Goan Welfare Association (GWA) Qatar donate Rs. 3.38 Lakhs towards Care Home for AIDS/HIV patients in Tivim
Fr. Valerian Vaz, Director of Caritas Goa receiving a cheque from Martin Mascarenhas, Vice-president of Goan Welfare Association, Doha - Qatar. Construction work of the Care Home for AIDS/HIV patients in Tivim village, North Goa which is in progress can be seen in the picture. Goan Welfare Association (GWA) Qatar handed over a cheque of Rs. 3.38 lakhs to Caritas Goa, a Catholic charitable organization established in 1962, which has been involved in a number of relief work in Goa. The cheque was handed over to Father (Fr.) Valerian Vaz, Director of Caritas Goa by Martin Mascarenhas, Vice-president of GWA. The donation will go towards the construction work of the Care Home for AIDS/HIV patients in Tivim village in North Goa. The centre for AIDS is home to a number of resident patients, while many who have been infected with the virus frequent the centre for solace and treatment. GWA Qatar functioning under the dynamic leadership of President Simon D'Silva have been consistently doling out funds for relief work to different organizations in India. Since 2001, D'Silva and like-minded Goans based in Qatar have pitched in to support organizations involved in relief work for the cause of the down trodden and neglected sections of society in India. Contributions to the Gujarat Earthquake Victims through Prime Minister's Relief Fund, Child Relief and You (CRY), a national level social-charitable body involved in the welfare of orphan children have been the twin organizations where the Goans have pitched in over the last few years. Back in Goa, GWA have for the last two years have supported social work carried out by Lar de St. Terezinha Orphanage home at Margao and also helped the institute in Cavelosim village functioning under Caritas which is sheltering orphan children suffering from HIV. Fr. Valerian lauded the role played by GWA towards helping poor, needy and specially the less fortunate. "I am grateful for your special interest in the projects of Caritas-Goa since the time you have been the President of Goan Welfare Association, Doha Qatar. I appreciate the continued generosity and support of the Goan Welfare Association towards our projects, I really appreciate your kind gesture to join hands with Caritas-Goa in our outreach programme to Children with HIV/AIDS", Fr. Valerian wrote in a letter addressed to the President of Goan Welfare Association, Doha Qatar. "Empowerment of both individual and communities had been the motto of Caritas, besides helping the individual to stand on its own. Not only relief work but empowerment of both individual and communities is the focus of attention of Caritas. The concern is to deal with people as human beings with dignity, help them run their own lives, guide them to live in communion with each other and in harmony with nature, and build this awareness within communities," said Fr. Valerian after receiving the cheque from Martin Mascarenhas, Vice President of GWA. The numerous projects run by Caritas in Goa include Prison Apostolate, were apart from teaching the illiterate prisoners to read and write, some of them are even taught different trades. All the centres run by the Caritas cater to all types of people irrespective of religion, caste or creed and are not limited to the people of Goa. Besides, relief work Caritas projects of philanthropic nature include - the Obra de Proteccao a Mulher - a centre for Service for Protection of Women in Nachionala, established in 1942. Prosthetic and Orthotic centre, located in Old Goa which manufactures and provides artificial limbs and other aids like crutches, calipers etc. Other charitable and social welfare programmes run by Caritas in Goa extend from running the St. Xavier's Academy for handicapped boys and girls in Old Goa which conducts the government recognized training and production programme for the handicapped children. The academy meets the needs of differently-disabled children and is a recognized schools for the hearing impaired, handicapped, mentally challenged and learning -disabled children.
