Catholic Caritas, through its donation campaign named "Let School Start Be a Joy", annually lays the foundation for the favourable academic progress of nearly 10,000 disadvantaged children. This year, the organisation is accepting donations between 31/07/2024 and 15/09/2024, so that children with limited opportunities, whether they grow up in a big city or a remote rural village, can start the 2024/25 academic year with less disadvantage. Caritas believes that the first building block for this is providing appropriate school supplies.
The main goal of the charitable organisation is to halt the generational recurrence of poverty, prevent exclusion, and foster the talents within children. Decades of experience from Catholic Caritas show that there are numerous reasons why disadvantaged pupils cannot fully utilise the opportunities offered by education. The children affected typically do not receive early development support in their early years, which would prepare them for school. Parents often struggle with unemployment, making the September school start an disproportionately large challenge for them. Continuous financial and social difficulties often diminish children's motivation and self-confidence, and their performance declines due to anxiety and low self-esteem. They do not have an optimal learning environment; homework often has to be done in crowded living conditions, without parental help.
Caritas staff and volunteers monitor the developmental shortcomings of the students within their purview with a comprehensive approach, and involve developmental educators to bridge any potential gaps. In September, they provide quality school supplies, and during the academic year, as part of catch-up programmes, they offer skill-development, sports, arts, and cultural activities, as well as tutoring if needed. All these provide them with support, develop their social skills, and contribute to their general spiritual well-being. To ensure that as many children as possible can begin or continue their studies on a path paved with success, more support is needed, and the organisation is seeking financial donations for this charitable cause until mid-September.
Gábor Écsy, national director of Catholic Caritas, summarised the most important experiences of their work to date for disadvantaged families: "The greatest potential lies in children. They live with us and around us, here and now. It is our responsibility to set them on the path of knowledge, building on their natural childlike enthusiasm and their curiosity about the world and knowledge. Children facing difficult circumstances also long for the same things as everyone else: a safe, fulfilling life. They were given less at the start, so it is up to us whether we support the development of their natural curiosity with our help. We have found that combating poverty, exclusion, and disadvantage often begins by overcoming obstacles, providing opportunities such as suitable school supplies and school bags. We are deeply grateful for all donations that enable us to fill these school bags with supplies."
The Catholic Caritas school start campaign runs from 31/07/2024 to 15/09/2024. Charitable donations received during this period will be entirely dedicated to supporting schoolchildren. In addition to calling the donation line 1356 (500 Ft per call), online donations can also be made via the Catholic Caritas website (www.karitasz.hu) under the designation "Iskolakezdés" (School Start). Donations are also gratefully received into Caritas' central bank account (Raiffeisen Bank 12011148–00124534–00100008). Simultaneously, the diocesan centres of the charitable organisation are also accepting in-kind and financial contributions at a local level to support students' successful start to the academic year.
Source: Catholic Caritas – Caritas Hungarica
Joyful News Press Office/Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza