Published on
19 June 2024

Empowering women

At the heart of social transformation


The year 2023 at the Roncalli International Foundation was marked by events that were about reconnecting with those who make our mission possible and making new connections with all those who want to join us in building a world of humanity. Members of the Foundation’s team made field visits to meet with partners and see the results of projects that were financed.

In Canada, we pursued our efforts to make the Foundation better known and continued to walk side by side with religious congregations as they plan for the future of their missions overseas.


Our regular programming


As part of the implementation of its 2020-2024 strategic plan, the Roncalli International Foundation launched three new areas of action: the empowerment of women, income generating activities and resilience to climate change. These important updates to our work were based on consultations with our partners, an analysis of the current global context, and the best practices in the international development sector.

In the span of a year, we have seen projects in the area of the empowerment of women grow from 3 in 2022 to 12 in 2023, revealing the resounding relevance of focusing on projects that provide women with opportunities to become more autonomous, participate fully in society and reach their potential.

We recognize that when we invest in women, we invest in the wellbeing of all of society. Thanks to the diligence of our partners and the commitment of our donors, we can support projects that place women at the heart of change!



The reach of our projects by region


The reach of our projects by areas of action


Agriculture

7

countries

8

projects

5 2 5, 0 2 1

people supported

$ 2 1 5, 1 3 9

allocated

 

Education

13

countries

30

projects

209, 821

people supported

$ 733, 141

allocated

 

Empowerment of women

9

countries

12

projects

87, 124

people supported

$ 321, 819

allocated

 

Health

9

countries

12

projects

2, 335, 731

people supported

$ 338, 508

allocated

 

Income generating activities

5

countries

6

projects

116, 456

people supported

$ 119, 692

allocated

Pastoral activities

9

countries

18

projects

126, 782 

people supported

$ 320, 836

allocated

Resilience to climate change

1

countries

1

projects

2, 724

people supported

$ 29, 040

allocated

Water and sanitation

8

countries

11

projects

66, 574

people supported

$ 316, 783

allocated

Our dedicated projects


Each year, the Roncalli International Foundation manages a certain number of dedicated projects that are funded by specific donors. These projects are financed through endowment funds, dedicated funds and dedicated donations, creating impactful partnerships based on the vision and commitment of the donor, the expertise and accompaniment of the Foundation and the resourcefulness and determination of the partners in the field.

Many of these funds have been established by religious congregations in order to ensure the continuation of their missions overseas and place their sisters at the heart of social change for the better. The projects supported by these funds contribute to providing essential health services, making education accessible, empowering youth and more, often creating the conditions for raising the standards of living of communities, especially for women.


In 2023, of the 19 dedicated projects:

  • 15 were funded through endowment funds: Projects included the purchase of furniture for 11 schools in Haiti; financial support to seminaries and dioceses for the studies of future priests; two water and sanitation projects; and the purchase of materials and resources for a program to encourage the education of at-risk children in Ecuador.
  • 4 were funded through dedicated funds: Two projects provided support to two youth leadership centres in Peru that were founded by a Canadian religious congregation. The Foundation was also able to fund one project through its Haiti Assistance Fund and another project to support the members of a Canadian religious congregation in the Philippines.
  • 1 was a large-scale infrastructure project: The Foundation signed an agreement with a Canadian religious congregation to manage major renovations of the operating block of a hospital in the Philippines. The project began at the end of 2023 and will continue over the next year.

Haiti Assistance Fund

The Roncalli International Foundation’s Haiti Assistance Fund is a cornerstone of our commitment to rebuilding and supporting Haitian communities affected by disasters. Created in response to the 2010 earthquake and still active today, this fund recently provided invaluable assistance to the victims of the 2021 earthquake that struck the southern peninsula of the country.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors to this fund, the Foundation was able to support more than 7,000 people in 2023. They benefitted from the refurbishment of a solar energy system at the Vieux Bourg d’Aquin mission of the Petites Soeurs de Sainte Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus (Little Sisters of Saint Theresa of the Child-Jesus), in the South department. The members of this congregation, the first locally-founded female congregation in Haiti, play a crucial role in providing essential services to isolated farming communities, in particular to women and children.

In 2023, this fund supported over 7,000 people through a project to refurbish a solar energy system for the mission of Vieux Bourg d’Aquin of the Little Sisters of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. This congregation, the first indigenous female congregation in Haiti, plays a crucial role in providing essential services to isolated communities, particularly for women and children. After the devastating earthquake of 2021, this project restored a reliable energy source, improving the quality of life and safety in the region.

After the devastating earthquake of August 14, 2021, the community of Vieux Bourg d’Aquin was plunged into darkness, exacerbating the already precarious situation caused by a combination of economic, political, social and environmental challenges.

The mission’s buildings, including a hospital, a school attended by 998 students, and a residence for the sisters, lost their source of solar power. This deprived the inhabitants of essential medical services and the students of their right to an education in appropriate conditions.

The Foundation provided $29,500 towards the project to replace the energy system destroyed by the earthquake. The new solar panels were installed on the sisters’ residence. This repair work has had a considerable impact: it has enabled young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to resume their studies in an optimal environment, and has ensured that the hospital’s medical equipment is functioning properly, improving the quality of care provided by the staff.

Thanks to the dedicated women of this congregation, the members of the Vieux Bourg d’Aquin community, particularly vulnerable women and children, have hope for a better future.

 

 


The Baillairgé Fund

This endowment fund was created in 2021 to pursue the activities of the former Baillairgé Foundation, which was started by Dr. Claude Baillairgé in 1986 to support the formation of future priests. Through this fund, the Foundation was able to support the training of 294 seminarians in 12 countries in 2023. Of these seminarians, 32 were ordained priests, achieving these Holy Orders thanks to the generosity and prayers of the donors to the Baillairgé Fund.

The Baillairgé Fund also provides funding for water and sanitation projects, and in 2023, the Foundation was able to support the drilling of a well in the community of Meyomessala in Cameroon, as well as the installation of well and water tower at a school for disadvantaged children in Uganda.

All of these achievements would not have been possible were it not for the faith and commitment of Dr. Baillairgé, who sadly passed away on February 17th, 2024 at the age of 89. He leaves behind a great legacy that the Foundation is proud to uphold. Through his works, thousands of seminarians have been able to respond to the call of God and follow their vocation. Today, they are at the service of communities all over the world, providing spiritual guidance and promoting social justice. The time and dedication he placed into building his foundation so that others could have a brighter future is a testament to his faith and firm belief in the power of solidarity.

 

 

 

Financial summary




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