Caritas Estonia

Catholic charity organization based in Estonia
  • Tallinn, Estonia
Region served
Estonia
Official language
EstonianAffiliationsCaritas Europa, Caritas InternationalisWebsitewww.caritas.ee
Formerly called
Eesti Caritas

Caritas Estonia (Estonian: Caritas Eesti) is a non-profit association in Estonia.

It is affiliated with the Catholic Church in Estonia and part of the Caritas Internationalis confederation and the regional Caritas Europa.

History

After the restoration of independence of Estonia in 1991, a large number of vulnerable people were in need of assistance. Starting in 1992, Caritas Germany sent packages for humanitarian aid. A local Tartu Caritas was founded to distribute this aid.[1] In 1996 activist and politician Lagle Parek set up the national Caritas Estonia, which was not formally registered as an NGO until 26 March 1997[2][3] The initial name was Eesti Caritas; this was changed to Caritas Eesti in 2003.[3]

Among the first activities was the distribution of clothes and food to children from families in difficulty and without family support. Soon afterwards, the first day centres were established, named Caritas Kinderstubed. They provided food, education and other care to vulnerable children. The Caritas Kinderstubed started operating in Narva, Ahtme and Tartu in 1997.[4]

After this, integration projects for children and young people were set up, bringing together children and young people who speak Estonian and other languages (mainly Russian) as their mother tongue, in different ways, for common discussions and common goals.

1997 also saw the birth of Caritas' long-running project, the "Estonian Farm Teaches Estonian" (Eesti talu õpetab eesti keelt), which has seen more than 1,000 children learning the Estonian language, culture and traditions in Estonian farms during school holidays.[5] Between 2000 and 2003, Caritas offered farm holidays and farm education primarily to children from children's homes in Ida-Viru County and to children from families with coping difficulties in Tallinn.[6]

In 1998, director Merle Karusoo and young people from Viljandi Culture Academy carried out a project entitled "Who I am" (Kes ma olen) for 87 Russian-speaking young people, during which the young people searched for their roots and identity under the guidance of the director and with the help of creative techniques. The project resulted in a series of productions that explored the connections between different people and their roots, social and cultural affiliations.[1]

In 1999, the project "Theatre and Dance for Social Change" (Teater ja tants sotsiaalsete muutuste teenistuses), funded by the Estonian Centre for Contemporary Art and the European Cultural Foundation, was launched to address the problems of children and young people and to find solutions through artistic activities involving actors and dancers in solving the problems of children and young people. In Tallinn, a Caritas youth arts and theatre project was launched, and in Tartu, creative dance classes were held for the children of the Caritas Kinderstubed project.[1]

In 1999, a project called "Democracy School" (Demokraatiakool) took place, where young people of different nationalities debated all the issues that concern them, from the social system to agricultural policy. In 2000, the joint project "From Border to Border" (Piirist piirini) in Narva and Häädemeeste and the project "New Life in Narva-Jõesuu" (Uus elu Narva-Jõesuus) tried to enhance the value of Narva-Jõesuu, the home town.

In 1999, Caritas Estonia became a member of Caritas Europa.[7]

By the autumn of 2001, the Caritas School of Creativity had grown out of the theatre and art classes for young people in Tallinn, and began to operate in the newly completed premises of the new Pirita Monastery. The aim of the Creativity School was to increase tolerance through creativity between different social groups and to discover oneself and the world through artistic activities. Through creativity, children can express their feelings and opinions, learn to communicate with their peers, respect others and feel that they belong. This method has been widely appreciated worldwide, especially when working with children at risk, and has received a lot of positive feedback. To promote integration, in 2001 Estonian and Russian young people jointly renovated the Caritas eco-house in Sillamäe, also learning the ecological technologies used. The international dimension was added in 2001 by a joint camp for French and Estonian children in Soomaa.[4]

In 2002, camps continued in Ida-Viru County and children's school holidays on farms.

In 2003, Caritas started to work with girls who had been orphaned as teenagers - the first support group started. It started to look for ways to support girls who had become mothers at a very young age to cope, to parent, to learn skills and responsibilities. The work with young mothers has received extremely positive feedback and continues to evolve and develop to this day.

In July 2003, during its 17th General Assembly, Caritas Estonia was admitted as member of Caritas Internationalis.[8]

In 2005, the Caritas Family Centre (Caritase perekeskus) was opened in the Kopli district of Tallinn. The centre was initially intended primarily for families with young children living in the northern part of Tallinn, but also for other Caritas target groups and anyone interested. In 2006, we continued to develop hobby groups in the family centre, to work with young mothers, and to do guardianship work.[4]

In 2007, the Foundation for Foster Children was added (Asenduskodulaste fond). The fund aims to develop the horizons of children in care and to provide meaningful leisure activities by supporting participation in recreational activities and class excursions, as well as participation in training courses for up to one year.[citation needed]

In 2008, a school for young mothers was launched in Pärnu.[4]

From 2005 to 2017, the Caritas Family Centre and the Young Mothers' School in Põhja-Tallinn were open for children to take part in a variety of activities and support groups for young parents. From 2009 to 2015, the Caritas Family Centre provided childcare and support services to inactive and working young parents up to 24 years of age.[citation needed]

Since 2017, the Caritas School for Young Mothers has been operating in the Pirita Monastery, providing socio-educational family counselling for young parents (including teenagers, young parents with intellectual disabilities) and running support groups for young parents.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b c Tabun, Laura (2015). "ROOMAKATOLIKU KIRIK EESTIS 1970.–1990. AASTATEL. VÕRDLUS LEEDUGA". University of Tartu, Faculty of Religion. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Mina ei tea, kust ma rõõmu võtan: Mälestused". eesti.ca. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Registration Information". e-krediidiinfo.ee. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Lõuad pidada ja edasi teenida!". Okkalised arutlused (Blog) (in Estonian). 13 October 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Vene lapsed soovivad Viljandimaa peredes keelt õppida". Postimees (in Estonian). 13 April 1999. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Caritas viib vene riskilapsed taludesse eesti keelt õppima". Delfi (in Estonian). 31 May 2004. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Caritas Estonia". caritas.eu. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Caritas - tegev armastus" (PDF). Kiriku elu (in Estonian) (I. (176)): 9–15. January 2004. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Caritas in Estonia.
  • Official website
  • v
  • t
  • e
Caritas Internationalis Member Organisations and Regional Secretariats
Caritas Africa Member Organisations
   

Angola Caritas Angola
Benin Caritas Benin
Botswana Caritas Botswana
Burkina Faso Caritas Burkina Faso (OCADES)
Burundi Caritas Burundi
Cameroon Caritas Cameroon
Cape Verde Caritas Cape Verde
Central African Republic Caritas Central African Republic
Chad Caritas Chad
Comoros Caritas Comoros
Republic of the Congo Caritas Congo-Brazzaville
Democratic Republic of the Congo Caritas Congo
Ivory Coast Caritas Côte d'Ivoire
Equatorial Guinea Caritas Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea Caritas Eritrea

Eswatini Caritas Eswatini
Ethiopia Caritas Ethiopia (ECC- SDCO)
Gabon Caritas Gabon
The Gambia Caritas Gambia (CaDO)
Ghana Caritas Ghana
Guinea Caritas Guinea (OCPH)
Guinea-Bissau Caritas Guinea-Bissau
Kenya Caritas Kenya
Lesotho Caritas Lesotho
Liberia Caritas Liberia
Madagascar Caritas Madagascar
Malawi Caritas Malawi (CADECOM)
Mali Caritas Mali
Mauritius Caritas Mauritius
Mozambique Caritas Mozambique
Namibia Caritas Namibia

Niger Caritas Niger (CADEV)
Nigeria Caritas Nigeria
Rwanda Caritas Rwanda
São Tomé and Príncipe Caritas São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal Caritas Senegal
Seychelles Caritas Seychelles
Sierra Leone Caritas Sierra Leone
South Africa Caritas South Africa (Siyabhabha Trust)
South Sudan Caritas South Sudan
Sudan Caritas Sudan
Tanzania Caritas Tanzania
Togo Caritas Togo (OCDI)
Uganda Caritas Uganda
Zambia Caritas Zambia
Zimbabwe Caritas Zimbabwe (CADEC)

Caritas Asia Member Organisations
   

Bangladesh Caritas Bangladesh
Cambodia Caritas Cambodia
Hong Kong Caritas Hong Kong
India Caritas India
Indonesia Caritas Indonesia
Japan Caritas Japan
Kazakhstan Caritas Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan Caritas Kyrgyzstan
Laos Caritas Laos

South Korea Caritas Korea
Macau Caritas Macau
Malaysia Caritas Malaysia
Mongolia Caritas Mongolia
Myanmar Caritas Myanmar (KMSS)
Nepal    Caritas Nepal
Pakistan Caritas Pakistan
Philippines Caritas Philippines (NASSA)
Singapore Caritas Singapore and CHARIS

Sri Lanka Caritas Sri Lanka
Taiwan Caritas Taiwan
Tajikistan Caritas Tajikistan
Thailand Caritas Thailand
East Timor Caritas Timor Leste
Uzbekistan Caritas Uzbekistan
Vietnam Caritas Vietnam

Caritas Europa Member Organisations
   

Albania Caritas Albania
Andorra Caritas Andorra
Armenia Armenian Caritas
Austria Caritas Austria
Azerbaijan Caritas Azerbaijan (corresponding member)
Belarus Caritas Belarus
Belgium Caritas Catholica Belgica
Bosnia and Herzegovina Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria Caritas Bulgaria
Croatia Caritas Croatia
Czech Republic Caritas Czech Republic
Denmark Caritas Denmark
Estonia Caritas Estonia
Finland Caritas Finland
France Secours catholique
Georgia (country) Caritas Georgia

Germany Caritas Germany
Greece Caritas Hellas
Hungary Caritas Hungary
Iceland Caritas Iceland
Republic of Ireland Trócaire
Italy Caritas Italy
Kosovo Caritas Kosovo (corresponding member)
Latvia Caritas Latvia
Lithuania Caritas Lithuania
Luxembourg Caritas Luxembourg
Malta Caritas Malta
Moldova Caritas Moldova
Monaco  Caritas Monaco
Montenegro Caritas Montenegro
Netherlands Cordaid
North Macedonia Caritas Macedonia

Norway Caritas Norway
Poland Caritas Poland
Portugal Caritas Portugal
Romania Caritas Romania
Russia Caritas Russia
San Marino Caritas San Marino
Serbia Caritas Serbia
Slovakia Caritas Slovakia
Slovenia Caritas Slovenia
Spain Caritas Spain
Sweden Caritas Sweden
Switzerland   Caritas Switzerland
Turkey Caritas Turkey
Ukraine Caritas Ukraine & Caritas-Spes
United Kingdom CAFOD, CSAN and SCIAF

   

  Caritas Antilles
Argentina Caritas Argentina
Bolivia Caritas Bolivia
Brazil Caritas Brazil
Chile Caritas Chile
Colombia Caritas Colombia
Costa Rica Caritas Costa Rica
Cuba Caritas Cuba

Dominican Republic Caritas Dominican Republic
Ecuador Caritas Ecuador
El Salvador Caritas El Salvador
Guatemala Caritas Guatemala
Haiti Caritas Haiti
Honduras Caritas Honduras
Mexico Caritas Mexico
Nicaragua Caritas Nicaragua

Panama Caritas Panama
Paraguay Caritas Paraguay
Peru Caritas Peru
Puerto Rico Caritas Puerto Rico
Uruguay Caritas Uruguay
Venezuela Caritas Venezuela

   

Algeria Caritas Algeria
Cyprus Caritas Cyprus
Djibouti Caritas Djibouti
Iran Caritas Iran
Iraq Caritas Iraq

  Caritas Jerusalem
Jordan Caritas Jordan
Lebanon Caritas Lebanon
Libya Caritas Libya
Mauritania Caritas Mauritania

Morocco Caritas Morocco
Somalia Caritas Somalia
Syria Caritas Syria
Tunisia Caritas Tunisia

Caritas North America Member Organisations
   

Canada Caritas Canada (Development and Peace)

Caritas Oceania Member Organisations
   

Australia Caritas Australia
Fiji Caritas Fiji
New Zealand Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand

  Caritas Pacific Islands
Papua New Guinea Caritas Papua New Guinea

Samoa Caritas Samoa
Tonga Caritas Tonga