Private audience with Pope Franziskus
“Women can change entire civilizations…. CASA HOGAR is taking exactly the right approach”.
With these words, Pope Francis concluded the private audience he granted us at the Vatican on June 4, 2022.
During a 30-minute audience, 10 CASA HOGAR members, as well as two representatives from the Chocó region, had the extraordinary opportunity to talk about CASA HOGAR’s work with Pope Francis. The focus of the meeting were the two core values of our association: Women’s education and cooperation at eye level with the local population. Especially in a decades-long crisis situation with little or no opportunities for the (young) population, a respectful international cooperation – as it exists since 2015 between local organizations and CASA HOGAR – is necessary to accompany a sustainable social change in the Chocó.
We see the audience with Pope Francis as a successful step in three directions:
- First, the Chocó region received much-needed attention at the local, national and international levels because of the dire human rights violations there. This sympathy gives courage and hope to the local people.
- Secondly, the importance of CASA HOGAR’s way of working was emphasized: to provide assistance at eye level to local project partners and with a focus on women’s education.
- Thirdly, the voluntary foundation of CASA HOGAR and thus the social importance of volunteering was emphasized. Voluntary development cooperation thus receives the crucial recognition in a currently very difficult time.
We are very pleased that the Pope has honored our projects as an example of sustainable and respectful development cooperation.
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to all the volunteers who came to the audience and supported us to make this important event possible for CASA HOGAR and for the Chocó.
More information about the audience can be found through the following links:
