Globalizing solidarity
I’m the first proud Atlas Corps fellow from Chile. And I’m also the first fellow participating of the America Solidaria – Atlas Corps partnership. America Solidaria is a foundation with presence in the American countries, with offices in Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, Haiti and the United States.
Why America Solidaria? The American continent (North, Central and South America and the Caribbean) is the most unequal continent in the world. Despite its incredible natural resources and human capital, there around 64 million people living under the line of poverty in our continent and those who are in situations of vulnerability are much more (people who in the face of an unexpected event such as unemployment or disease passes immediately into poverty). And our continent is not just unequal but also disaggregated: the relationship between the north and the south is vertical rather than horizontal, integral and fraternal.
And here is where America Solidaria in partnership with Atlas Corps plays a fundamental role. There are many flows from North to South and vice versa: migration, capital and trade. But there is one flow that we want to build up: the flow of solidarity. Unfortunately solidarity has been left out from the phenomenon of globalization and our relations as members of the same continent are far from being humane. There are three key aspects America Solidaria is building in the Americas:
A fair America… because poverty and inequality in the Americas are intolerable situations
A fraternal America… because we share the same land, we share a common history and the same future. We are brothers and sisters of the big American family
A conscious America… because citizens of the Americas are not aware of the reality of our continent and it’s time to leave the comfort and act
*Please note that “America” is a much broader concept than a single country! Is the name of an entire continent!*
How? Through the active participation of professional volunteers serving in the American countries, working with the most needed, building capacity and creating awareness. Let’s globalize the solidarity! Let’s build the dream of many men and women of the Americas!