Un Quadrennial Report Ecosoc 2015
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UN QUADRENNIAL REPORT ECOSOC 2015 Box 1 - Introduction - 700 words A brief introductory statement should include information about your organization’s area of work, goals and geographical coverage. TECHO is a youth led non-profit organization present in 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean: Argentina, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay. TECHO has offices in the US, as well as in London, England. TECHO seeks to overcome poverty in slums through the joint work of families living in extreme poverty with youth volunteers. TECHO is convinced that poverty can be permanently eradicated if society as a whole recognizes poverty as a priority and actively works towards overcoming it. STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 1) The promotion of community development in slums, through a process of community strengthening that promotes representative & validated leadership, drives the organization and participation of thousands of families living in slums to generate solutions of their own problems. (2) Fostering social awareness and action, with special emphasis on generating critical and determined volunteers working next to the families living in slums while involving different actors of society. (3) Political advocacy that promotes necessary structural changes to ensure that poverty does not continue reproducing, and that it begins to decrease rapidly. VISION A fair and poverty free society, where everyone has the opportunities needed to develop their capacities and fully exercise their rights MISSION Work Tirelessly to overcome extreme poverty in slums, through training and joint action of families and youth volunteers. Furthermore, to promote community development, denouncing the situation in which the most excluded communities live. And lastly, to advocate for social policies with other actors in society. VALUES Solidarity. It is an empathy with the most excluded families, which moves us to want to be and work alongside with them. Sharing their hardships and desires, to learn from their skills and perseverance, and to advocate against everything that excludes them and that does not recognize their rights as human beings. Conviction. To overcome poverty and injustice in our continent is possible. This certainty gives us the determination to work tirelessly and together with others to accomplish it. Placing challenging and high goals, as well as taking the necessary risks to go beyond all the fatalisms that surround us. Excellence. All of our work must be of high quality, given that it is intended for those less fortunate. Our work is rigorous, punctual, always creative and innovative. It is respectful of the commitments, perseverant in the face of difficulties, intelligent to recognize mistakes and correct them, and proactive in the search for solutions to the problems that arise along the way. Diversity. At TECHO, all young people are welcome, regardless of ethnic or social backgrounds, religious belief, political choices or sexual orientation. We are sure that our differences are an asset in joining forces for that which unites us: the fight against extreme poverty in our continent. Optimism. We look at the future with hope, without being naïve, because we believe that it is possible to defeat the injustice that we see today. We move forward towards this future working with joy, because as young people we recognize what a privilege it is to dedicate our lives to make our world a more human and equal place for everyone. Box 2 - Aims and purposes of the organization and its course of action - 700 words Enter a brief statement on the aims and purposes of your organization, and how you work to achieve those aims, including the main activities. TECHO’s Community Intervention focuses on the most excluded slums of the continent. The joint work of families and young volunteers, who work to produce concrete solutions to the problematic of poverty, is the key driver of the intervention. TECHO drives a continuous community strengthening process, taking community development as the transversal axis of the intervention. The initial phase of the Community Intervention consists of the insertion into slums and in the development of a diagnostic of the families in need. Youth volunteers have their first approach to the reality which can be seen in the slums, working in the field in order to develop a diagnosis, and to enhance the residents leadership by promoting organization, participation, and community co-responsibility in the whole process. ● In the second phase, as a response to the identified needs in the community, there is an implementation and management of solutions in the areas of livability, education, labor and others that address existing problems. These solutions are developed throughout joint work between young volunteers and families, enhancing individual and collective capacities for community self-management. Young volunteers get involved in an awareness process about poverty and its causes, which leads them to act in order to generate real change. ● Within this phase we emphasize the construction of transitional housing, which meets a need that is urgent and a priority in most slums. Creating a link of trust between the volunteers and the community since it is a concrete, tangible and achievable solution in the short term. The house built by TECHO is a prefabricated module of 162 square feet, built in two days, with the participation of young volunteers and families in the community. The construction generates an encounter between these two realties, promoting critical reflection and concrete proposals on how to overcome poverty. This process is done with a community approach, which promotes the organization and participation of the community. Deepening this process of community empowerment, the community-organizing committee is implemented. This is a meeting where community leaders and youth volunteers dialogue and discuss about possible solutions to the priority problems in the slum. TECHO focuses on the implementation of education plans; work plans, such as basic skills training and micro-credit for the development of small businesses. TECHO seeks to link communities with networks to develop other programs to meet community goals and contribute to the generation of solutions. As a third phase of the intervention, the implementation of lasting and sustainable solutions is promoted in slums, such as: regularization of property, basic services, housing, infrastructure and local development. TECHO articulates and links organized families living in slums with government institutions, so they can demand their rights. ● Starting with the constant and massive hard work of young volunteers and families living in slums, TECHO denounces the exclusion and violation of rights that exists in slums, so that these problems are recognized by society and become a priority of the public agenda. Moreover, TECHO generates relevant information about slums, and seeks to be part of instances of proposal and public policy decision making, promoting structural changes that contribute to the eradication of poverty. Box 3 - Any change that may have had a significant impact - 700 words Here you can list any changes in your organization’s orientation, programme, or scope of work. These changes might include: an amendment to the constitution or by-laws; an increase or significant change in the geographical distribution of the membership or funding; any new organizational affiliations or mergers with programmatic, legal or other implications; or need for reclassification of consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. You do not need to include administrative changes through routine electoral processes. If there have been no significant changes, you can indicate “None.” None Box 4 - Contribution to the work of the United Nations NGOs in consultative status are expected to undertake activities to advance the achievement of the development agenda of ECOSOC and the United Nations at large. Your report should therefore list your main activities over the past four years that are in support of that agenda. TECHO’s activities are related to the reduction of poverty, education and training, housing and shelter, social inclusion and promotion of youth development. In the last four years (2011-2014) TECHO has undergone the following activities: Construction of 29,616 Transitional Houses in the 19 countries where TECHO operates Participation of 406,436 youth volunteers in TECHO’s activities 460 community organizing committees have been implemented 12445 community dwellers have graduated in specific job-skills training 26,297 children and adults have participated in education programs; 783 community centers were built in slums TECHO’s results to date amount to the construction of more than 106,000 transitional houses, working together with families and the participation of over 800,000 volunteers; Over 594 community organizing committees have been implemented. To date 14,078 community dwellers have graduated in specific job-skills training from 880 workshops; 27,789 children and adults have participated in education programs; 859community centers were built in slums; and 5,892 families have benefitted from TECHO-Chile's definitive housing project. TECHO is also a trusted first responder in emergency situations starting with the 2001 earthquake in El Salvador and continuing with aid in disasters such as earthquakes