Concern Worldwide has completed a cash transfer this week of €1.73 million to over 27,000 people in parts of Sudan which are hard to reach because of the continuing conflict. “Providing direct cash assistance to families is the most practical approach, given the huge challenges which humanitarian organisations are facing in Sudan,” Concern’s regional director for the Horn of Africa, Amina Abdulla, said.
In Brazil, Misean Cara supports the work of a Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary missionary’s literacy project, which has changed the lives of over 20,000 people over the years. The Little Sisters of the Assumption also run a centre where underprivileged children and adults can learn academic skills.
Aid to the Church in Need Ireland continues to stand with Christian communities in Gaza, helping families endure displacement with faith and dignity, while CBM Ireland is preventing avoidable blindness and saving lives through simple eye-screening programmes in countries such as Madagascar.
Across Ireland, legacy gifts help sustain the work of restoring dignity and hope during life’s fragile moments. From LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, supporting families of children with life-limiting conditions, to Barretstown offering children with serious illness the chance to rediscover joy.
Homelessness in Ireland remains a serious challenge, with Focus Ireland continuing Sr Stan’s lifelong mission to address it, while Cork Simon has supported people on the streets for over 50 years, assisting close to 1,500 people last year.
Another lifelong mission being honoured is Bro. Kevin Crowley’s. The Capuchin Day Centre continues to provide hot meals, food parcels and showering facilities, among other services, without judgement or questions. Just last year, they provided 345,593 hot meals for adults and over 16,240 infant parcels, which include nappies and baby formula.
Rehab Group supports over 12,000 people every year, providing dignity, inclusion and hope to people with disabilities. Helping them to gain new skills, find employment and be more independent in their day-to-day lives.
This shared purpose is summed up by Sr Ekaete Ekop, a Medical Missionary of Mary supported by Misean Cara, who works as a surgeon with women in Nigeria. “I don’t see it as a service or a sacrifice,” she says. “I see it as a privilege — a front-row seat in what God is doing in people’s lives.”
