In rural Vietnam
Lam was facing a life of isolation and poverty
Growing up with a disability, Lam struggled to feel like he fit into society. He was isolated, lonely and with limited mobility, he feared for his future job prospects.
Your gift can support people who have a disability with rehabilitation, skills training and independence.
Prior to support from the I-SHINE program, Lam felt increasingly isolated. Here, Lam reflects in his family home in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Photo: Caritas Australia
WATCH THE VIDEO
Lam's Story
After graduating from school, Lam's friends followed their dreams, becoming teachers and doctors. Due to his disability, Lam felt like his future lacked career prospects and opportunities.
“It's a struggle to feel like we fit into society, and our limited mobility makes it hard to access jobs or education.” Lam said.
With support from the I-SHINE program, Lam's horizons opened in ways he never imagined for himself.
Click the video to watch Lam's story.
Unite against poverty this lent. Donate Now
Donate NowWhat we can achieve with your support
Here is the impact we have made in the past year. But the need is still great, so we can't stop there. With your generous support, we can reach the lives of more people who urgently need our support, more than ever, to forge their path out of poverty.
514,000+
people have been directly supported
Across 23
countries in total
5,660
participants who have a disability across 28 projects in Asia.
93%
of our partners are local
Where the funds go
78%
of funds are spent on implementing Local and International Programs, including important education and advocacy in Australia to amplify the voice of our partners.
15%
of funds are spent on Fundraising, so that we can maintain and expand the scope of our humanitarian and development partnerships and work across the globe.
7%
of funds are spent on infrastructure, systems and people that make the work we do possible.
General Questions:
The first national appeal for overseas aid was held in 1965. This initiative drew inspiration from Lenten appeals at a Parish and diocesan level in Adelaide the two previous years. The Australian Bishops agreed to a proposal for a nationwide appeal while in Rome for Vatican II in late 1964.
A pastoral letter was drafted by the Episcopal Committee for Overseas Relief (the forerunner of Caritas), to be signed by each bishop, calling on all Catholic families to donate any money saved in Lent through self-denial to poverty relief. That year, over £50,000 was raised.
Roy Boylan, president of the Sydney Diocesan committee for Catholic Overseas Relief, proposed calling the Sydney appeal Project Compassion in mid-1965. The name was adopted nationally and in 1966 the national Lenten appeal was rolled out as Project Compassion.
Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s main annual fundraising campaign. It mobilises Australians to raise much-needed funds to help alleviate poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in the world.
Held during Lent, the six-week period before Easter, Catholic schools, Parishes, and the wider Australian public participate in a diverse range of fundraising activities and events to support Caritas Australia’s programs both overseas and here with our First Australian partners.
Project Compassion is an extraordinary demonstration of the faith, empathy and generosity of our supporters. It is the lifeblood of Caritas Australia; without it, we could not do the vital work that we do.
The theme of Project Compassion is Unite Against Poverty this Lent. This year, we focus on the stories of three remarkable, resilient people from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Samoa and Vietnam.
Each of these stories demonstrates the powerful impact that each one of us can have on alleviating poverty. Together, we can create lasting change for people living in some of the most vulnerable and low-income regions in the world.
Along with your generous support, this program is also supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Along with your generous support, this program is also supported by the Australian Government, through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).
Your donation will go where it is needed most. You are helping families living in poverty and together, we can transform lives and create a better world for all.
