2013 Review

As we near the end of the year, we will offer a brief summary of the most relevant activities held by the Foundation and more detailed information can be found under "Memoria 2013", which will soon be on our website. 

The year started with a work meeting in Navan (Ireland), organized by the European Comission’s "Youth in action" program. The program studies how to strengthen social bonds, copperation, exchange of experiences, and good practices through the internet, in order to propose a common project among several organizations. Its aim was to develop a transnational training program for young people all over Europe, based on innovation, training and leadership skills; promoting lifestyles and behaviour that encourages the full development of thier role in European and international civil society, through official and non-official education. Specialists in the field from Austria, Ireland, Portugal, the Netherlands, the UK, and Spain took part in the program.

In February, FERT Batxillerat held a charity dinner in Círculo Ecuestre in Barcelona. The proceeds were sent to the Liziba school, a highschool in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) which Montblanc collaborates with on a regular basis. The Foundation offered the screening of a video to the attendees which took a closer look at the work done there and a field experience shared by one of the volunteers. The proceeds from the event go towards the project.

In May we were visited by Pascaline Mbaku, who is in charge of the basic services in the Moluka social antenna, in Kinshasa. Mbaku wanted to express gratitude for the help provided to the project. He held two information sessions in the La Vall and Montclar schools, during which he spoke about the work being done. Antennae are small care centres for disadvantaged women in Kinshasa which offer basic healthcare services as well as training activities for women: literacy, hygiene habits, nutrition, childcare, hairdressing and sewing. The students were very moved to see the results of the funraising that they had done.

Also in May, the Junior Foundation Committee organized a visit to the Cavas Codorníu in order to collect funds for the Liziba project. Over 40 people enjoyed an agreeable guided tour around the facilities and an appetizer while taking a closer look at the training works carried out in Liziba. The proceeds from the event go toward the project.

In June, Montblanc held the ninth edition of the Digital Photography Competition for volunteering youth, and awards given for images which best depict solidarity and were taken during work camps and social volunteering activities in the summer of 2013. Prizes were made public in November, although the first one was not awarded, the second and third ones proved their high quality and, especially, the dedication and generosity of our volunteers.

Other awareness activities in 2013 included the Solidarity March of the Pineda school students, in favour of the CHEP project, in Kenya. In mid-May, about 300 youth from the 1st to the 4th Compulsory Secondary Education and the 1st and 2nd year of highschool students sought for sponsors for a race they intended to hold, and the proceeds were sent to the Kimlea center where they are carrying out a child healthcare program, CHEP.

The months just before summer were specially intense in the changing colonies. In June and July, 738 volunteers, from 7 to 16 years old, enjoyed themselves in one of the nine organized colonies. Games, training and social volunteering.

In August, without a doubt the most prominent, are the trips of one of our volunteers to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Ivory Coast. It has been a few years since the Foundation traveled to different countries to help on site. Normally they stay in order to develop specific training programs: teacher development courses, in order to improve class methodology; or school paperwork and planning for teamwork. Their results are always promising and encouraging for our volunteers.

After holidays an awareness project was held in Kinshasa with regard to Human Rights. It was subsidized by the Ilustre Colegio de Abogados in Barcelona. The program aims to spread a deeper knowledge of human rights in university settings, promote actions for specific concerns from students and provide means to put them into practice. The matters that they will try to do next year are: eradicating poverty; promoting gender equality; ensuring environmental sustainability; protecting human rights; democracy and respect towards cultural identity; generational abilities and community organization.

During the Fiesta Mayor in the Les Corts District, where we are based, the Fiesta de la Cooperación was celebrated once more. All organizations met in the Plaza de la Concordia and displayed our work in stands. In 2013, language was the theme and Montblanc dedicated its stand to India. As in previous occasions, the event was teeming with children, who were given a place to play, paint, listen to stories... while grown-ups took a closer look at the different projects we’re worked on in the district.