- 19 solidarity projects financed in 2016
- €496,082 shared out in 2016 for projects in all four regions
SEE THE 2016 solidarity review
Every year, Emmaus organisations and their partner organisations who want to develop their activities put forward projects to Emmaus International.
Grouped together as Emmaus regions – Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia – Emmaus organisations around the world firstly submit their requests to their regional organisation, which decides what the priorities are and makes recommendations.
The regions’ chosen projects are then assessed by the world council on political action and international solidarity.
The international board makes the final decision about whether to finance the projects.
Money raised by the solidarity sale – which every member organisation has to run once a year – is pooled with the proceeds of the Paris salon (an enormous shabby-chic jumble sale in Paris). These resources are used for solidarity, to finance organisations’ projects around the world.
For several years, ESO in Burkina Faso has been developing a table, chair and sound system rental service. With the solidarity resources, the organisation has invested in a van, enabling it to further develop this activity and thereby increase its income.
The seven Emmaus organisations in Asia are developing an ecotourism initiative. The solidarity resources have helped make improvements to guests' accommodation, set up discovery programmes and produce communications materials.
In Argentina, Emmaus Burzaco has made use of solidarity resources to build a warehouse, where it receives, sorts and stores donated clothes and equipment. This has improved storage conditions and helped boost sales.
The solidarity resources have enabled the Missing Persons’ Families Support Centre in Lithuania to set up training initiatives for young people to help them reach independence. It has also created a centre for victims of human trafficking.
Nantegue Kone,
Leader of Emmaus Jekawili, Côte d’Ivoire
“Thanks to the solidarity resources, we’ve been able to create two additional jobs and significantly increase the number of people we support. For us, it’s essential we give something back. At Jekawili, as well as paying our Emmaus International subscriptions every year, we also hold a big solidarity sale, which is quite unique, because we sell chickens! We give away all the proceeds. Even if we don’t raise all that much – because here, people are poor – all the regions benefit. And that’s what’s most important.”
