Caritas India’s Executive Director, Fr. Antony Fernandes, presented a comprehensive report on the South Asian subregion at the Caritas Asia Regional Commission Meeting held on March 11-12, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand. This crucial Regional Commission Meeting brought together representatives from across Asia to discuss strategic directions, programmatic progress, and collaborative initiatives.

In his presentation, Fr. Antony Fernandes provided an in-depth overview of the past six months, sharing updates from member organizations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The report highlighted the collective efforts of these countries in addressing pressing social and humanitarian challenges, focusing on disaster response, climate resilience, and community development.

The presentation encapsulates India’s Housing Program, where 70 conflict-affected families were supported, and 200 displaced children received educational aid. In Nepal, emergency aid included repairing 13 water systems and cash-for-work programs, while 42 villages in Pakistan were trained in flood preparedness. Climate resilience efforts empowered 3,309 households in India, producing 30,000 kg of millet. Caritas India supported 1,200 tribal women through livelihood programs, assisted 2,276 migrants, and improved public health for over 240,000 marginalized individuals. The organization also strengthened advocacy through the C-AMBIT program, enhancing communication and promoting community-led development.

The Regional Commission Meeting also included discussions on the ongoing review of the Caritas Asia Foundation (CAF) Strategic Plan review (2021-2025) with future planning for next phase

In addition, Caritas India highlighted its engagement in the C-AMBIT program, which focuses on communication and advocacy strategies to support migrants across member countries. Caritas India’s leadership in capacity-building initiatives, including volunteer management and resource mobilization, was also showcased.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to enhancing collaboration across member organizations, reinforcing the collective mission to serve the most vulnerable and promote human dignity. As Caritas India continues to advance its work, it stands in solidarity with its South Asian partners to drive transformative change and foster hope for a better future.