CARITAS NAIROBI HOLDS 33RD ANNUAL LEADERS GENERAL MEETING
Caritas Nairobi held its 33rd Annual Leaders General Meeting at St. Mary’s Msongari Grounds, bringing together stakeholders, self-help group leaders, and clergy to review progress and plan for the future.
The meeting was attended by Archbishop Philip Anyolo, Rev. Fr. Peter Kiarie, Executive Director of Caritas Nairobi, and Rev. Fr. Simon Ng’ang’a, Archdiocesan Finance Administrator and Procurator. Also present were members of the Caritas Board and representatives from various self-help groups.
In his remarks, Rev. Fr. Kiarie outlined key achievements from the past year. These included the launch of a co-banking system, the introduction of a new strategic plan, and the formation of a Patrons Forum to support greater clergy involvement in parish-based groups.
Members discussed and agreed on several resolutions to improve group operations and support structures. These included:
- Capacity building for member groups and regular audits
- Launch of an incident reporting platform, followed by feedback audits
- Review of current policies and creation of a tier-based group ranking system
- Addressing interpersonal challenges and improving debt collection
- Development of a retirement plan for leaders
- Adjustment of the reserve fund threshold to 15%
- Appointment of new auditors to meet growing membership
- Trial rollout of instant loan products to selected groups
In his keynote address, Archbishop Anyolo encouraged unity and cooperation, stating that working together is essential for the Church’s mission and community outreach.
“Be a beacon of hope for others,” he said. “Celebrate the milestones of this program -they reflect the spirit we carry as Caritas Nairobi.”
He called for the full implementation of a self-regulatory framework to ensure the safety and integrity of group operations, while reinforcing the mandate to adopt the co-banking system. The Archbishop also encouraged all members to embrace Caritas Microfinance Bank as their financial institution of choice.
Referring to the Jubilee Year theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” the Archbishop called on all members to continue serving their communities with commitment and a sense of purpose.
“Let us not tire of helping the communities in the Archdiocese of Nairobi,” he said. “Let us move forward with hope.”
