Caritas Nepal is providing emergency food, shelter, and hygiene kits to communities devastated by flash floods in specific districts. The disaster, caused by a glacial dam collapse, has left over 1,100 people dead and thousands missing. Heavy rain and damaged roads have severely hindered relief efforts, with teams taking many hours to reach isolated areas. The organization plans to scale up assistance to thousands of families, including displaced persons in the capital. The Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis highlighted the climate injustice, noting the country’s minimal contribution to global emissions despite facing severe climate-related risks. The group is calling for global solidarity and long-term support for rebuilding livelihoods and infrastructure.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
Read more →
Illustrative photo
Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Francis Tokede on UnsplashGood news
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, causing significant loss of life and damaging thousands of homes. The Colombian Geological Survey described it as the strongest tremor in a decade. Cities in the region suffered major structural losses. Father Diego Meza, director of Caritas Colombia, stated that families are now focusing on rebuilding after initial aid. While urban areas received faster support, remote regions face delays due to armed conflict and logistical challenges. Caritas is coordinating emergency appeals and long-term recovery efforts to address inequality and protect vulnerable communities.
Caritas Jerusalem conducted a survey of its staff in Gaza, revealing the severe personal impact of the ongoing conflict on healthcare workers. The findings show that many employees have been displaced multiple times, lost homes or income, and suffered the death or injury of family members. Despite these hardships, staff continue to provide medical care to the community. To support their well-being, Caritas organized a dedicated open day for rest and mental health support. The organization highlights the resilience of these workers who serve while enduring significant trauma and loss themselves. This initiative aims to acknowledge their sacrifice and provide necessary care for those who care for others.
Read more →
Illustrative photo
Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Masjid MABA on UnsplashGood news
Caritas Internationalis issued a statement for World Food Day 2026 highlighting that while global hunger has declined for three years, an estimated 645 million people still faced hunger in 2025. The organization warns that acute hunger is projected to rise by 50 million in 2027 due to conflict, supply chain disruptions, and climate events like El Niño. According to the outlet, Caritas attributes persistent hunger to inequality and political choices rather than food shortages. The group calls on governments and donors to protect the right to food, invest in small-scale producers, and reverse cuts to humanitarian financing to ensure human dignity and peace.
Caritas Internationalis and SCIAF released a paper warning that the global Loss and Damage Fund faces risks due to geopolitical instability. The report argues that reliance on voluntary pledges is insufficient and calls for predictable public finance and new revenue mechanisms like a fossil fuel tax. Experts from various regions highlight how climate disasters cause profound local losses. The group urges governments at COP31 to commit to a quantified finance floor and rapid-response windows to ensure support reaches vulnerable communities before crises deepen international tensions.
Caritas Internationalis argues that donor governments and agencies must prioritize local leadership in humanitarian aid. Representatives from Venezuela and Chad highlight that while local organizations are first responders, they lack decision-making power and direct funding. The group calls for a new Grand Bargain approach that transfers authority, provides flexible multi-year funding, and shares risks with national actors. This shift aims to make aid more effective by aligning with principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, ensuring those closest to crises lead the response. The call comes ahead of a Geneva meeting on humanitarian system reform.
Caritas Internationalis held a three-day migration conference in Nicosia, Cyprus, from October 7 to 9, 2026. Organized by Caritas Italiana and Caritas Cyprus, the event gathered approximately 70 participants from 35 Italian dioceses and various European organizations. The meeting focused on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and the protection of migrant children. Speakers presented a global survey revealing that many migrant children are under 14 and flee conflict or climate change. Officials from the Italian and Cypriot governments also addressed the gathering. The program included discussions on integration, migration routes, and a visit to the UN buffer zone.
The Christian Organisations Against Trafficking Network presented a statement at the UN Congress on Crime Prevention in Abu Dhabi, urging states to adopt survivor-centred policies. COATNET highlighted that modern slavery affects nearly 50 million people, with forced labour rising significantly. The group advocates for evidence-based prevention, inclusive criminal justice, and partnerships with faith-based organisations. Speakers included Fr Jean De Dieu Bukuru and Pope Leo XIV, who emphasized protecting human dignity against cyber slavery and exploitation. The statement stresses that survivors must lead policy design to ensure effective protection and accountability for victims globally.
Caritas Internationalis marked World Humanitarian Day by emphasizing the critical need to protect aid workers amid rising violence. The organization noted that over 1,000 humanitarian staff have been killed in the past three years, including victims in Mariupol, Gaza, and Ukraine. Specifically, the group cited the recent death of Yana Zhernovskaya in Kharkiv and the murder of Fr Crépin Martial Monga in the Central African Republic. Caritas argues that faith-based leaders play a vital role in promoting respect for international humanitarian law. By leveraging community trust, religious figures help ensure safer conditions for those delivering essential aid in conflict zones.
Caritas Internationalis and its regional branch issued a statement calling for an end to suffering in the Middle East. The organization highlights critical conditions in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. According to the statement, civilians face bombardment, displacement, and restricted access to basic goods. Caritas urges member states to enforce ceasefires, ensure humanitarian access, and uphold international law. The group emphasizes the need for accountability and protection of civilians amid ongoing conflicts and violations of human rights norms across the region.
Caritas Indonesia officially handed over 100 permanent houses to residents in Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, on September 16, 2026. The ceremony was led by Msgr. Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, Chairman of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference. The housing project, part of the Compassionate Home Movement, aims to assist those displaced by November 2025 floods and landslides. Approximately 200 additional homes are currently under construction. The initiative, supported by Caritas Internationalis, also includes clean water systems and health services. Local bishops and Caritas executives stated the effort restores dignity and resilience for the affected communities in Sibolga and surrounding regencies.
Caritas Internationalis is calling on world leaders at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York to reverse cuts to overseas development assistance. The group states that approximately 350 million people require urgent humanitarian aid this year. Secretary General Alistair Dutton emphasized that the UN’s 87 Million Lives appeal represents only a fraction of those at risk. Caritas urges governments to restore the 0.7% GNI commitment and provide direct financing to local actors. The organization also highlighted discussions on sovereign debt and peacebuilding, noting a recent Mass attended by Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis in New York. (Source: Caritas Internationalis)
Caritas Internationalis, alongside COATNET, RED CLAMOR, and RAEMH, issued a joint statement for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees on September 27, 2026. The group urges states and institutions to guarantee the rights of children on the move, citing Pope Leo XIV’s message on their dignity. The statement calls for safe migration pathways, protection against detention, and access to essential services like education and healthcare. It emphasizes preventing family separation, ensuring birth registration to combat statelessness, and involving children in decisions affecting them. The organizations argue that documentation status must never justify discrimination or criminalization of these vulnerable minors.
Following a devastating earthquake in western Colombia, Caritas Colombia is transitioning from emergency relief to early recovery efforts. The disaster claimed over 300 lives and impacted more than 200,000 individuals across several affected regions. The organization is coordinating with the Colombian Bishops’ Conference and local authorities to address damaged homes, lost livelihoods, and trauma. Current priorities include ensuring food security, providing shelter, and offering psychosocial support, with particular attention to vulnerable rural and ethnic communities. Additionally, priests from the Archdiocese have been deployed to offer spiritual care in the hardest-hit areas as the long rebuilding process begins.
Following a glacial lake outburst flood in Nepal, Caritas Nepal is expanding humanitarian aid to communities buried by mud and debris. A programme coordinator reports that over 2,000 households remain cut off from assistance, with some villages requiring helicopter deliveries. The disaster has left deep mud layers, complicating road access and early recovery efforts. Caritas is coordinating with local partners to provide food, non-food items, and temporary learning shelters for children. The organization also highlights the urgent need for long-term disaster preparedness and early warning systems to protect vulnerable populations in the Himalayas.
A Catholic aid organization is assisting communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the nation faces its seventeenth Ebola outbreak. The epidemic, declared in May 2026, has caused thousands of cases and deaths across several eastern provinces. A senior church leader stated the outbreak is the fastest-growing on record, severely straining local health systems and causing widespread social distress. Aid teams are working through diocesan networks to build trust, provide psychosocial support, and promote prevention measures. International Catholic aid organizations are also contributing financial and technical resources to help manage the crisis.
Read more →
SermonWave writes its own short summaries and links to the original reporting. Every story belongs to the outlet that reported it. About World News · Our sources · RSS feed
