COVID -19 coronavirus is changing the world. Life has stopped in many countries as borders close and all but essential services shut down. The poverty rate is dramatically growing and people, especially in the most affected countries, are fighting for their most basic needs.

Caritas around the world continues to run our programmes, feeding the hungry, giving shelter to the homeless, helping migrants and asylum seekers and caring for the sick.

The work of Caritas

Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, Caritas Internationalis has been on the frontline in responding to the COVID-19 tragedy.

Caritas Internationalis is part of a commission for COVID-19 created by Pope Francis. The confederation will coordinate with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) and the working group of the Commission dedicated to listening and supporting local Churches.

Aloysius John, secretary general of Caritas says, “In Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America, Oceania and Europe, Caritas is at the forefront in responding to COVID-19, even in areas where no other organizations are working. "Our work is a living witness of the mission of the Church at the service of the most vulnerable and of the entire human family.”

Through our 162 member organisations working at the grassroots level, millions of people are receiving food, soap, masks, disinfectants and have been briefed on how to avoid contagion. We are working to ensure everyone’s basic rights are protected – such as the right to food, to health, to protection and to information.

What has been done so far

So far Caritas has received 39 projects request from developing countries with the intermediation of local Caritas organisations.
To date, Caritas supported more than 8,4 million people, offering with the most basic needs and preventing the spread of the coronavirus. But millions of people are still waiting to be helped with concrete action.