Sweden: Lent of solidarity, €187,000 raised. They will go to the people of Yemen through Caritas Poland

The Catholic Diocese of Stockholm raised over €187,000 (over 1.9 million SEK) during the Lenten collection promoted by Caritas Sweden. And “donations keep coming”, according to a statement released by the Diocese today. The funds raised will support the work of Caritas Poland in Yemen, a country seriously affected by war and famine. “It is absolutely fantastic”, said George Joseph, Secretary-General of Caritas Sweden, thanking all those who contributed. “Our donors showed great generosity and love, despite the fact that we are in the midst of a difficult pandemic”. But the situation in Yemen is dramatic: in what the UN has called the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, one child dies every ten minutes and one third of the country’s population suffers from acute malnutrition; 24 million out of 30 million people in Yemen need total assistance. Even if several international humanitarian organizations are active, “reaching the most in need is difficult, and Caritas Poland is the only Caritas network authorized to enter and operate in the country”. The funds raised in Sweden will go towards the purchase of medicines, medical equipment, and the wages of qualified medical staff.Valentina Bombelli