In 2023, Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife assisted a total of 4,750 households and 16,776 individuals (including 3,912 minors) in the region of Santa Cruz de Tenerife through the 17 archpriests that form part of the Nivariense Diocese and various programmes and initiatives it carries out, marking a 20% increase from 2018 and figures very similar to those of the past four years.
This information is outlined in the annual report of the organisation which was presented to the press this Tuesday by the bishop of the Nivariense Diocese, Bernardo Álvarez; the director of Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife, Juan Rognoni; and the general secretary of the organisation, Ricardo Iglesias.
As per the data included in the report, a significant number of these individuals were availing Cáritas services for the first time, a trend that is anticipated to persist throughout this year.
Cáritas identifies the primary social issues as lack of housing, job instability or unemployment, loneliness, marginalisation, and the ongoing and escalating social disparity.
In the view of the organisation’s director, Juan Rognoni, these figures highlight the “persistence of poverty”, underscoring the necessity for “immediate and decisive political actions that seek to address future challenges with commitment and a continuous approach, specifically tackling significant social issues such as the housing shortage in the archipelago.”
Therefore, in the Housing-Social Inclusion sector, Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife supported 3,667 individuals last year.
Among them, 254 were accommodated in one of the seven shelter facilities for homeless individuals managed by the organisation on the island of Tenerife, where essential needs are met, and psycho-social-educational aid is provided along with efforts to enhance employability.
Out of the total number assisted, 19 were single-parent families (women raising minor children on their own), as indicated by the organisation.
Moreover, the statistics compiled by Cáritas confirm the increasing trend of homeless individuals being assisted by the Mobile Street Care Units (UMAC) project, both in Tenerife and La Palma.
Rapid Increase in Homeless Population
Consequently, in 2023, a total of 1,164 homeless individuals were supported, marking a 70% surge compared to five years ago.
Faced with this reality, the organisation conducts initiatives like ‘Base 25’, aimed at preventing homelessness and providing alternative housing solutions to vulnerable individuals and families experiencing residential exclusion, supporting their complete social integration.
The programme assisted 685 households and 1,791 individuals last year, including 597 minors.
Cáritas provided assistance to a total of 11,152 individuals last year, catering to their essential needs and offering workshops and initiatives to enhance their quality of life. An additional 5,624 individuals benefited from specific projects implemented by the institution in the province.
The Employment Program saw the participation of 1,086 individuals, with two distinct lines of action.
Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife supported 799 individuals through the island network project ‘Neighborhoods for Employment: Stronger Together,’ and an additional 287 individuals in various Socio-Labour Integration Itineraries.
Out of the total participants, 479 individuals received vocational or supplementary training, and 315 individuals (29%) successfully integrated into the workforce.
Assistance in La Palma
The remarkable work conducted under the Emergency and Solidarity Campaign on the island of La Palma remains significant, with 790 people receiving aid following the volcanic eruption of ‘Tajogaite.’
Furthermore, 81 individuals benefited from day care services for the elderly and other specialised programmes, such as the project Saint Louise de Marillac in La Gomera. Another 218 individuals took part in the Drago detoxification and alcohol withdrawal project, resulting in a 33% completion rate.
Additionally, as part of the solidarity economy, two companies were established in August 2016 to facilitate socio-labour integration for vulnerable groups: ‘114 Espacio Creativo,’ focusing on design, graphic arts, and event management, and ‘Buscame las Habichuelas,’ specialising in the production and sale of organic agricultural products.
With regards to the profiles of beneficiaries in 2023, the majority were women (approximately 65%), with a growing vulnerability observed as they approach the end of their careers.
Particularly, individuals aged between 40 and 60 accounted for nearly 60% of Cáritas’ beneficiaries.
Consequently, Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife highlights the “systematic violation” and “precariousness of rights” experienced by the individuals served daily in parishes and through the institution’s diverse programmes. Data shows that 29.1% of the population in the Canary Islands (around 600,000 people, as per the latest report by the Foessa Foundation in 2022) face a “significant disadvantage,” with over 300,000 individuals experiencing “severe exclusion.”
Opposition to “immigrant detention centres”
Additionally, the organisation notes the rising number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands in irregular administrative statuses. They aim to address this through various projects and the Human Mobility Programme, which cater specifically to this group’s needs.
Cáritas has raised concerns about EU measures designed to control migration flows, expressing that these measures intend to turn territories like the Canary Islands into detention centres for migrants. They aim to close and externalise borders, as well as carry out deportations, all linked to the root causes that compel migrants to leave their home countries.
The organisation insists on the importance of prioritising fair development policies in migrants’ countries of origin, preventing them from falling prey to criminal organisations exploiting their desperation and lack of opportunities in impoverished nations.
Cáritas Diocesana de Tenerife has initiated a Volunteer Plan involving 884 individuals (681 women and 203 men).
Financially, Cáritas Tenerife generated €8,643,045.39 in revenue last year. Of this total, €3,706,976.35 (43%) came from private donations by individuals, foundations, companies, and collections made by parishes on the first Sunday of each month. The remaining €4,936,069.04 (57%) was sourced from public funds.