Over 3 lakh families served by Caritas in Madhya Pradesh

Some 3.5 lakh families have benefited from the projects and programmes of Caritas India in Madhya Pradesh.

According to Saju MK, the state head of Caritas India, the organisation has till date successfully completed around 360 schemes that helped the poor and disadvantaged achieve self-sufficiency.

"Some 3.5 lakh families have benefited through our programmes. We are working through 1130 self help groups, of which about 1172 persons are elected to the local bodies. 90% of these people are from women folks," Sabu said.

Caritas is one of 40 NGOs run by the Catholic Church in Madhya Pradesh.

Last week, Caritas held a celebration at Pastoral Centre, Bhopal to mark its 50th anniversary. The function was attended by Minority Welfare Minister Ajay Vishnoi, Archbishop of Bhopal Dr Leo Cornelio, Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur and nearly 150 delegates of various development organisations.

Minister Vishnoi congratulated Caritas India for completing 50 successful years of national service and lauded its life of dedication and service to the poor.

Vishnoi noted that development needs of the poor were numerous and no single NGO could solve all the challenges single-handedly.

"Development sector is like an ocean where every welfare agency makes its own contribution. Society benefits from these individual contributions," he said.

Archbishop Cornelio in his address said the country was in need of committed and motivated NGOs in view of the ever increasing number of poor.

He expressed his concern over the lack of sustained progress in reducing the number of poor despite the consistent industrial growth of India in the recent past.

Cornelio had words of praise for Caritas and its partners for selflessly working in the interest of the poor and thus translating Christian values into social action.

Caritas India works with over 300 partner organisations in all states across the country. Founded in 1962, the NGO has so far implemented 22,551 projects and spent over Rs. 1400 crores on various programmes related to disaster relief, community development and women empowerment.