Caritas Kenya’s Annual Forum Resolves to Continue Networking with Entities at Grassroots

In the meeting, food security, integrating environmental support and protection through the activities of Caritas and matters of youth engagement in Kenya were discussed.

The organization committed to work towards ensuring that the country achieves food security and improved nutrition. 

“On behalf of the people we serve, we commit ourselves to work tirelessly to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 2 which calls for ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture,” Caritas stated in the statement. 

This, the development and humanitarian arm of the Catholic Bishops in Kenya said it will achieve by working with like-minded people in the country to “introduce farmer groups to innovative approaches in agriculture as we work towards achieving food safety and security.” 

While addressing environmental issues, Caritas recognised that the East African nation experiences both natural and man-made disasters  which are caused by adverse effects of  climate change and environmental degradation. 

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The organisation has therefore taken the commitment to work “towards cushioning the communities affected by crisis from the impact of natural and man-made disasters.”

Caritas Kenya also committed to integrate environmental support and protection in its work saying, “we are determined to protect the environment from degradation so that it can support our needs and those of future generations.” 

The organization also pledged to align its activities with Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’ which “invites the global population to engage in a dialogue that re-defines progress and promotes development in ways that benefit all” and also to respect “the environment and the earth’s natural resources.”

Regarding the youth, Caritas Kenya at the end of its Annual Forum resolved to focus on the challenges experienced by the country's youth and made resolutions to engage them. 

Apart from youth unemployment which seems to be a major issue of concern, Caritas Kenya also cited “social media addiction, cyber-bullying, youth radicalization, food insecurity, gender-based violence, drug abuse,” as other challenges facing Kenya's youth. 

Making reference to Pope Francis’ post-synodal exhortation to young people and to the entire people of God, Christus Vivit (Christ Lives) Caritas Kenya, pledged to increase its engagement with the young people. 

“We commit to increase our engagement of the youth by creating a movement of Young Caritas in Kenya,” the statement reads and continues, “we also resolve to demonstrate youth engagement in Caritas through our actions, embrace and concrete help.” 

Caritas Annual Forum also focused on contingency planning for disaster management,integral human development, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and agenda 2030, safeguarding and protection mainstreaming.

The organization resolved to "work tirelessly to contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 2 which calls for ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture."

Also, the humanitarian body acknowledged that safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults is important and it committed to "undertake elaborate measures to make sure safety, access, dignity and inclusion" of the marginalised. 

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Speaking about integral human development, SDGs and Agenda 2030, Caritas Kenya resolved to work with the commissions of KCCB to meet these goals.

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.