Registered: Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka (Incorporation) ACT No.17 of 1983

HUDEC is the social arm of the Catholic Church of Jaffna, which networks at Parish level across the Jaffna Peninsula and the Wanni working with the disadvantaged (irrespective of religion and other distinctions) for the alleviation of poverty, ignorance and social oppression.

Initiate, support and catalyse realisation of Justice and Peace.
Address gender issues and women’s rights.
Current tasks (in the context of armed conflict) focus on:

Crisis intervention with food, medicine, shelter, water and sanitation
Support basic services of IDPs in camps and welfare centres
Mitigate the impact of war on the most vulnerable and at risk;

- Children
- Women
- Those with special needs

Community based rehabilitation rural reconstruction by strengthening self reliance initiatives in harnessing the beneficiaries as resources for growth through societies formed among themselves.
Awareness and Peace Building

Profile

HUDEC was established in 1972 by the emirate Bishop of Jaffna Rt. Rev. B. Deogupillai ably assisted by Rev. Fr. J.B. Thevaraja to manage an emergency situation at a time when the displaced from the South due to ethnic violence were arriving.  Immediate assistance in meeting basic needs and long term ‘settlement’ programmes were initiated.

Over three decades HUDEC expanded activities to function as the social arm of the Jaffna Diocese under the Bishop of Jaffna, geographically covering the Districts of Jaffna (including off-shore Islands), Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.  The latter two known as the Wanni.

HUDEC is a partner organisation of SEDEC (Social & Economic Development) Caritas – Sri Lanka, which is the main body of Caritas Organisations in Sri Lanka; which networks with 13 sister organisations of Caritas in each districts.

We work with INGOO (International Non Government Organisations), LNGOO (Local Non Government Organisations) and Ministry of Relief & Rehabilitation of the Government of Sri Lanka).

HUDEC mainly depends on the partner organisations/ funding agencies for the implementation of the projects or programmes, as it has not fund in its own.  The total number of permanent staff in Jaffna & Wanni is twenty. We carryout work through our networking system of parish level, and local government officials (known as Grama Sevakar - GS), by the field staff, animators, peace animators, co-ordinators, youths, village people (on volunteer basis) and we reach the radical level.

Link

Link with participating Caritas and other agencies in an environment of trust and understanding.

Vision

Identify current social realities and challenges and discern active, practical response by the church, based on faith reflection, values of the Gospel and Kingdom of God as an integral part of the evangelisation. (Pope Paul the VI).

To broaden vision of being a true witness to God’s love.

Review mission of Caritas – Sri Lanka and encourage cohesive working relationship between the National and Diocesan centre.

Explore areas of collaboration with other church based and like-minded social action groups in search for alternate participatory development processes.

Formulate strategy to project the spirit of the great Jubilee;

Love, Reconciliation and Freedom to the oppressed in building a Just and Humane society in motivating and be with the poor and the oppressed to be aware and ‘take control’ for collective action for change for;

- better human life
- Preservation of democracy, human rights and removes corruption in fellowship with other religious leaders.
- Empower women to play a more active role for social change.
- Campaign for peace through the parish ‘Justice and Peace Committees' with an inter-religious dimension.
- Peace animation at all levels.

Fr.C.G.Jeyakumar
Director
HUDEC – Caritas Jaffna