The Caritas Internationalis Venezuela Working Group (GTV), established in 2018 by Caritas delegations from Europe, the United States and Latin America to address the crisis faced by vulnerable Venezuelans inside and outside their country, agreed to extend its mandate in view of the intensity of this protracted humanitarian crisis that continues to affect millions of ...
Address: Harbiye Çayırı Sokak No: 66 Harbiye 34373 Şişli Istanbul Türkiye
Telephone: +90 212 234 45 64 | +90 212 233 11 93
Email: [email protected]
Caritas started its work in Türkiye in the 1950s but only in 1991, it was officially founded by the Bishops’ Conference of Turkey (CET).
Caritas Türkiye is a member of the Caritas Internationalis network and it aims to create an active, equal and cohesive community and society that takes action to support and advocate for the vulnerable and poor without discrimination of race and creed.
Caritas Türkiye is coordinated by the National Office located in Istanbul.
3 Diocesan Offices which operate in the field are in: Anatolia (Iskenderun), Istanbul and Izmir.
The Diocesan Offices implement services at a local level. They do so by having active listening centers and community facilitators providing humanitarian assistance. The intervention and strategic orientations of Caritas Türkiye include assistance to migrants, local community support and mobilization, organizational development and emergency.
Caritas Türkiye is dedicated to assisting a diverse range of vulnerable groups, including refugees, migrants, mistreated women, children, people with disabilities and minorities. The organization actively engages in providing essential services across various domains, including emergencies, healthcare, education, social integration, and employment.
Since its inception in 1991, Caritas Türkiye has been committed to aiding refugees. In response to the Syrian war in 2011, Türkiye, alongside Jordan and Lebanon, welcomed millions of Syrian refugees, with some residing in camps and others in densely populated households, primarily located in south and southeastern Türkiye. Caritas Türkiye’s assistance to refugees extends beyond medical care, food, and provisions, encompassing emotional support and solidarity from its dedicated staff.
In the pursuit of its humanitarian mission, especially after the earthquakes of 6th February 2023, Caritas Türkiye collaborates closely with fellow Caritas members (ERST) and others that in coordination with Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Europe, are providing even technical support.
Over the years, Caritas Türkiye has undertaken notable projects, including the “Care and Integration for Migrants and Refugees and Minors in Türkiye 2018-2021”, funded by the Italian Bishops’ Conference. Additionally, the organization is implementing the “EDIT Education and Training for Integration in Türkiye” project, aimed at contributing to the civil, economic, and social development of vulnerable households among refugees and Turkish host communities through educational, economic, and psychosocial support.
Since February 2023, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes that left many cities in the south of Türkiye in rubbles, Caritas Turkey has been conducting aid activities firstly with the Rapid Response Appeal, which was then replaced by the long-term project, Emergency Appeal that has been realized thanks to the cooperation and contributions of many Caritas member organizations.
Caritas Türkiye has been extensively involved in the region even though the Anatolian Diocesan Office and staff were directly affected by the disaster. Throughout the emergency, Caritas Türkiye provided the affected populations with shelter, food, water, clothes, hygiene kits, heating devices and many more essential items. Besides, Caritas also supports the communities through livelihood projects as they try to rebuild their lives.
The programs implemented by Caritas Türkiye through different forms of actions, among which vouchers/cash and in-kind assistance, include the support of:
1. Emergency humanitarian aid (shelter, food, WASH and winterization)
2. Livelihood and Income-generating activities (start-up/straightening of micro-enterprises, vocational training, internships…)
3. Education, including non-formal (provision of school supplies, after-school support, scholarships, language courses, social inclusion activities)
4. Health and psycho-social well-being (contribution to access to health assistance, support to Pregnant and lactating women (PLW), provision of devices for people with disabilities, promotion of self-help-support and discussion groups with women).
Updates from Turkey
