CONTEXT

In countries where health care is fragile and where there are no programmes to help the people made even poorer by the pandemic, many people can count only on Franciscan charitable work.

Franciscans presence

Friars in Colombia carry out our mission among the indigenous population, those of African origin, the campesinos and the people who live in run-down urban suburbs. In this time of pandemic, we are close to those who are
suffering, especially the poorest: the problem for families is hunger.

In Congo, country with a fragile health system, the pandemic is making the situation unsustainable. The restrictions and curfews that the Government has imposed to contain the pandemic, without having a programme of economic support for the people, have made the Church the only refuge for those who have nothing.

In the State of Andra Pradesh in India friars live side by side with an impoverished population. Because of Covid today, the situation is even more difficult because those who lived on begging and occasional work have no chance of supporting themselves without their assistance.