Worldwide Vincentian Family

Campaign: “Globalization of Charity: Fight against Hunger”

“Project to help homeless”

Fianarantsoa, Madagascar

1.  Antecedents

         For some years now, collaboration and mutual among the different branches of the Vincentian Family (VF) of Fianarantsoa (Madagascar) has been increasing: the existing branches in the city are: DC, Nazarene Sisters, seminarians of the CM, AIC, SSVP, JMV.  Moreover, the spiritual dimension is also growing stronger, thanks to the meetings which, for some years now, take place three times a year to share moments of prayer, of reflection and work in common.

         Each branch of the Vincentian Family of this city of Madagascar takes care of needy persons: the Daughters of Charity work with the poor in various social centers; the Nazarene Sisters work in an orphanage which has 533 children, and in other social centers; the JMV takes care of the animation of the catechesis and education in the neighborhoods; the SSVP works at a center for the promotion of young women; and the AIC works in a center for abandoned children. In addition, the VF of Fianarantsoa has worked together in a project called “Project for helping homeless families.”

         The VF has organized an activity of common charity in favor of homeless families, because in Fianrantsoa many poor families live in difficult conditions.  We discovered that, since many of them cannot rent a house, they have to sleep on the streets.  This situation is aggravated by unemployment and great difficulties in satisfying the primary needs: food, clothing, shelter, health and education.

2.  A Common Project

         Since 2001, starting from the campaign “Globalization of Charity: Fight against Hunger,” the project to help homeless families has been taking form.  These are our brothers and sisters who during the day walk through the streets looking for something to eat and to take to their families.

         A Jesuit lay brother placed at our disposition a spacious house with a small garden, so that there we can start our project of helping these persons.  This project actually functions in that place.  Around 60 persons can live there.

         The branches of the VF that collaborate in this project are: DC, CM, AIC, SSVP, JMV and the Nazarene Sisters.

3.  Objectives of the Project

General:

         To prepare the social integration of the marginalized persons of the city of Fianarantsoa, in collaboration with other organizations that care for the promotion of the family.

Specifics

·        To procure for the persons who live on the street a place where they can spend the night.

·        To help these persons find a place where they can build a house for themselves;

·        To help these persons to be reintegrated in society through a stable job;

·        To promote the human values among these persons and to know and value their human dignity.

4.  Project Director and address of the Project

         P. Gaston Faratsely, CM; Sor Zenaide, Sor Anastesie

         PB 1379

         Tambohobe, 301 Fianarantsoa

         MADAGASCAR

         E-Mail: scolavin@wanadoo.mg

5.  Benefits to the persons received in this center

·        A house

·        Food

·        Medical care

·        Education of children

·        Spiritual and socio-cultural animation

·        Integral formation

·        Repatriation for those needing this service

·        Civil documents: identity card, birth certificate

·        A good number of families who passed through the center are already reinstated in society.

·        Many children have the possibility of entering school.

6.  Our Service

·        For a start, we try to answer to the most urgent needs of persons we receive: shelter, food, clothing, medical care, etc;

·        Afterwards, we look for the human and spiritual promotion of the persons in the Center. For this purpose, every Saturday we have a time for human formation;

·        We also take care of their spiritual formation and, for this, we have catechesis, Christian formation, song, etc;

·        For families reinserted into society we offer, if they require or need these services: accompaniment and orientation from the VF team.

7.  Our Organization

·        To serve and attend to the persons living in our house, we, the members of the VF, divide ourselves into two teams which alternate every week for accompaniment;

·        To organize better the activities at the Center, the participating branches of the VF have set up an Office of Coordination, supervised by a Vincentian priest, a Daughter of Charity, a Nazarene Sister, two members of the SSVP, and two Vincentian seminarians.

·        We also have a Social Commission with representation from the six branches who work in the Project.

8.     Economic resources

To keep this project going, the VF involved in the action obtains funds through the campaigns in the city, dues from Vincentian associations collected from the organizers. For example: the VF has organized a year festival to replenish the fund: thanks to what it collects, the project continues to function.

9.   Participation of the beneficiaries

·        The beneficiaries collaborate with us with the cleaning of the house and in fulfilling some concrete services.

·        They help one another more and more, in such a way that the older ones in the house give orientation to those who arrive.

10.  What do we need?

·        Our own place to continue with the work;

·        Economic help to empower the formation of children and adults and provide medicine;

·        Economic help to help towards a more rapid social integration of the families by helping them get a lot and materials to construct their own homes.

11.  Budget

·        Reception of families                       2.700 €     

·        Needs for operations                       2.400 €     

·        Schooling of children                          200 €     

 

·        Total for a year:                                5.300 €

Fianarantsoa, 8 May 2004