Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali

(Malta)

Ara l-verżjoni bil-Malti

The Maltese NGDO Platform has grown to 10 member organizations with the addition of three new NGDOs. Share Foundation, SOS Albania and Kare4Kenya were the latest organisations to join the NGDO Platform.

The Share Foundation is a voluntary, non-governmental organisation that was established in 1999 by Maltese medical doctors to assist in the development of projects designed to alleviate human suffering and to improve the quality of life for destitute people in low-income countries. It is involved with a number of charitable associations working in Kenya, particularly the Daughters of the Sacred Heart in Mpekatoni and Ruiru. Share Foundation aids them by advising them on Medical facilities and performing fundraising to help them with setting up clinics and children’s homes. Members of the foundation have also been themselves involved with providing medical services to various clinics, even in collaboration with the International Red Cross and the Swedish Rotary Doctor’s Bank, prior to setting up Share.  Apart from fundraising, the Share Foundation aims to send medical personnel to help staff the clinics being set up in Kenya, and to encourage local medical practitioners and staff to become involved in such development work.

S.O.S. Albania came into being in 1991, after the tragic exodus of Albanian refugees to the shores of Italy and Malta. It is a voluntary organisation set up under the auspice of the Emigrants Commission, with the objective of assisting materially and morally Albanian refugees and their people in need, especially through projects of a social and charitable nature. It is a registered NGO in Korca, Albania, and is active in Albania and Kosovo.  Its work includes Palliative Care, Education, and Community Development.  On an emergency level SOS Albania has experience in managing a Refugee Camp during the Kosovo crisis in 1999 and was involved in the repatriation of refugees.  SOS Albania has given talks in schools in Malta and Overseas about its work in Albania and Kosovo.

Kare4Kenya is a group of people from Malta and Kenya working a) to create awareness of the hardships faced by Kenyans because of their poor conditions; b) to organise development programs in order to help with alleviation of poverty in Kenya; c) to educate the Maltese Public about the culture, history and life of the Kenyan population; and d) to co-operate with other developmental organisations in the fight against poverty.  The type of work done includes Education & Health, Securing Livelihoods through Commitment to learning, Empowerment and Partnership.  Kare4Kenya is currently financially supporting about eighty Kenyan children in order to make it possible for them to attend school by providing uniforms, a daily meal and other requirements. It is also providing assistance to students with special needs such as hospitalisation and extra tuition. Kenyan members, who are being remunerated by the group, do this. Through connection and partnerships with other developmental organisations in Malta and Kenya, Kare4Kenya is currently in the process of helping parents of the above-mentioned children to help themselves through giving them information and eventually training in the production of handicrafts.

Michael Gatt

1/04

A Platform for Maltese NGDOs

Press Release  -  Sunday, 15 July, 2001

Five local Non Governmental Development Organisations (NGDOs) have contributed to the setting up of  a  National Platform of  NGDOs. These organisations are the Kopin (Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali – Malta) Third World Group, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, the Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta) and Centre for Faith and Justice.

Kopin took the initiative in June 2000. Last year Bruno Neri (Italy’s representative in the NGDO Liaison Unit to the European Union and an expert in Capacity Building) was brought over to Malta for a seminar about NGDOs in Europe. The setting up of the national Platform was also discussed.

The aims of this Platform are:

1.     to strengthen  civil society participation;

2.     to effectively participate in the setting up of a local development policy;

3.     to take part in international co-operation initiatives;

4.     to co-ordinate  local initiatives in development work.

In the eventuality of Malta joining the European Union this Platform could become a member of the Liaison Committee of Development NGOs.

Non-Governmental Development Organisations (NGDO’s) are voluntary, non-profit, non-governmental organisations working within the framework of International Development Cooperation. They are concerned with poverty reduction, social justice, human rights, and  the problems of marginalisation within society, especially with regards to women.

The above mentioned organisations have been working within this field for a number of years.

The Third World Group was set up in 1974. Its main activity is working with children and young adults coming from a challenging social background. In 1996 this organisation was awarded l-Għarfien Nazzjonali – Servizz fil-Komunità. The Third World Group was a pioneer in sending young people to do voluntary work abroad.

Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust was set up in 1996 by the Third World Group. This social co-operative imports fair-traded products from poor countries and make sure that their producers are paid justly for their work. The profit is reinvested in projects that support the poor. The members do not profit financially in any way.

Kopin was set up in 2000. The main aims of Kopin are to alleviate poverty and promote social and economic emancipation in the majority world, to combat environmental degradation,  to promote a sustainable society based on alternative economic and social systems, and to work in partnership with other associations within this field.

The Centre for Faith and Justice is a centre for social research and action which seeks to respond to situations of structural injustice. Set up in the 1990’s the Centre is run by the Jesuits in Malta.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta) is an international Catholic organisation, at work in over 40 countries, with a mission to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. The mission given to JRS embraces all who are driven from their homes by conflict, natural disasters or violation of human rights, following Catholic social teaching which applies the expression ‘de facto refugee’ to many related categories of people.

Roderick Agius

Kopin

First Initiatives

The Maltese NGDO Kopin (Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali - Malta) which was set up in June 2000 has set the ball rolling by taking the initiative to set up the National Platform of Non-Governmental Development Organisations in Malta. 

No Comprehensive Policy

Presently in Malta there is no comprehensive national development policy related to issues such as international co-operation, poverty reduction, humanitarian aid and education. The government does help in certain circumstances but there is no clear policy about development issues. Until now individual organisations have pressed individually for certain demands with the government, and decisions are sometimes taken depending on the nature of work of the particular NGDO. 

Bruno Neri and Capacity Building

The government has on particular occasions offered its help in humanitarian operations but there is no clear policy that is binding. Thus Kopin felt the need and understood the importance of bringing together other NGOs operating in the development sector to work together on a common front. Kopin took up the initiative in June 2000. Last year Bruno Neri (Italy’s then representative in the NGDO Liaison Unit to the European Union and an expert in Capacity Building) was brought over to Malta for a seminar about NGDOs in Europe. The setting up of the national Platform was also discussed.  

Twaqqif ta’ Pjattaforma Maltija għall-NGDOs

Stqarrija għall-Istampa  -  Il-Ħadd, 15 ta’ Lulju, 2001

Dan l-aħħar twaqqfet f’pajjiżna għal għaqdiet mhux governattivi li jaħdmu fil-qasam ta' l-iżvilupp u l-koperazzjoni (Non-Governmental Development Organisations - NGDOs). It-twaqqif ta’ din il-Pjattaforma sar fuq l-inizjattiva ta’ l-NGDO Kopin (Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali – Malta).

Il-Pjattaforma Maltija twaqqfet waqt laqgħa li għaliha ġew mistiedna numru ta’ għaqdiet mhux governattivi li jaħdmu fil-qasam ta’ l-iżvilupp u l-koperazzjoni internazzjonali. L-għaqdiet membri huma Kopin, il-Grupp għat-Tielet Dinja, il-Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, iċ-Ċentru Fidi u Ġustizzja, u s-Servizz tal-Ġiżwiti għar-Refuġjati (JRS).

It-twaqqif ta’ din il-Pjattaforma ser jgħin fil-koordinament  ta’ l-inizjattivi Maltin ta’ żvilupp u koperazzjoni. Fl-istess ħin l-għaqdiet membri jkunu jistgħu jqiegħdu l-ħidmiet u l-pożizzjonijiet tagħhom b’mod iktar effettiv quddiem il-pubbliku Malti u internazzjonali. Barra minn hekk din il-Pjattaforma tkun tista’ eventwalment tifforma parti mil-Liaison Committee of Development NGOs to the European Union.

Din l-inizjattiva nbdiet formalment f’Ġunju tas-sena l-oħra meta Kopin stiednet Malta lil Bruno Neri (rappreżentant ta’ l-Italja fl-NGDO Liaison Unit u espert fil-Capacity Building) għal seminar dwar l-NGDOs fl-Ewropa.  F’dan is-seminar ġew mistiedna għadd ta’ NGDOs li flimkien ma’ Bruno Neri iddiskutew ukoll kif tista’ taħdem din il-Pjattaforma. 

Kopin, imwaqqfa fis-sena 2000, hija organizzazzjoni volontarja mingħajr skop ta’ qligħ. L-għanijiet ewlenin ta’ Kopin huma l-ġlieda kontra l-faqar fi kwalunkwe forma u l-promozzjoni ta’ socjetà sostenibbli. Kopin tagħmel ħilitha biex tilħaq dawn l-għanijiet permezz ta’ koperazzjoni ma’ għaqdiet oħra fuq livell lokali, reġjonali, Ewropew u internazzjonali. 

Roderick Agius

għall-Pjattorma Maltija ta' l-NGDOs

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