Caritas Fort Portal – HEWASA is the social services arm of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal. It was established in 1980 as an emergency and charity organization to support the people affected by the civil unrest at the time. These included the internally displaced people, the orphans, and vulnerable children. The organization was operating as a Faith-based Organisation. In 1993 the organization expanded to include Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Justice and Peace, Agriculture Development Services and Financial services. In 2011, the Organization was registered as a company limited by guarantee as Diocesan Social Services (DSSD) Caritas Fort Portal operating within the geographical coverage of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal. After years of growth and expansion and due to the need of the communities and development partners, the legal status of the organization changed from a company limited by Guarantee to a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) operating at the National level as Caritas Fort Portal – HEWASA.