Caritas Shqiptar | |
Established | 1993 |
---|---|
Type | Nonprofit |
Location | |
Coordinates | 41°20′06″N19°48′23″E / 41.3349°N 19.8064°E |
Region served | Albania |
Services | development aid, humanitarian relief, social services |
Official language | Albanian, English |
President | Archbishop Arjan Dodaj [1] |
Director | Juljana Reso |
Affiliations | Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Europa |
Website | caritasalbania |
Caritas Albania (Albanian : Caritas Shqiptar) is an Albanian Catholic not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation. It is a service of the Albanian Bishops' Conference.
Caritas Albania is a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
In 1993, two years after the fall of communism in Albania, the Episcopal Conference of the Albanian Catholic Church founded Caritas Albania as its social and humanitarian arm. On 3 October 1995, it was officially recognized by the Albanian state as a charitable organisation of the Albanian Catholic Church. [2]
In the 1990s, Albania faced a challenging period marked by high levels of unemployment and poverty, along with an influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Kosovo in 1998 and 1999. In this context, Caritas Albania provided essential humanitarian aid, including the distribution of goods and making accommodation centres available, and supported impoverished individuals in becoming legal landowners. [3] [4]
Since 1994, Caritas Albania has been a member of Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Europa, the global network of Catholic aid organisations. [2]
Caritas Albania implements a wide range of activities. In the field of humanitarian action, it supports communities after local or country-wide emergencies, including after floods such as the large-scale 2006 Albania floods, [5] the 2008 Gërdec explosions and the 2019 Albania earthquake. [6] [7]
Since the 2015 European migrant crisis, Caritas Albania has been providing support to refugees, asylum-seekers, and migrants arriving in Albania. As of 2024, the organisation is a partner of UNHCR and maintains a presence at two border points, in Korça and in Gjirokastra, to provide translation and counselling services. Caritas staff identify the vulnerabilities and specific needs of the individuals arriving, such as healthcare requirements, and help them meet these needs. [8]
Another important pillar is the provision of social services for Albanians. Caritas Albania has been building healthcare facilities and provides services to vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities and Roma people. [9] [10] [11]
Caritas Albania is a network that consists of the national office located in Tirana as well as of six diocesan Caritas organisations:
In addition, Caritas works through 95 referral missions throughout Albania. [12]
Rrok Kolë Mirdita was an Albanian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the archbishop of Tiranë-Durrës from 1993 to his death in 2015.
Caritas Europa is a European confederation of Catholic social service providers and international development and humanitarian relief organisations operating in Europe. It is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 national Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. The name Caritas Internationalis refers to both the global network of Caritas organisations and to its general secretariat based in the Vatican City in Rome, Italy.
The Deutscher Caritasverband, also sometimes referred to as Caritas Deutschland and internationally known as Caritas Germany, is a German Catholic not-for-profit organisation and social service provider. It is the largest welfare organisation and largest private employer in Germany.
Caritas Czech Republic is a Czech Catholic not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation. It is a service of the Czech Bishops' Conference and is the largest social welfare and charitable organisation in the country. Caritas Czech Republic is a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Lebanon is a Catholic Lebanese nonprofit organisation, established in 1976. It is the official aid organisation of the Catholic Church in Lebanon and implements social welfare services and provides humanitarian aid. It is one of the best-known and largest NGOs in the country and a member of Caritas Internationalis and Caritas MONA.
Caritas Ecuador is an Ecuadorian nonprofit organisation established in 1961. It is the official aid organisation of the Catholic Church in Ecuador.
Caritas Kosovo is a Kosovar Catholic not-for-profit organisation. It is a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Jordan is a Jordanian Catholic charitable organisation.
Caritas Syria is a Syrian Catholic charitable and humanitarian aid organisation.
Armenian Caritas is a not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation based in Armenia. It is a service of the Armenian Catholic Church and a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Catholic not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a service of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a full member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
Caritas Croatia, sometimes also translated as Croatian Caritas, is a Catholic not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation in Croatia. It is a service of the Episcopal Conference of Croatia.
Caritas Moldova is a Catholic not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation in Moldova. Caritas Moldova is a member of both the Caritas Europa and the Caritas Internationalis networks.
Caritas Serbia is a not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian relief organisation in Serbia. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Serbia.
Caritas Hellas is a not-for-profit social welfare and humanitarian organisation in Greece. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Greece and a member of both Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.
Macedonian Caritas or Caritas Macedonia is a social welfare and humanitarian charity operating in North Macedonia. It functions as a service of the Catholic Church in the country and is affiliated with Caritas Internationalis, a global confederation, as well as Caritas Europa, a regional network.
Caritas Montenegro is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Montenegro. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Montenegro and is a member of both the global Caritas Internationalis and the regional Caritas Europa networks.
Caritas Belarus is a not-for-profit social welfare organisation in Belarus. It is a service of the Catholic Church in Belarus.
Caritas Indonesia, also known as the Karina Foundation, is a not-for-profit humanitarian relief and development organisation in Indonesia. It is a service of the country's Catholic Church. Since its establishment, the organisation has been actively engaged in emergency response, disaster risk management, and strengthening community resilience in disaster-prone areas.