|
Voix libres in brief
Voix Libres is an international humanitarian organization which is both non-political and non-denominational, founded in 1993 by Marianne Sébastien.
 Bolivia
(departements of Potosi, Oruro, Cochabamba
and La Paz)
 |
 |
Voix Libres sites in Bolivia
Potosi (altitude 4’200 m.) in shanty towns, mines and remote valleys.
Oruro (4’000 m.) in shanty towns, mines and on the altiplano.
La Paz (4’000 m.) with street children.
Cochabamba (2’500 m.) on the refuse tips and in prisons.
|
|
 Voix Libres sites.
 50
Communities in the Potosi valley.
A few figures:
- Total number of Voix Libres beneficiaries : 500’000
- Global population of Bolivia : 8’500’000
- Drinking water in rural areas: 13%
- Infant mortality : 94%
- Life expectancy in mining communities : 44 for women and 36 for men.
- GNP/hab.: $950 (i.e.$79/month) whereas the majority of Voix Libres beneficiaries live in extreme poverty with less than $1 per day.
|
Main Objective :
Education and training of the most under-privileged children (mines, prisons, streets and refuse tips)
Campaign to prevent and eradicate child labour in the mines.
- 500' 000 beneficiaries in Bolivia since 1993
- Over 200 projects realized (integrated development)
- 150 co-ordinators, originally children living and working in dire conditions. Today they are educated and trained and have become the authors and managers of projects within their communities. They direct a wide-reaching campaign to prevent and eradicate child labour in the mines.
- Around 100’000 beneficiaries of interest-free micro-credits for the poorest of the poor, particularly in the Cochabamba prisons (French ‘Prize for Cooperation’ for this project, which is unique of its kind according to the UN data bank.)
- 50 fair-trade enterprises created by the most destitute, offering social and educational advantages
- Cooperative conventions with 73 Mayors’ Offices and Institutions in the Republic of Bolivia.
|
 |
street child in La Paz
children on the refuse tip
|
|
Such results prove that the poorest citizens, once empowered by trust, are capable of taking full responsibility for and organizing themselves, while demonstrating an exemplary spirit of solidarity worthy of their ancestral tradition. |
 |
|
"Hoy por ti, mañana por mi"
(‘for you today, for me tomorrow,’ says the Indian.)
|
|
2. Voix Libres contributes to solidarity and positive North-South relationships. By putting both partners on an equal footing, former negative images of western aid are corrected.
In Europe, there is a ‘solidarity’ network of 25'000 individuals who are aware of and involved in Voix Libres’ activities :
- Creating awareness : 4 Voix Libres newspapers are sent to our network of friends throughout Europe every year
- Training in North-South issues (in schools: twinning, and in companies: citizenship of companies)
- Communication : articles in the press, public conferences, congresses etc. and permanent communication with the Bolivian co-ordinators.
- Films : collection of films on Voix Libres projects.
- Events : sports and culture (e.g.: concert in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris in favour of Voix Libres children)
- Decentralized cooperation : around 10 Mayors’ Offices in Switzerland actively support our projects
- Friendship: permanent presence of a European Voix Libres team in Bolivia, sharing the same living conditions as the beneficiaries, in shanty towns or in villages at 4000 meters
Confidence, credibility, experience in the field and knowledge of the local environment, rapidity in project implementation, ongoing communication, follow-up and project evaluation... just a few of the factors which explain the impressive results obtained.
|
|
children in prison
children of the shanty
|
Number of beneficiaries
| |
In Bolivia |
 |
500'000 beneficiaries who have become the inventors and the managers of their own projects. These projects therefore correspond to their actual needs and take root in a spirit of modernity, rooted in their communities’ most sacred values. |
 |
|
|
|
| |
In Europe |
|
25'000 people are aware of the need for a development based on respect, enabling Third World countries to achieve autonomy. |
Financial resources
are assured mainly by a number of private donors :
- Donations, membership fees, micro-credits, sponsorship, subventions from Mayor’s Offices, parishes, schools, companies etc.
- Other sources : concerts, cultural and sports events, public conferences, exhibitions, films etc. (over thirty per year)
Transparency of Voix Libres
- 100% of donations, sponsorships and micro-credits go directly to financing projects.
- Operational costs are entirely covered by membership fees and a ‘sponsoring’ fund (private sponsors).
This financial transparency accounts for the unfailing and loyal support of our network of donors, who like seeing the immediate transformation of their donations into sustainable projects.
In Bolivia, a turnover fund for interest-free micro-credits (US$ 100'000) ensures the smooth operation of our micro-credit programme for the destitute.
Voix Libres International
Rue des Grottes 28 • 1201 Genève
Tél. (41-22) 733 03 03 • Fax 733 03 49
E-mail :
voixlibres@voixlibres.org
CCP:
12-26524-5
|
