Merciful Love in Action: How a Case Manager Helped a Displaced Family
Case management is a form of support built on Caritas' core value: the dignity of every human person.
A woman with internally displaced person (IDP) status, raising a child under the age of one, turned to Caritas-Spes Lviv for assistance. Due to the ongoing security situation, she, her husband, and their baby had been forced to leave their home in a frontline area and relocate to Lviv.
She came with a single request: food assistance to help feed her family. However, during the needs assessment, the case manager identified additional challenges. The family also required support in applying for the government child benefit. The woman had previously approached the Pension Fund but was unable to complete the application because her child had been born in another region and some required documents were missing.
The case manager helped the family prepare the necessary documentation and provided guidance on the application process for state child benefits. She also referred the woman to a family doctor, where she was able to sign a primary healthcare declaration, and the child received a medical examination and the routine vaccination appropriate for their age. In addition, the family was informed about other forms of government assistance and social benefits available to internally displaced people.
Today, the family has received the support they needed to address their most urgent challenges and can move forward with greater confidence. When people lose everything and are forced to rebuild their lives from scratch, they need more than material assistance. They need a helping hand, a sense of stability, and the reassurance that they are not facing hardship alone. Sometimes, a caring presence and words of encouragement are more valuable than any material possession.
This support was made possible through the RESURGO: Resilience, Empowerment, Safety, Understanding, Recovery, Growth and Opportunity – Psychosocial Support Centre for Women and Children Affected by War project, implemented with the support of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea.
