To encourage support and mutual cooperation between the elderly and adolescents: this project is based on the project undertaken by Caritas Tajikistan in the context of social activities aimed at young people. «The program, carried out with the support of Caritas Germany in Tajikistan and in collaboration with the NGO Zumrad, aims to accompany and support both the elderly and adolescents without families», explained a note sent to Fides News Agency by the board of Caritas in the country.
The project, called «Preparation for adulthood – supervision for success», is in its second edition, lasts one year and «is aimed at orphans residing in colleges, who find themselves living in an important phase such as preparation for adulthood, but also to a group of elderly people. Through the planned activities, the children have the opportunity to receive support, training and guidance from elderly-volunteers, preparing to becoming independent. At the same time, the elderly people involved earn great moral satisfaction from interacting with young people».
The arrival of Catholics in Tajikistan dates back to the 1970s: the first faithful were mostly Germans from Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania, deported to the country when the Soviet Union existed. Because of the communist regime, for years the communities of Tajikistan were completely isolated from the universal Church. Pope Wojtyla gave structure to the local Catholic presence with the institution of the Missio sui iuris, on September 29, 1997. In this context, the charitable actions started in 1983 by small groups, which officially merged into Caritas starting from 2004. Since then, the organization has started and consolidated projects concerning the supply of water, sanitation and social support regarding the most disadvantaged.
