Month: June 2023

AFS FOUNDATION – remote

We virtually visited AFS, an organization committed to cultural exchange and international education. During our visit, we had the opportunity to talk with Michel Thibaud, Director of Institutional Relations for AFS Argentina and Uruguay, who provided us with information about their work.

Since 1947, AFS Intercultural Programs has operated as an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that promotes intercultural learning opportunities to help individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to create a more just and peaceful world.

Currently, AFS is present in 59 countries and annually involves over 12,000 students and more than 50,000 volunteers worldwide. In Argentina and Uruguay, they gather over 700 volunteers and have over 40 Local Chapters in all provinces.

One of AFS Foundation’s recent updates that we want to share with our network is the launch of their 2023 Effect Scholarship within the framework of the Binational Scholarship Fund. It consists of at least 38 Full Scholarships to travel in 2023 or early 2024. These are school scholarships for young leaders, educators, and Global STEM.

These scholarships provide an opportunity for young people who wish to enrich their education and broaden their horizons through cultural exchange programs.

If you are interested, we invite you to visit their website, where you will find detailed information about the requirements, application deadlines, and the benefits these scholarships can offer.

CULTURA DE TRABAJO – in person

We visited Cultura de trabajo in person, where we were received by part of the team to discuss their projects, the challenges they face, and the activities they carry out through labor initiatives and support aimed at people in situations of socio-housing vulnerability.

Their vision  is to be a bridge that contributes to equalizing opportunities and access to employment for all individuals who wish and need to work. From the organization, the team promotes the idea that overcoming poverty requires equal access to job opportunities. Therefore, they aspire to facilitate the means for workers to access employment positions.

Some of the services they provide to the community include pre- and post-employment support, job interview counseling, provision of clothing, tools, and travel expenses.

The visit allowed us to see how they are generating a positive change in organizations through the promotion of an inclusive and collaborative work culture.

SUSTENTABILIDAD SIN FRONTERAS – remote

We were received by the team at Sustentabilidad Sin Fronteras, a non-profit foundation composed of a multidisciplinary team of professionals who develop projects in Latin America to address climate change through awareness-raising and the implementation of adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation projects, contributing to climate action with a socio-environmental perspective.

Their work ranges from consultancy, report preparation, training, programs, events, advocacy, measurement, and offsetting.

Climate change represents one of the greatest threats to humanity today. It is essential for society to understand its causes and consequences in order to effectively address it. In that sense, Sustainability without Borders is dedicated to disseminating relevant information on this topic with the aim of raising awareness and promoting concrete actions.

One key aspect in the fight against climate change is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Therefore, they argue that it is crucial for both individuals and companies to know and understand their carbon footprint to measure and evaluate greenhouse gas emissions.

To provide accurate and accessible information, as well as practical tools to help individuals and companies make informed and responsible decisions, they presented their carbon calculator co-developed with ERYX and validated by the BETA Technological Center of the University of Central Catalonia and the University of VIC. This calculator allows individuals, products, or companies to determine their carbon footprint.

To perform the calculation, two types of forms are offered: a simple one that takes about 5 minutes and an advanced one that takes more time and is more comprehensive, with a series of questions covering categories such as transportation, food, lifestyle, services, and personal information.

FUNDACIÓN PARA LA DEMOCRACIA – remote

Our last virtual visit was with the Fundación para la democracia in Rosario. This institution works in the defense of human rights and the strengthening of democracy, committed to fighting urban violence and contemporary slavery.

We had conversations with a significant part of their team, including volunteers and guides who work in their museum, about the challenges facing contemporary democracy and their goals of combating all forms of exploitation.

They shared their experience with the workshops they have conducted in schools to promote empathy, respect, and solidarity from early childhood. They also discussed the organization’s next steps and their new cooperation alliances.

The International Museum for Democracy, located in the Fuentes Palace in Rosario, Santa Fe, is the world’s first private museum that holds special relevance. It is conceived as a space where pluralism and inclusivity are promoted, and where the values of freedom, justice, democracy, and respect for human rights are emphasized. We had the opportunity to take a live virtual tour where we could explore part of the exhibitions and their stories.

Additionally, we shared one of their recent projects: “Proyecto si mata,” a global campaign for the prohibition of the use of rubber or metal pellets against protesters.

This petition aims to eradicate the use of rubber pellets, misleadingly called “non-lethal,” and metal pellets, which are authorized worldwide for crowd control but are used against peaceful civilians to disperse protest environments.

Through the following link, you can access the petition to support the ban.

These visits represent a special moment for RACI as they provide us with the opportunity to connect more directly with the organizations that are part of our network. We are committed to helping, promoting, and expanding the work that these organizations are carrying out.

Thank you to all the member organizations for receiving us!

On May 8th and 9th,  RACI organized two training sessions in the cities of Río Grande and Ushuaia. The main purpose of these workshops was to develop and strengthen Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the province of Tierra del Fuego, providing them with tools for proper project presentation, alliance building, and engagement with international cooperation stakeholders.

With the overall objective of empowering CSOs in the province, as well as their staff and anyone interested in enhancing their knowledge, the workshops focused on accessing resources from international cooperation and other strategic social investors oriented towards development.

Throughout the sessions, the following objectives were achieved: building capacity in processes and tools to access resources, both from international cooperation and local sources, and promoting the exchange of best practices and networking among civil society organizations.

Participation in these workshops represented a valuable opportunity for institutional strengthening of the organizations, enhancing their technical capacities and resources. The focus was on improving the quality of proposals and projects presented to attract resources, as well as effectively preparing organizations to work with such support.

The training day began with registration and a warm welcome, followed by participant introductions, an overview of the workshop’s contents and framework. During the sessions, crucial topics such as RACI’s institutional presentation, networking and alliances, introduction to international cooperation, project development and evaluation, among others, were covered. A practical exercise on proposal formulation was also conducted, followed by group discussions and the conclusion of the training day.

We would like to express our gratitude to all the participants for their enthusiasm and commitment during these two days of intensive training. Their contributions and active participation in the discussions greatly enriched the workshop. We also extend our appreciation to the facilitators and experts who generously shared their knowledge and experiences.

We continue to work towards providing new training and capacity-building opportunities for civil society organizations as they strive to make a positive impact in their communities and society at large.

On May 24, we closed the call for participation in our innovation lab for the Southern Cone. With over 30 applicants, participants will work on the development of innovative tools and approaches to address the social challenges of the region. Our goal is to foster the creation of sustainable and impactful solutions that benefit local communities.

Once the call for applications is closed, the selected teams will be notified via email and will then participate in a Design Thinking workshop on Wednesday, June 21 in the morning. Various experts in the field will provide them with specific tools for the development of their prototypes.

The Innovation Lab will last for three days (June 21-23) where experts will present data and information to contextualize the problem, as well as success stories from other labs. There will also be spaces for consultations, along with facilitators and mentors who will accompany the entire process to ensure that each of the ideas presented as a prototype meets the requirements for application to the seed fund.

Afterwards, each team will have additional time between June 23 and June 28 to improve their prototypes, which will be presented on June 29.

The top five prototypes will be selected to participate in a virtual incubation process where they will be further developed through workshops and sessions with specialists, allowing for testing and improvement to present them as viable projects for potentially receiving further funding. Additionally, the top three prototypes will receive a seed fund of USD 1,500.

The labs, as part of the Innovation for Change initiative, are spaces for training and creative learning for organizations, aiming to promote practical and viable solutions to the challenges faced by the region.

We are excited to work together and promote the development of innovative solutions that address regional challenges. The Innovation Labs are an excellent opportunity to strengthen the work of our organizations and generate positive impact in our communities.

During the month of May, our membership was open to incorporate new Civil Society Organizations interested in joining our network, a diverse collective that works together towards an independent, strong, and sustainable civil society.

Prior to the start of the process, two informative webinars were held on April 12th and 26th, where we shared information about our work and the benefits of being part of our network. A significant number of organizations expressed their interest after participating in these events. We are thrilled with the positive response and look forward to collaborating with all these organizations in the future.

Following the closure of the membership on May 31st, we are delighted to share that over 40 organizations have completed the membership process, reinforcing our commitment to growth and evolution as a network.

During the month of June, the profiles of the organizations will be evaluated and approved by the Assembly, in order to formally welcome them to the Network in July.

At RACI, we value diversity of ideas and collaboration among professionals from different fields. With each new member, our network grows stronger, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and the strengthening of civic space.

We remain committed to providing relevant and high-quality content to our members.

Thank you for being part of our network!

We are pleased to introduce the eight outstanding organizations from Latin America and the Caribbean that have been selected as winners of the Innovation Fund. This initiative, within the framework of Innovation for Change, aims to support projects that address challenges in key areas such as promoting enabling environments, inclusive democracy and civic participation, actions against disinformation, transparency, and accountability. Additionally, the organizations will receive funding of up to USD 8,000 (eight thousand US dollars) to carry out their projects.

The selection of the winning projects was based on various criteria, including the organization’s profile, project feasibility, project characteristics, budget, as well as innovation and sustainability.

We invite you to meet them!

Fundación Salvadoreña Para El Desarrollo Económico Y Social (El Salvador): Project – Young Leaders for Citizenship and Social Action.

Centro De Investigación Para La Acción Femenina (Dominican Republic): Project – Education and Awareness Program to Counter Hate Speech in the Dominican Republic.

Fundación Comunitaria Centro De Información Y Recursos Para El Desarrollo (CIRD) (Paraguay): Project – Young Protagonists of Campo Aceval.

Octaedro (Ecuador): Project – Strengthening Local Transparency Committees.

Instituto Para La Promoción De La Paz Y El Desarrollo (Costa Rica): Project – Observatory for Academic Freedom in Nicaragua.

Fundación La Voz Pública Para La Verificación Del Discurso Público (Chequeado) (Argentina): Project – Unveiling Disinformation, an interactive educational innovation project on disinformation.

Gobierno Y Análisis Político Asociación Civil (Mexico): Project – Toolbox for Good Citizen Practices in Managing Communication Complexity.

Fundación Gaia Pacha (Bolivia): Project – Demonstration Space for Environmental Education to Influence Adolescents and Youth in Climate Resilience.

We wish the organizations success in implementing their projects and appreciate their interest in finding innovative and creative solutions!

Together with Innovation for Change, we want to share some highlights from the Forum for Democracy 2023: Strengthening Democracy and Citizen Participation, which took place in the Dominican Republic on June 31st.

The event began with a presentation by ICNL on the enabling environment in Latin America and the Caribbean, setting the stage for the first panel, which addressed the shrinking civic space in the region and the work of civil society organizations in promoting democracy and defending that fundamental space.

During the Forum, there was a review of current trends in the state of democracy worldwide, leading to the second panel on civil society in the digital age. This panel addressed the challenge of combating disinformation and fostering digital empowerment in the region to strengthen citizen activism.

Furthermore, one of the highlighted activities was the screening of the FOTOpodcast “Multiple Perspectives,” an initiative that seeks to amplify and shed light on the voices and realities of Central America, produced by Connectas.

The event concluded with a panel on the importance of effective partnerships to enhance initiatives and practices aimed at strengthening democracy, featuring representatives from USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), and the New Zealand Embassy in Mexico. Throughout the Forum, a space for dialogue and reflection was created, bringing together prominent representatives of civil society, donors, and allies from the region with the common goal of strengthening democratic systems, fostering citizen participation, combating corruption, and promoting respect for human rights in our region.

We would like to express our gratitude to all participants, speakers, and collaborators who made this important event possible.