User:Bdx/sandbox
Caritas Bulgaria
[edit]Каритас България | |
| Established | 1 July 1993 (established) — 9 May 1995 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | social services |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 42°41′43″N 23°20′12″E / 42.6954°N 23.3366°E |
Official language | Bulgarian |
| Affiliations | Caritas Europa, Caritas Internationalis |
| Website | caritas |
Caritas Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Каритас България) is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Bulgaria. It implements social activities in support of vulnerable people in society and is a service of the Bulgarian Catholic Church.
The main objectives of Caritas Bulgaria are to coordinate and control the activities of its regional organisations (also named "Caritas"), represent Caritas before the Bulgarian State and maintain relations with partners from abroad. Caritas Bulgaria is a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
History
[edit]After the political changes in Bulgaria in 1989 and the subsequent end of the People's Republic of Bulgaria in 1990, trucks carrying humanitarian aid from the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany began arriving in the country. The Eucharistic Sisters in Sofia, led by Sister Agnesa Slavova, worked with representatives from the Catholic charity organisations Caritas in these countries. In Bulgaria, the sisters organized and managed the distribution of donations throughout the country. Over time, these activities were taken over by other groups from the parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sofia.
In 1991, the first Caritas organisation in Bulgaria was established at diocesan level in Plovdiv with the aim of expanding the social activities of the church. The first activities included distributing bread to socially disadvantaged people and delivering medicines and medications to Plovdiv hospitals.
In June 1992, Bishop Samuel Dzhundrin of the Ruse diocese leveraged his contacts in France to establish a charitable organisation within his diocese. The support of the newly arrived Passionist Fathers was particularly valuable. This initiative provided medicines to the ambulance and hospital in Ruse.
Recognizing the need to strengthen Caritas structures in Bulgaria, Caritas Europa coordinated efforts in the early 1990s. Caritas Austria supported the setting up and development of a diocesan Caritas in Sofia, while Caritas France supported the Caritas structure in Plovdiv, and Caritas Switzerland Caritas Ruse.
On 1 July 1993, the Episcopal Conference established Caritas Bulgaria, and a founding conference for the National Catholic Federation was held on 8 July 1993. Sixty delegates from dioceses participated, adopting the organisation's statute. Nadka Girgincheva, then chairwoman of the Ruse organisation, was elected as the national chairperson. Archbishop Mario Rizzi, Bulgaria's first nuncio after 1989, also attended the event.
Due to the inclusion of the word "Catholic" in the name of the organisation, the federation failed to register for a long time, which also delayed its acceptance into the global confederation Caritas Internationalis. Both milestones were achieved in May 1995: the federation joined Caritas Internationalis on 8 May, and Caritas Bulgaria was officially registered in court on 9 May.
In the spring of 1996, Bulgaria faced an economic crisis and hyperinflation, leading to a humanitarian emergency during the harsh winter of 1996/1997. This crisis marked the first national-level test for the federation, which mobilised over 750 volunteers to distribute aid across the country.
In subsequent years, Caritas Bulgaria shifted its focus to specific social groups, including refugees from Kosovo and drug addicts. A mobile office was established to assist the latter. During the 2005 floods, Caritas provided substantial support to affected communities.
After Bulgaria's accession to the European Union, Caritas organisations abroad, which had been the primary source of funding, began to withdraw. This created financial challenges for the three diocesan organisations, prompting them to seek alternative funding sources.
Caritas Bulgaria observes its holiday on the World Day of the Poor, the Sunday after 13 November. This day is marked by various initiatives aimed at encouraging donations and raising awareness of its mission.
Structure
[edit]Caritas Bulgaria is a federation of three independent diocesan Caritas organisations, coordinated and supported by a national office. The entire federation in the country employs 68 employees and works with 264 volunteers.
Caritas Sofia
[edit]Caritas Sofia is a charitable organization of the Catholic Apostolic Exarchate in Bulgaria. It was established on 31 August 1993 to carry out charitable works on its behalf.
Caritas Vitania
[edit]The charitable Catholic organisation Caritas Vitania was established in 2011 by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sofia and Plovdiv. It is the successor of the former Caritas Plovdiv, which was established in 1991 and declared bankrupt on January 1, 2009.
Caritas Ruse
[edit]Caritas Ruse was established in 1992 as a charitable organisation of the Catholic Church, active in the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nicopolis.
Work
[edit]Caritas focuses its activities on three main areas. The first is social, health, and educational care, providing services to support various social groups, including elderly people with illnesses, children and young people at risk, children and young people with disabilities, individuals struggling with addiction to psychoactive substances, women in disadvantaged situations, and homeless individuals.
The second area is disaster response. In cases of significant natural disasters, Caritas provides assistance to those severely affected, helping them return to a normal way of life.
The third area is advocacy. Building on its practical experience and its engagement with people in dire need, Caritas undertakes advocacy actions aimed at influencing authorities to address systemic issues and improve conditions for vulnerable groups.
Governance
[edit]The highest governance member of Caritas Bulgaria is the president. Since its inception, the presidents of the organisation were:
- Nadka Girgincheva (1993 – 1997)
- Dr. Hristo Kalamov (1997 – 2002)
- Bishop Petko Christov (2002 – 2020)
- Bishop Rumen Stanev (2020 –)
References
[edit]External links
[edit]Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations and Regional Secretariats | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
[[Category:Charities based in Bulgaria] [[Category:Organizations established in 1993] [[Category:1993 establishments in Bulgaria] [[Category:Catholic Church in Bulgaria] [[Category:Caritas Internationalis|Bulgaria] [[Category:Social justice organizations]
Romania
[edit]Confederația Caritas România | |
| Established | |
|---|---|
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Purpose | social services |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 44°27′20″N 26°05′42″E / 44.45565°N 26.09490°E |
Region served | Romania |
| Affiliations | Caritas Europa, Caritas Internationalis |
| Website | caritasromania |
Caritas Romania, formally in Romanian: Confederația Caritas România, is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Romania. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Romania.
Caritas Romania is a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
History
[edit]The 10 Caritas organizations active in Romania came together in 1994 in a national network: the Caritas Romania Confederation. Created with the aim of promoting the social projects of its members, Caritas Romania is involved in lobbying and influencing social policies both at the national and European level through Caritas Europa, a strategic partner of the EC in social issues. All Caritas organizations in Romania have partnerships with local authorities and provide services to children from disadvantaged backgrounds at risk, people with special needs, large families with low incomes, the elderly. Through complex programs in the field of social assistance carried out by Caritas in Romania, we meet the needs of 70,000 beneficiaries annually.
Structure
[edit]The structure of Caritas is the same as the structure of the Catholic Church in Romania . Caritas Romania consists of the national office located in Bucharest as well as of 10 regional, autonomous Caritas organisations in Croatia. They work in six dioceses and two archdioceses of the Latin Church and in three eparchies and one archeparchy of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church.
dioceses and archdioceses and in the military ordinariate. The diocesan Caritas organisations support people affected by poverty in Croatia and contribute therewith to social integration.
The 10 local organisations are:
- Caritas Alba Iulia (Caritas Arhidiecezan Alba Iulia)
- Caritas Blaj (Asociația Caritas Mitropolitan Greco-Catolic Blaj)
- Caritas Bucharest (Asociația Caritas București)
- Caritas Cluj (Caritas Eparhial Greco-Catolic Cluj)
- Caritas Iași (Centrul Diecezan Caritas Iași)
- Caritas Maramureș (Asociația Diecezană Caritas Greco-Catolic Maramureș)
- (Roman-Catholic) Caritas Oradea (Caritas Catolică Oradea)
- (Greek-Catholic) Caritas Oradea (Caritas Eparhial Oradea)
- Caritas Satu Mare (Organizația Caritas a Diecezei Satu Mare)
- Caritas Timișoara (Federația Caritas a Diecezei Timișoara)
TBC: The 10 regional organisations in turn coordinate the work of hundreds of Caritas structures at parish level, firmly rooted in the local communities and ensuring a capillary presence all over the country.
Work
[edit]xxx
References
[edit]External links
[edit]Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations and Regional Secretariats | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
[[Category:Charities based in Romania] [[Category:Organizations established in 1111] [[Category:1111 establishments in Romania] [[Category:Catholic Church in Romania] [[Category:Caritas Internationalis|Romania] [[Category:Social justice organizations]