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Caritas Uganda was founded in 1970 and is the general coordinating body for socio-economic development of the Uganda Episcopal Conference. The organization’s main areas of focus are social services, development and advocacy with the main objective of emergency relief and rehabilitation, poverty eradication, HIV/AIDS prevention, improving community livelihoods, fostering good governance, increasing organizational development and peace building. Encouraging sustained development solutions is essential to their work. It works with and through local partners and the Caritas network to help Ugandans recognize and address the root causes of poverty and injustice that affect them.

Caritas Uganda’s diverse programs and campaigns address serious economic and social development challenges following a 20-year civil war that has resulted in 1.7 million refugees, a disastrous AIDS epidemic, and a high poverty rate with 38 percent of the population living on less than $1.38 a day. Key programs include humanitarian assistance, agriculture, microfinance, water and sanitation, youth empowerment, and peacebuilding. 6.5 million people benefit annually.

Since its inception, Caritas Uganda has always given special attention to humanitarian aid campaigns as Uganda suffers from recurrent floods and droughts which have a very significant effect on its economy which depends on agriculture. Its work improves access to water and sanitation, provides seed banks in case of crop failure, and promotes sustainable agriculture to help farmers engage in agroforestry.

One million Ugandans are living with HIV/AIDS, and another million have been orphaned by the disease. But there has been a drop in the rate from 19% in the early 1990s to less than 7% thanks to the campaign against the virus in the country. Caritas’ education and awareness campaigns, in addition to its partnership with CRS, provide care for people living with the virus in 18 medical centers.

Caritas Uganda facilitates long-term sustainable solutions for socio-economic development through microfinance and by promoting agricultural skills to help local communities. Current activities include linking farmers to financial institutions for loans on favorable terms, and organizing open markets for them to showcase their agricultural products and receive technical advice from local agricultural agents and key development partners.

The Caritas Uganda National Secretariat in Kampala guides and conducts its services through 19 diocesan Caritas and 472 parish Caritas throughout the country. To carry out its mission, the organization employs 210 people and 3,776 volunteers.

Caritas Uganda’s collaboration with the global Caritas network is vital to the success of its work. For example, Caritas Norway, Catholic Relief Services USA, Caritas Australia, Caritas Denmark, Caritas Japan, Caritas Italy, Caritas Netherlands-CORDAID, Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Africa.