Abroad

Individual Caritas organizations and Caritas Czech Republic provide assistance to those in need from Haiti across the South American continent, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, to Asian countries. We alleviate humanitarian distress for people affected by war or natural disaster, development cooperation projects concerning health, education, agriculture, environmental protection.

Basic facts

Almost 102 projects and CZK 230 million – this is the balance of the activities of 11 Archdiocesan, Diocesan and regional Caritas organizations and Caritas Czech Republic abroad in 2019. Although we are primarily focused on aid in the Czech Republic, we are the second largest domestic humanitarian organization in the scope of our work abroad.

  • Individual archdiocesan, diocesan and district Caritas provided 70 development assistances and 1 humanitarian project in 20 countries mainly through partner organizations for more than CZK 61 million.
  • The Department of humanitarian help and development cooperation of Caritas Czech Republic worked on 31 humanitarian and development projects with a budget of almost CZK 169 million

RS foto 3 nejlepší Mantapala Zambie

More

Generally, our help may be divided into humanitarian and official development assistance. If you want to learn more about those areas of help, continue to following website.

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Humanitarian aid

We provide this mainly to people who have lost their homes in a conflict or after a natural disaster, if they are at risk of hunger, epidemics, non-availability of medical care. Recently, our aid has been largely channelled to the Middle East to make life easier for people in Iraq and Syria, as well as eastern Ukraine and Cambodia.

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Development cooperation

In individual countries, we mainly focus on health, social work, agriculture and the provision of drinking water sources, supporting education and developing of small business and civil society. We take care of environmental protection and respect for human rights, focusing on strategic and sustainable development.

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A lifesaving firewood stove. Little Evelina's family will survive the winter in warmth thanks to donated solid fuel
December 15, 2025 Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine

A lifesaving firewood stove. Little Evelina's family will survive the winter in warmth thanks to donated solid fuel

The war forced two-year-old Evelina and her parents, Yevhen and Marjana, to flee their hometown of Marganets in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The family settled in a rural house, where the only source of warmth in winter is an old wood-burning stove. Due to unemployment and the rising cost of solid fuel, it is extremely difficult to heat the house throughout the winter, so the family is grateful for the help provided by Caritas Czech Republic and the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.

Christmas ornaments shaped like spiders and their webs, or a camel taking on the role of Santa Claus. What unusual traditions are celebrated in countries where Caritas Czech Republic works?
December 11, 2025 Humanitární pomoc a rozvojová spolupráce Charity ČR

Christmas ornaments shaped like spiders and their webs, or a camel taking on the role of Santa Claus. What unusual traditions are celebrated in countries where Caritas Czech Republic works?

In the Czech Republic, our unique Christmas tradition involves a golden pig. According to folklore, if we refrain from eating any food during the day, we will see the golden pig shining on the walls in the evening. This tradition might seem strange to people from abroad. Likewise, people in the Czech Republic may raise their eyebrows at Christmas ornaments shaped like spiders and their webs. Such decorations are customary in Ukraine. Let us introduce ourselves to unusual Christmas traditions from countries where Caritas Czech Republic operates.

Caritas Czech Republic helps manage the impacts of climate change in Ethiopia, Jan Líska and Barbora Ludvíková share in a joint interview
December 8, 2025 Humanitární pomoc a rozvojová spolupráce Charity ČR

Caritas Czech Republic helps manage the impacts of climate change in Ethiopia, Jan Líska and Barbora Ludvíková share in a joint interview

Ethiopia spans across the so-called „Horn of Africa“, which is the easternmost point of the continent, cut off by the Arabian Sea into the shape of a rhino’s horn. According to Jan Líska, the Institutional Funding Coordinator of Caritas Czech Republic, Ethiopia has been placed on the list of priority developing countries that the Czech Republic supports in its Development Cooperation Strategy. In a joint interview, Barbora Ludvíková, Senior Humanitarian and Development Advisor, adds that Ethiopia was not included on this list by accident. “Czechoslovakia collaborated with Ethiopia already in the past. Ethiopian students studied in Czechoslovakia, and Czechoslovakia imported technologies to Ethiopia. We established several breweries and a tannery there,” Barbora explains.

Caritas Czech Republic and Sawa: the art of listening during the conflict in Gaza
December 2, 2025 Humanitární pomoc a rozvojová spolupráce Charity ČR

Caritas Czech Republic and Sawa: the art of listening during the conflict in Gaza

A ceasefire in Gaza was agreed almost two months ago. But the local atmosphere and the current situation of the people here, after months of siege, bombardment, starvation, and isolation, can hardly be considered peaceful. Therefore, Caritas Czech Republic continues to work on site and focuses its support primarily on health and psychosocial help. For example, we collaborate with Palestinian organisation Sawa that operates the 164 hotline for crisis intervention. 

High water costs were a heavy burden for Kamal. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, he can now access water both at home and at work
November 27, 2025 Humanitární pomoc a rozvojová spolupráce Charity ČR

High water costs were a heavy burden for Kamal. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, he can now access water both at home and at work

It has been fourteen years since the civil war in Syria started. The locals have been facing violence, forced displacement, and severe shortages of essential goods, including food, water, and means of livelihood. Caritas Czech Republic, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, has focused its assistance on the north of the country, near the Turkish-Syrian border. This region was affected by a devastating earthquake in 2023. Following the end of Bashar al-Assad’s administration this summer, the safety situation in the area even worsened. Yet, we are still able to report positive news from Syria. The following story is one of them.