Europe

Help Orphaned Children Today

Located in Central Europe, Poland has a population of 38.5 million.

CARITAS For Children had it’s beginnings in Poland, forming it’s first partnership with the Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1998. These were the sisters caring for the children Chris and Barbara, the founders of CARITAS, adopted from one of the Little Servant Sister’s orphanage in Czestochowa, Poland. (Learn more about our history).

CARITAS For Children continues to work with the order of the Little Servant Sisters helping them to nurture the children growing up under their care in orphanages throughout Poland.

Recent years have been a successful period for the Polish economy and social development, characterised by a high rate of growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increase in investment activity and improvement of a situation on the labour market. However the positive changes have not filtered down to the neediest. The country still faces many challenges dealing with high unemployment and poverty, particularly outside the cities. About 23% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Poland is one of the countries in Eastern Europe where many children still grow up in orphanages, in Polish called “Dom Dziecka” meaning Child’s Home. In reality these are not homes. Although people working there try to keep it clean, safe, warm, and even attractive, an orphanage is not a home. It’s just a public institution where children are coming to from very different circumstances. There are many reasons children come to orphanages. Sometimes it happens because of the death of their parents. Sometimes extreme economic hardship may cause parents to abandon their children or prevent them from properly caring for their little ones. Some parents may be sick and can’t afford medical care. To make it even worse, these situations often push parents to leave their own children without help.

Abandoned by their parents, these conditions force children to grow and mature in other living structures such as orphanages, Child’s Homes. Even the homes which are run by religious orders struggle to provide adequate care. They depend on contributions, as the Polish government can provide only minimal financial assistance. They often have too many children for their limited facilities. CARITAS For Children works with these religious orders to help them provide more than just the basic care for the children. Through the enrichment programs offered by CARITAS For Children the children growing up in orphanages come to understand that they are not forgotten and come to know that special feeling of caritas love and commitment from another.

Ways you can help:

• Learn more about our Projects in Poland
• Donate to Program Development