Caritas Cyprus is a member of the Caritas Internationalis confederation whose 165 members serve the world’s poor, dispossessed and marginalized and work to end poverty, promote justice and restore dignity. Since registering as a charitable association in 1986, Caritas Cyprus has responded to humanitarian needs on the island with the aim of providing compassionate care and support to the vulnerable. Against the backdrop of regional developments and the broader European migration crisis that began in 2015, Caritas Cyprus has seen a dramatic increase in demand for its services by those seeking refuge and/or asylum. Its work is conducted through local initiatives as well as island-wide programs that focus on migrants, local community needs, and youth engagement.
In 2015, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) began providing core funding to support Caritas Cyprus’ Migrant Services. Since then, Caritas Cyprus has been managed by an Executive Manager. It now has paid staff and dozens of committed and active volunteers and university-level interns. Since 2017 Caritas Cyprus has secured several EU- and UN-funded projects and taken on a number of small grants and partnerships, which complement CRS funding.
