Where We Work

"Concern for our neighbour transcends the confines of national communities and has increasingly broadened its horizon to the whole world." Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, 2006

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand supports long term development programmes in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific, working for change among some of the poorest people, regardless of ethnicity, religion or nationality.

Caritas donors help us to support our development partners already located in the countries. Our partners are staffed by local people working to reduce poverty and with a deep-rooted belief in the dignity of every human being and their human rights.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand does not set up our own offices or send staff to work overseas permanently. This is an approach that values the local communities’ own expertise and participation in determining their needs and processes for change. It is also a low cost way to operate and ensures that the local community is strengthened and has ownership of the project, resulting in real needs being met.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations able to respond to major emergencies all over the world. During an emergency, Caritas Internationalis works closely with national and regional structures, including local church structures to deliver relief to the people most in need.