2005 Annual Report

2 0 0 5 Annual Report October 1, 2004 - September 30, 2005 Giving Hope to a World of Nee d Table of Contents Remembering the Tsunami . .2 String of Disasters . .4 Averting Famine in the Sahel . 6 Delicate Balance in Sudan . .8 Innovation and Hope in the Face of AIDS . .10 The Power of Partnerships . .12 Bridges to Peace . 14 Financial Summary . .16 Country Representatives and Regional Directors . 22 Diocesan Directors . .23 Donor Acknowledgement . 24 Our Leadership . 27 CRS Around the World (map) . .28 Cover: A young girl stands in the doorway of her home near the beach in Na-gappattinam, India, as workers pass by on the street outside. CRS programs address the psychological effects of the tsunami on children. Inset: Mother and son share a moment amid the destruction. Photos by David Snyder. One Extraordinary Year Dear Friend, shelter and basic supplies to thousands of Last year was also marked by your extraordinary people in the western and northwestern parts generosity in response to tremendous needs. What an extraordinary year 2005 has been. of the region. In southern Sudan, a fragile CRS is planning to invest $190 million toward We have seen a string of disasters that has peace is holding after two decades of armed the long-term relief and reconstruction effort challenged our staff and stretched our resources. conflict. CRS is assisting with the process in communities devastated by the Indian But each challenge has been met with the of rebuilding communities and preparing Ocean tsunami. That level of response is remarkable generosity of the U.S. Catholic thousands of people displaced by the war possible largely through the $163 million CRS community and a deeper creativity and to return to their homelands through the received in private revenues. Among U.S.-based commitment by Catholic Relief Services staff Homeward Bound project. humanitarian organizations, only the American and partners. Red Cross received more. We also responded to a serious food crisis last Your untiring support of the world’s poor and year in Africa’s Sahel — particularly in Niger Driven by the massive tsunami response, private suffering made possible one of the largest relief — that affected as many as 12 million people. contributions in the last fiscal year totaled efforts in our history — a five-year investment CRS began its emergency response in late 2004, $297 million, which allowed us to leverage in emergency and long-term reconstruction holding seed fairs to ensure farmers had quality an additional $395 million in resources from assistance to the people most affected by the stock to plant during the rainy season and after government and other partners to benefit Indian Ocean tsunami. We’ve built hundreds the locust infestation. These farmers fared much more than 80 million people, both directly and On October 8, 2005, a of homes and we are poised to build thousands better when the crisis did hit. indirectly. For the second straight year, our total powerful earthquake struck more. We have been able to restore survivors’ revenues topped half a billion dollars, increasing northern Pakistan and India, livelihoods and help them restart their lives by Over the last year, our partnerships with from $552 million in the last fiscal year to $694 killing as many as 75,000 providing trauma counseling, reconstructing Catholic dioceses, fellow members of the Caritas million and enabling us to reach more people in community infrastructure and providing Internationalis family, and local organizations need. The Catholic Relief Services Collection, people and leaving another people with the means to once again practice have helped CRS address some of the world’s formerly called the Annual Bishops’ Overseas 3 million without shelter as Appeal, provided $11.7 million to CRS in 2005. their trades. most pressing relief and development needs winter approached. While and continue innovative programs, both in the the earthquake struck after Your compassion has also enabled us to respond United States and abroad. We take seriously our responsibility to be good to a food crisis in the Sahel region of Africa, the stewards. We were able once again to hold our the fiscal year covered in this flooding and mudslides caused by hurricanes In August, we commissioned the first group administrative costs to just below 5.8 percent. report, I’d like to take this in Latin America and the Caribbean, and most of CRS Volunteers. These U.S. Catholics have opportunity to thank those recently, the Kashmir earthquake. chosen to live their faith in solidarity with the If nothing else, this extraordinary year has who responded so generously world’s poor by making a two-year commitment shown us what we can accomplish working Alongside these disasters, we’ve seen signs to share their skills and talents through CRS. together as one human family, in faith, hope to our appeals for help and of hope. Last year, CRS cared for more than and compassion. prayers. Your support has 14 million people living with HIV and AIDS CRS also served the U.S. Catholic community enabled CRS to reach more throughout the world. We’ve seen the miracle in several new ways in the last year. We formed Again, I thank you for your generous support than 150,000 people with of antiretroviral treatments that are helping so partnerships with four Catholic universities, and ask for your continued prayers, many who are suffering. People are brought to teaming our global reach with their academic critical supplies, including the hospital in a horribly weakened state, their expertise. These formal relationships will food, medicine and shelter. bodies wracked by opportunistic diseases, and expand on the exchanges between CRS and they leave rejuvenated, able to care for their Catholic educational institutions. And we families and even resume their livelihoods. continue to engage millions of Catholics through Operation Rice Bowl, Food Fast, Fair Ken Hackett President In Darfur, where the death toll has continued to Trade and our legislative network. rise, CRS provides clean water, food, education, A girl picks through the rubble of her family’s home, barely 30 yards from the beach in Galle, Sri Lanka. Inset: A clock frozen at the moment the tsunami hit. Photos by David Snyder. received nearly $163 million An extended family has in revenues from private emerged thanks to that donations by individuals generosity. Today, CRS has and Catholic parishes across more than 350 employees the United States. CRS has working in the hardest-hit also been awarded more areas, helping to rebuild than $16 million from the Remembering the Tsunami U.S. government and other institutional donors. With this funding, plus $11 million For millions of people across minutes, and nearly 2 million in additional revenues, CRS South and Southeast Asia, the were left homeless. At least nine has been able to mount one year 2005 began in mourning countries were in the tsunami’s of the largest responses in our following one of the greatest path, with the greatest losses history — a $190-million, five- catastrophes of our time. suffered in India, Indonesia, Sri year relief and reconstruction The tsunami of December Lanka and Thailand. effort that will help more than 26, 2004, shocked the world 600,000 people. when, without warning, its Throughout the last year, the giant waves traveled at speeds generosity and compassion of of up to 300 miles per hour to millions of people have helped devastate the region’s coasts, transform a landscape of A man in Aceh, Indonesia, works with communities, homes and unimaginable tragedy into one tools and materials provided families. An estimated 200,000 of hopeful recovery. In the last by CRS to rebuild his home. people perished in a matter of year, Catholic Relief Services Photo by David Snyder. Some of the 200 new homes built by CRS and our Caritas partner in Simon Colony, a primarily Catholic community near the coast in Tamil Nadu, India. Photo by CRS staff. Photo by Gita Modgil. ‘Nothing Can Steal My Spirit’: A Survivor’s Story communities and restore hope, the classrooms and libraries. and life is gradually returning Communities have new parks Just before the tsunami hit, Anik Halijah’s to normal for the people and recreational areas that brother and sister-in-law took her 2-year-old living in tsunami-affected ensure safe play areas for their daughter to the beach near their home in areas. Across India, Indonesia children. Local construction Banda Aceh, Indonesia. When she felt the and Sri Lanka, fishermen are teams and engineers are earth moving, Anik raced toward the raging back at sea with new boats honing new skills they’ve waters to find her family. and nets, supporting their learned while working on the families. Newly constructed massive reconstruction effort. Miraculously, they all survived. But it took roads and bridges are busy with CRS built a new wing for the first women Anik a month to pull out of her depression. and children’s hospital in Banda Aceh, traffic and in better condition In Sri Lanka, many shops are Despite her losses, she now helps others by Indonesia – a state-of-the-art facility that working for CRS, which was on the ground in than before. Thousands of now open for business, run opened in December 2005. Aceh days after the disaster and immediately homes have been rebuilt, by tailors, jewelers and bakers Photo by Karl Grobl. allowing people to move out of who have had the tools of their began to hire survivors. temporary shelters into places trades restored. Tsunami- Anik explains that the rewards of working they can once again call home. devastated areas are receiving with CRS go beyond supporting her family.

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