Building the voice of the voiceless in the
Western Cape of South Africa
Catholic Welfare and Development is one of the largest
and longest established NGOs [Non Governmental Organisations] in
the country.
We are also one of the most dynamic, with programmes that
adapt and grow as circumstances change and new opportunities
arise – a classic example being our new focus area, Women and Vulnerable Children under whose banner the programmes Bonne Esperance and Women In Need (WIN) now fall.
Our aim is to develop people to rise out of poverty, with the
major focus being on development work.
This we do through nine community development centres and a wide
range of programmes which focus mainly on:
- Engaging with communities to build capacity and solve problems
- Women, Children and Youth Development
- Health and Food Security
- Economic Empowerment
Wherever possible, we work with provincial
and local government to refine service delivery to the poor, homeless,
children and others.
But we also need the support of corporate South Africa, funders and individual donors from all over the world ... all joining together
to give our people a hand-up towards self-reliance.
History
The organisation was founded under the auspices of the Catholic
Church in 1972 by two social workers who could not turn a blind
eye to the abject poverty and injustices suffered by under-privileged
people under the apartheid regime.
From the start, we engaged with these communities with the aim
of helping them decide on priorities and find their own solutions.
Today, although CWD works with people of all denominations, we
still abide by the ethos and social teachings of the Catholic Church,
and are proud to have as our patron the Archbishop of Cape Town,
Archbishop Stephen Brislin. |
