales.
Whether you're organising fundraising events or simply need resources or advice on how to campaign, fund raise or get media coverage for your event, CAFOD can help.
CAFOD also provides insight and ideas for teachers. Linked to the national curriculum, CAFOD's imaginative teaching resources cover issues as diverse as trade, globalisation, the environment and child soldiers, helping young people develop a sense of responsibility and global citizenship.
There is also a huge range of worship and reflection resources available from CAFOD to complement and support parish activities.
CAFOD's history
CAFOD had its beginnings in 1961, when the National Board of Catholic Women organised a Family Fast Day in response to a request from the people of the Caribbean Island of Dominica for help with a mother-and-baby health-care programme.
A year later, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales officially set up the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development, or CAFOD.
The aim was to provide a focus for all the small-scale charitable efforts which were already taking place. More than forty years later, CAFOD is still bringing about change as a result of the immense commitment and generosity of the Catholic communities of England and Wales.
In 2002/03, CAFOD raised more than £30 million and supported development and emergency relief projects in more than 60 countries.
Good Stewardship : CAFOD's finances
The cornerstone of CAFOD's finances is the funding we receive from the Catholic community - an expression of that community's commitment to promoting human development and social justice.
CAFOD raises funds through Fast Days at Lent and Harvest, an Advent appeal and through long-term fundraising schemes such as Today, tomorrow, together
We also raise money through legacies, emergency appeal donations and grants from the UK Government and other bodies such as the European Union.
As an excellent steward of the funds we receive, CAFOD spends 85 to 90 pence out of every £1 donated directly our programmes to reduce global poverty and injustice.
At CAFOD, we are able to keep fundraising costs between 10% and 15% of our income, which is low compared to other agencies.
CAFOD NEWS IN THE PARISH
CAFOD - world gifts at Christmas
World Gifts is a range of alternative gifts that act as two presents in one – something for you to give to friends or a relatives at special occasions, whilst the real gift can help change the life of someone living in poverty.
Each World Gift is a real example of the vital work by CAFOD supporting communities living in poverty around the world but they are also representative of much, much more than just the specific items described.
Each gift supports a Fund which belongs to a particular area of CAFOD's work with the promise that the money raised will be spent on relevant projects within that area.
This gives the flexibility to respond in ways that best meet the particular needs of many different communities.
Source of national information contained on this page : http://www.cafod.org.uk
The owner of this page is Anne McKillop
