Memoria FIFyA - 2013/EN by Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

FE Y ALEGRIA

Popular Education and Social Promotion Movement

Memoirs Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

2013

Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría 2013

FE Y ALEGRIA

Popular Education and Social Promotion Movement

Memoirs—Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría Editorial Committee: P. Enrique Oizumi S.J. Lucía Rodríguez Feney P. Gómez Editing: Claudia Patricia Ríos C. Communications Coordinator Editorial Translation: Nate Radomski Design and Layout: María Fernanda Vinueza

Distributed by: Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría Calle 35 N°21-19, Barrio La Soledad Bogotá, Colombia Telephone: (+57)(1)3383790 Website: www.feyalegria.org E-mail: fi.comunicacion@feyalegria.org Printed in Bogotá, Colombia. March 2014. Photo Archives: Federación Internacional Fe y Alegría and Entreculturas—Fe y Alegría España. Thank you to the internacional Fe y Alegría offices for sharing their photo archives.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

“Education is the greatest transformative force in society. At Fe y Alegría, we work to bring quality education to the most marginalized populations. We are a Popular Education and Social Promotion Movement, who have for six decades contributed to the transformation of millions of men and women, who have become the subjects of their own development. The world will change only with fair and quality education, so Fe y Alegría will continue working towards quality education for everyone. An inclusive education.

FEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE FE Y ALEGRÍA

Federación Internacional Fe y Alegría (2014)

FE Y ALEGRIA

Popular Education and Social Promotion Movement

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

8 11

Presentation

Mission and Vision

Strategic Objectives

22 25

Education in Human-Christian Values Program I.T. in Education Program

Fe y Alegría Radio Institutes IRFAS

New Frontiers Commission

33 35

Non-Formal Education and Social Promotion Program Fe y Alegría is Public Education: How We Are Financed

Institutional Achievements

How We Are Seen

My Memories of Father José María Vélaz

International Congresses

Funders, Management 2013

54 53

Acknowledgements

Ongoing Projects

53 56

Index

We Are Growing

Inclusive Education Figures: Intercultural Bilingual Education, Special Education, and Training For Work Fe y Alegría Directory

Growing We are

In 1995

Participants 834,495 Geographical locations 901

In 1990

Participants 570,342 Geographical locations

500

In 1985

Participants 284,588 Geographical locations 797

In 1980

Born 1 955 in Venezuela

Participants 220,700 Geographical locations

653

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

In 2000

In 2005

Participants 1,061,019 Geographical locations 2,212

Participants 1,259,541 Geographical locations 1,510

In 2010

Participants 1,473,074 Geographical locations 3,211

Today we are in

countries

In 2012

Participants 1,498,731 Geographical locations 3,018

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Our work

To you, my friends, caring staff, partner agencies, students, teachers, communities, fathers and mothers, governments, volunteers, religious groups, collaborators, managers, and friends of our network, we are pleased to present once again our Institutional Memoirs This is the second year that we have undertook the work of telling you about our work, our actions, our achievements, challenges, desires, hopes, and difficulties with the certainty that every word written, every testimonial presented, each figure exposed will serve to provide a clear vision of what we are, what we have been and what we expect Fe y Alegría will still be. This Popular Education and Social Promotion Movement is now entering our 60th year of existence and we count on the stories of the millions of men and women who have participated in our education programs. With this opportunity, we want to share what has happened in the last year-2013--by using the TESTIMONIALS from some of our participants. In this publication you will find the voices of our direct beneficiaries: students, teachers, fathers and mothers, entrepreneurs, managers, leaders, partner agencies, and members of the community. With their words and perspectives, they share how they have experienced Fe y Alegría, almost all of which come from the joy of seeing transformation in their lives. There are many stories that have been left out of this publication; it was not an easy choice. They were chosen by Program Coordinators and the country communication departments; thank you for your efforts in choosing from among thousands and thousands of life stories, who pass through our classrooms and workshops daily. We know that most of you who read this document know our Movement and can attest that what is expressed here corresponds to the reality, so we invite you tell your friends, your companions, your families about Fe y Alegría. Our desire is that more people come to know us so that many more are able to receive an education from Fe y Alegría.

Ignacio Suñol S.J. General Coordinator

Fe y Alegría is an International Movement of Popular Education and Social Promotion based on values of justice, participations, fraternity, respect for diversity and solidarity, directed to impoverished and excluded population, in order to contribute to the societies’ transformation.

Vision A world where all people have possibilities to get an education, fully develop their abilities and live with dignity building societies in which all the structures are at service of the human being and the transformation of the situations that create inequality, poverty and social exclusion.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Strategic Objectives There are four strategic objectives that guide the work of the International Federation:

Strategic Objective

To promote quality and inclusive education, which takes into account diversity; which contributes to the integral development of individuals and to community social promotion; to generate in participants’ attitudes knowledge, skills, and critical values that enable them to transform their realities of exclusion, poverty, and marginalization.

Juan Camilo Olaya Gomez was born on December 24, 1996 in Pereria, a city in the Republic of Colombia, the capital of the Risaralda administrative district with 464,719 inhabitants and located in the central-western region of the country in the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. He is the only son of the Olaya Gomez family. “My father is a driver and my mother is a housewife, the two of them have been responsible for giving me many of the foundations that make me who I am; I was raised with much love, I think that helped me become a secure person, full of dreams. Last December, the 17-year-old received a strange e-mail. “I didn’t believe it. In the e-mail it said that I had won a prize, and it invited me to travel to Bogotá with my father; I really only believed it when I saw the plane tickets.” Juan Camilo, a student at Colegio Fe y Alegría Santa Juana de Lestotnac, was awarded by the Colombia Ministry of National Education as having the best scores in the SABER 11 exams in the Risaralda administrative district. The SABER 11 exam is a test administered by the State for students who are completing their 11th grade education.

There are several test objectives: check the skill level of the students, provide an evaluation for the students on elements of their development, and finally, provide relevant information on competencies of those who aspire to higher education programs. Juan Camilo spent much of his school life at Colegio Santa Juana Lestotnac, located in the town of Dosquebradas, annexed to the city of Pereira. A public school traditionally run by the Sisters of the Company of Mary, and which, for some years, has been managed by Fe y Alegría in their concession schools model, a new figure with which Fe y Alegría Colombia continues to contribute to public education in the country. “When Fe y Alegría came to us, I was in seventh grade and I remember how much they cared about offering us things that really helped us in all aspects of our lives. The pastoral, spiritual, vocational, values were some aspects that were always reinforced. Fe y Alegría had a lot to do with my SABER Tests achievement. The teachers were very concerned about preparing us; I took many practice tests and drills for almost two years, which helped me a lot because it allowed me to become familiar with all aspects of the test. Hunger, fatigue, stress, and sleep were things I could handle because the drills also taught us to handle those as well.” Juan Camilo not only demonstrates the conditions of a good human being and a good student in his SABER test results. Today when the first semester courses at Medicina en la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (a public university that receives over 3,000 applications each semester from young people who aspire to obtain a professional degree, but only has capacity for 60 on average), you can predict his personality when conversing with him; understand his challenges, his fears, his desires, I hear him talk about his school days, his relationship with the teachers; hearing all this suggests that his journey through school was filled with values that will soon be returning with a vengeance to society. “The SABER tests have been my first great achievement, but I will not settle for that, I want to really help people who suffer; from my profession, medicine, I can smile back at many people, I can think of no greater satisfaction than to help others. Since I was a child I have heard how important it is to give your life for others. First from the nuns of the Company of Mary; they integrated into their charismas those most in need, to reach out, to support those who are excluded; Fe y Alegría then came and showed me in many ways it is really worth working for others, in this institution I expanded my spectrum of what it means to help, to reach out. “ Juan Camilo’s life is spent between books, his family, his friends and a flute that accompanies him daily. He doesn’t lack gratitude in his words for his teachers, those who saw him grow up, who helped him in his training and allowed him to learn, not just what he knows, but what characterizes him as an individual. “In my heart there are many teachers and many moments, but especially Nubia Zapata, Sergio Montenegro, the philosophy teacher, I remember them all with affection and gratitude and I dedicate this to them and all the achievements I hope to achieve.” “I am also aware that having studied at Fe y Alegría is a big commitment. This is an institution with a great reputation, not only in Pereira or Colombia, but in the whole world. That’s why I hope to show each day the best of me without fear and with confidence that everything I achieve will be used to help those who need it most.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Strategic Objective

To strengthen the Participatory Management model within the organization to ensure transparency, sustainability, and economic and social movement that allows empowerment and active participation to be generated among the different actors involve in the Fe y Alegría educational model.

Nate Radomski, journalist, is currently finishing his Masters in International Social Work at Boston College, and has been working as an intern since January of this year at the Office of the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, located in Bogotá, working in the Management, Projects, and Communications departments. It was my third day working at the Federation and Enrique, Management Program Coordinator, put me in charge of writing the participants immediately. “We have to reserve the flights as soon as possible,” he said. I had been at the Office of the Federation for less than a week and I was already writing to National Directors and fundraising teams to inform them about a 4-day conference that we would hold in Colombia, specifically in a small village an hour outside of Bogotá called Choachí. I arrived at the Office of the Federation through a joint project with Boston College: “Strengthening the Present to Ensure the Future.” Just as I was finishing my classes, Boston College decided to begin a collaboration with the International Federation. That’s how I ended up here, working and learning from the three departments they have asked me to work with. But between all of the sent e-mails and logistics, I never thought I would begin to understand what Fe y Alegría is all about in my very first task: collaboration and shared passion. From the moment we all arrived in Choachí, it was very clear that we were working as a team. Even though there were 23 participants from 11 Fe y Alegría offices, representing 10 countries, I felt like a member of one team working in the same direction. It was the first time I managed to understand just how large Fe y Alegría

is; working from the Office of the Federation, it is difficult to comprehend just how large the movement is. Each person who came to the conference arrived with a special enthusiasm and vigor, ready to contribute and advance our common goal: Fe y Alegría’s sustainability. This attitude, present in every person in attendance, was really what made the conference such a success. Our leader from Fundación Cláritas, Diana García, brought together our collective enthusiasm and we spent eight hours each day learning, discussing, sharing and exchanging our ideas and experiences of what sustainability means. The activities, for me, were the best part of the conference.We often talk about sustainability, as if it were this grand idea, and what we often lose in the discussion is the practical application of what it really means. The process of exchanging ideas, experiences, and visions among the different countries was a very important source of knowledge. How else would I have come to understand the fundraising activities being executed in FyA Guatemala or learned about the alliances and partnerships being developed in FyA Uruguay, if hadn’t been for the this experience? The impact of doing this in person made all of the difference. Even though the first and third phases of the “Strengthening the Present to Ensure the Future” project are conducted virtually, this second phase had to be done in person. I truly believe that the conference in Choachí was vital to the advancement of the knowledge and process of the project. Overall, the week was a big success. Returning to Bogotá from Choachí, it was very clear that each team was ready to go back to their prospective countries and begin the plans they had developed at the conference. Personally, I have enjoyed being a part of this project, which aligns with the Federation’s second Strategic Objective: “strengthen the Participatory Management model with the organization …” I love that word: participatory. It reminds me, just as the conference in Choachí did, that we are not alone in this work. We are a network of people, each one contributing something to fulfill our mission and vision. The goal of the conference wasn’t to come together for a few days, throw around a few ideas, arrive at a plan and then leave it at that. The goal was sustainability. This was just the beginning. Our goal will be complete in a year, in two, in five years, in 59 years. The goal is sustainability. What is sustainability? To build “economic and social empowerment movement that allows empowerment and active participation to be generated among the different actors involve in the Fe y Alegría educational model.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Strategic objective

Strengthen the capacity of the Movement to influence public policies and programs that promote quality education for everyone, teacher training, overcoming poverty and social inclusion.

“Let’s all peacefully invade the Venezuelan media”: that’s the command, which has been given annually for the last 17 years to the entire school population of Fe y Alegría Venezuela It is not an isolated incident, much less improvised, nor is it just an activity that is conducted annually. The invasion of the media is a peak moment for Fe y Alegría Venezuela, from which the general public, government, business, educators and civil society recognize, appreciate, admire and decide to join the work being done by Fe y Alegría. It’s time to place importance on talking about popular education with all sectors of society. “It all started in 1997 when Roberto “Bobby” Coimbra, a Brazilian lawyer who settled in Venezuela and became a successful publicist, described as “the King Midas of advertising,” told us the following expression when trying to define the campaign Fe y Alegría should do: “Top of mind”. An advertising term that translates to: place something in the minds of the people. When Sylvia Oteiza, a collaborator with Fe y Alegría for more than 20 years, remembers those moments, it evokes the need organization had to establish itself in the minds of different sectors of society. “That was really what we wanted. We were not interested in people only hearing what Fe y Alegría was; what we really wanted was to be recognized for what had been done, to know who had admired our work, and who could publicly affect different sectors.

However, we knew that was not going to be easy. Father Jesus Orbegozo, National Director at the time, and I wondered, “How are we going to accomplish such a task?” The first year was hard; we spent a lot of time explaining what Fe y Alegría’s mission was, but gradually the media opened up to us. The invasion began as an annual event that takes place in the early months of the year, usually as a prelude to the founding anniversary on March 5. For one day, the entire Fe y Alegría family leaves their daily routine to go out with a wealth of knowledge and experiences that they want to share with society. “Literally we took over the radio. Parents, representatives, pupils, teachers, teachers, managers, staff and workers were the protagonists in different parts of Venezuela. On that day everyone raised their voice to testify to what they lived and were within Fe y Alegría.” Year after year this activity has grown stronger, growing more roots, and not only on the radio, but gradually it has grown into an invasion of the education media. “Today we visited radio stations, newspapers, television stations, community radio; there are more than 600 people across the country present in every place open to us, where in addition to talking about what we do, we seek to promote public debate about the importance of education from the experience of the Movement of Popular Education of Fe y Alegría. “ “The invasion had its starting point 17 years ago, but what is done annually is a renewal of each year’s motto, one issue that we believe we can influence society. Every year in June, a meeting takes place where participants from different departments of the National Office, of course headed by the National Director, choose the theme for that particular year, this year for example, School for Life. From there, we construct and define objectives, basic documents, actors, a media plan, trainers, coverage, a monitoring and evaluation plan, and define other entities that are involved. In the words of Erika Briceńo, “the preparation of the invasion is so that we will set the standard for many other communication activities that are carried out at the National Office.” After 17 years of doing this, one could say many things, but perhaps the most successful statement to be made is by the current National Director, Manuel P. Aristorena, better known as “Father Stone.” “The invasion has, for me, two key moments. The first is when the invasion becomes the moment of greater presence and recognition of Fe y Alegría in society; it is time to remind people of our mission, our charisma. It’s time to raise our flags again of quality popular education, when we say to society and stakeholders that the education model of Fe y Alegría is so relevant that it has spent 59 years transforming lives in our societies. But it has a second moment, which is important to me, which is the time when all who are part of the Movement renew our identities, something like the renewal of vows . It is a time when we recommit ourselves, it is very beautiful to see all staff with the preparatory reading materials, getting ready to answer questions from journalists; I think this activity is a great time to remind everyone what our mission is at Fe y Alegría.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

gic Strate objective Strengthen new frontiers, so that the Fe y Alegría educational model is an option to face new forms of social, cultural and geographical exclusions raised by today’s society. Fe y Alegría is especially interested in reaching the African continent, which represents the biggest challenge.

Last November 21st, Father Joaquin Ciervide SJ, former Director of Fe y Alegría Chad and appointed by the General Coordinator of the Federation as Advisor to the affairs of Africa and Madagascar from the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, arrived in Antananarivo, Madagascar. With the arrival of Father Ciervide to Madagascar, the Federation started a process that will allow Fe y Alegría to initiate actions in rural school districts belonging to Ikalavony and Solila, which currently encourage Father Emile Ranaivoarisoa SJ.

Two Months in Madagascar “In the first two months we were able to take a brief tour of different parts of the Ikalamavony and Solila districts and also have a very short teacher training experience. This is certainly a beautiful country: very soft green hills, descending into valleys where rice terraces are grown and flooded rivers lay, emboldened by the daily rainfall. There is little forest. Where there is no rice, there are fields of corn, cassava and peanuts, but also large areas with only grass. A central valley reveals picturesque villages of 10 to 20 houses, all built in the traditional model threestory adobe bricks without cement, small windows that let in very little light and thick thatched roofs that protect rain and corrugated iron better than heat.

At the exit of villages, you can distinguish an older building without floors. It is the school, and in the dark interior you can see a few old desks and a broken blackboard with chalk. In contrast to this rural setting exists what we call ‘urban centers.’ The largest, Ikalamavony, has a majority of the offices within the province: the office of the mayor, the police and army, a hospital, churches and shops; the mid-sized center, Solila, and the smallest, Mangidy. As in other parts of the world, schools in centers are better equipped and have younger teachers. It’s the schools in villages where more abandonment is becoming apparent. Globally, poverty and isolation dominate, both of which are favored by the horrible state of the roads and pathways through which one travels. Electricity only exists in Ikalamavony (four hours daily). There are mobile phones too, but the Internet and television are still a pipe dream in the entire region. To develop its actions, Fe y Alegría selected 22 schools: two in Ikalamavony, one Catholic and one public; the same process occurred in Solila and Mangidy; the remaining 16 are scattered schoolhouses among villages, the majority of which are Catholic. Of the 22, the largest has 563 students, the smallest 27. It is clear that the most needy are the small village schools. The Catholic schools in Solila and Ikalamavony are led by Sisters, specialized in teaching and it is very noticeable that these students receive a better education than the others in the villages. But we are going to create a ‘network’ to support for these 22 schools to help one another. In Solila, the weekend of January 25th and 26th, 37 teachers from 10 schools responded to our invitation to spend two full days considering issues such as the use of the blackboard, students who are left-handed, group work, dictation, etc.. The following weekend we did the same event in Mangidy for 26 teachers from 6 schools. In March (when cyclones pass!), we will have a similar experience for the 44 teachers in the Ikalamavony region. Educators are saying that they want to be trained: they ask for French classes in the evenings and want the Malagasy language training intensified.They show great willingness to help each other and hopefully will grow progressively, creating a spirit of solidarity among themselves that deserves the name of the Fe y Alegría spirit. Two months is too early to make judgments but everything suggests that this is promising.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

The International

Federation of Fe y Alegría Develops actions for eight federative programs, a network of peers and three committees. Improving the Quality of Popular Education Training for Work. IT in Education Teacher Training Non-Formal Education and Social Promotion. Management and Institutional Strengthening Systems Education in Human-Christian Values Public Action Network of Fe y Alegría Radio Institutes (IRFA) Commissions: Migration, New Frontiers and Indigenous. In this edition of Institutional Memoir, we present to our readers testimonials of projects developed from the federative programs.

Education in Human-Christian Values Program Fe y Alegría developed an educational model in which education is organized in Human-Christian values and evangelization to strengthen institutional identity and encourage participants in the human and citizens’ attitudes of respect, love, tolerance and peace that allows them to become transforming agents of society. By forming pastoral teams and an evangelization strategy, we work with different audiences (children, youth, principals, teachers, parents of families) to strengthen the identity and values, which Fe y Alegría provide all of its congregations. Projects: Currently, the “Strengthening Fe y Alegría’s Pastoral Work” project is being executed, financed by the Province of Castilla (Spain) and Entreculturas--Fe y Alegría Spain, and seeks to: • • •

Functionally insert the pastoral proposal within the educational proposal for each of the participating countries. Provide a teachers training program in six modules, which enables teachers to address the current challenges facing pastoral ministries. Organize children’s participation strategies in each country, through which the learning of generated values are expressed.

The project is being conducted in 14 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela. It is expected to reach 60 schools, 600 teachers and 300 youth.

Raymundo Paul Lara Ventura, a Peruvian youth influenced by Fe y Alegría’s Pastoral Work “I came to Fe y Alegría by life circumstances. With the death of my grandmother, I had to move out of the neighborhood. We came to an area called My Peru, a slum on the outskirts of Lima, near the Lurigancho prison, one of the most dangerous in the country. While there, my mother began the task of searching for a school for my sister and me. I started fourth grade, I was nine or ten years. After much searching, a neighbor told us that there was a Fe y Alegría school in the area, Centro Educativo Fe y Alegría 33, he said it was very good, the teachers were very dedicated, and that it also cost nothing. Immediately my mom enrolled my sister and me. I stayed there until I finished high school.”

What does Fe y Alegría represent to you? “Fe y Alegría for me and my family is the place where we learned many things, not only academically, but also values. We were formed as people, as worthy human beings. You feel it when you see a student from Fe y Alegría speaking to a guy from another school.You can easily tell the difference.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

I actually use now, in my daily life, what I learned at Fe y Alegría; for example, at work, in dealing with your partner, with your family, with others, in the way you live with different people. I think what I was taught at Fe y Alegría has made me live differently, with more respect and more commitment. I also think Fe y Alegría has been the place where I have built a community. Today my friends are my classmates, my teachers, we all continue to see each other and we continue to help each other, I think we all feel that we are a family. Another important thing that Fe y Alegría left with all of us is that it taught us the importance of helping and supporting others. The sense of community building that we were learning in school motivates us every day to become better citizens today, to want to work for our country, not simply becoming just one more person in the crowd, we have to stand out and fight for our dreams and help build a better world.”

What was your experience with the pastoral area at school? “I started the year after entering school, I mean, when I was in fifth grade, and I did so as an invited guest. Some classmates motivated me to participate in the pastoral days seeking to know Jesus. Some time later I joined the MEJ known as Eucharistic Youth Movement. There I learned many things and I met many people that today are still my friends. They taught us things that helped us to be better people. I was there until ninth grade. Then I enrolled in the pre-CLC (Christian Life Community) and I was part of group of young people that catechized in other districts of the city. I had to go to Pachacutec, another province located on the outskirts of Lima in the district of Ventanilla. There I went through all the roles, from student to coordinator. After finishing school I kept being part of CLC communities in my capacity as an alumnus.”

Would you like to say a few words to the people who can support Fe y Alegría? “I would say I’ve always heard that youth are the future of the nation and that if we want our nation to be better we have to start

with the kids. So institutions like Fe y Alegría need many resources, because “nothing in life is free”; everything has a price and resources that contribute to this institution will be utilized for a lot of children. Not only talking about Peru, I’m talking about of all countries where Fe y Alegría operates, places where perhaps no one ever wanted to add a stone to form a school and Fe y Alegría did, and I think that’s a sign of the social work and inclusive thinking that Fe y Alegría holds. We all know that in our institution the State contributes to the teachers’ salaries, so they are in reality employees of the government, yet they always wear the Fe y Alegría shirt.This is a sign that they feel a part of this big family. So to all the people who can support: institutions, the State, I don’t know what to say, except that you should know that an investment in Fe y Alegría will be remunerated. That’s what matters.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

IT in Education Program Fe y Alegría promotes the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) n in educational processes, networking and institutional management of the Movement. The scope is to promote the processes of communication, the exchange and construction of knowledge between different actors and levels of Fe y Alegría and to contribute to the dissemination and construction of knowledge throughout the student community. From our website, Mundo Escholar, we promote education and management in our students, faculty and participants, and guide the process of allocation and adequacy of thematic classrooms, so that they are appropriate to the contexts of schools, non-formal education, and special education. We develop strategies for promoters, teachers and local communities, extending training for the use of ICT in education.

Projects: Currently, the program runs in joint manner with Quality Educational Programs and Teacher Training, the project “Strengthening the System of Improving Quality Educational within Fe y Alegría” which seeks to, as the same states, deploy the system to improve the quality of education within 562 Fe y Alegría schools in the Movement within the 18 countries involved in the project (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela), in order to achieve changes in the processes and outcomes that occur at each school. . The project is funded by AECID through Entreculturas—Fe y Alegría Spain.

“I approached and stayed with educational computing.”—Adelita a teaching preschool expert on new communication technologies—ICT “I am María Adelita Pacanchique Pérez, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colombia Incca. I have been working within the Fe y Alegría Movement for 14 years, and I am currently teaching basic third grade at Colegio Fe y Alegría San Ignacio, which I have done since 2011. One of the characteristics of Fe y Alegría is that it is in less-favored areas, where humility and despair are common, this implies that the formation of children, youth, women and men cannot just provide academics, but should be strengthened through spirituality as well, through the construction of values, which are integral development within their ideals and practice. People want to build lives for themselves, with aspirations to be citizens who contribute to society and from their personal growth contribute to the building of better communities. In April 2000 I joined the Movement and began my teaching experience. Over the years I have had the opportunity to share experiences, meet people and participate in training processes, which have allowed me to grow personally, spiritually and professionally. Fe y Alegría has given me spaces that have allowed me to interact in the world of computing, social networking and everything related to the new Information and Communication Technologies.

The program helps us make our classes more innovative, which can be done in the yard, in the institutional library or in the community, in specialized classrooms, or in the park, including letting the parents become teachers for a while. I think one of the greatest achievements of educational computing projects is that we teachers have to become creative, full of ideas that are reflected in the activities executed in our classrooms and that’s why our students always see the joy, interest, excitement, leadership and desire to succeed, always with the support and assistance of professionals who want to better oneself. This project has also enabled the creation of learning communities that work from the Mundo Escolar portal. In 2009, along with Carlos Navarro, Coordinator at the time of the Centro Fe y Alegría Patio Bonito, I participated in the design, accompaniments and implementation of the learning community “Popular Education and the Role of Teachers,” in which teachers, from different countries where Fe y Alegría is located, participated. I want to share with you one of the most significant stories in my journey through I.E. and that’s when I participated at the First National Congress of Educational Computing, “I.T., More Than a Tool For Learning”, where I was selected to present a paper. It was a surprise for me that I was valued enough to be thought of in this way. It was exciting, meaningful and responsible because it showed what was done in I.T. in Education Project and the benefits it had brought to the community and to me as a person and a professional. Equally enjoyable was the help those involved in the project gave me, the institution to which they belonged, and also, the comments I received after presenting; it is one of the most unforgettable moments I’ve experienced yet with the project. I think one of those challenges faced by the program is that it needs to continue to spread the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in educational and professional life, the resources available and Mundo Escolar and Aula Virtual and social networks, and continue to promote the use and access of computer rooms for different areas of knowledge.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Fe y Alegría Radio Institutes IRFAS The Fe y Alegría Radio Institutes, known as IRFA, offer a dual education model for youth and adults, men and women, using the teaching methodology—learning ECCA, which adapts to the situation and reality of each country and is based on three elements: module or print, radio classes and tutorials.

Thus, the beneficiaries have adequate educational opportunity for their needs and preferences. It is expected that the project will enroll 148 people in Bolivia, 62 people in Peru, 153 people in Venezuela and 60 people in Paraguay.

They also offer radio services through educational radio stations, which contribute to the overall education of the beneficiaries and to social promotion. This program is present in Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

Ivan Gabrieli, I am a high school graduate thanks to IRFA, Peru

The goal, as already suggested, is to promote a popular and inclusive quality education which embraces diversity, contributes to the integral development of individuals and community social promotion to finally promote the formation of free subjects and active citizens with critical awareness, knowledge, skills and values that can influence the improvement of their quality of life and the transformation of their environment.

Projects: Currently the program runs the project “Distance learning, partially in-person and via the radio, for youth and adults in contexts of deprivation of liberty.” The project is designed to strengthen, develop and implement education programs for adolescents, young adults, men and women, in the contexts of prisons and rehabilitation centers for adolescents. The project currently takes place in Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

Ivan Gabrieli Gamarra was born in Lima, is 34-yearsold, is the eldest son of a family of five children and is currently detained at the ANCON II LIMA Prison. He has been in IRFA Peru’s Learning at Home project for three years.

What is Fe y Alegría to you, Ivan? “Fe y Alegría to me, like many of my fellow inmates in this prison, is an opportunity to be able to finish our primary and secondary educations; in my case, thanks to Fe y Alegría I was able to finish my secondary education. Fe y Alegría has also made it possible to do other things within jail: to interact with other people, to meet the teachers and to take advantage of what they teach us. I value very much what our teachers do. They make a big effort and sacrifice to move this program forward. Thanks to their teaching, we have all realized that despite our mistakes we can change and we can be different: we no longer have to be a bad element of society, thanks to studying we are able to do positive things.

What elements do you think a Fe y Alegría education has that makes it different from other models? “I think that there are two things that Fe y Alegría does differently. First, the quality of the education; we here in jail have received a very good education; it shows in the teachers, the materials they give us, in the life values they teach us. I am sure that when we leave this place we will not be the same people who entered. With what we have been taught by Fe y Alegría, we will be different people, people who want to contribute to making a better society, people who are concerned about our families and our communities. Secondly, I think Fe y Alegría is an institution with national prestige, for us it’s important for us to get this degree because it’s recognized, not only here but in other countries, and that opens doors for further study, I mean, getting our degree from this institution is very good for our future. “

What do you think you’ll do once you get out of prison? What does your family think of this process? “Well my family, especially my mother and my siblings, have congratulated me, they’re very proud of what I have been able to achieve. My mother tells me that if I had never been incarcerated I surely would have never finished my studies. The truth is that here, while in prison, I’ve realized many things, but especially how important it is to have an education. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I want to continue studying to be able to have a better future.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

New Frontiers Commission With the work of the Commissions are looking to implement joint actions to effectively materialize the objectives and challenges in the Strategic Plan III: Make Fe y Alegría present in new emerging realties of social and educational injustice emerging to maintain fidelity to the mission, promoting the dissemination of the learning achieved from experience and best practices, collaboration and shared efforts, especially to African countries.

From Madagascar to the country of Tumai (the first human)

Views of Emile Ranaivoarisoa J.S. and Andry S.J. of Foi et Joie Tchad

mostly parents of students, the various town officials and the general population.

Father Emile was born in Ihazolava / Ambatolampy Antananarivo (Madagascar), is 47 years old, and has been a Jesuit priest since 1997. He is the Head of the Ikala-mavony and Solila districts, with a population of 64,167 in the first district and 45.941 in the second. .

The teaching team focuses its efforts on improving the quality of education. We accompany one of its initiatives: the ‘reading field’, which together with students who are struggling in a nearby training for a week to receive a crash course in reading and writing. The results are amazing. For their part, teachers participate in a program of ongoing training and monitoring of their work in the classroom.

With our goal of starting Fe y Alegría in Madagascar, we have visited Foi et Joie Tchad to discover and observe what makes this institution work. The entire Chadian team has shown great joy in sharing their experiences with us. There were about four difficult moments in the two weeks we spent with them: personal encounters with the National Director, Father Etienne Mborong, visits to different places, and meetings with the teaching staff and the team of the “School and Community Relationship.” The action of the latter team is to consolidate what different members of every people can do for school:

The educational team focuses its efforts on improving the quality of education. We accompany one of its initiatives: the ‘reading field’, which puts them together with students who are struggling in a nearby training for a week to receive a crash course in reading and writing. The results are amazing. For their part, teachers participate in a program of ongoing training and monitoring of their work in the classroom. The most important visits were conducted at the inauguration of the new Djéguéré school built by Foi et Joie, the parent committee meeting, a gathering of

mothers of students, an Eref educational day and the construction of two new schools, Tchélati and Bouko. We have been impressed by the collaboration that exists among the different groups and the creativity that has manifested to address the problems that arise; pay teachers who are in charge of local communities and recover children who leave school, among others. Working with the community, from the base, working with parents, motivating people and train stakeholders in education are the keys to success at Fe y Alegría in Mongo. Emile Ranaivoarisoa S.J. Fiarantsoa, March 14, 2014

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Non-Formal Education and Social Promotion Program Fe y Alegría promotes the coordination and development of proposals for non-formal education and social promotion to excluded sectors of the population: at-risk youth, female-headed households and the elderly, looking for a civic education, community development and transformation of situations of poverty and exclusion. Projects: “Organized Youth Initiative, a proposed citizens’ action for non-violence.” Train and support a team of 30 young people in each of the 12 communities in six countries: Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, so they, as transformers of their own realities, perform the actions provided to the community. Training young people will be done from a methodological proposal entitled “Form Action,” which is not limited to training of knowledge and values, but also generates an accompanying process in youth civic action. The proposed methodology was drawn from a popular education approach and is based on the referential framework of Fe y Alegría’s Non-Formal Education and Social Promotion program. “Hello, my name is Silvio Quintana, I’m 24 yearsold and I live in a town called La Ceiba, in the municipality of León, Nicaragua.”

Usually young people who are part of a project belong to communities where we live among many ugly things: domestic violence, especially against women, violence of all kinds, abused children suffering for many reasons. I am aware that in our communities we dedicate more time to generating violence than to peace building; there are families sometimes in very difficult situations have no outlet, and one sees many people suffering. From my own testimonial, I recognize the lack of affection that I experienced as a child and how that affected me personally; in my childhood I did not have the love of my father and that made me feel very lonely. I believe that because of this project a lot can change in our communities. I dream of a community where we all act like brothers, free from violence, drug abuse, where all who dwell here can experience love and peace, and where everyone has the same opportunities and rights. I am willing to continue working for this dream; I think if all young people in this community join efforts together, we can achieve a better world for all of us. With this project I have learned that we can re-define concepts such as respect, love, forgiveness, so I think we should continue in order to ensure a better future for those coming behind us.”

“I started to participate in the PPJO in March 2013. The thing that struck me about the project was the initiative to articulate and strengthen youth groups, men and women, to become actors in transformation of our communities.

El Salvador

II III

0% 25% 75%

II III I II III

11.51% 0.44% 88.05%

I II III

0% 10% 90%

information

81% 0% 19% Nicaragua

Guatemala Honduras

Panama

Venezuela

Federación I II III

Colombia Ecuador

0% 13% 87%

Brazil Perú

Chile

I II III

0% 7% 93%

I II III

64% 11% 25%

Paraguay

Bolivia

Uruguay

I II III

Argentina

0% 20% 80%

I II III

85% 2% 13%

I II III

12.7% 7.6% 79.7%

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Spain I II III

gría Feis ypublic Ale education How we are financed

39% 17% 44%

Support*

One

Dominican Republic

Haiti No

information

II III

I Government revenues (including unaccounted subsidies) II Own contributions III Private businesses, international cooperation, and donations

more of us

2013

22% 0% 78%

I II III

Chad

0% 0% 100%

84%

225,213,607

Consolidated

I II III

75% 4% 21%

I II III

35% 41% 24%

I II III

38% 47% 15%

I II III

86% 10% 4%

26,292,999

15,430,359

federal figures

Madagascar

10%

I II III

97% 0% 3%

* Source: Federal Financial Information System SIFF 2012. 35

Institutional

Achievements

Fe y Alegría Panama

Three years of bilingual intercultural education “Today I have managed to change my identity card, it now has my signature, because now I know how to write. I can also help my children with homework, like all mothers do.” Mila Andrade is a member of the Boca de Monte Ngäbe Bugle community; she is a participant in the Completion of Primary Education Project for Youth and Adults of Indigenous Communities of the Ngäbe Buglé, supported by Entreculturas—Fe y Alegría Spain and the Spanish Cooperation Agency for Development (AECID) participant. The project will last 4 years, and it aims to provide opportunities for universal access to basic education for indigenous youth and adults in extreme poverty in six communities in the Mironó Duima Nole district.At the end of the project, it is expected that 314 participants will perceive improvements in their quality of life through the teaching of math, Spanish, science, social science and labor education.

Achievements: 1.

Embed a proposal for bilingual intercultural education in Ngäbe Buglé communities.

Integrate teachers as members of the communities.

Adjust teaching-learning community spaces and flexible schedules.

Ensure that 36 men and 105 women will finish the sixth grade.

Thus, Fe y Alegría Panama is working so that the village of Ngäbe Buglé, representing 4.6% of the total population in the country, has access to primary education.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Fe y Alegría Bolivia

Three years of bilingual intercultural education The Mary Lizzie beauty center is located in the city of Santa Cruz and opened its doors to the public 28 years ago. In 2010 it began a process of inclusive work that has led it to be one of many companies working hand in hand with Fe y Alegría to offer job opportunities to people with disabilities. Mary Lizzie Ortiz de Rivero, owner and professional stylist, is the architect of this achievement. With great joy and enthusiasm she shared her experience:

What do you think of Fe y Alegría’s work in connection with the integration of persons with disabilities? “The work that Fe y Alegría is doing is very important. I think many companies should follow suit and open spaces for people with disabilities to have a place to develop professionally. It is a task that is not always easy, it requires a lot of support and proximity, both on our part and on the part of Fe y Alegría. Fortunately I think that we have always had that, so that’s why our young people, despite the difficulties some of them have to work through, always manage to do so. The truth is that our customers really value the effort that these boys and girls do to improve their quality of life.”

What contributions do you think Fe y Alegría has made in Santa Cruz regarding this issue? “One of the important things is that Fe y Alegría will seek alternatives in different companies, I know it must be very difficult to knock on doors. They are doing a good job for many people with

disabilities to work in different areas; I think it’s a very positive contribution and someone had to do it, and Fe y Alegría is doing just that. We have been working for four years on the subject of labor inclusion, and Fe y Alegría began working with us a year ago. We have people with intellectual disabilities and hearing impaired and have not had any problems. In our company, one of our values and principles is to help people with disabilities to have a better quality of life.”

3 Fe y Alegría Dominican Republic

The Ramos Group talks about the educational model of Fe y Alegría in the Dominican Republic Director of the Ramos Group Ramos Group is the leading retail company in the Dominican Republic. Since 1965, it has been working in the Dominican market through different brands and business formats. It currently operates 24 multi-centers, five supermarkets, seven discount stores and one shopping center, distributed across the main geographical areas of the country. The shops together receive more than 45 million visitors each year. With over 10,000 employees working in shops, corporate offices, distribution centers and a bakery, it is one of the largest private employers in the Dominican Republic. Ramos Group is the main contributor in the commercial sector, with annual contributions to the Treasury of more than RD $4.2 million.”

What do you think of the concept of the Fe y Alegría educational model? “The educational model of Fe y Alegría is excellent, combining academic education with the inclusion of good values reinforced by the Christian faith. Since its arrival in the country, the institution has contributed to the training of very poor children with a quality that exceeds that of many prestigious private schools. Regarding additional technical training offered by many of the centers of Fe y Alegría, this constitutes an added value for students who leave the school prepared to enter the labor world.”

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

What contributions do you think it has made to education in your country? “Fe y Alegría has made a great contribution to the Dominican Republic, providing access to quality education and educational values to thousands of children and adolescents from marginalized and excluded sectors of the country, who are now eligible for a more dignified life and have the opportunity to lay the foundation to become good professionals and better citizens.”

Do you think it is a replicable model? “We think so. The Fe y Alegría educational model has proven to be successful and sustainable, and a sample of this is that over the years they have increased the number of Fe y Alegría centers, which have better equipment and more classrooms and technical and vocational training workshops. This has been possible thanks to the excellent management of the institution, which has established itself as serious and committed entity to the education of Dominican children. Undoubtedly, the prestige and recognition it has achieved has enabled it to generate trust and support from both the public and private sectors of the country, as international aid agencies who see Fe y Alegría an important ally in its development programs and corporate social responsibility.”

4 Entreculturas—Fe y Alegría Spain Carmen Rodriguez Arteaga. Head of Education. Gender and Sectoral Department. Multilateral Management, Horizontal and Financial—AECID

To talk about Fe y Alegría Education is to talk about quality, social recognition, impact and institutional trust. The educational model of Fe y Alegría has, from my point of view, combined the grandeur of equitable access and the right to a quality education on the Latin American continent, which has made substantial progress in terms of coverages since they opened their first school 50 years ago in the Caracas Movement. But what really sets this educational model apart is the will to transform the social and educational reality in which it is inserted; well, focusing on popular education, the proposal affects democratization participation through dialogue and reflection. Building a model of teaching and school management centered in the educational community where students, teachers and parents are active participants in the process and where the quality of education for the most vulnerable shapes the right to education, perhaps can be said to be some of the most impactful accomplishments and gives added value and differentiation to Fe y Alegría. Networking, finding synergies and the definition of strategic plans have allowed Fe y Alegría to build a shared vision within the organization and to have tools that favor adaptation programs to different countries without losing quality. Finally, the way they work with transparency and rigor has allowed them to gain the trust of the public educational country representatives and funders.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

How they see us Peru •

•

“Fe y Alegría is a well known and prestigious network of public educational institutions, which emphasizes basic and technical training students in impoverished areas.”—Idel Vexler, Deputy Minister of Education. “Fe y Alegría works in practice with a public-private partnership with state schools, which are responsible for its management; with a greater degree of independence than most public schools managers have.This greater independence has allowed changes within the institutions, by allowing more important educational improvements (on average their institutions perform better than those run by the state.)—Editorial, El Comercial, January 6, 2014. “I highlight the experience of Fe y Alegría and the need for experiences like this to spread towards public policy.”— Hugo Díaz, member of the Steering Committee of the National Council of Education. “The state should take advantage of successful learning experiences such as Fe y Alegría schools and provide them with more teachers to have more schools and, consequently, more well-trained students.”—León Trahtemberg, member of the Steering Committee of the National Council of Education.

Venezuela • •

“We ask that Fe y Alegría help us and accompany us in this process of improving public education in Venezuela.”—Hector Rodriguez, Minister of Education. “In Venezuela we are aware that public education should be a strong component in teacher training, and we know that in this respect Fe y Alegría also has great experience and knowledge, and in that area we also need you.”—Hector Rodriguez, Minister of Education.

Bolivia •

•

“The work of Fe y Alegría Bolivia and line of educational policy of the country are aligned. We value and support the experiences that we have developed this institution, especially in the field of inclusive education.”—H. Deputy Estanis Condori, Chamber of Deputies of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. “Without education there is no change in the country. In this, Fe y Alegría Bolivia has made a fundamental contribution to the new Education Act that governs our country today. The House of Representatives recognize this educational institution as a meritorious institution of the Plurinational State. Fe y Alegría is a pride for the entire country for the beautiful work you do throughout our region. Our commitment to you will be present to assist and promote, from the place where we meet, both professionally and personally.”—H. Deputy Carlos Subirana, Chamber of Deputies of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Ecuador •

“I feel happy and excited to see how 50 years of work has transpired, which Ecuadorians know and recognize. In this regard, I reiterate my congratulations and that of Rafael Correa, President of the Republic. May the work of Fe y Alegría consolidate and continue to generate value over time in people who are part of Ecuador.”—Cecila Vaca, Coordinating Minister of Social Development.

Colombia • “Fe y Alegría has a model of quality management, which can be emphasized in many aspects. It is designed based on principles, which are applied in the development of the improvement process, and through assessments that lead to certification. In addition to supporting the quality of management, including aspects of classroom assessment to incorporate students in the areas of language and mathematics. Finally an orientation I want to highlight is your work geared towards vulnerable populations.

Certification of all Fe y Alegría schools with this model strengthens the quality of the training process since they are promoted. It is very important that this could be applied in other public and private institutions in the country, as it is a replicable model and supports quality improvement.”— Iannini Eliana Botero, Advisor Private Schools Ministry of Education

My Memories

of Father José María Vélaz By Antonio Bachs S.J. Fe y Alegría’s Ideology

8th MEETING. LIMA, 1977. This year’s meeting of Directors was in Peru, exactly in Ñaña near Lima to be exact. We were still on the subject of ideology and the Ideology of Fe y Alegría, marked by a “progressive” line. At that meeting I had a strong argument with Vélaz. It was Thursday, December 29th, which was to be the last day of the meetings. At the end of the morning, was a “brainstorming” activity. But Vélaz didn’t want to touch the issue of ideologies. However, I proposed the need for an ideology within a popular line. At the start of the afternoon session, Vélaz violently hurled me for proposing this subject that created division. I got very frustrated, and I replied with a tough tone that he had no right to attack me as well. At the end of the afternoon we had the Mass. When it was time to give the sign of peace,Vélaz, at the other side of the chapel, approached me and apologized. Tears started streaming down my face. The issue of ideology had always been violent one, since the 3rd Meeting in Cochabamba. Father Vélaz did not want to have a document in which a division of leftist political ideology could manifest. So that’s why I didn’t want to touch the subject of an ideology. However, in 1980 he realized that many countries already had their own ideas. Throughout 1983, Vélaz freely allowed us to prepare the basis of an ideology document. So the preparatory commission was established, formed by Robert Caro, Iñaqui Marquínez, and someone else I can’t remember. Throughout the year we had several meetings in Lima, Bogotá, and, finally, in Merida.

15th MEETING. VENEZUELA , 1984. Vélaz had organized that assembly in San Javier del Valle de Mérida (Venezuela). He invited almost all the Directors of all Venezuelan Schools, which was the first time he had done that. It seemed to me that Vélaz wanted to say goodbye to all of us who were his dear collaborators. The following year, José María died in Masparro. That meeting was also of great importance, because after 29 years of existence, Fe y Alegría was to have its fundamental charter, which is the IDEOLOGY. Logically most Venezuelans were present, but the document should have been international.Thus, it was decided that every country would send two delegates plus Vélaz and the Commission. Vélaz left us completely free to do the drafting of the document. In two days we had passed an Ideology. In the end,Vélaz didn’t intervene, but he said a phrase that stuck with me and I wrote it down: “We have in our hands the trunk of a great tree. It’s up to us to record in it a great image.” That’s how it was approved by Father Vélaz. After the meeting, Fe y Alegría Venezuela had organized several trips. I was interested in a trip to Masparro. In Masparro,Vélaz accompanied me with affection and enthusiasm in this great project he was creating. I visited the room in which he wrote “The Masparro Letters.” Between San Javier del Valle and Masparro I could understand the “Testament of Father Vélaz.” That’s how I said goodbye to Father Vélaz.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

International Congress Inclusive Education in the Mission of Fe y Alegría

In 2013, the International Federation of Fe y Alegría Congress XLIV was held in Brazil. We present an abstract summary of the Final Document of the International Congress XLIV “Inclusive Education in the Mission of Fe y Alegría.”

Inclusion should not be seen merely as a way to treat people with different capacities, rather, refers to an appreciation of cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious, social diversity, learning styles, abilities, gender, among others, as an enrichment of the educational community and the reality in full. All of this requires a profound transformation of visions impacting a changing of attitudes and concrete actions: methodologies, education systems, infrastructure and educational communities, which respond to diversity.

What does inclusive education mean?

In pedagogy, inclusive education is a concept that attempts to better address one of the main features of our societies, which is diversity. It is a term that aims to overcome the term integration, as it is not the students who must adapt to the educational system, but it must the educational system which must adapt to them: the new education system should be open to diversity, understanding it as an asset without pretending to homogenize. UNESCO proposes the inclusion as the fourth and most important step on the ladder that goes from exclusive education to inclusive education. Historically it has demonstrated a long process that started from the deep exclusion, which then moves on to segregation or formation of ghettos in which all people were confined and considered different. Then the way to integration was achieved by creating “special” spaces to integrate those not adapted to the dominant educational system. But what you want is to get a true inclusion, creating a new culture of openness to diversity, in which equity and quality are inseparable.

Fe y Alegría’s collective commitment is to building an inclusive culture, understanding that in our countries it means a countercultural and contextualized bet. It is a process in constant tension; there are no patterns or recipes that respond equally to situations of each social context. To achieve inclusive communities, a change in the culture of the school system is necessary. Considering inclusive education as a new culture, it’s most important characteristics are: • • • • •

Be collaborative Have high expectations for students and teachers Consensus on values Possess skills to work effectively with differences Must be supported by a safe and orderly environment, • Recognizes and stimulates educators to assume a variety of leadership roles.

Why does Fe y Alegría opt for inclusive education? Inequality populates our world. Resources, income, and opportunity have been disproportionately focused in the hands of a minority of the world population, a situation that has been systematically consolidating over the last several decades mainly due to neoliberal policies, thus causing deep poverty. This is expressed not only in the economic sphere, but also in the educational, cultural and human spheres, speaking of inequality of opportunity to enjoy the basic rights: access to health, housing, work, education and participation. Education systems do not counteract this inequality; by contrast, they reproduce and legitimize it. Far from generating development and inclusion, education has produced social disintegration and discrimination. This exclusive reality mainly affects indigenous peoples, women, those who have suffered from forced migration, and those who have some kind of functional or intellectual diversity . Ethnic and social origins, sexual orientation and gender remain causes of exclusion in our societies and, therefore, in the school settings.

Since inclusive education poses the need of a society for everyone and also built by everyone, that means a structural and cultural change must take place. Fe y Alegría assumes the accusation and public advocacy towards barriers that promote exclusion and is committed to promoting an inclusive ideology. To approach our proposed goals, we must fight for policies in the service of a just, equitable education, with equal opportunities, understood as the recognition of common features and needs, as well as the uniqueness of each student’s “knowledge” and “abilities.” Inclusion has been around since our origin and is fundamental to our practice. It has always chosen the right of the poor, excluded and marginalized to receive a quality education in order to transform their realities. Education should be at the service of social transformation which defines our vision of a spirituality based in service of a more dignified and humane life for everyone. As a result, Fe y Alegría put in place practices, which are driven to achieve conditions of equity, complete quality, continuous education, strengthening teaching, public funding, and equitable and quality education management.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

As the Movement, Fe y Alegría seeks constant destabilization that is creative, daring, self-critical and a constant reinterpretation of reality, while also promoting the practice of a pedagogy of inclusion, social promotion, community development, job training and job placement and the use of ICT, involving every stakeholder within the community.

How does Fe y Alegría assume inclusive education? For Fe y Alegría, inclusive education is the condition without which it is impossible to build just, equitable and democratic societies. An equitable and quality education is a powerful instrument of social transformation,

which is possible if the context affects concrete actions, creating a space in the public sphere that facilitates active participation. From there, Fe y Alegría takes on the challenge of moving towards an increasingly inclusive education, open to diversity to create new social and power relations. From our different areas and types of education (formal, non-formal, radio, technical employability, special education, social promotion, community development, etc.), we appreciate and celebrate the cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious, social, cultural diversity of skills of learning styles, gender, and others, we know that education enriches our communities and each of us. Fe y Alegría understands that inclusion as: presence, a commonplace that everyone has regular access to, the

Congress XLIV,

Inclusive education in the mission of Fe y Alegría, Brazil 2013.

school; student participation, their views, valuation; a comprehensive development of their potential and the practice of active citizenship, social and labor integration, promoting cohesion and collective commitment of the school and community.

How do we educate for inclusion? Faced with the challenge of building an inclusive education, Fe y Alegría poses the following challenges: • • • • • • •

Opt for the excluded, with the conviction to serve the most vulnerable Continuously review the eligibility criteria, accompaniment or continual support of the students to prevent exclusionary mechanisms, which may be hidden Review the curriculum, which often results in exclusion for not taking into account the specificities of context and people Foster an inclusive quality education that promotes the overall development of each and every student Promote a society built on the collective, seeking cultural transformation. Overcoming academic ranking processes that reproduce patterns of inequality Rate the difference by promoting collaborative learning systems among heterogeneous peers.

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

•

Influence States for increased investment of public funds in education, since it is known that inclusive education has an increased economic cost, since it requires more special professionals and more individualized attention Encourage and promote the role of the excluded in advocacy, raising awareness for the value of diversity and the pursuit of inclusive education strategies.

Commitment of Teachers for Inclusive Education

The management teams also have a key role in promoting a continuous and inclusive education. They are responsible for creating the conditions for the educators to reflect and become a truly collective educational community. And you, as an educator, what is your commitment to bring to life inclusive education at your school?

Teachers and management teams who are passionate about education, are able to adapt to change, learn and unlearn practices, modify ideas, concepts, attitudes are needed. It is key that they honestly question what they really think about the inclusion, what their fears, apprehensions, and hopes are. Reflection and a questioning attitude to their own beliefs about their difficulties in learning from their students can lead to a significant increase in the development of new ways to address barriers to learning and participation progress.

1968

1978

International Congresses since our Founding

1986

1988

1990

1992

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

1996

2002

1987

2010

1980

2008

1973

1982

51 2011

Funders, Management

2013

ALBOAN

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

When trying to remember to list and name each and every person that should appear in an appreciation letter, the same fear always comes up: “we’re going to forget someone”. At the time of publication, we ask for patience and forgiveness, as we know that many people will be left out of this list, mainly for space. The Federative Memoirs 2013 is possible thanks to the efforts of many people who provided information, photographs, data, figures and statistics. We want to especially thank those who generously shared their testimonials. Juan Camilo Olaya (a student from Colombia), Nate Radomski (intern), Silvia Oteiza (mother and daughter), the Fe y Alegría Venezuela communications department, Joaquin Ciervide S.J. from Madagascar, Raymundo Paul Lara (a student from Peru), Adelita Pacanchique (teacher) and her third grade students, to Ivan Gamarra (IRFA student), to Father Emile Ranaivoarisoa S.J., Silvio Quintana (Organized Youth Initiative participant), and to all those who were generous enough to share with us their experiences with Fe y Alegría.

and Administrators from the different Fe y Alegría offices; thanks to them we able to have testimonials and statistics, which have enriched this document. Finally, we want to thank everyone around the world who makes Fe y Alegría possible.To the women and men who direct our national and regional offices, our education centers, and every where else we operate our education programs; to the religious communities, to the teachers, to all of the technicians, to the social workers and general services to students and their mothers and fathers, to governments, donor agencies, volunteers, donors, private sector, journalists, academics, educators and all those who for 59 years have opened their hearts to the education and transforming action of Fe y Alegría in the world.

This year, 2013, we are very excited as we are close to adding another heart to our world map. Madagascar is our newest project, so thanks to the Jesuit authorities and the community at large who are every day bringing the Fe y Alegría Madagascar project closer to life and adding another heart on our world map.

Acknowledgements

A very special thank you to Father Anotnio Bach, S.J. for his 20 photographs of the Congress that we shared and have become a great visual testimonial, likewise for giving us memories that we share in Our Roots section. We would also like to thank the federative Program Coordinators and the Communication officers

g On-goin Projects

Our next innovative projects seeking external are: • Mobile Classrooms • Peaceful Schools • Food Security Education • Empowering Internal Communication If you are interested in supporting these projects, please write to: fi.proyectos@feyalegria.org

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

External Contributions in USD

Period of Execution

186.300,00

2012-2014

194.760,00

2013-2015

376.277,03

2012-2014

Fundación Telefónica Entreculturas

1.147.590,86

2012-2015

Donante privado

112.000

2012-2014

Inserción laboral y TIC en América Latina

Accenture Entreculturas

2.000.000

2012-2014

P3. Informática

Proyecto para la mejora de la calidad educativa. Acción 23

AECID Entreculturas

324.377,47

2012-2014

P3. Informática

Integración de las TIC en las propuestas educación especial

Donante privado

85.100,00

2014

P4. Formación

Proyecto para la mejora de la calidad educativa. Acción 23

AECID Entreculturas

320.192,47

2012-2014

Alboan

153.103,20

2013-2014

Inditex Entreculturas

560.000

2013-2015

Donante privado

456.910

2014-2015

Program

Projects

F. Institucional

Fortalecimiento institucional +DF

F. Institucional

Fortalecimiento institucional Proyecto para la mejora de la calidad educativa. Acción 23 “Programa para el aseguramiento de la calidad educativa en los centros educativos en los que interviene la Fundación Telefónica en América Latina”. Red para inserción laboral en Centroamérica.

P1. Calidad P1. Calidad

P2. Técnica P2. Técnica

Funder Alboan Entreculturas Donante privado AECID Entreculturas

P5. Promoción social P6.Gestión y Sostenibilidad P6.Gestión y Sostenibilidad

Liderazgo juvenil La calidad como meta la evaluación como camino Fortalecer el presente para asegurar el mañana

P7. Educación en Valores

Fortalecimiento de la pastoral en Fe y Alegría

AECID Entreculturas

390.000,00

2012-2014

P8 Acción Pública

Convenio para la mejora de la calidad educativa. Acción 38

Donante privado

367.230,57

2012-2014

P8 Acción Pública

Fortalecimiento de la acción pública de Fe y Alegría

Entreculturas

78.000

2013-2014

Nuevas Fronteras

Cooperación Sur Sur

Donante privado

69.000

2013-2015

C. Indígenas

Fe y Alegría Indígena

Donante privado

319.450

2013-2014

123.500

2012-2014

RDH. Educación a Distancia

Oferta educativa a distancia, semipresencial y radiofónica para jóvenes y adultos en contextos de privación de libertad.

Donante privado

Source: Project Coordination Federation (GESPRO)

Figure:

Inclusive Education: Intercultural Bilingual Education, Special Education, and Training For Work

COUNTRY

TOTAL

Participants

2013

Argentina

10,193

Bolivia

320,708

Brazil

21,551

Chad

7,935

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION COUNTRY

Special education

Intercultural bilingual education

Training for Work

(people with special educational needs)

(Native languages)

Chile

6,501

Colombia

316,191

Bolivia

12,616

8,707

977

D. Republic

71,105

Brazil

893

203

Ecuador

50,534

Chile

697

El Salvador

20,660

Colombia

8,618

562

Guatemala

27,413

D. Republic

3,572

Haiti

20,240

Ecuador

1.644

228

309

Honduras

6,485

Guatemala

209

2,206

Nicaragua

84,254

Honduras

806

Panama

6,681

Nicaragua

6,779

Paraguay

27,325

Panama

416

141

Peru

216,553

Paraguay

906

25,657

Spain

1,831

Peru

4.414

9,785

265

Uruguay

3,266

Venezuela

32,300

270

Venezuela

279,105

Subtotals

Total

1,498,531

Total

73,870

46,732

2,676

123,278

Source: 2012 Federation’s statistics

Memoirs 2013 Federación Internacional de Fe y Alegría

Total: 123,278

2.18 % 2,676

37.90% 46,732

59.92% 73,870

Programs:

School education, Part-time Education and radio, Alternative and Non-Formal Education.

Tota l

Part ic

pant Part s Fe icipa y Al nts I egría nclu : sive Edu catio n:1

1,49

8,53

23,2

1/10 0

78/8

.22%

FEDERACIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE FE Y ALEGRIA General Coordinator: Ignacio Suñol S.J E-mail: fi.coordinador@feyalegria.org Comunication Coordinator: Claudia Patricia Ríos C. E-mail: Comunicaciones: fi.comunicacion@feyalegria.org Office: Calle 35 N° 21-19, Barrio la Soledad, Bogotá, Colombia Telephone: 3383790-92 Website: www.feyalegria.org ARGENTINA Director: Fernando Anderlic Office: Hipólito Yrigoyen 2005 Telephone: (54 11) 4951-0972 C1089AAM - Ciudad de Buenos Aires E-mail: directornacional@feyalegria.org.ar Website: www.feyalegria.org.ar Twitter: @FeyAlegriaARG BOLIVIA Director: Rafael García S.J Office: Plaza Isabel la Católica 25/9, La Paz Bolivia Telephone: (591) 2445711-2445712-2445713 E-mail: direccion@feyalegria.edu.bo Facebook: Fe y Alegria Bolivia Twitter: @FYABolivia

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Director: Jesús Zaglul S.J Office: Calle Cayetano Rodríguez 114,Gazcue, Santo Domingo Telephone: (809) 2212786 E-mail: direccion@feyalegria.org.do ECUADOR Director: Carlos Vargas Office: Calle Asunción OE 238 y Manuel Larrea Sector El Ejido - Quito Telephone: (593)2-3214455 E-mail: c.vargas@feyalegria.org.ec Website: www.feyalegria.ec Facebook: feyalegria.Ecuador Twitter: @fyaecuador EL SALVADOR Director: Saúl León Office: Calle Mediterraneo, s/n, entre Avda ant, Cuscatlán y Av Río Amazonas. Jardines de Guadalupe, antiguo Cuscatlán. San Salvador Telephone: (503) 2431282 E-mail: s.leon@feyalegria.org.sv Facebook: Fe y Alegria El Salvador Twitter: @FeyAlegria_ES

Fe y Alegría

BRAZIL Diretor: Álvaro Negromonte S.J Office: Rua Rodrigo Lobato 141, sumaré Sao Paulo. S.P. Brasil CEP 05030-130 Telephone: /Fax: 55 11 38659761 E-mail: alvaro.negromonte@feyalegria.org.br Facebook: Fé E Alegria Brasil. Twitter: @fealegriabrasil

ENTRECULTURAS-FE Y ALEGRÍA SPAIN Director: Agustín Alonso S.J Office: Calle Pablo Aranda 3 28006 Madrid Telephone: (34) 91-5902672 E-mail: a.alonso@entreculturas.org Website: www.entreculturas.org Facebook: Entreculturas Twitter: @Entreculturas

Memoria FIFyA - 2013/EN

Articles inside

My Memories of Father José María Vélaz

International Congresses

I.T. in Education Program

Fe y Alegría Directory

Mission and Vision

Fe y Alegría Radio Institutes IRFAS

Funders, Management 2013

Strategic Objectives