Caritas India and CRS along with the Regional Fora have organized two days of Stocktaking of the Regional Forum Accompaniment Program (RFAP) on the 4th & 5th of May at Caritas India, New Delhi. The purpose of the meeting is to take stock of the progress of the Regional Fora Accompaniment (RFA) Programme aimed to develop a Regional Strategy Plan (RSPs) in line with the Key strategic Pillars (KSPs) & mainstreaming across Regional Fora with special focus on network and Alliance building for synergy and collective strength and to work towards making community and organization a safe place to work and live.

The meeting emphasized reviewing the journey of Strategy Plan implementation in collaboration with Regional Fora and the processes of mainstreaming Key Strategy Pillars (KSPs) and highlighting the journey of ensuring the organization is safe and conducive for everyone to work in.

Fr (Dr.) Jolly Puthenpura, Assistant Executive Director of Caritas India highlighted the partnership journey of Caritas India, CRS, and the 14 Regional Fora and insisted the participants to critically reflect upon the future engagement with the poor and dialogue. He stressed how our engagement with the community should ensure the safety of the people so that no one gets harmed and are protected and live with dignity. He highlighted the need for networking with other actors for social change and dialogue for social inclusion for a meaningful contribution to the Church’s Social Mission.

In the opening remarks of Fr (Dr). Paul Moonjely, Executive Director of Caritas India emphasized the value content of Fratelli Tutti and Laudato Si’ to be taken to the last mile. He stressed the relevance of system Leadership – Building and strengthening strategies and leadership performance, Developing Technical Competencies and Training. He also highlighted safeguarding- the need for forming a team at the Community level and building their capacity to safeguard the community. There is a need to strengthen the accompaniment with the partners, strengthen the local people, and their voice for peace, liaison, and issues.

Mr. Senthil Gurunathan, the Executive Director at Catholic Relief Services (India) emphasized the need to be aware of the changing times and not to be challenged but to move proactively. He shared that CRS got into safeguarding issues as this challenge surfaced globally a few years back. He shared that CRS journeys with the partners and community in the process of building a safe environment for everyone while learning much from this journey and further plowing back the learning into this joint venture in the best interest of the partners and local communities. The journey has been very rewarding, and he expressed the humble accompaniment to be continued for learning and further improvising the initiatives and efforts.

The 13 Regional Fora presented their achievements in implementing the program and engagement with the community through dialogue, Volunteer, community sharing, and empowerment animation. Good practices such as Micro enterprises Fresh fish marketing, strengthened collaboration with duty bearers, and Strong Children parliaments taking initiatives for the rights and wellbeing of communities. Micro enterprises, while promoting Volunteers at the grassroots and regional level among others. Thus, many Regional Fora have moved ahead in building networks of children and smallholder farmers.

Overall, out of 14 Regional Fora, 9 Regional Fora have developed their Regional Strategy Plan (RSPs) and two have drafted and three are working on it. All 13 Regional Fora have developed their draft policy on Safeguarding. Some of the Fora are already rolling out the Regional plan and safeguarding initiatives.

In total, there were thirty-four (34) participants comprising of Twelve(12) Regional Fora Directors, thirteen(13) Regional Fora Co-ordinators, four(4) CRS representatives and five(5) Caritas India Representatives.

Fr Albert the outgoing Director from TASOSS, Tamil Nadu Region briefed the house about the emergence of the focus on Network strengthening and Alliance building on two themes – Smallholder farmers and Children’s Parliament. He shared that as many local partners are working on the issues of Children and Small Holder Farmers, Regional Fora with the support of Caritas India and CRS planned to consolidate the efforts in the region and build up strength to synergize and collectivize for greater impact further at the region and national level. The role of collectivization of these groups at the grassroots level is of the local partners and at the state or region is of the Regional Fora and at the national level, Caritas will initiate.

Fr. Paul in his concluding remark stressed the need for evidence-based reporting, with a new reporting template, while keeping the KSP’s qualitative data. He also informed me about the need for mapping DSSSs on their policy status.

Fr Jolly expressed gratitude and appreciation for the contribution of Ms. M. Shimray to Caritas India, local Partners, and communities.