1997

10th February 1997
Zambian Aid Official Visits to Say "Thanks"
A senior aid official from Zambia, one of Africa's poorest nations, will visit Newcastle on Tuesday to thank the people of the Hunter region for the support they have given to the fight against global poverty.

Sr Pereka Nyirenda, Executive Secretary of Caritas Zambia, will speak at the Hunter launch of Caritas Australia's Project Compassion campaign, to be held at the Maitland-Newcastle Diocesan Centre, 841 Hunter St. Newcastle West at 1pm.

Project Compassion is one of Australia's largest annual appeals for international aid and development, last year raising $4.45 million for projects in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia. Strongly supported by Catholic parishes and schools, PROJECT COMPASSION has been conducted across Australia each Lent (the six weeks from Ash Wednesday to Easter) since 1965.

Last year, the people of the Hunter contributed $114,309 to the appeal, a 44 per cent increase on the higher than the previous highest local collection.

During her visit to Newcastle, Sr Pereka will speak of her work in Zambia, a nation dogged by an ever-increasing debt burden, widespread unemployment and an horrific AIDS toll. More than 13 per cent of Zambia's adult population is HIV positive. The enormous death toll from AIDS has left Zambia with hundreds of thousands of orphans and massive social and economic upheaval.

Zambia's international debt is now more than double its gross national product and well beyond the nation's capacity to repay. Only one in five Zambian adults have formal work. The rest battle to survive through subsistence farming, street trading and any other form of income they can find.

Caritas Zambia, the social action arm of the Catholic Church in Zambia, works with some of the six million Zambians who live in absolute poverty, conducting education, literacy and leadership programs, supporting efforts to build economic self-reliance, supporting families affected by the AIDS virus and assisting drought-affected farmers to get back on their feet.

Caritas Australia, through its Project Compassion appeal, has assisted Caritas Zambia's work since 1982, giving more than $1.7 million. Since its formation in 1964, Caritas Australia (formerly Australian Catholic Relief) has raised more than $100 million from the Australian public for poverty alleviation programs all around the world - the annual Project Compassion appeal raising $63 million of this amount.

Hunter residents can support the PROJECT COMPASSION appeal through Caritas Australia at PO Box 439R, Rutherford 2320, by phoning 1800 024 413 or through any Catholic parish.

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