WHO WE ARE
CARITAS Gulu is the socio-economic development arm of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Gulu. It is a commission with a pastoral obligation to offer charity and hope to the most disadvantaged members of society. CARITAS Gulu Archdiocese has branch offices in Kitgum, Gulu and Pader Districts; but also intervenes in the districts of Amuru, Nwoya, Lamwo, Agago, Omoro and Adjumani. CARITAS has been in operation for over 30 years since its founding as the Social Services and Economic Department of the diocese.
Through the Church network and structures, CARITAS has well developed community networks and systems to implement its projects. The organization which has become one of the largest local charities in the region owes its strength to the personality of its head, His Grace, the Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese, and the team of dedicated staff all working within a well-developed programme implementation structure.
Our Mandate
The mandate given to Caritas in the Acts of the first diocesan synod from February 1996 is to:
Provide social justice
Support development efforts
Offer humanitarian services;
to the most vulnerable people in target communities, for holistic and sustainable integral development of the human person.
Strategic Goals
The strategic plan of Caritas Gulu Archdiocese is espoused by the following strategic goals:
Enhanced resilience and capacity of the communities of Northern Uganda to respond to disaster and crisis
Responding to emImproved livelihoods of the people in Northern Ugandaergencies and support rehabilitation efforts in the communities
Enhanced dignity, harmony and social justice for the people of Northern Uganda
Improved Caritas Gulu’s effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of its operation
VISION
CARITAS Gulu envisions A Peaceful and Prosperous Society where self-reliance, love and care for the vulnerable prevail.
MISSION
The mission of CARITAS Gulu Archdiocese is to promote peace, social justice, and integrated development in line with Christian values.
Core values of CARITAS Gulu
The activities of CARITAS Gulu are guided by the fundamental Christian values.
These are:
Love and solidarity
Humanity and peaceful coexistence
Social justice and faith in Christian life
Freedom and respect of mankind
Service and stewardship
Holistic view of the environment
Sensitivity to human needs
Effective and efficient communication
Commitment and innovation
Integrity
Development and self-reliance
Non-violent approaches to conflict resolution
Geographical Focus
The geographical focus is the Archdiocese of Gulu with its twenty seven parishes in general. The parishes are located in the eight civic districts of Gulu, Amuru, Kitgum, Pader, Nwoya, Lamwo, Agago and Omoro. Due to resource limitation and donor partner requirements some of the interventions are implemented in specific locations only.
Target Groups
The Caritas ‘Option for the Poorest of the Poor’ can be summarized in the following sentences from the synod. ‘The disadvantaged and the oppressed be recognized, listened to and cared for’.