Caritas India is a leading humanitarian and development organization committed to creating a just and sustainable society where the values of love, equality, and peace are nurtured and lived. Established in 1962, we have been at the forefront of empowering marginalized communities across India through strategic interventions and partnerships. Caritas India is a member of the Caritas Confederation, which has more than 160 member organizations working in nearly 200 countries, making it the second-largest development network in the world.

Steered by the principles of love and compassion and rooted in the commitment to inalienable human rights and social justice, Caritas India has worked in a mission mode to alleviate human suffering. It believes that there is a close relationship between poverty and the denial of human rights and fundamental freedom, where lack of human rights and fundamental freedom can be both a cause and consequence of poverty. Since its inception, Caritas India has been unique in its strategic responsiveness to emerging social challenges at international and national levels by engaging with social researchers, proponents and policymakers.

Driven by the commitment to preserve the dignity and sacredness of human personality, Caritas India has served the underprivileged sections of the society, hailing from socially excluded communities, the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, and religious minorities by exercising preferential actions for the most marginalised. Resultantly, with a large spectrum of development interventions across the country, Caritas India is recognized as a leading NGO in poverty alleviation through Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction and Natural Resource Management.

Vision

Formation of a just and sustaining social order by upholding values of love, equality and peace.

Mission

Restoration of human dignity of the poor and marginalized by partnering with intermediary organizations in extending support and facilitation and advocating for the rights of the people.

How is it realized?

• Empowering local communities through poverty alleviation and resilience-building programmes to enable them to sustain themselves against all odds.
• Promoting the development and growth of local and regional structures.
• Encouraging the formation of people’s organizations at the grassroots to sustain social justice, peace and human development initiatives.

National Partnership and Network

Caritas India has established a robust national partnership and network that extends across the country with last-mile reach. The organization works with over 350 partners in India, including 174 local counterparts comprising Social Development Organisations and other NGO partners. Through its humanitarian and development programmes, this extensive network allows Caritas India to have a strong presence in affected areas.

Awards and Recognition

Caritas India’s commitment to humanitarian efforts has garnered significant recognition nationally and internationally. The organization recently received its FCRA renewal, reaffirming its compliance with foreign contributions regulations. The ALERT Being Award 2021 has been awarded for its dedication to preserving human dignity and humanitarian values. In 2020, Caritas India was honoured with the Healthgiri Award for its exemplary healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It received the prestigious Mahatma Gandhi Award 2020 for its humanitarian efforts during the same crisis.

Notably, Caritas India has been awarded Special Consultative Status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2022, allowing it to engage more effectively in global discussions on social issues and contribute to policy-making processes at the international level. The organization was also honoured with the WCDM–DRR Excellence Awards 2022, acknowledging its outstanding contributions to disaster risk reduction initiatives and community resilience-building efforts.

Rich Legacy and Major Interventions

The operations of Caritas India were initiated with a humble beginning in 1962 by supporting our Nation’s soldiers, raising ‘Jawan Funds’ to provide woollen garments and other amenities. Over six decades of humanitarian service, Caritas India has constantly endeavoured to enhance socio-economic development to attain self-sustained growth relevant to the nation. Time and again, the organisation has supported the nation’s marginalised communities when they were in distress through diversification and up-scaling of interventions.

Caritas India has consistently responded to major crises throughout its history, providing critical support during the Bangladesh Refugee crisis in 1971, the devastating Bhuj earthquake, the Odisha super cyclone, the Indian Ocean Tsunami, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These interventions showcase Caritas India’s commitment to supporting distressed people across various humanitarian challenges.

With decades of experience, Caritas India has evolved into a multifaceted organization addressing various social challenges. Its present interventions are in the areas of livelihood security, climate change adaptation through natural resource management and sustainable agricultural practices, disaster risk reduction and emergency response, good governance through political participation, anti-human trafficking, peace-building and health care with a focus on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and other communicable diseases.

In the past decades, Caritas India has contributed significantly to nation-building by supporting 22,945 projects to the tune of Rs. 13,730 million. With a shift from a Charity and welfare mode to a Rights-Based Approach, the strategic role of Caritas India has gone beyond funding the projects and hand-holding hundreds of development organisations to increasing their capacities for achieving greater levels of effectiveness whilst upholding organisational autonomy.