FEDES
Project Managers: Steven Colon and Agueda Martin
FEDES (Fundación Educativa de Desarrollo Economico y Social) focuses on education and social and economic development, and is dedicated to bettering the lives of the poor and disadvantaged of Chile. The concept of human development embraced by FEDES is aimed at satisfying spiritual, emotional and physical needs, as well as providing training at an individual, family and community level, enabling people to create a stable, safe and peaceful social environment that will be conducive to the development of families and children. FEDES is presently involved with the following programs:
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Vocational Training School where young people from underprivileged homes learn trades.
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Bettering the conditions of the nation's poorest hospitals and medical institutions, and procuring shipments of much needed medical relief, in the form of equipment and supplies.
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National Wheel Chair Program, plus supply of orthopedic equipment and walkers.
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Pre-Fab House Manufacturing for poor families, Community Centers, etc.
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Introducing Chile to various outside expertise, and organizing seminars to network local organizations with outside resources
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Social rehabilitation and material assistance program, distributing basic needs to the poor
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Visiting residents of hospitals and other institutions, offering emotional and moral support, recreational activities and personal counseling for the parents of terminally ill children.
When one thinks of Chile, an image of a relatively advanced country may come to mind. The reality:
- Although the state does provide education, quality and equity are in question. Focusing on young people from the lower income bracket who are no longer enrolled in the school system, barely 40% have graduated from high school. Another 28% are high school dropouts, while 14% have never attended high school. Less than 5% have had any form of higher education.
- In many areas of Chile, including the outskirts of the capital, entire communities lack even one ambulance. Doctors frequently use their own personal vehicles to pick up patients and drive them to a medical facility.
- From the perspective of a sound medical infrastructure, Chile recently rated #161 in a comparison of 191 countries, rating below the Congo and Uzbekistan, when comparing service rendered to the cost of that service! Simply stated, the poor have little if any access to health and medical services.
FEDES therefore focuses on the above two challenges Chile faces.
Santiago, Chile
Director of Chilean foundation (center) receiving a donated ambulance.
One of the impoverished parts of Santiago that we have adopted.
In collaboration with the government and international agencies, FEDES initiated a Vocational Training School program (November 2002), whereby young people from underprivileged backgrounds and/or high-risk youth are taught trades. In addition to receiving an education scholarship and on-the-job training, students receive help with writing a resume, and applying for and getting a job in their field of training. These youth also receive their lunch and transportation as part of the program.
Each year hospitals in the U.S. discard literally tons of unused surgical supplies, in addition to replacing millions of dollars of medical equipment. With many in developing nations literally dying for lack of this same equipment and materials, FEDES undertakes bridging supply and demand in a not-for-profit venture.
Our project, Hearts in Hands (now FEDES), began just over two years ago when we determined to do something to help the children in the community of Huechuraba, one of the poorest sections of Chile’s capital, Santiago. Our work began with organizing a team of volunteers united in the desire to improve the lives of these impoverished children. Our simple goal was to try to bring them some happiness despite their dire living conditions. Through these small beginnings, doors began to open, both here in Chile and in the United States, which has led to our being able to begin pouring a steady lifeline of supplies into this community.