Caritas International - Djibouti

Caritas Djibouti, supported by the tiny – mostly foreign – Christian community, is involved in projects that aim to provide healthcare, promote education, support street children and address issues relating to the status and treatment of women.

Caritas supports the work and initiatives of community-based and international non-governmental organizations and is a recognized partner of various government ministries and other organizations.

The small population of Djibouti – 700,000, half of whom live in the capital city – faces the challenges of a very poor African country. Average life expectancy is 43, and the country is very vulnerable to natural hazards such as drought. Access to clean water is a major problem, and famine is a very real threat.

Caritas Djibouti is also called upon to provide humanitarian relief such as addressing food shortages and the impact of conflict or disasters in neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia.

Themes

Caritas Djibouti is active in projects that address:

Community health;
Education;
Support for street children;
Issues relating to women;
Emergency relief.

It was most rewarding for our medical staff at Camp Lemonnier to team with the staff at Caritas to provide health care to the indigent children in Djibouti, Africa.  The friendships we forged were deep - both with Caritas staff and the wonderful kids that we worked with each week.  They are faces that we will never forget.