Do you have a favorite charity to donate to? Or do you want to know where to donate and help out other people directly or indirectly? Have you ever heard of Caritas Manila? If you want to know more then read on!

 

 

♦     What is the Caritas Confederation?     ♦

Caritas Internationalis (CI) is a 160 member confederation in various countries worldwide. Globally there are seven regional offices catering to each Caritas group. CI is present in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East & North Africa, North America and Oceania. 

The first Caritas was founded in Germany in 1897, and then in 1951, Caritas Internationalis was finally set up. Today, the headquarters of CI can be found in Rome, Italy. 

"Caritas Internationalis was created in the 1950’s with the aim to promote greater coordination, communication and cooperation among the members present in various countries all over the world. Caritas Internationalis translates as ‘love between peoples’ and it’s a reflection of the love shared and witnessed between and by its more than 160 national members."

Watch this video to learn more about Caritas Internationalis.

(Video credit: Caritas Internationalis via YouTube)

 

Caritas Manila is part of a 24 member organization established in 1999: Caritas Asia (CA). Within the latter, there are four sub-regions: Central, East, South and Southeast Asia.  CA's office is located in Bangkok, Thailand.

On the Caritas Manila website, here is what they have to say about themselves.

"CARITAS MANILA is a non-profit organization that serves as the lead social service and development ministry of the Catholic Church in the Philippines. With over 60 years of experience, its core competencies are geared towards total human development and poverty alleviation and advocates creating a Christian community with a strong social conscience."

(Photo credit: Caritas Manila via Caritasmanila.org.ph)

 

 

First known as Catholic Charities, CARITAS MANILA was established by the late Archbishop of Manila Rufino Cardinal Santos on October 1, 1953 as a social welfare program 'for uplifting the spirit and soul of the unfortunate members of our community, to assist them in all their needs, and to bring the help of God in their miseries and distress.'"

CM has a variety of programs available in order for everyone to choose which one is close to their heart. This is one way to help out people in need.

To know how many people have been helped, etc., on the CM homepage you can see this information.

(Screencapped Image by ArtGirl, credit: Caritas Manila via Caritasmanila.org.ph)

 

 

 

 

♦     Caritas Manila Programs     ♦

Currently Caritas Manila (CM) accept donations for several programs: 

• YSLEP
• Segunda Mana
• Damayan
• Margins
• Restorative Justice
• San Lakbay

 

All donations can be made either in cash, through bank deposit or bank transfer, or in-kind thru dropping off at their designated areas or picked up by schedule. For cash donations, they provide official receipts too. Everything is well documented.

(Screencap Image by ArtGirl, credit: Caritas Manila via Caritasmanila.org.ph)

 

♥  The Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program (YSLEP)

This is what you choose if you'd like to sponsor a poverty-stricken but deserving student to help them start and finish their college education. Not only are they provided a much needed tertiary education, they are also taught to be servant leaders and give back to the community.

(Photo credit: Caritas Manila via Caritasmanila.org.ph)

 

According to CM's blog post, the school year 2017-2018 produced the most graduates of YSLEP since 1953. Pictured above are the mentioned batch of YSLEP graduates.

 

♥  Segunda Mana

This is a program named from a play of words of 'second hand' and 'pamana' or inheritance. Segunda Mana is kind of like the charity version of ukay-ukay or secondhand stores in the Philippines.

You can have your donations-in-kind picked up by schedule.  You can choose to donate clothes that don't fit anymore or outgrown shoes and other clothes and handy items that can still be used by anyone. Even appliances that are old or aren't working anymore can be donated to them. Just go to their website and call or send an email to them to find out their drop off points. Or fill up the donation form for a pick up schedule in order to provide a list of the items you are willing to part with and give to others.

Watch their short presentation video below:

(Video credit: Pilar Dollano via YouTube)

 

♥  Damayan

This is the disaster management and community well-being program of CM. When typhoons and crisis happens, they are there to provide assistance to our fellowmen as well. They respond in three phases: Prevention, Response and Rehabilitation.

Caritas Damayan promotes capacity building for environmental health, food and security and nutrition, disaster preparedness, mitigation and emergency response. Caritas has put in place a system that allows for emergency health response and disaster management, relief operation and immediate crisis intervention.

(Photo credit: CBCP NEWS via cbcpnews.com)

 

Donations in kind can either be dropped off at their designated areas or you can have them picked up by schedule. 

 

♥  Margins

Caritas Margins provides skills training in order for those in the marginalized sector to be able to have employment or build their own livelihood. They also help sell and market the products. It is a "non-stock and non-profit organization which markets quality products of micro-entrepreneurs all over the Philippines and supports YSLEP."

The product lines produced are

• Food Products
• Bags and Accessories
• Religious Images and Rosaries
• Handicrafts
• Home Care
• Personal Care
• Artworks and Paintings

(Photo credit: Caritas Margins via Margins.org.ph)

 

If you visit the website, you can see all the products available and buy directly from there too.

 

♥  Restorative Justice (RJ)

This is the program of CM that helps out prison inmates morally and spiritually plus they are provided an opportunity to learn livelihood programs. Once they graduate from RJ they can also be assisted to have their prison terms lessened as opposed to what was originally given to them.

Here the nuns and volunteers communicate and help prison inmates to be better people and be of help to the society.

(Photo credit: N.J. Viehland via globalsistersreport.org)

 

 

♥  Sanlakbay

Sanlakbay is where the drug addicts and those who surrendered to the government can find refuge and assistance. Same with RJ, the individuals are given spiritual guidance towards "healing, restoration and rehabilitation." It holistically deals with the psychology, education and spiritual formation of each person under this program. They coordinate with other NGO's and private sectors in order to help out each member of Sanlakbay.

"The Sanlakbay program involves Caritas Manila’s Restorative Justice Ministry, Center for Family Ministries, University of Santo Tomas Graduate School Psycho-Trauma, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency."

(Photo credit: Melinda S. Eli via sjbppinaglabanan.com)

 

* * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Aside from all of the above, they also accept volunteers who can gladly donate their time and energies in each of the programs mentioned. Cool right?

 

 

 

 

♦     Why Caritas Charities?     ♦

Now that we know their history and programs, why should we choose to help our fellowmen via Caritas confederations worldwide? 

I'll admit, I've never been too charitable growing up. Maybe because we were never rich at all but we have always been a family geared towards social responsibility. Perhaps that's our way of providing charitable help to others.

(Photo credit via Pexels)

 

It has not always been easy during my growing up years. We mostly got by due to our relatives helping us. The way I see it, it's like we are still treated as the "charity case" in our family tree. It's not really a nice situation but let's just laugh about it. If you're mostly needing something from others, how will you develop the sense of charity towards others? If it's not taught in the family, it has to be learned or realized individually.

I believe there are levels to being aware of one's life situation. There are people who don't need to realize how to give and share to others because they are grateful people who naturally give openly to help others. Some people, who are always or mostly given the things they do not have, grow complacent and feel entitled to being helped by others all the time. And... I'm not sure which one's worse, being spoon fed or not being given the tools/skills to improve in life. The former are those who are coddled by others and not really even given the chance to struggle to succeed in life. The latter are the ones who will forever be lazy and expect to be given everything they need without doing anything at all. But of course we all learn what we choose to learn in this life. Whichever kind of person you are, just keep on improving and help anyone in whatever way you can.

I know there is no perfect organization but at least based on their online presence it shows Caritas does not spoon feed and turn their beneficiaries into lazy, entitled or coddled people. 

In regards to CM, I don't remember much about it while growing up but I do know about it. It is only now that I am able to appreciate the work they do. A few years ago, due to their Segunda Mana mall branches, I started to become aware of them again. Last year I discovered YSLEP through a leaflet from a mall pop up booth they had of Segunda Mana and everything else there. So clearly they are doing something right in spreading public awareness in order to help our fellowmen. 

While browsing on online articles for this blog, I saw some posts with CM video commercials in the 90s. It reminded me that yes, some of the CM commercials then had a dark and grim undertone. Am not sure why they chose to go the extreme route but that was the 90s. In later years their commercials have gotten a better and happier tone.

Anyway, so why did I choose to write about Caritas Manila? Because personally, I do not believe in giving alms directly to street children and beggars. They might just buy rugby or use it for other things instead of for something that will be good for them. Others are members of crime syndicates so I'd rather not propagate such a crime.  I do give when I have some change but it is not something I regularly do. I would rather tithe or donate to the church or charities.

(Photo credit via Pexels)

 

Street kids and beggars these days need a better and bigger organization to help them out. Government social services cannot do it alone, especially (I assume) since these street people usually do not have the necessary government papers. Everyone needs to do their part in helping the destitute earn their own money to rise out of their own situation. All of those involved in Caritas are doing their part and so this is my way to indirectly help those who needs help too.

Of course we are all free to choose which charities we'd like to donate to so feel free to look for what resonates with you. Should you decide to go the Caritas route then that's good too!

If you're also willing to indirectly assist people in need feel free to contact Caritas Manila. Anyone can donate and help out, wherever you are in the world. To be personally involved in the work they do, volunteer or organize events for charity by collaborating with them. Please visit the Caritas Manila website for more details: http://caritasmanila.org.ph/.  

To look for a Caritas confederation / organization near you and outside the Philippines, you can visit the Caritas Internationalis website: https://www.caritas.org/where-caritas-work/. 

Care to share any charity experience? Or have you also encountered a Caritas group work in your area? Share your thoughts in the comments.

 

 

 

For my other blogs, click below:

• What Happens When We Keep Doing Good
• 5 Ways on How Not to be a Workaholic Anymore
• Drive and Motivation: What Compels Us to Move and Why
• 5 Reasons Why Having and Raising Kids is No Joke
• Are You Aware That The Golden Rule Sucks?

 

 

 

 

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