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Created by the Beninese episcopate in 1958 and then known as Secours Catholique Dahoméen, Caritas Benin’s mission is to plan and coordinate the social ministry of the Catholic Church in Benin. From the beginning, Caritas Benin started several actions to raise awareness and work towards achieving social justice, mutual aid and sustainable development.

After celebrating its golden jubilee in 2008, and in order to better serve the vulnerable members of society and become more competitive in its areas of intervention, Caritas Benin began to develop and elaborate its strategic capacities.

Accompanying women in the empowerment process; combating violence against women; protecting vulnerable children and orphans; combating modern types of slavery, abuse, and all forms of social exclusion; providing access to basic social services for the poor; and promoting agriculture are among the areas in which Caritas carries out its mission to achieve integral human development. Community-based care in the treatment of malaria in infants under five years of age and support and care for people living with HIV/AIDS are also priority areas for intervention.

Through its network of ten dioceses, over 500 parishes and at least 2,500 volunteers, Caritas Benin deploys operational and multidisciplinary teams in 77 communes in Benin. Its operators are immersed in the populations of the most remote regions of the country and are informed in real time about the challenges they face. They can also propose solutions that are consistent with the reality on the ground.

Caritas Benin works in partnership with the following organizations: Secours Catholique (Caritas France), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Caritas Germany, UNHCR, Plan Benin, Global Fund, UNICEF, Terre des Hommes and Misereor.