PROJECT COMPASSION 2023: Generous support sees Caritas Australia continue mission of helping lift vulnerable communities out of poverty

23 Mar 2023

By The Record

Project Compassion 2023 - Week 5
Laxmi (16) leading a rally with Child Club members calling for child rights, such as access to education and stopping child marriage and child labour. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia.

Throughout Lent, Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion, has attempted to draw attention to many important issues in our world. We have been invited to take up the cross and follow Jesus in our own time. 

Over the last few weeks, Caritas Australia have shared some of the stories of people whose lives have been transformed thanks to your support of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

There is the story of 16-year-old Laxmi, who lives in one of the most remote communities in Nepal. After losing her father at a young age, she was vulnerable to falling further into extreme poverty. But thanks to your generosity and the support of our partner Caritas Nepal, Laxmi joined a child’s club, became a leader in her school and is now a mentor to other girls in her village. 

Laxmi (16) walks four hours to reach her technical school to study civil engineering. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia.

There is also Thu from Vietnam, who can now earn extra income and care for his wife despite his disability. In Zimbabwe, women like Priscilla can now learn conservation farming skills to grow drought-resistant crops and support their families during the current drought.

And finally, there is the story of Tereesa – a Gamilaroi woman from Western Sydney who struggled with homelessness while raising her four children. Through the Baabayn Young Mums and Bubs program, she was able to reconnect with her culture and create a better future for her children.  

Thu helps his wife Linh, who suffered a stroke, with her rehabilitation at their home in Quang Tri province, Vietnam. Photo Phan Tan Lam/Caritas Australia.
Thu looks after cows near his home in Quang Tri province, Vietnam. When Thu was 12-years-old, he lost his leg after stepping on an unexploded land mine whilst looking after his cows. Photo: Phan Tan Lam/Caritas Australia.

It is through the generous support of people like you that we are able to continue our mission of helping lift vulnerable communities out of poverty. 

Every day, more than 200 million children miss out on school, around 690 million people experience extreme hunger and 2.2 billion people cannot access clean drinking water. In recent years, COVID-19 has also devastated vulnerable people already living in poverty, with the health and economic impacts to reverberate for years to come. 

Thank you for your continued support for Project Compassion – past, present and future. The funds you raise can help communities around the world improve their access to food and clean water, support education and skills training, help families to increase their income and provide training in Disaster Risk Reduction.

Priscilla drives her cattle to the dip tank near her home in Hwange district, north-western Zimbabwe. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia.
Priscilla’s husband Charles fills water storage drums at their home in Hwange district, north western Zimbabwe. Photo: Richard Wainwright/Caritas Australia

Together, we can help these communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow For All Future Generations.

Supporting Project Compassion is a way for us to proclaim the faith that is in our hearts and help our sisters and brothers in need. Your gift will help uplift the most marginalised and vulnerable members of society.

To donate to Project Compassion, visit Caritas Australia’s website: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/ or call 1800 024 413.