June 13, 2023
News
Despite prejudice, refugees are not people who wait with their hand out for help. On the contrary, they want to study, work and, above all, be self-sufficient. But in a new country, far from home and in an unfamiliar environment, it is difficult for them to achieve self-sufficiency. Yet all it takes is a helping hand at the beginning for refugees to be able to stand on their own feet again. Caritas Czech Republic is lending them this helping hand. What does our help look like?
WHERE IS MY HOME: MORE STORIES
1) Education support - scholarships for refugees
"Our only chance is education," says Francesca, a refugee living in Zambia. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, she received a scholarship to study pharmacy at university. Today she is a pharmacist and dreams of owning her own pharmacy. Education opens the door to a better future for refugees. But without funding and support, it is almost impossible for them to start studying. That is why Caritas Czech Republic supports refugees in Zambia so they can go to university and become self-sufficient. We provide scholarships to students through the DAFI scholarship programme, which is sponsored by UNHCR. We also cover accommodation and other necessary expenses for refugees so that they can get by during their studies.
"Getting an education changes everything," Francesca adds happily.
2) Business skills training
Iraqis returning to their homes after the war with the self-proclaimed Islamic State often face unemployment. The tradesmen are eager to get back to the business they ran before the war. But they lack the finance and often the knowledge to restart their businesses. Caritas Czech Republic is helping them to do this.
We provide business skills training to returnees, teaching them how to estimate demand and develop their own business plan, budget and overall business strategy. We provide financial support to participants so they can start their own businesses. Like Maysun, a cook who returned to her hometown after the war with the Islamic State. She found her home ransacked and her livelihood equipment gone. With the help of Caritas Czech Republic, she took a business skills course and used a small grant to buy equipment for her restaurant, which she opened with her son. Today, her restaurant is a popular place where she is said to cook the best pacha (a traditional Iraqi lamb broth that Iraqis like to enjoy at night).
3) Learning a trade for a living
Imagine you are in a foreign country where your family has fled to escape the violence in your home country. You are not even 20 years old, you have refugee status, and so no one will employ you. But then you get the chance to learn a trade and suddenly, new opportunities open up. This is exactly what happened to Esther, a young refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thanks to the support of Caritas Czech Republic, Esther attended a six-month course and trained as a seamstress. With the small financial grant she received from us, she bought a sewing machine and fabrics. "I sew clothes for women in my neighbourhood and use what I earn to help provide for our family," says the 19-year-old shyly. Her small business is a big help to her family.
Although refugees are safe in Zambia, they find it difficult to find work. The only solution is often to set up their own business. But with no education and no finances, it is a difficult task. Caritas Czech Republic supports refugees like Esther to learn a trade and be able to run their own small businesses and become self-sufficient.
4) Immediate cash assistance
People who have fled war often pack only a few belongings. They therefore need to provide for their basic needs in new places. We provide immediate cash assistance to refugees and internally displaced people to buy what they need. With financial assistance, they are able to set their own budget and avoid problems in the future. For many refugees, being able to set their own financial budget is the first step towards a return to a normal life.
"Thanks to the cash assistance, I feel more confident and free. I am not such a burden to the local family who offered us accommodation," explains 23-year-old Aurica, who fled with her children from Ukraine to the safety of neighbouring Moldova, where she received help from Caritas Czech Republic.
5) Supporting civil society organisations
Syria has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world.The situation is particularly bad in the north-west of the country, where a huge number of people have fled to escape the war. Their situation has been exacerbated by the devastating earthquake in February this year. It is in the north-west of Syria where Caritas Czech Republic is helping and supporting civil society organisations.
Syrian NGOs are indispensable in providing support to internally displaced people and host communities. They want to be involved in the reconstruction of their country, but often lack the necessary know-how to work in the humanitarian and development sector and the means for effective assistance. Caritas Czech Republic is helping Syrian organisations in these areas in cooperation with our partner organisation Violet. We have managed to create a network of volunteers from NGOs, which has proved its worth in post-earthquake relief. Thanks to the skills acquired, 62 organisations have been involved in the immediate relief for people affected by the earthquake in Syria. As part of the Syria's development, we also supported young Syrians to set up their own businesses to earn a living in a country where job opportunities are scarce.
6) Dignified shelter
Although the war with the Islamic State in Iraq has ended, there are still 1.2 million internally displaced people in the country. These people are still unable to return to their hometowns due to insecurity, lack of livelihood opportunities and destroyed or damaged housing. We are helping to provide more dignified shelter for internally displaced people in Iraqi Kurdistan. We distribute materials to repair and improve shelters and build latrines.
We are also helping to provide decent housing for people in Ukraine who have been displaced by the war to the relative safety of the west. In Mukachevo, we built modular houses so that people who were surviving in mass accommodation facilities could live in dignity.
Krystina recently moved into one of the modular houses with her son David and her parents. "We are thrilled! It's like having our own apartment. Compared to a dorm, it's a huge difference. And I finally have my own kitchen again," Krystina rejoices.
7) Immediate humanitarian aid
The war in Ukraine has shown that immediate humanitarian assistance remains essential for refugees and forcibly displaced people. Caritas Czech Republic has started to immediately help in Ukraine and in neighbouring Moldova. We are ready to help in case of conflicts and natural disasters. In providing humanitarian assistance, we also focus on identifying long-term needs. Our support does not end with immediate assistance. We focus on helping people to find a lasting solution to their situation. Whether it is providing decent shelter, helping them to rebuild their livelihoods or supporting them in their studies.
We believe that even a little help at the beginning is enough to help refugees take their lives back into their own hands.
We help refugees, internally displaced people and those returning home after war thanks to financial support from the Czech Bishops' Conference, the Czech Development Agency, the European Commission, the Directorate General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, Caritas France, Caritas Luxembourg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, UN-Habitat, Irish Aid, UNDP, UNHCR, UN OCHA, the U.S. Embassy in Zambia, and thanks to Czech donors who contributed to Caritas Czech Republic's foreign aid collections.
