Do you know of Caritas Luxembourg?

Inside:

Philippe Streff, Sécrétaire général

EditorialDear readers,

Caritas is a Latin word which rep-resents love of neighbour. This love, an expression of human dignity, connects all human be-ings and calls for action when-ever a person is in a situation of distress. Caritas has been imple-menting this neighbourly love in Luxembourg since 1932.

Nowadays, helping a person in need or an affected popula-

tion to manage a difficult and delicate situation are some of the challenges and the expertise of Caritas, both in Luxembourg and around the world. For many years now, Caritas has had numerous supporters and donors who made all this work possible. Everyone has the opportunity to help and get involved.

I thank you very much for your interest and your commitment to supporting those in need.

Caritas Luxembourg* acts towards social inclusion in Luxembourg and around the world. Support of vulnerable popula-tions is a primary concern: single-parent families, children and youths, migrants and refugees, disadvantaged persons, homeless or with precarious housing situations or income, persons tempo-rarily unable to manage their lives. At international level, Caritas takes the side of victims of natural disasters and violent conflicts.

The civil war in Syria; the earthquake and cholera epidemic in Haiti; floo-ding in Pakistan; droughts and famines in East Africa and the food crisis in the Sahel: these are some of the disasters that have impacted populations, that are often already heavily affected by misery and poverty from previous years. Caritas international network is present across 200 countries. This global network has resources and ability to assess needs directly on site in cases of emergencies. In disaster situations, the local Cari-tas can directly intervene and assist by providing water, food, medicine, tents or social assistance.

These immediate interven-tions are only possible thanks to the solidarity, including that of the Luxembourg public.

Assistance provided by Caritas is not

just limited to emergency aid. Affected and vulnerable populations are suppor-ted by Caritas, allowing them to rebuild their lives from an integral development perspective. This includes strengthening capacities of vulnerable populations in order to limit the impact of future crisis, to improve their living conditions and to ensure protection of their rights. 

Do you know of Caritas Luxembourg?

Caritas is committed in Luxembourg

Caritas is committed in the world

The things you have always wanted to know about Caritas Luxembourg

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Caritas and you

Special edition

* Fondation Caritas Luxembourg, Caritas Accueil et Solidarité asbl, Caritas Jeunes et Familles asbl, Caritas Enfants et Familles asbl

CArITAS IS CoMMITTEd IN LUXEMBOURG

It has become increasingly difficult for people with a low-in-come to reside in decent housing in Luxembourg.

Whether it is families in distress, young people having left their parental home, or others seeking a secure place to live, homeless people requir-ing emergency or occasional lodging facilities, families who had to leave their countries, Caritas strives to find these people a home, to accom-pany them and to integrate them. The objective is to temporarily support them, to enable them to establish means to live independently. Caritas Luxembourg currently provides temporary or per-manent housing to nearly 1,500 people, allowing them to live in dignity. In addition, Caritas pro-motes housing cooperatives as a way of coun-tering the problem of unaffordable housing, and offers advice to people interested in this alterna-tive way of living. 

Experiencing a childhood

Being supported in precarious situations

Family layouts are constantly evolv-ing. Searching for better ways to bal-ance work with family life is a con-stant concern. Caritas Luxembourg is equally confronted with parental break-ups and at times serious conse-quences for the children who are the most vulnerable in these situations.

Support and professional accompaniment of children, young people and families occurs on many different levels: anonymous and confiden-tial hotline conversations, youth centres, holiday activities, nurseries, day-care for primary school children, street work as well as services offering help, temporary residency, submission to insti-tutions or placement into host families in crisis situations (divorce, illness, drugs, debts, unem-ployment, conflicts or psychological distress). In addition, there is support to young migrants resid-ing in Luxembourg, who face multiple social and academic difficulties. Caritas Luxembourg offers two integration classes for adolescents and young adults as well as a class for illiterates, with the aim of ensuring their integration into Luxembourg society.

Caritas Luxembourg has established an innovative service, which enables children from disadvan-taged families with learning difficulties (dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia) to receive therapy. 

despite being known for being a rich country, Luxembourg is en-countering amongst its residents a rising number of people affected by poverty.

Those persons whose needs have been identi-fied by the Luxembourg social office can shop at discounted prices in charity shops “Caritas But-tek” in Diekirch and in Esch-sur-Alzette. These “Caritas Buttek” charity shops are integrated in the “Fairness Centres” of Caritas Luxembourg, which are friendly spaces for encounters, listening, and training, where is it also possible to get second hand clothes. The objective is to support those in temporary distress, particularly single-parent families, who are often in situations of extreme precariousness. 

Having a home

CArITAS IS CoMMITTEd IN THE WORLD

Being integrated by workThe economic crisis primarily affects those who are already disadvantaged. Assisting persons with employment repre-

sents a privileged means of social inclusion, whilst faced with unem-ployment.

Caritas Luxembourg supports those who are temporarily unable to ac-cess the labour market, by offering them various workshops. Similarly, several persons who are hired through different measures of employ-ment assistance by the Administration of Employment are directly integrated in the Caritas team. Furthermore, in accordance with the slogan “to be employed is to be integrated” “Employer, c’est intégrer”, Caritas seeks to promote employment of recognised refugees and international asylum seekers within Luxembourg’s companies.

Validation of acquired experience and basic trainings are offered to unemployed, enabling them to be qualified and thus find employment in the field of childcare more easily.

Finding a space for listening and advice

Homeless persons or persons in difficult situations, protection see-kers, refugees, migrants: there are many persons who seek gui-dance and advice from Caritas Luxembourg.

Caritas Luxembourg doesn’t act on behalf of these persons, instead supports them in their search for solutions, by emphasising and developing their competencies. Caritas offers in particular useful information to facilitate daily life in Luxembourg (schooling, trans-port, access to medical care, language courses...), translation of documents, mediation towards third parties and the protection of basic rights of the individual. Specialised assistance for Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) people also exists. The Oasis Centre in Wiltz is a place of meeting and listening for women of all nationalities due to the leading role they may play in the process of integration and social cohesion. In the day centre “Téistuff” in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie, persons in difficulty are welcomed. In the “Centre Ulysse”, these persons can have a meal, wash their clothes, or take a shower. Psycho-social mentoring or street work are other specia-lised services reaching out to those in need. 

The international elements of Caritas started to develop after 1949, with the foundation of Caritas Internationalis, an international confederation, of which Caritas Luxembourg was a co-founder and which currently holds 165 Caritas members wor-king in 200 countries or regions in the world.

The commitment of Caritas in the world consists today of allevia-ting effects of injustice, of misery and poverty, and to prevent these on a medium and a long term basis. Caritas acts in situations where human life, properties, social cohesion, important infrastructure or environments are threatened, and those affected no longer have means to manage the situation.

Side by side with victims of natural disasters and violent conflicts, and all the while striving to find new paths to justice, peace and reconciliation, Caritas Luxembourg works in a way that is effective, efficient, coherent, sustainable and context-specific. Its work must provide added value for both its partners and the communities with which it works.The response offered is in the domain of humanita-rian aid (food, drinkable water, emergency relief...), rehabilitation (housing, community infrastructure…) and development coopera-tion (agriculture, education, health, micro-credits, integrated deve-lopment, promotion of women…).

Caritas Luxembourg works through partner organisations – giving priority to local Caritas organisations – or by engaging directly through its local bureaux. The partners and bureaux use a participa-tive approach in their support of people in need. In certain contexts, Caritas Luxembourg is able to engage in multiannual programmes through its local bureaux, such as is the case in the Balkans, the Horn of Africa, in Laos and Tajikistan.

Thanks to the great solidarity of the Luxembourg population and the continuous support by the Government and Communes of Luxembourg as well as the European Union, Caritas Luxembourg, in 2013, intervened in 33 different countries with 120 projects. 

The things you have always wanted to know about Caritas Luxembourg:

Impressum

Edited by Caritas Luxembourg, Special edition, March 2014 29, rue Michel Welter, L-2730 Luxembourg, Tel. +352 40 21 31 1, www.caritas.lu, RCS Luxembourg G38

Photos: News ways in Somalia, Pierre Levy, Caritas Österreich - Aleksandra Pawloff & Walter Luttenberger, Pia Zanetti, Georg Hofer, Patrick Galbats, Alex Voets, Sam Tarling, Nicholson Patrick, Andreas Schwaiger, Caritas Luxembourg

Layout: Bakform

Become a fan of Caritas Luxembourg!

Caritas provides information from the field, informs you on positions taken and awaits your comments!

Donations given to Caritas Luxem-bourg are income tax-deductible. A yearly receipt will be sent in January, listing the donations you made over the previous year. You may request receipts for individual donations by e-mailing or telephoning (communica-tion@caritas.lu, tel. 40 21 31 263).

Caritas News is published every three months. In or-der to subscribe (it is also possible to subscribe to the e-mail PDF version of the newsletter) to unsubscribe or to communicate a change of address, please send an e-mail to or telephone (communication@caritas.lu, tel. 40 21 31 263).

Fondation Caritas Luxembourg

How does Caritas Luxembourg fund its actions?

Caritas benefits from the trust and support of both public and private donors. Private dona-tions are the primary means of action, which open doors for co-funding from the Govern-ment of Luxembourg and the European Union. The legacies and donations remain indispensa-ble to assure the sustainability of the actions of Caritas in favour of the most disadvantaged.

How does Caritas Luxembourg manage its donations?

Caritas uses resources at their disposal in a transparent and efficient manner. Accounts are controlled by company auditors, internal and external audits and voluntary commitments (ISO 9001 certifications, membership with the asbl “Don en Confiance”, chartered companies for social responsibility and sustainable devel-opment) which demonstrate this commitment to transparency. For more information, see the report of activities at www.caritas.lu.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Yes. The donations transferred to the Fonda-tion Caritas Luxembourg are deductible from income tax within the guidelines of article 109 and 112 of the L.I.R. To benefit from tax deduc-tion, the total amount of donations to various organisations throughout the year must be a minimum of 120 €, or no more than 20% of the total revenue or 1.000.000 €.

Do I receive a receipt for my donation?

An annual receipt is sent in January and states all donations made throughout the previous year. Upon request, receipts can be pro-vided for each individual donation made (communication@caritas.lu, tel. 40 21 31 263).

How can I get information regarding the activities of Caritas Luxembourg?

As a donor of Caritas, you will receive a quarterly newsletter, Caritas News and regular calls for donations. (Unsubscribe: communication @caritas.lu, tel. 40 21 31 – 263). An electronic version of Caritas news is available online at www.caritas.lu or via e-mail. By becoming a fan of Caritas on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ caritas.lu) you will receive information regarding activities and current situations as well as news from the field. The internet site www.cjf.lu provides in-formation regarding activities in the domain of children and youths.

Can I get involved as a volunteer?

Caritas Luxembourg needs you! Every year Caritas counts on sup-port of volunteers. There are several different ways in which one can volunteer with Caritas. For more information contact Fränz Jacobs, francois.jacobs@caritas.lu, tel. 40 21 31 -262.

Can young people get involved?

As a young person, you can get involved by participating in a long- or short-term charitable project, by volunteering as an animator in Caritas Luxembourg’s holiday camps or for an afternoon at the Spillmobil.

Does Caritas Luxembourg take a stance on current social and political situations?

Yes. By acting as an interpreter of those in distress and being the voice of the voiceless, Caritas Luxembourg raises awareness by so-liciting solidarity and generosity as well as political bodies. Through-out the awareness raising programme “Plaidons responsible”, awareness raising and educational activities regarding development are organised in dialogue with political stakeholders, the private sector, and civil society regarding the issue of the dual challenge of social justice on a global scale and respect of planetary boundaries.

Through research and analysis, Caritas contributes to deepening social themes relating to issues of justice and social action for the disadvantaged, promoting innovation and sharing of knowledge.

The publication of the yearly “Sozialalmanach” clearly gives Caritas Luxembourg’s position on socio-political issues. By means of the quarterly news bulletin “Caritas News”, Caritas Luxembourg informs donors and the public of current campaigns, the activities carried out and current socio-political issues. Through its research and analysis activities, Caritas Luxembourg contributes to the deepening of understanding of societal themes relating to questions of justice and social action in favour of disadvantaged people, while favouring innovation and knowledge transfer.

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How to contact Caritas Luxembourg?

The staff of Caritas Luxembourg is available to be contacted over telephone, email or facebook. Please do not hesitate to consult the section « Besoin d’aide » on www.caritas.lu,tel. 40 21 31 - 1 / caritas@caritas.lu