For the first time in history, globally, the number of poor people living in cities now outnumbers those in country areas.
This is being highlighted by Caritas Australia in its 2008 Lenten appeal,
Project Compassion. Among the urban programmes now being supported internationally by Caritas Australia are programmes in Kenya, Brazil and the Philippines. These programmes feature in this year's Project Compassion kit.
Fernandez Peira de Silva, 19, lives in the Vila Prudente's favela (slum) in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Life in Vila Prudente is tough. The majority of family members are unemployed or underemployed, homes are crowded, opportunities are limited. The influence of narcotics traffic is pervading the life of all who live in the favela; armed gangs control much of the activities of the community. Seven out of 10 young people in this favela are thought to be under the direct or indirect influence of the gangs, either dealing in drugs or running arms.
When he was 10, Fernandez was invited by a friend to join a painting group at the Centro de Cultura run by Movimento de Defesa (MDF) for children and young people. MDF's art programme in Vila Prudente favela teaches participants to be proud of where they live and that each person has gifts to offer the wider community. Students learn portrait painting and are encouraged to see that art is a way of communicating with others at a deeper level. Participants are taught to look into the eyes of the person they are painting, to get to know them and engage with them, to create trust and hope.
Within weeks of joining the art programme Fernandez came under the influence of Brian Maguire, an Irish artist who spent time as a volunteer with the centre, teaching young students portrait painting. This mentoring and positive influence changed Fernandez' life. Fernandez now uses his art skills to give others hope, teaching two days a week in the Centre. He sees the programme as crucial to the future of young people of the Vila Prudente favela and the other favelas that surround the major cities of Brazil.
"Without places like the Centro de Cultura there is very little hope for change. The Centre is like an oasis, where one learns self respect, respect for others and where we develop a sense of dignity and self-worth. We have the opportunity to develop our skills of self expression and life skills which will enable us to contribute to the well being of the community as well as discovering the gifts within us," he said.
In 2007, just over $8.9 million was raised for Project Compassion. This year, the target is $9.7 million. Project Compassion, under the theme just want justice - a call to action, runs from Ash Wednesday, February 6, to Easter Sunday, March 23.
According to the Caritas Australia Chairman, Archbishop Adrian Doyle (Hobart), the challenge of just want justice - a call to action is echoed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) signed by all United Nations Member States, including Australia, which aim to halve world poverty by 2015.
He said there were many distressing things that happen in the world today that prompted people to ask serious questions:
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Why do so many people still go without clean drinking water?
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Why are there still over 1 billion people living on less that $1 a day?
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Why are men, women and children still being used as weapons of war?
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Why do so many women still die in childbirth?
"Caritas Australia with your support is working hard to support communities so that they can be empowered to find solutions to some of these difficult questions."
Among themany projects, Caritas Australia will be helping:
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The people of the Philippines through skill building workshops and income generation activities (Millennium Development Goals 1-7)
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The young people of Indigenous Australia through traditional art and culture projects (MDG 1)
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The people of Java, Indonesia as they implement water and sanitation programs (MDGs 1, 7)
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The young people of Kenya as they learn new skills and take part in counselling so that they can address issues of abuse within their families (MDGs 1-6)
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The people of Brazil as they develop cultural programs for young people who live in the favelas (MDGs 1-7)
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The people of Fiji as they learn new farming and building skills (MDGs 1-6)
"Each of these goals calls us to action," Archbishop Doyle said.
"For the goals to be achieved we must work with our elected leaders to make sure that poverty and the needs of the poor become one of our top priorities. Let us stand together this Lent as we hear the call to work toward a more just world."
In this year of World Youth Day, Sydney, the Project Compassion campaign also explores the role of young people around the globe empowering their communities and being advocates for change.
"In 1 John 3:18 we are called to make our love 'not just words, but something real and active.' In this year's campaign our young global brothers and sisters call upon us all to raise our voices and stand up for those whose basic rights are ignored and who live in desperate and dehumanising poverty," he said.
Project Compassion began in 1966 and is now the largest humanitarian fundraising campaign in Australia. Caritas Australia belongs to an international network called Caritas Internationalis. Caritas Internationalis is one of the largest aid and development agencies in the world comprising a network of 162 Catholic relief aid, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories.
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