This summer the charity will support close to 400 camps and gatherings, with most of this financial assistance directed to Lebanon and Syria.
Tens of thousands of children and youths from countries in crisis, such as Syria, Egypt, Armenia, Ukraine and Lebanon, will be taking part in camps and summer courses funded by international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) this year.
Over half of these courses are taking place in Syria where more than a decade of war, has led to a dramatic economic situation. The charity will be helping 45,574 young people, mostly children and youths, participate in 273 summer camps aimed especially at recovering stamina and healing wounds. . The participants attending the camps held between June and September, are Christians from different churches within the dioceses of Homs, Aleppo, Lattakia, Tartous, Jazeera, Hama and Damascus, among others. Through these projects the local churches hope to strengthen the spirit, body and soul of participants, especially those who have suffered the worst effects of years of violence and war.
This year, ACN has released additional funds for summer camps in regions where children were affected by a recent earthquake, including Lattakia, Hama, and Aleppo.
The summer camps often take place as part of Christian scouting groups; other groups whose activities are supported include spiritual fraternities, catechesis groups, and Christian youth clubs.
The second country with the most participants and camps is Lebanon. ACN has massively increased its assistance to this country over the past three years, since the devastating explosion in the Port of Beirut, in August 2020. A total of 106 ACN funded summer camps will be taking place all over the country, for the benefit of 18,855 Lebanese children and youths.
Called to become sentinels of peace
“During the last meeting of Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches (ROACO) the Holy Father thanked us for supporting the youths of the Eastern Churches. He encouraged us to listen to the dreams they carry in their hearts, saying that young people want to be protagonists of the common good, which should be the ‘compass’ of social action,” said Marco Mencaglia, director of projects for Aid to the Church in Need International.
“The Pope has asked the youths to be sentinels of peace for everyone, prophets who dream and proclaim a world that is different and no longer divided. At ACN we have massively increased our commitment to the young people in these countries. We want to be an active part of this future,” Mencaglia added.
Some of the support programs for summer camps and courses have a long tradition among ACN assistance projects, such as the camps for Christians in the Holy Land, including Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
This year ACN will also be supporting four initiatives in Egypt. Three projects organized by the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate will include one for orphans, one for young people with special needs and their parents, and another organized by the Salesian-run Youth and Refugee Centre for Sudanese and Egyptian children and young people.
These summer courses are also important to many children and youths outside the Middle East where ACN is also funding several initiatives, such as in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Cuba, Lithuania, and Armenia. The sad reality of the situation in Eastern Europe, caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, also merits special attention. ACN will be supporting five “Holidays with God” camps in Ukraine, as well as summer camps for young Ukrainian refugees in Hungary and Estonia.
ACN is contributing over one million dollars ($1,380) to support 66 projects in 13 countries, resulting in over 400 summer courses and camps which will run between June and September.
