Stories from the places where we help

 

Koji and Kisimba met in a refugee settlement in Zambia. Now they are best friends and business partners
August 28, 2025 News

Koji and Kisimba met in a refugee settlement in Zambia. Now they are best friends and business partners

Koji and Kisimba are two young farmers who met in the Meheba refugee settlement. Today they are not only best friends but also entrepreneurs building a thriving farm together. Like many other farmers in Zambia, they grapple with the effects of climate change, especially prolonged droughts. Thanks to an irrigation system provided by Caritas Czech Republic, their yields have improved, and they are already considering expanding their farm. 

How Samira from Iraq built a future for her family from her kitchen
August 21, 2025 News

How Samira from Iraq built a future for her family from her kitchen

n the quiet streets of Bartella, Iraq, the smell of freshly baked kleicha and simmering dolma drifts from Samira’s home. At 60 years old, Samira has turned her lifelong love of traditional Iraqi cooking into a thriving home-based business after receiving support from Caritas Czech Republic. But it was not always like this. 

"I no longer remember what food tastes like," said the girl in Gaza. Her words echo the reality humanitarian workers face every day
August 19, 2025 Gaza Strip

"I no longer remember what food tastes like," said the girl in Gaza. Her words echo the reality humanitarian workers face every day

Since May, Ola has been coordinating social work in southern Gaza. Despite her own exhaustion and painful losses, she helps every day those who have lost their homes, suffer from hunger, or need psychological support. Under the programme funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and fundraiser Caritas for Gaza, Caritas provides basic healthcare, medicine distribution, crisis intervention, and training of local social workers and psychologists. We are among the few organisations with staff on the ground in the Gaza Strip, working to ensure that people there do not lose hope or access to support—a commitment we honour and reflect on the World Humanitarian Day.

How Emad from Iraq built a future for himself after our job training programme
August 11, 2025 News

How Emad from Iraq built a future for himself after our job training programme

In the busy aisles of a shopping mall in Mosul, Iraq, Emad moves confidently between neatly stacked shelves and rows of textiles. Just a few years ago, Emad was one of many young people in Iraq struggling with unemployment and a lack of opportunities. Today, at 24 years old, he manages the textiles department in a supermarket, which he was able to do thanks to an on-the-job training programme supported by Caritas Czech Republic. 

Penelope is building a successful business in Zambia and aims to create job opportunities for women and young people
July 28, 2025 News

Penelope is building a successful business in Zambia and aims to create job opportunities for women and young people

Starting a successful business is never easy, especially when you are facing challenging living conditions. However, Penelope’s story proves that with determination and support, great things can be achieved. She works as the director and manager of her business, which, thanks to the help of Caritas Czech Republic, is rapidly attracting more and more customers. 

Savings group helps fulfil dreams: Nineteen-year-old Nandima from Zambia raises chickens and saves for university
July 24, 2025 News

Savings group helps fulfil dreams: Nineteen-year-old Nandima from Zambia raises chickens and saves for university

Nineteen-year-old Nandima started a small poultry farm after finishing school. Thanks to the savings group in his village, he can regularly set aside money for chicken feed—and soon, he hopes, for university. Through these savings groups, Caritas Czech Republic spreads financial literacy and gives young people in Zambia a path toward entrepreneurship and greater financial security. 

How Iman from Iraq turned her father’s artistic legacy into a handmade business
July 21, 2025 News

How Iman from Iraq turned her father’s artistic legacy into a handmade business

In the Christian town of Bartella in northern Iraq, 24-year-old Iman  sits at her work table, brushing resin onto smooth stones and arranging beads into intricate designs. From this small room in her family home, Iman has built a flourishing handwork business, one rooted in tradition, creativity, and determination. With support from Caritas Czech Republic, she has turned a simple post-graduation hobby into a livelihood that now reaches customers as far away as Canada. 

Judita from Burundi is growing her future in a Zambian field with the support of Caritas Czech Republic
July 17, 2025 News

Judita from Burundi is growing her future in a Zambian field with the support of Caritas Czech Republic

Judita comes from Burundi. She is 48 years old, a single mother of four children and grandmother of four. To feed her family, she decided to take up farming. This year, most of the maize on Judita’s plot withered, leaving the household without food. Thanks to a “winter-maize” crop and training from Caritas, she now believes that she can both feed her children and expand the farm. 

Through training, I am building a future for myself and my community, says Omar, a young graduate from Iraq
July 14, 2025 News

Through training, I am building a future for myself and my community, says Omar, a young graduate from Iraq

In the heart of Mosul, a city rebuilding itself after years of conflict, 24-year-old Omar is preparing for a brighter future. A recent graduate of the College of Education’s Chemistry Department, Omar is determined to turn his passion for learning into a meaningful career. Thanks to the support of Caritas Czech Republic, he joined a job search club, where he learned the skills needed to find employment and inspire others along the way. 

Thanks to a savings group, Lawrence from Zambia was able to put his children through school
July 10, 2025 News

Thanks to a savings group, Lawrence from Zambia was able to put his children through school

Thanks to a savings group, Zambian farmer Lawrence has not only improved his business but also paid for his children’s schooling. Through these groups, Caritas Czech Republic spreads financial literacy and helps small entrepreneurs move toward financial stability.