Catholic Relief Services focuses on providing assistance to struggling and less fortunate countries. In a world where many countries are poverty-stricken with a lack of resources and life necessities, these special individuals sacrifice their time and energy into helping people in need.
One such person is Chandreyee Banerjee. Born in India, she has spent the past 18 years working in multiple countries ranging from Indonesia to Vietnam to her upcoming assignment in Syria.
Banerjee is currently on a leave of absence from her work with CRS and working in the Cabrini community for the next two months.
Banerjee said that CRS works with and supports local organizations in communities of all faiths and that the main goal of their assistance is to advocate for human rights for all people. She describes the success of helping less-fortunate communities in a rewarding way.
“That feeling of pride, satisfaction and confidence that comes through it that allows you to move to higher challenges- that’s exactly what CRS does in communities across the world,” Banerjee said. “It is working with people, working with communities to basically bring out their full human dignity.”
One of the eye-opening experiences that come from working for CRS is the realization that other countries are far less fortunate than others. For some of the CRS workers, even from countries with weakened resources, it is a learning experience that is astonishing.
“You might think you come from one of the most challenging places in the world,” Banerjee said, “and you could be exposed to something much more challenging and might come back feeling much more fortunate.”
Banerjee explained the work of CRS, saying that CRS workers assist communities in achieving a common goal. They assess the problems of a country, develop a plan and put it into action.
“It helps community members address their current problems,” Banerjee said. “As they gain confidence through that intervention, they realize ‘we can do this. We can get over our problems by putting in our own efforts.’ That confidence helps them transform the other challenges in their lives.”
That is often the plan in situations where there is time for a plan. But in situations of emergency, like when a disastrous tsunami hit Indonesia in 2004, the timeline is much different.
“When an emergency happens on such a wide scale, so many lives are lost,” Banerjee said. “Many of our own staff or partner staff are affected. CRS has to think of two strategies at the same time. How do we support our own teams and help them support the communities because everyone at this point is suffering?
“Our highest strength is the people in that country. We are very fortunate to have people from that country program who have worked with the communities on the ground. They are able to the communities immediately to take a look at what is needed.”
For countries that often times don’t have a voice, don’t have the same rights as the people we see on a regular basis, don’t have the same resources as those more fortunate, CRS is a beacon of hope.
Banerjee is leading the effort, helping various communities around the world and making sure all humans are given the dignity they deserve.
