Lent is a special time for prayer and reflection. Most CIDSE members organise campaigns and activities with the purpose to pray and raise awareness about issues such as climate change, land conflicts and extractivism, gender injustice, but also to call us all to become actors of change for a sustainable world. As Lent begins today, marked by violent conflicts and environmental disasters around the world, it is more important than ever to strengthen the power of our collective actions to promote peace and global justice. We invite you to take a look at the activities of our member organisations during this period and the inspiring stories of their partners.
In his message for Lent 2024 published on 1st February, Pope Francis recalls the exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt. He explains that our journey through the desert can be a season of grace that involves seeing the world as it is and hearing the cries of our oppressed brothers and sisters. Lent is a time for action, the Pope said, but it is also a time “to pause” – to pause in prayer and to pause “in the presence of a wounded brother or sister.” The Holy Father and the Roman Curia will suspend public activities during the first week of Lent to dedicate the days to private, prayerful Spiritual Exercises.
“I invite every Christian community to do just this: to offer its members moments set aside to rethink their lifestyles, times to examine their presence in society and the contribution they make to its betterment..”
Pope Francis
Broederlijk Delen, Belgium: “Samen voor rechtvaardigheid werkt aanstekelijk” (Working together for justice is contagious)
Working together is the way to make the world better. You are not alone in wanting to make the world a fairer and environmentally friendly place. A world where life is good for everyone. Even in places where you least expect it, people are trying to make a positive difference. It is time to join forces. This is what Broederlijk Delen is doing with the 25% Revolution campaign. This year, the focus is on land issues and Congo DRC. Read the stories of Christine, Bernadette and George and Freddy.
More info about the campaign available on the Broederlijk Delen website.
CAFOD, England and Wales: “No one should have to risk everything to feed their family”
This year, CAFOD and SCIAF (Scotland) are teaming up to bring “The Big Lent Walk!” challenge to Great Britain.
Thousands of women and men around the world face the question: how do you ensure your family has enough to eat today and tomorrow if you cannot have a safe access to food throughout the year ? CAFOD invites us to help fishing communities in Liberia feed their families, not just for today or tomorrow, but for good. Watch the story of James.
More info on the campaign available on the CAFOD website.
CCFD-Terre Solidaire, France: “Les crises alimentaires se multiplient, décuplons la force de nos actions!” (Food crises are multiplying, let’s increase the power of our actions tenfold!)
For more than a year now, we have been living at the pace of food inflation and accelerating climate disruption that is exacerbating hunger around the world. By 2030, more than 840 million people will be going hungry if we don’t take action. CCFD-Terre Solidaire invites us to take part in their Lenten campaign against hunger and for an economic justice at the service of the common good, for a fair distribution of wealth, and for the protection of fundamental rights and the environment, and to discover the work of Justiça nos Trilhos (JNT)/Brazil, People’s Resource Centre (PRC)/India, Association Ouest Africaine pour le Développement de la Pêche Artisanale (ADEPA)/Senegal and MADA/Lebanon, four partners whom they admire for their courage and determination to work for the well-being of their people.
More info on the campaign available on the CCFD-Terre Solidaire website.
Development & Peace, Canada: “Reaping our rights / Cultivons nos droits”
Throughout the world, and especially in the Global South, impoverished populations face growing challenges due to climate change, land grabbing, resource theft, soil contamination and armed conflict. Rural populations are particularly affected by these upheavals. Development and Peace supports them in defending their rights to life, land, water, biodiversity, justice, health, participation, decent livelihoods, a healthy environment and more, and invites us to discover its partners Fundación NUNA (Bolivia), PAYOPAYO (Indonesia) and HOMEF (Nigeria).
More info on the campaign available on the Development & Peace website (EN / FR).
Entraide et Fraternité, Belgium: “L’impact de nos écrans, on y regarde de plus près ? (A closer look at the impact of our screens?
This Lent, Entraide et Fraternité’s campaign focuses on their partners in Congo DRC and mining and its impact on peasant agriculture in South Kivu. Mining is a huge source of wealth for the country, but it is also a source of suffering. The campaign looks at the various links between mining, peasant agriculture, the conflicts that devastate the country and our consumption patterns in the West. There’s a lot of talk in Europe about the Green Deal, energy transition, renewable energy, electric cars and the digitalisation of society, but little is known about the impact of these issues on countries like the DRC and its people.
More info on the campaign available on the Entraide et Fraternité website.
Fastenaktion, Switzerland: Ecumenical Campaign “Weniger ist mehr – Klimagerechtigkeit Jetzt / Moins, c’est plus – Justice climatique, maintenant! / Meno è di più: Giustizia climatica ora! (Less is more – Climate justice now!)
Overconsumption exacerbates climate change. This threatens living conditions in the South. Less is more. Let’s take responsibility together. If we act together now, we can still achieve the 1.5°C target. The 2024 Ecumenical Campaign concludes the four-year cycle on climate justice and calls us to significantly reduce our CO2 emissions by all means available. Every contribution counts! Countries focus are: Discover the projects in focus: Ethiopia, Guatemala, Philippines, Senegal, Senegal, Indonesia and Honduras.
More info on the ecumenical campaign available in DE / FR / IT.
KOO and Katholische Frauenbewegung Österreich, Austria: “Gemeinsam für mehr Klimagerechtigkeit” (Together for more global justice)
This Lent, the Austrian Catholic Women’s Movement (KFBÖ) is partnering with women’s cooperatives in Kailali in south-west Nepal in their fight against the climate crisis. Nepal is one of the most affected countries in the world with extreme weather events such as droughts and floods on the rise, and pests destroying meagre harvests. As a result, in some regions 75% of men migrate abroad, mostly to India, to work as low-paid agricultural labourers while their wives try to wring enough yield from the local fields to feed their families.
More info available on the campaign website.
Partage LU, Luxembourg: “Aktiv Hofnung schaffen / Ensemble, créons activement de l’espoir” (Actively creating hope together)
Improving livelihoods and food security is one of the main focuses of Partage lu’s cooperation work. By joining forces, we can create hope by continuing to fight for food security and decent livelihoods. This Lent, Partage lu calls on us to work together to strengthen the resilience of communities in the Global South, because solidarity builds hope and preserves human dignity.
More info on the campaign available on the Partage.lu website.
Manos Unidas, Spain: “Efecto ser humano“ (The human being effect)
With this campaign, Manos Unidas wants to stand with the so-called “climate disenfranchised” (“descartados climáticos”), those who are most vulnerable to climate change and its changing effects, even though they have contributed the least to it. Under the slogan “The human being effect”, they want to raise awareness that mistreatment of the planet has greater consequences on the other side of the world, and highlight the dual power of humans to change it: for better or for worse.
More info on the campaign available on the Manos Unidas website.
Video with French subtitles.
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, USA: “Caring for Creation”
Inspired by the encyclical Laudato Si’, the Reflection Guide from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns contains reflections, questions, prayers, fasts, and actions based on each week’s Gospel reading and the experience of Maryknoll missioners who have lived and worked with marginalised communities around the world. The guide can be used individually or in small groups to reflect upon your life patterns, to pray more deeply, and renew your spirit to face the realities of our world. (Available in EN / ES).
Misereor, Germany: “Interessiert mich die Bohne.” (Do I care about the bean?)
Misereor is committed to the rights of smallholder farmers, who grow around 70% of the world’s food and can provide a stable and balanced diet. Lent is an opportunity for them to share the longing for a just world without hunger and the desire to be more appreciative of our food. Good nutrition for all requires diversity from field to fork and a fairer distribution. Misereor invites us to discuss sustainable agriculture and healthy food with partners in Colombia. They will talk about their community and closeness to nature, but also about their insecurity and existential fears. The motto refers to the fact that beans are an important commodity and a typical staple food in Colombia. Read the stories of Oeimar, Claudia and Ramiro.
More info on the campaign available on the Misereor website.
SCIAF, Scotland: “Gender-based sexual violence in Rwanda“
Every year during Lent, SCIAF collects donations in its Weebox, which is also available online. This year, donations will help to stop violence against women and girls, with Rwanda as the country focus.
In April 1994, 100 days of mass genocide began in Rwanda. Up to one million people are thought to have died in the violence, including an estimated 500,000 women and children who brutally lost their lives. Thirty years on, the country and its people are still recovering from the genocide that ripped their country apart and the deep trauma and ongoing sexual violence it left behind. Listen to the story of Jeanette.
More info on the campaign available on the SCIAF website.
Trócaire, Ireland: “Let justice flow like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
For this year’s Lenten campaign, Trócaire is focusing on water justice in Malawi, telling the story of Malita and her family‘s daily struggle with the many problems they face in accessing water, whether due to floods, cyclones or droughts. Trócaire’s work in Malawi focuses on supporting communities, particularly women like Malita, to adapt their livelihoods to cope with the impacts of climate change or ensuring that families like hers can continue to survive. Trócaire has been working with partners in Malawi for the last forty-eight years.
More info on the campaign available on the Trócaire website.
Vastenactie, Netherlands: “Leven in een veranderende wereld” (Living in a changing world)
This year, Vastenactie’s Lenten campaign focuses on the effects of climate change. People in southern Zimbabwe depend on rain-fed agriculture. Vastenactie and its local partners work closely with communities to make them more resilient to climate change. Watch the story of Thandekile and her family to see how they are learning to cope with climate change.
More info on the campaign available on the Vastenactie website.
Currently not running a Lenten campaign but many other inspiring activities are the other CIDSE members: Cordaid (Netherlands), eRko (Slovakia), FEC (Portugal), Focsiv (Italy).
Cover photo: Partpati Chaudhary (Nepal). Credit: Bikkil Sthapit VOW Media /KFBÖ