IBVM collaborates with Fe y Alegría in Ecuador.

For the past two years Isabel Peche and Louise Latin (Spanish Province) have been involved in the Fe y Alegría project in Ecuador. As Fe y Alegría has developed mainly in Spanish speaking countries, information on its impact is limited in the English speaking countries. We would like to share with you on this innovative and far reaching effort to promote access to education for all.

Fe y Alegría was born in Venezuela in 1955 as a way to consolidate efforts that were being made to provide educational services in the slum zones of Caracas. The bold vision of the founder, Fr. José María Vélaz SJ, and the collaboration of numerous people and organizations resulted in the crystallization of a work rich in history and in vision of the future.

Vélaz, who considered education to be the major transformative force in the world, thought that lack of education was the principal cause of marginality and misery: “An uneducated people is a dominated people, a vulnerable people, an oppressed people. In contrast, educated people are free people, a transformed people and a people that controls its own destiny.”  (Discourse at the Catholic University on the occasion of awarding him a doctorate honoris causa in education).

The movement spread to Ecuador (1964), Panama (1965), Peru (1966), Bolivia (1966), El Salvador (1969), Colombia (1971), Nicaragua (1974), Guatemala (1976), Brazil (1980), Dominican Republic (1990), Paraguay (1992), Argentina (1995), Honduras (2000) and Chile (2005). In Spain (1985) Fe y Alegría was established as a support platform and a means of raising consciousness in Europe; since 1999 its mission was redefined to assume new challenges in the field of cooperation to development, with the name of Entreculturas-Fe y Alegria Foundation.

In the search for responses to the urgent needs of students and communities, the proposals of Fe y Alegria have become embodied in a variety of initiatives. Besides the formal pre-school, primary and secondary education, other spaces for human development have opened up, such as: radio stations, adult education programs, labour training and school equivalency programs, professional formation at secondary and tertiary levels, development of cooperatives and small businesses, as well as projects for community development, health care, native culture, teacher training, publication of educational materials, among others. In all these areas Fe y Alegría acts in close coordination with the communities, seeking to complement and support the action of other public and private bodies.

In the year 2003 the students and other participants attended to by Fe y Alegría reached a total of 1.232.140. When adjusted for those who participate in more than one program, the total is 962.417. The network of Fe y Alegría consists of 2.080 centres, in which 2.696 service units function, namely: 1.015 school plants, 67 radio stations, 906 extension education centres and 775 centres for alternative education and other services.

A total of 34.788 persons work for Fe y Alegría, of whom 97.6% are lay people and 2.4% are members of religious congregations. This figure does not include hundreds of volunteer collaborators in the countries where Fe y Alegría operates.

Ethical Bank-Fiare

Nakane Narbaiza, member of Mission Mary Ward, is one of the founding members of the Ethical Bank, FIARE.

Fiare was established in 2003 after one year of preparatory meetings on the meaning and challenges of promoting ethical banking in the Basque social context. By February 2006, 63 organizations –NGOs, Christian groups, Religious congregations, educational institutions ...– had already joined the FIARE Foundation.

FIARE took up the challenge to explore the possibility of creating an Ethical Bank supported by Spanish organizations involved in the struggle against poverty and social exclusion, and working on international cooperation, education and social economy.

On 3 October 2005, FIARE opened its first office in Bilbao. During a period of 4-5 years, FIARE will develop its activity as a financial promoter of Banca Popolare Etica, Italy.

The main goals of FIARE (acronym for “Fundación Inversión y Ahorro Responsable”) are to promote socially responsible savings and investment among both private individuals and institutions and to offer access to credits for people in need, or groups who can not benefit from traditional banking products. FIARE´s first products already include deposit accounts and lending programs to support third sector organizations.

Fiare is a member of the European Federation of Ethical and alternative Banks (FEBEA –Fédération Européenne des Banques Ethiques et Alternatives–). Created in 2001, FEBEA is an association based in Brussels governed by Belgian law. Open to member countries of the European Union as well as applicant countries, it gathers financial institutions whose aim is to finance social and solidarity-based economy.

Mary Robinson Receives Prestigious Spanish Award

The 2006 Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences goes to Mary Robinson, jurist, lecturer and politician, and former President of the Republic of Ireland.

The award has been bestowed on Mary Robinson because for “devoting her intense life to the struggle to overcome the obstacles that prevent many from exercising effectively their human rights, to the attainment of balanced international relations, and to the consolidation of humanist principles in our era’s globalized world, by offering her non-conformist, brave and far-reaching voice to those who cannot speak for themselves or can barely be heard”. (Minutes of the Jury for the 2006 Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences)

In 1990, Mary Robinson became Ireland’s first female president, holding the post until 1997, when U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan announced her appointment as High Commissioner for Human Rights. She held the post until 2002, holding responsibility for the human rights workings of the whole United Nations´ system and for supervising its Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Mary Robinson is presently head of the EGI, the Ethical Globalization Initiative, whose main concern is to lobby governments that have ratified international conventions on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), Civil and Political Rights (1966), Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1980) and Rights of the Child (1989) to honour their commitments.

As women, members of the IBVM, we appreciate Mary Robinson’s moral fibre for bravely defending what she understands to be the demands of her mind and self conscience; for joining those who stress the importance of ethical behaviour in politics and intellectual work; for her tenacious contribution to making a world without boundaries for free men and women, a reality.

Microcredit project in Moroccan

The Al Tadaman (Solidarity) Association has recently been constituted as a Moroccan Association.  The Association now provides the legal identity to the Microcredit project initiated by Liz Byrne in recent years.  The present Association has nine members.  The President Ibsen Diez teaches computer studies at the Misión Catolica, Asilah.  Piedad Gonzalez-Cano ibvm, is Vice President and Liz Byrne acts as Treasurer. 

A young Moroccan woman and man help Liz with the day to day running of the project.  Rafika, a young married woman aged 31 and Hicham, aged 27 work part time at the moment.

Since the project began it has been funded by Mary Ward International, the Irish IMRS, Mary Ward Mission, Spain and Gibraltar, the C.J´s Barcelona and some private donations.  Now that Al Tadaman is a Moroccan based association it can look for funding within the country.  It will also form part of the network of Moroccan Microcredit groups. 

Up to now some 415 persons have benefited from the project.   It is a beautiful example of both sides of the Mediterranean working in collaboration, of Christians and Muslims seeking to better the situation of those less privileged, and of the international IBVM at work.

The Second World Social Forum on Migrations

The Second World Social Forum on Migrations was held in Rivas Vaciamadrid, Spain, from 22 to 24 June 2006. More than 3,000 participants from around the world gathered for the event. With the theme, For a universal citizenship and human rights. Another world is possible, the II WSFM was an opportunity for democratic debate of ideas, reflection and l  aunching of proposals. It also constituted an opportunity to exchange experiences and establish social movements, networks among NGOs and other civil society organizations including Church groups and Religious congregations.

The present situation of migrants, the causes of their plight, their concerns, their demands are reflected in The Rivas Declaration.

There are new forms of persecution, which are forcing millions of people to leave their societies of origin. They include the impact of economic mega projects, environmental disasters, persecution because of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion and the violation of economic and social rights which are not included in international legislation on protection. There are also thousands of people who die, are tortured, mutilated and disappear during migrations with absolu  te impunity. The fortification of borders, as well as the walls, patrols, satellites and mafias, the trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation and work in conditions of slavery are all part of migrants´ experience.

At present, migration is a process operating in the context of globalisation and cannot be analysed outside of this context. The economic, social and cultural policies that form the basis of the current globalisation prevent human and sustainable development that responds to the interests and needs of all societies. The actions of multinational companies, external debt, loss of food sovereignty, exploitation of natural resources and armed conflicts are the factors which force people to move and emigrate, both to the North and between countries in the South.

Migration policies cannot be in contradiction with of Human Rights. Human rights are for all human beings should serve to guarantee the interdependence, integrity and universality of humankind. Practices which breach human rights, such as the externalisation of borders, exploitative production and internment centres are not admissible. There exists a reductionist view that sees migrants purely as a workforce. Migrants are people, not merchandise, and as such must be guaranteed all the rights that allow them to develop and to be citizens of the society in which they live.

Universal citizenship is necessary if we are to live together in peace. Those who arrive in a country should have all the rights inherent to human beings, irrespective of nationality, including voting rights.

It is possible, necessary and urgent to create “another world”. Migrants are both agents and subjects of transformation of the societies to which they arrive and those they leave. The II World Social Forum on Migrations was a privileged space in which to address the issue of migrants’ rights.

Two ecological concerns in Spain: Distribution of water and desertification.

Periods of drought are becoming more frequent in the Iberian Peninsula and, with them, diminishment of the water supply. Apart from climatic factors, human behaviour is contributing to the decrease. Water reserves in Spain are at 54% of their capacity in July 2006. This may not sound bad but the centre and south of the country is in a more precarious situation than the north.

The inefficient management of water supplies is one of the most serious problems in this area. Unrestricted supplies for agriculture and tourism deplete our reserves. For example of the 75% of water used for agriculture, only 16% is efficiently managed.

Spain heads the European Union in water consumption per head per day (265 litres). Tourism further taxes the supply with ever-green golf courses, swimming pools, private lawns. Most of our tourism is developed in areas with a serious shortage. This is the case with the entire Mediterranean coast.

Cyclic drought and water shortage, intensified by climate change, are becoming chronic in a large part of the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore water management needs to include prevention policies and programs  to enforce the best use of water resources on the part of government bodies if it is to be sustainable. In addition to government policies, all civil society needs to become involved by awareness of the problem leading to action regarding the responsible use of water.

 Water-saving in household tasks, such as cooking and washing can reduce consumption by up to 45%. And, up to 60% of the supply can be saved by good practice related to our gardens, swimming pools and cars.

You can do your bit too !!!!!

Spain to host UN Conference on desertification in autumn 2007

The oncoming UN Conference on Desertification brings to mind the fact that 40% of Spanish soil is threatened with desertification and, at an alarming rate.

Once again, Spain is top of the list of developed countries in the process of desertification. Some 90% of the surface of seven provinces suffers erosion. A recent UE report underlines that the coastline is undergoing erosion mainly due to building.

The chief causes of this rapid desertification are related to inefficient water management, unsustainable agricultural activities, construction of mega infrastructures and unsustainable development of costal areas. Deficient farming methods have practically destroyed up to 70% of arable land. Unsustainable exploitation of water supplies, such as chemical pollution, salinisation and the overuse of underground water resources has caused serious environmental problems. Forest fires have destroyed huge areas and excessive building, industrialization and massive tourism have added to the problem.

Will the efforts of the Department for Biodiversity be enough the slow or reverse the process?

The “re-greening” of Spain must be more than a dream. We may well discover we are “contemplating how the green moves off while the desert silently encroaches on us”, as our poet Jorge Manrique said a long time ago.