Caritas Lebanon

Caritas (Latin equivalent word for charity) was founded in 1897 in Freiburg, Germany. In 1972, the Jesuit Brother Élie Maamari founded Caritas South Lebanon in cooperation with this region's bishops. In 1975, the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon (A.P.E.C.L.) approved Caritas Lebanon's status and designated it as the official socio-pastoral arm of the Church to assist both individuals and communities and to support charitable and social activities.Caritas Lebanon is a member of Caritas Internationalis, one of the largest humanitarian networks in the world, counting 165 country Caritas organizations working in 200 different countries.Caritas Lebanon mission is to enhance solidarity in order to promote and develop the human being without any discrimination. It commits itself to: Assist people in need.Revive the sense of responsibility in order to attain a larger solidarity in the relations between various social groups.Involve the citizens in Caritas activities under the social responsibility concept, making them partners and not only beneficiaries.Help to integrate the individual activity into a community and collective approach with the aim of reaching sustainable development.Strengthen the collaboration with local and international NGO's in order to promote efficient partnerships.Perform its activities with professionalism and transparency.Strengthen and protect the human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers in Lebanon.