The document reflects «the lights and shadows» of a 2024 where the measures of public administrations continue to be «insufficient,» according to the organization.
LA LAGUNA (TENERIFE), 19 (EUROPA PRESS)
Cáritas presented its 2024 institutional memory this Thursday, a document that aims to highlight the «lights and shadows» of a year in which, they state, there has been a «slight improvement» in the living conditions of the population in the province but a «chronic» poverty situation worsened by responses that continue to be «insufficient» from the administration.
The institutional memory was presented this Thursday at the Seminary of La Laguna, attended by the newly appointed Bishop of Tenerife, Eloy Santiago; the director of Cáritas in Tenerife, Juan Rognoni, and the organization’s secretary general, Ricardo Iglesias.
In total, the organization assisted 14,929 people from the parishes, through various projects and services, including 2,838 minors, in the year 2024. These assistance figures show a 12% decrease in beneficiaries compared to 2023.
However, as warned by the organization itself, the «chronic» nature of poverty remains stagnant in the western province due to a complex social landscape. Thus, housing scarcity, precariousness, lack of employment, unwanted loneliness, marginalization, and «increasing» inequality are some of the obstacles that characterize society.
«It’s not just about numbers, I invite you to look at the reality of the people living in this province,» the Bishop said at the beginning of his speech, inviting greater «solidarity» from the population, either through joining the project itself or through donations.
He emphasized the importance of presenting this activity report to «be accountable» for the work carried out by the Church, also demonstrating that «Cáritas is credible» through its manifest action with vulnerable people and those in situations of social exclusion.
In the details of the memory, Rognoni described the «slight improvement» in vulnerability in the province, although this has not prevented poverty from becoming chronic in society. Thus, he advocated for political measures «with a willingness for continuity» to address the «serious» issues being faced, including housing shortages.
When asked about the profile of the individuals assisted by the organization, and who are more affected by greater vulnerability and poverty, he detailed that, according to the data, it is a female profile (60%) between the ages of 45 and 50, with dependents.
While 2024 saw indicators showing an improvement in the islands, the positive employment figures and the aid arrivals collided with the rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 2024 and an «uncontrolled» increase in housing prices. «We once again note the seriousness of the situation. Getting a job is no longer enough to achieve stability. The situation in our islands remains dramatic,» added the organization’s secretary general, Ricardo Iglesias.
FINANCIAL AUTONOMY: LACK OF CERTAINTY
«We’re not just talking about cold numbers, but about repeating stories, situations that don’t improve, and people trapped in exclusion,» he said. Indeed, among the data provided, there has been a «steady increase» in people living on the streets, with a 70% increase in assistance figures compared to the last data collected five years ago.
The organization’s secretary general, Ricardo Iglesias, highlighted the challenges that Cáritas will face in the coming years. The organization will continue to work to «remain a source of hope,» through an updated analysis of the people who need assistance.
He detailed how, just as society suffers from the rising cost of living, so do the organizations. In this regard, he emphasized how more resources are needed each year to aid the people they support. «Dealing with project costs and managing service provisions becomes increasingly difficult each year,» he confessed.
Iglesias thus denounced the «lack of certainty» regarding whether certain projects will receive regional funding this year. This situation would potentially affect projects related to the elderly, social inclusion, Cáritas accommodation resources, training for young volunteers, and initiatives related to migration.
«There are several projects subject to this regional funding, and it’s a problem that has been ongoing for many years. No political party has been able to solve the issue of securing and resolving funding on time,» he added.
«It poses a challenge for us, the organizations, when it comes to planning our actions logically,» he continued.
FUENTE