This Wednesday, 18 February, marks the beginning of Lent. In keeping with tradition, Pope Leo XIV shared his message for Lent, offering reflections on the importance of listening and fasting and inviting us to consider Lent as a time of conversion.
“Let us strive to make our communities places where the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love.”
Pope Leo XIV.
During this special time for prayer and reflection, most CIDSE members organise campaigns and activities with the purpose to pray and raise awareness on issues such as the right to food and sustainable food systems, resilience to climate change, social justice, ecological debt, gender injustice, or alternative economic models but also to call us all to become actors of change for a sustainable world.
We invite you to explore these resources and activities and to discover the inspiring stories of their partners.
Broederlijk Delen, Belgium: ‘HET IS NÚ TIJD VOOR ACTIE’ (NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION)
Human rights, democracy and environmental protection are under pressure worldwide.It’s no longer a coincidence. The current economic and political system is negatively impacting people and the environment, all in the name of growth and maintaining power structures. Broederlijk Delen calls on us to stand on the side of human rights defenders and environmental defenders who are resisting and building better alternatives all over the world. Together, we can create a fairer system where everyone counts. The future is in our hands. Now is the time for action. Read the stories of partners from the Occupied West Bank, Haiti, Congo DRC, Peru and Bolivia, also available in the ‘Revolution newspaper’ (EN – ES – FR – NL).
Lent challenge: Create a fist for human rights and share it on social media.
More information about the campaign on the Broederlijk Delen website.
CAFOD, England and Wales: ‘FINDING HOPE THROUGH THE FLOODS’
In some parts of the world, rain is scarce. In other parts, there is too much water; with devastating floods destroying farmland. Either way, the result is the same: seeds fail to grow, harvests disappear, and families go hungry. This year, CAFOD’s Lent Appeal highlights the stories of Rejoice from South Sudan and Bayezid from Bangladesh, who have built floating gardens that are immune to floods. This allows them to grow enough food to eat and sell, helping them to make a living. The appeal also tells the story of and Shorai from Zimbabwe who has worked with his family to build an eco-garden, using drought-resistant crops and a solar-powered water pump.
CAFOD and SCIAF are also teaming up to bring the Big Lent Walk to Great Britain. Thousands of walkers from England, Wales, Scotland and beyond, will be walking 200km this Lent in 40 days for life-saving water.
More information about the campaign on the CAFOD website.
CCFD-Terre Solidaire, France: ‘FACE À LA FAIM, UNISSONS NOS POUVOIRS’ (IN THE FACE OF HUNGER, LET’S JOIN FORCES)
In 2024, 676 million people worldwide suffered from hunger. A further 840 million people are at risk of experiencing hunger by 2030. CCFD-Terre Solidaire and its partners campaign for a food sovereignty approach that does not come at the expense of human rights and populations in third countries. In a world where shocks on the global market are further weakening our food systems in both the Global North and South, this approach, based on agroecology, is essential. Here and there, CCFD-Terre Solidaire is calling on us to unite to support sustainable agriculture and strengthen the autonomy of farming communities. This year, the campaign’s ambassadors are Kawtal Platform (Chad), Decidamos (Paraguay), Permatil (Timor-Leste) and Terre et Humanisme (Morocco) who work daily to promote food sovereignty in their territories.
More information about the campaign on the CCFD-Terre Solidaire website.
Development & Peace, Canada: ‘ON TRACK FOR JUSTICE’ / ‘SUR LA VOIE DE LA JUSTICE’
This Lent, the Development and Peace–Caritas Canada campaign, ‘On Track for Justice’, is focusing on ecological debt. We are invited to support the work of communities in the Global South that are mobilising to ensure that their rights and the environment are respected and to discover the work of Justiça nos Trilhos (Justice on Rails, JnT), one of its Brazilian partners, which is helping communities negatively impacted by extractive projects and their infrastructure. We will learn how they are resisting to simply exist on their lands, to defend human rights and to protect the environment.
More information about the campaign on the Development and Peace website. (FR).
Entraide et Fraternité, Belgium: ‘RÉSISTER C’EST FAIRE VIVRE LA SOLIDARITÉ’ (RESISTANCE IS ABOUT LIVING IN SOLIDARITY)
This Lent, Entraide et Fraternité is calling on us to stand in solidarity with the Haitian people impacted by hunger and injustice who are resisting. We are invited to denounce the injustice they face and support the resistance movements that build justice every day. Contrary to the commonly held view of Haiti as a country defined solely by poverty and lawlessness, their partners show a different side to the country: that of a proud and resilient people. In rural areas, communities are developing genuine resilience based on solidarity, ingenuity and hope. Agroecology, in particular, offers sustainable solutions adapted to local conditions.
Lent challenge: Paint Resistance. All the paintings will be collected and sent to Haitian partners as messages of solidarity and hope.
More information about the campaign on the Entraide et Fraternité website.
Fastenaktion, Switzerland: ‘ZUKUNFT SÄEN’ / ‘SEMER L’AVENIR’ / ‘SEMINARE L’AVVENIRE’ (SOWING THE FUTURE)
As part of a three-year cycle dedicated to the right to food, this year’s Ecumenical Campaign focuses on farmers’ seeds, under the slogan ‘Sowing the Future’ and defends the right to local seeds. Guarantors of diversity, they symbolise food justice at a time when the diversity of seeds and food is increasingly under threat, particularly from large agri-food companies. This situation jeopardises the food security of millions of people in the Global South. By valuing farmers’ seeds, adopting responsible consumption habits and committing to greater justice, we can help create a future without hunger.
Discover the projects in focus: Cameroun, Kenya, Colombia, Niger and Tanzania.
More information about the campaign on the Ecumenical website (DE / FR / IT).
KOO and Katholische Frauenbewegung Österreich, Austria: ‘GEMEINSAM ZUKUNFT GESTALTEN!’ (SHAPING THE FUTURE TOGETHER!)
Empowerment begins when women are heard, have a say and can help shape society.This Lent, the campaign of the Austrian Catholic Women’s Movement (KFBÖ) is focusing on India, highlighting the work of partners such as SEEDS (Socio-Economic and Education Development Society). Since 1995, SEEDS has been working with indigenous Adivasi women in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand. The aim is to support women in learning and asserting their rights, and encourage their active participation in social decision-making processes. Women’s forums at village level offer safe spaces where they can talk about male violence and develop solutions together. As many women are illiterate, SEEDS focuses on low-threshold educational work and on women from the communities themselves, known as ‚barefoot counsellors‘, who pass on knowledge and build trust. Because participation is the key to achieving a more just society.
More information about the campaign on the KFBÖ website.
Manos Unidas, Spain: ‘DECLARA LA GUERRA AL HAMBRE’ (DECLARE WAR ON HUNGER)
For its annual campaign, Manos Unidas is raising its voice to remind us that ending hunger means building peace. In a world marked by violence and armed conflict, the need to talk about peace is more urgent than ever. However, peace does not begin when the guns fall silent. It is built long before that, when a dignified life is guaranteed, hunger is eradicated and poverty and inequality are reduced. This conviction lies at the heart of Manos Unidas’ 2026 Campaign which is an urgent call to combat the root causes of violence and commit to fair development as an essential path towards real and lasting peace. Hunger is a silent weapon that is more lethal than weapons of war, and it is also strategically employed in armed conflicts. Where there is inequality, hunger and poverty, peace becomes fragile and the future is uncertain .
More information about the campaign on the Manos Unidas website.
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, USA: ‘MAKE THIS LENT A JOURNEY TOWARD PEACE’
We often think of Lent as a season of “doing without.” But Pope Leo invites us to see it as a season of “becoming.” By centering our journey on a “peace that is unarmed and disarming,” we are challenged to set down the defenses we carry—our pride, our judgments, and our fears. This year, the Lenten Reflection Guide published by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns is an invitation to cultivate what Pope Leo has called a “humble and persevering” spirit. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we aren’t just preparing for a holiday; we are practicing the peace of the Risen Christ in the here and now. 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.
More information on the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns website.
Misereor, Germany: ‘HIER FÄNGT ZUKUNFT AN’ (THE FUTURE STARTS HERE)
This Lent, Misereor is inviting anyone interested in social justice to join their ‘The future starts here’ campaign, which aims to create real opportunities for young people. With a focus on living realities in Cameroon, Misereor is promoting vocational training, strengthening prospects, and helping to secure the future in collaboration with its project partner, CODAS Caritas Douala. Vocational training changes lives – in Cameroon and worldwide. By creating opportunities, strengthening self-confidence and opening new pathways to the future, it has many benefits for both individuals and society as a whole. We are all called to work together to give young people hope, so that they can realise their dreams for the future.
More information about the campaign on the Misereor website.
Partage.LU, Luxembourg: ‘JUSTICE POUR LA TERRE ET POUR LES HOMMES’ (JUSTICE FOR THE EARTH AND FOR THE PEOPLE)
Social and ecological justice is the motto of the Partage.lu lenten campaign this year. Justice is more than just a value; it is the foundation of a world in which everyone can live in dignity. It is social when it secures rights, education, and access to resources. It is ecological when it protects our planet and enables fair living conditions for all. Donations will help to: Strengthen women’s rights in India and support indigenous communities in Brazil; provide access to vocational training for young people and people in precarious situations in Rwanda, Mali and Cameroon; promote environmental justice in Guatemala by supporting rural Maya-Q’eqchi communities in developing agroecological practices and improve food security in Kenya through agricultural methods adapted to the local climate.
More information about the campaign on the Partage lu website.
SCIAF, Scotland: ‘ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE WATER IN ETHIOPIA‘
Water is life. Yet, for many, clean water is dangerously scarce. This year, the SCIAF WEE BOX Appeal highlights the work SCIAF and its partners do in Ethiopia to bring clean, safe water, and, with it, the reality of a better tomorrow. For the third year, SCIAF is also partnering with CAFOD for The Big Lent Walk for Water through Great Britain, a virtual challenge to walk the length of the Blue Nile river as a group while reflecting and fundraising through Lent.
More information about the campaign on the SCIAF website.
Trócaire, Ireland: ‘STRENGTH AND HONOUR ARE HER CLOTHING’
(Proverbs 31:25)
Trócaire’s Lenten campaign this year accompanies a three-generation family in rural Rwanda, led by Uwamahoro, a young mother supporting her daughter, niece and elderly mother. The family is involved in the Trócaire programme ‘Climate Just Communities (CJC)’, which aims to empower communities – particularly women, youth, persons with disabilities – who are facing huge challenges such as unpredictable weather, food insecurity, and loss of livelihoods, to build long-term resilience to climate change. Through their story, parish communities are invited to reflect on themes of resilience, care for our common home, and the dignity of every person in the face of poverty caused by climate injustice. Their lived experience helps bring the Sunday Gospels to life and connects faith with the call to solidarity.
Join the Trócaire Lent webinars series.
More info on the campaign available on the Trócaire website.
Vastenactie, Netherlands: EN HIJ ZIJ: ‘GEVEN JULLIE HEN MAAR TE ETEN’ (AND HE SAID, ‘YOU GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO EAT.’)
In 2026, Vastenactie is celebrating its 65 years of Lenten Action! The theme for this year’s campaign comes from the parable of the five loaves and two fish, where Jesus tells his disciples to ‘Give them something to eat.’ to a crowd of thousands of people gathered around him. With this one sentence, Jesus places the responsibility on his disciples — and on us. Vastenactie is supporting the work of Bishop Eugenio Coter and his team from the Bolivian Diocese of Pando in prisons who are helping the most vulnerable and putting works of mercy into practice. In short, bringing hope to dark places. Read the inspiring story of Marie Cruz.
Quizz: Find out your fasting style.
More information about the campaign 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 illustration: Hirit, a woman from Tigray (Ethiopia), washes her hands while smiling at the camera. Credit: James Cave.