Caritas Fort Portal – HEWASA is the social services development arm of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal which was established in 1980 as an emergency and charity organization to support the people affected by the civil unrest at the time. These included internally displaced people, orphans, and vulnerable children. The organization was operating as a Faith-based organisation. In 1993 this institution expanded to include Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Justice and Peace, Agriculture Development Services and Financial services. In 2011, it 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). At the same time Caritas Fort Portal-HEWASA started operating at the national level covering all regions of Uganda.