Honduras, a paradigm of effective cooperation

At Intress, our gaze has always been directed at people and the social reality of our surroundings: children, families, women, people with mental health problems, the elderly, young people. ... But the instrument that we developed to raise ourselves in these areas, and with which we have been able to fulfill stages and realize the humble dream of improvement of our world has become the Interest of the Committee of Solidarity.

Since 2011, we have focused on the work of collaboration and exchange of experiences in Honduras, at the Rancho Santa Fe de la Fundación Nuestros Perqueños Hermanos (NPH), about an hour journey from Tegucigalpa. It is an example of coordination and cooperation of forces.

In the beginning, we took care of the grandparents that NPH hosted and which are not the NPH's main objective, but understanding that they required volunteers with specialized expertises like professionals who have been taken care older people. Above that, we focused on the more than 500 children and adolescents living and studying in the Ranch: they have been orientating our work in recent years. In this domain, it is very important that a solvent and prepared committee can offer teens with a safe environment and a future projection; as well as learning spaces that will be used to prevent behaviors such as integrating into street bands or leading to undesirable behaviors.

The dedication of the interns of Intress has been boosted with the exchange of experience towards the continuous improvement of the training of professionals, along with the support to new processes of care for children in Honduras. This effort continues and becomes the best answer to what is being raised in that country. The ties between Intress and NPH are strengthened in a relationship of mutual enrichment. It is thrilled to read the assessment that is made each year from both NPH and Intress's fellowship. Which encourages us to continue the effort this year in 2019.

For those who do not know us, Intress is an Association, an non-profit organization that was established in Barcelona in 1983 and works in the Balearic Islands, Extremadura, Catalonia and Madrid, which is to promote public utility. We detects needs, designs and manages sustainable and efficient projects, with our own model focusing on the freedom and rights of the person; which works in partnership with other entities to promote a fair and equitable social system, as expressed by our institutional mission.

Intress has evolved in the social framework since the 1980's, structuring a system of social protection and attention to people in situations of vulnerability. This is an experience that we are all proud of, and therefore encourage us to continue working on it: many neighboring entities have experienced a similar path.

We must say that we have always worked with these creeds, but to place the birth of these projects beyond our realities. It should be remembered that one day in 2006, in the Annual Assembly, a partner set a new challenge: dedicating to support actions and solidarity projects with other realities in developing countries with 0.7% of the annual results. The proposal was valued as coherent with our "being of Intress" and we adopted it unanimously from that moment on we will try to comply with this commitment.

Therefore, we have done it in several ways over these years, beginning to carry out awareness actions: conferences on female genital mutilation in African countries, the situation of the Haitian people after the earthquake, the situation of the people of Palestine ... But also supporting development projects in Haiti through our alliance with NPH. And, by displaying a sponsorship formula for children from our centers in different countries. Also, in a very special way with the Annual Call for Solidarity Scholarships for People of Intrion who have given the opportunity to participate in cooperation projects at 50 people

While continuing the expansion of horizons and the opening of new opportunities for cooperation in solidarity projects, we launched a Call for Subsidies for Solidarity Projects that are carried out from Intress centers in collaboration with other entities, with implication of the people who are part of the Centers. We are committed to the methodology of networking for the conviction that the sum of knowledge and the exchange of synergies enriches the entities that participate, generating a greater impact in this way. Last but not least, hopefully this call finds the echo and helps us to multiply the commitment of Intress.