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The Change Report

Caritas Australia report about the change your generosity has helped create - Autumn 2025 edition

By Caritas Australia

July 2^nd, 2025

Thank You

Project Compassion remains at the heart of everything we do at Caritas Australia. Your generosity has allowed us to work hand-in-hand with communities worldwide, helping provide the tools and opportunities needed to forge a path out of poverty.

In the face of immense global challenges such as war, famine, conflict and the ever-growing threat of climate change, Project Compassion stands as a beacon of faith and hope. Your support empowers individuals and families to break the cycle of poverty and create a more just and sustainable future.

Your generosity has had an extraordinary impact. Over the past financial year, Caritas Australia has worked in 36 countries, reaching over 1 million people through long-term development programs. Together with our partners, we responded to 30 global emergencies, directly assisting 542,181 people in crisis.

Through your support, vulnerable communities have gained access to education, healthcare, food security, clean water and sustainable livelihoods. These figures are a testament to the power of your compassion.

This year, Project Compassion invites us to reflect on how we can Unite Against Poverty. Every act of kindness – whether through fundraising, donations or sharing the stories of those we serve – makes a profound difference.

In this edition of The Change Report, we bring you the stories of Irene from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Toefuata’iga from Samoa, and Lam from Vietnam – three individuals whose resilience and determination have transformed their lives and communities. We also share updates from Gaza and Ukraine, where conflict, and displacement continue to impact millions.

It is truly remarkable to witness the generosity of people like you, who embody the spirit of giving during the holy season of Lent and beyond. Your unwavering commitment allows us to continue to walk alongside those in need, building a more just and compassionate world for all.

On behalf of everyone at Caritas Australia, thank you for your kindness and dedication to Project Compassion. I hope you find inspiration in this edition of The Change Report, as we celebrate the extraordinary impact of your support.

With gratitude,

Kirsten Sayers,

Chief Executive Officer, Caritas Australia

Program snapshot

First Australian partners

Bishop Daniel Meagher visits our partner Grassroots Action Palmerston

Last December, Bishop Danny Meagher from the Archdiocese of Sydney visited our First Australian partner Grassroots Action Palmerston (GAP) to witness the profound impact that their work has on its participants and in the wider community in the Northern Territory. During his visit, Bishop Meagher met apprentice carpenters Cedric and Manu, whose lives have been transformed by the generosity of people like you, and by GAP’s work.

“GAP has changed my life,” Manu told bishop Meagher. “I’m out there doing something productive, earning money and supporting myself and my family. GAP has significantly improved my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help,” Cedric added.

Prior to joining GAP, Cedric and Manu were young men navigating the complexities of life in Darwin, shaped by the strength of their culture and the challenges of their environment. Skilled with their hands and deeply connected to their community, they sought opportunities to build a future beyond the barriers they faced.

GAP offers new opportunities to disengaged young Aboriginal people. By working collaboratively with local community members, businesses and government, they create positive outcomes in key areas that young people have identified as important.

Aunties Place, their HQ, is a residential property complete with a kitchen, living room and sensory areas, where young people can learn how to cook, self-soothe and get support finding work and housing.

“It was very inspiring to see Cedric and Manu at Auntie’s Place. It felt warm and friendly, like a true motherly home for the young men,” Bishop Meagher shared.

Bishop Meagher was accompanied by Dan Skehan, the Programs Director at Caritas Australia.

“It’s a great opportunity for Bishop Danny to visit our First Australian partner GAP. They work with young, disadvantaged Aboriginal children to help them connect with their cultural identity and secure pathways to full-time employment. It’s truly inspirational,” said Dan.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without Caritas Australia. They believed in me and introduced me to key supporters and funders. Without that support, I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing now,” added GAP founder, Serena Dalton.

Project Compassion 2025

Unite Against Poverty

Your generosity is helping women like Irene gain skills training

Irene is a 25-year-old single mother of two boys living in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite experiencing extreme poverty, she has become a skilled seamstress. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, Irene can now support her children’s education with her income.

After her father died in war, Irene along with her mother and siblings were displaced, and her mother became the sole breadwinner for the family. Despite the difficulties her mother faced trying to afford school fees, Irene persevered to attend school for as long as she could.

However, when Irene was a teenager, she became pregnant and the father of her child abandoned her not long after she gave birth.

Irene’s lack of education limited her job opportunities, and further complicated her ability to support her family’s basic needs. Without the skills to find paid employment, Irene’s chance of ever escaping the cycle of poverty on her own was slim.

However, thanks to the kindness of people like you, our partner Caritas Kongolo helped Irene join the Youth Capacity Strengthening Program. This gave her access to the resources that would grant her a second chance at a brighter future for her and her family.

Irene took up a sewing course, which also provided sewing machines and fabrics. In addition to this, Caritas Kongolo ran agricultural training sessions so that she could grow and produce food for her family. At the end of her course, Irene and her peers were provided with sewing machines so that they could continue practicing their skills and earn an income.

"Our lives are so different now. Before, women depended on men’s income, but now, with our sewing skills, we can take care of ourselves.” - Irene

Irene’s newfound skills also enabled her to take on a mentoring role, training other young women to sew.

“With the earnings from this job, I can not only buy my own clothes but also for my family members… Regarding the children I send to school, there are my orphaned nephews from my late brother. I make sure to provide for all their needs,” she added.

Program information

The Youth Capacity Strengthening Program, implemented by our partner Caritas Kongolo, empowers young people in Democratic Republic of the Congo through agricultural training and vocational skills development. The program focuses on improving livelihoods, reducing family violence, and fostering gender equality. By promoting entrepreneurship, agricultural production, and market access, it provides youth with opportunities to generate income and become self-sufficient. Additionally, it offers support to survivors of gender-based violence, fostering community-wide behaviour change and promoting social norms that reject violence.

400 young people (50 percent women) trained in vocational skills.

30 percent income increase for 400 young people.

Six literacy centers established.

120 women and girls empowered through education and psychosocial support.

370 young people trained in sewing and carpentry, with training workshops on generating income.

Your kindness is helping students like Toefuata’iga access safe and clean water

For 13-year-old Toefuata’iga and her classmates in the Upolu region of Samoa, a day at school used to be defined by uncertainty. Not because of exams or lessons, but because of something far more basic than this – access to clean and safe water.

Her school community lacked a reliable water supply, which meant frequent school closures, health risks and disrupted learning.

Despite being surrounded by vast ocean waters, many communities in Samoa struggle with access to safe drinking water. The ongoing impacts of climate change have led to prolonged dry spells in the island, while heavy rains contaminate existing supplies. To make matters worse, the Samoan Water Authority pipeline is often shut down due to natural disasters or maintenance.

“School would finish early, so we wouldn’t finish our lessons because when there wasn’t any water, we wouldn’t have classes,” said Toefuata’iga.

Teachers often had to leave the school to fetch water from nearby homes, paying out of their own pockets to compensate neighbors for using their water. This added further strain to the staff and local community. Additionally, the absence of a reliable water source led to compromised hygiene, increasing the risk of dehydration and waterborne diseases.

However, thanks to your generosity, our partner Caritas Samoa installed a 10,000-litre water tank, which enabled the school to maintain regular class schedules, improving both educational outcomes and student health. Attendance and enrolment numbers surged, as parents no longer worried about sending their children to a school without access to clean water.

“When we opened our water tank, the parents were really happy, they were over the moon...” shared Principal Ada. “Now we don’t need to send the children home early, and we can keep up with our lessons. It’s made such a difference.”

The tank has also alleviated some of the financial burdens faced by teachers and nearby families, allowing the school community to focus on education.

With access to clean and safe water, Toefuata’iga can now pursue her dreams, and her school is in a much better position to provide a stable learning environment.

“I would like to become a good teacher. To teach the children so they will have a brighter future.” - Toefuata’iga.

About the the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Initiative to Strengthen Education and Health (WISEH) program

4 schools with a total of 1291 students received water tanks.

26 families received WASH support including stand-alone rainwater harvesting tanks.

8 families gained bathrooms

The impact of your support in Lam’s journey from isolation to independence

Your generous support of Project Compassion has been a life-changing gift to young people living with disabilities, enabling them to overcome barriers and unlock their full potential. Lam’s story is an example of how your kindness and compassion have made a real difference.

Growing up as a person of short stature in rural Vietnam, Lam experienced significant physical and social barriers due to his disability. When Lam graduated high school, many of his fellow students pursued their career aspirations at university, studying to become doctors, teachers and other vocations. But it wasn’t the same for Lam, whose physical disability meant there were few vocations available to him.

Without access to any employment opportunities, his future career prospects seemed limited, and he spent most of his time at home completing household chores with his family, harvesting vegetables, feeding chickens and cooking meals. Lam felt increasingly isolated and disconnected from his friends and society.

“I’m really self-conscious about my height. It feels like getting around and doing a lot of basic tasks are a major undertaking for me,” Lam said. “It’s a struggle to feel like we fit into society, and our limited mobility makes it hard to access jobs or education.”

Caritas Australia’s partner in Vietnam, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), opened the doors for Lam to pursue his dream of becoming a graphic designer.

The I-SHINE program is designed to help children and youth with disabilities in Vietnam access education, vocational training and start-up opportunities to generate an income.

With your support, Lam was able to take part in the I-SHINE program where he was financially supported to complete a six-month IT Technician training course in Da Nang.

“I’m really hoping this initiative keeps growing and spreading its impact, uplifting even more people in similar situations, both here at home and around the globe.” - Lam.

“It’s been a game-changer, giving me the chance to connect with friends, gain more professional knowledge, and land a job that aligns with my passions and interests,” Lam said.

Today, Lam is a successful graphic designer, freelancing for both local and international clients. He is able to make a stable income from his job and he is an inspiration to other young people in his community facing similar challenges.

About the I-SHINE program

Community-based tailored vocational training was provided to 43 youth and women with disabilities.

97 people with disabilities and their family members were provided with livelihood support.

3,563 community members have improved awareness of people with disabilities’ rights.

198 caregivers were trained on child protection, language development, behavior management and first-aid skills.

Phuong’s story made possible by your generosity

Phuong*, 24, lives in the Quang Tri province in Vietnam. Her disability has left her fully paralysed from below her arms and needing to use a wheelchair. As a result, Phuong finds it difficult to exercise her leg muscles, which is vital to maintaining her health.

Sadly, Phuong lost her mother to cancer at the start of 2023. Her mother had always been by her side, helping with daily activities and offering support. With her mother gone, Phuong often felt hesitant to ask her father or brothers for help, so she turned to online resources to learn how to manage on her own.

Approximately 80 percent of people with disabilities live in countries that lack the infrastructure and facilities to support them. Without access to basic services, people with disabilities in rural Vietnam often experience discrimination or exclusion, affecting their future education, health care and employment prospects.

Prior to joining the Together We Can program**, run by our partner the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development, Phuong often felt less hopeful and had to drop out of school because of her paralysis. Additionally, the costs of her treatment, hospital fees and medication, caused financial strain to her family.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, our partners organised a therapist to visit her once a month for rehabilitation. This helped improve her health by exercising her muscles. The program also helped support her family with generating income from her father’s grocery shop.

The program has helped my father and I make more money for the household through the shop. I also feel happier and more encouraged.

Phuong

The program also empowers people with disabilities to actively participate in their communities and access parental training, community engagement, vocational training, and livelihood development.

“By the end of this year, I hope to be able to stand. I do my exercises every single day and I can point my feet now. My father helps my practice by raising my bed up, so that my feet touch the ground. The first thing I would like to do if I can stand and walk is visit my mother’s grave,” said Phuong.

Thanks for helping young women like Phuong gain access to the support they need.

*Names have been changed to protect their identity.

**Along with your generous support, this program is also supported by the Australian Government, through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

Your impact across the world

Throughout the 2024 financial year, the transformative impact of your support helped communities lift themselves out of poverty, and help families build resilience in the face of hardship.

Your generosity helped reach a total of 1,097,941 people directly, along with 1,804,915 indirect participants across 36 countries.

In Africa, 553,995 people were supported through 15 development initiatives, such as the A+ Program in Malawi. Memory, a young woman who graduated with an advanced certificate in carpentry, is one of many beneficiaries.

In the Pacific, 107,193 people benefited from projects like roof replacements at Papua New Guinea's Lemakot Health Centre, supporting safe and hygienic healthcare delivery.

In Asia, Caritas Australia reached over 1 million people through 28 programs, including sustainable agricultural training for Chiquito in Timor-Leste, whose thriving farm now sustains his family.

In Australia, we supported programs like Grassroots Youth Engagement – featured in this edition, which provided mentorship and support to Indigenous youth, helping them heal intergenerational trauma and build better futures. In total, 401,530 Australians were impacted by these initiatives.

In addition to our long-term development initiatives, your support helped our partners respond to 30 global emergencies, directly assisting 542,181 people facing crises countries like Gaza, Sudan, and Lebanon.

Together with our partners, your support has helped many vulnerable communities gain access to vital education, clean water and sanitation. It also helped provide many families with food security, reliable sources of income and healthcare services, empowering them to build sustainable livelihoods and brighter futures.

On behalf of the communities we serve, we thank you for your unwavering support and generosity towards Caritas Australia. Your kindness is helping create a brighter and better tomorrow.

Emergency update: News from Gaza and the war in Ukraine

War in Ukraine: Three years on

As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen. With nearly one-third of Ukraine’s population – 12.7 million people – requiring aid, our partners Caritas Ukraine and CAFOD remain on the frontlines, delivering vital assistance while helping communities rebuild.

Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, your kindness and generosity have helped support over 4 million people with emergency relief, including shelter, food, water, medical care and psychosocial support. In addition to immediate aid, our partners remain focused on long-term recovery, helping Ukrainians regain employment, secure housing and access education.

“Our goal is to help war-affected people emerge from crisis and become independent from humanitarian aid as much as possible,” says Tetiana Stawnychy, President of Caritas Ukraine.

However, as the need for humanitarian assistance grows, international funding is declining. Vulnerable groups, including low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities are facing even greater risks.

September 2024 recorded the highest civilian casualties since mid-2022, with 574 civilians killed in three months. Recent statistics continue to paint a stark picture:

• Over 40,000 civilian casualties, including 12,400 deaths

• 6.8 million refugees displaced overseas and 3.6 million internally displaced people

• Over 9 million people now living in poverty.

Attacks on homes, schools, hospitals, and vital infrastrucure like electricity supply, bridges and roads persist, making humanitarian aid more critical than ever. Caritas calls for sustained international support to ensure local humanitarian agencies can continue their essential work.

By standing with Ukraine today, you can help war-affected communities rebuild and create a path toward recovery and peace.

DONATE TODAY

Updates from Gaza

Earlier this year, a ceasefire was declared in Gaza, bringing a temporary pause to the devastating conflict that had been escalating since 2023. This crucial moment of hope allowed for the safe return of some of the hostages and the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to those impacted by the war.

Since 7 October 2023, the human toll has been unimaginable:

44,383 Palestinians and 1,139 Israelis have lost their lives.

1.9 million people were displaced.

2.2 million people faced acute food insecurity.

However, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, our partners have helped provide lifesaving support to those in need. Your support is helping to address these urgent needs.

With the support of your donations and the partnership of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the following aid has reached the people of Gaza:

Over 937,000 people received food assistance through ready-to-eat food parcels.

Over 156,200 people received bedding, clothing, kitchen items, blankets, and other essential supplies.

Over 123,000 people received emergency hygiene kits.

The scale of destruction in Gaza is overwhelming. Approximately 40 million tons of rubble cover the land, including farmland contaminated with explosives. The economy has been shattered, and the greatest threats to survivors are hunger, disease, and a lack of medical care.

Despite these immense challenges, the delivery of aid has provided help to those who need it most. Recovery will take years, but with your continued support, we can help rebuild lives and restore hope. Every meal, every blanket, and every medical treatment delivered to Gaza’s people is a tangible act of compassion, made possible by you.

Together, we are making a lasting difference. Your generosity helps families rebuild and provides them with the strength to face the future. Thank you for standing with the people of Gaza during this difficult time.

Donate today

As always, we are incredibly thankful for your generosity and for your ongoing commitment to helping vulnerable communities across the globe. On behalf of everyone at Caritas Australia, we hope that you enjoyed this edition of The Change Report.

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