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February 25, 2022

Caritas Rwanda held its 2022 General Assembly

Caritas Rwanda held its 2022 General Assembly

The Caritas Rwanda General Assembly that took place at the Cenetra Hotel in Kabuga, from 24th to 25th February 2022 united various Bishops of the Catholic Church of Rwanda, with Caritas Rwanda senior staff, diocesean Caritas Representatives and other leaders of various other Catholic partner institutions.

Led by His Excellency Anaclet Mwumvaneza, Bishop of Nyundo Diocese and President of the Caritas Rwanda, the General Assembly aimed at evaluating Caritas Rwanda’s performance for the year 2021-2022, and evaluating the year 2022-2023 strategic plan and therefore propose recommendations and resolutions for the new year.

Delivering opening remarks, Father Jean Marie Vianney Twagirayezu welcomed all participants and invited the President of Caritas Rwanda to lead the Assembly.

In his remarks, Monseigneur In Je HWANG, Chargé d’Affaires a.i  at the Apostolic Nunciature of Rwanda reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to support Caritas Rwanda’s mission.

Managers of various departments of the Caritas Rwanda, including the department of social charities (Oeuvres Socio-Caritatives, OSC), the department in charge of the organisation’s development, the Health department and the administration and finance department delivered presentations of what has been done during the past year as well the budget used to conduct Caritas Rwanda activities during the year 2021, which amounts to RWF 23 billions, allocated as follows: Health department used Rwf 15 billions (most of which was funded by the Government of Rwanda), the department in charge of development, as well as the department of social charities used Rwf 3 billions each. The remaining 2 billions were used to cover expenses related to the day-to-day running of the organisation’s human resources, equipment and maintenance. The Managers presented their strategic plan for the year 2022-2023 as well.

One of the key resolutions set during the 2022 Caritas Rwanda General Assembly  is to create a Health Commission within the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda that will be in charge of bridging all Church’s pastoral activities related to health. Dr. Prince Bosco Kanani, Director of the health department mentioned that the Catholic Church of Rwanda currently owns 30% of all health services in the country. 

The 2022 Caritas Rwanda General Assembly recommended the following:

To the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda (CEPR):

  1. Establish and operationalize the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Health.

 

To the Caritas Rwanda:

  1. Collaborate with the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Health;
  2. Improve collaboration and synergy between Caritas Rwanda, the Episcopal Commission for the Family and the National Service for Family Action;
  3. Strengthen the communication of the achievements of Caritas at all levels and have more consultation in the preparation of articles and broadcasts in the social media of the Catholic Church;
  4. Accompany and ensure the strengthening of the capacities of diocesan Caritas in the process of tax declarations according to the new orientation of the pastoral year of the Catholic Church;
  5. Support the diocesan Caritas in the harmonisation and organisation of the World Day of the Sick;
  6. Strengthen financial resource mobilisation strategies aimed at increasing self-financing and ensure the proper management of those that exist;
  7. Revitalise development activities and support diocesan Caritas in this sector.

 

To the Diocesan Caritas:

  1. Improve collaboration and synergy between the diocesan Caritas, the Commission in charge of the Pastoral of the family and the Regional Center for Family Action (CRAF);
  2. Organise the World Day of the Sick at all levels (FOSA/Community);
  3. Revitalise the organisation of Caritas Day at all levels: diocese, parish, central, basic ecclesial community (CEB);
  4. Revitalise the development animation by activating the development departments and the parish committees of Caritas;
  5. Strengthen mobilisation and membership of the charity fund and extend it to other institutions likely to understand the Caritas spirit;
  6. Strengthen financial resource mobilisation strategies aimed at increasing self-financing and ensure the proper management of those that exist.