Author: John Byrd

The “Integral Ecology” of Fe y Alegría

Posted on by John Byrd

“We must learn to take care of our Common Home, the way we are doing it today is not working. There is a need to take on an ecological approach that transforms our way of inhabiting the world, our lifestyles, our relationship with the earth’s resources and, in general, our way of seeing human beings and living life.”

(Pan Amazonian Meeting FyA 2021)

 A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to talk with Irma Mariño, leader of Fe y Alegría’s Integral Ecology and Pan Amazon Initiative. This initiative is working to unite and accompany the many diverse elements of the International Federation of Fe y Alegría, or Fe y Alegría International, in their response to one of our world’s most pressing challenges: Care for our Common Home. Pope Francis drew our attention to the importance of this cause in 2015 with his Encyclical Laudato Sí and the Jesuits have identified the same in their Universal Apostolic Preferences. From the perspective of Fe y Alegría (FyA), Irma and the other members of this initiative are doing their part to respond to this call to action and inspire the entire FyA community to join them. According to Irma, “The consequences for present and future generations are quite serious, they are very worrisome. Here, from the educational and community sphere, Fe y Alegría has an important voice.”

Since 2018, FyA has used this voice to call attention to the importance of caring for our Common Home. During the first few years the “For the Pan-Amazon” project team organized their efforts around three themes: intercultural education, intercultural bilingual education, and care for the Common Home. In 2021, FyA identified 12 federation initiatives that “unite the “horizontal” with the “vertical” dimension of institutional governance”, and transformed this working group into a global initiative for all of FyA. 

 As the group began to consider their role as a core initiative of Fe y Alegría International, the diversity of experience and action of FyA around ecology came into focus. This led the group to place new focus on a vision of “integral Ecology” that could unite the International Federation. “We placed more weight on integral ecology because of the challenge of universality in the Movement as a whole,” says Irma “Without losing our inspiration, our wellspring which are the Amazonian worlds… Now we must also speak of the basins of Africa. This was, for us, a new challenge; to look more globally.” 

The diversity and transversality of this initiative is both a great promise and a major challenge, similar to the danger of climate change at a global level. Every person contributes to the care of our Common Home, positively or negatively, regardless of whether we live in a city in North America or a village in the Amazon. This “transversality” means that the Integral Ecology and Pan Amazon Initiative has implications for the entire Fe y Alegría Movement. “Integral ecology has to be a transversal axis in all the actions of this federative movement,” explains Irma “At all levels. From the most directive level, but also in the diversity of Fe y Alegría’s presence. The International Federation is not only in schools. It is also present in social centers and other institutions. Integral ecology must be present in everything. Promoting strategic processes and actions in institutional and pedagogical management, in coexistence and new leadership, in the capacity for alliances and local, regional and international impact.”

In order to understand the role that each of us has in this transversal, integral approach to ecology, Irma explained that we must begin by contemplating our own reality to see ourselves in this mission. “We learn to read our environment in all of its dimensions. To connect. To feel and understand our world.” Irma explains, “To see and show what is happening in our world. The pain. The struggle. The hope… to see life in all its complexity.” From this contemplation we can better understand our own role in integral ecology and the challenge of promoting an ecological citizenship that cares for the common home. Utilizing the education resources that the Initiative has developed for all age groups, advocating for ecologically responsible policies locally and globally, or simply taking personal steps to be more sustainable, Integral ecology begins with personal and communal reflection. This leads us to action. To set out to transform situations that threaten the fullness of life, including deforestation, illegal mining, contamination of rivers and water sources, as well as the murder of land and environmental defenders. 

At the same time, integral ecology must lead us to dialogue and collaboration. “We need to dialogue with others, build and generate a network, a fabric of alliances. This means a willingness to be open,” explains Irma. For its part, the initiative has convened several virtual and in-person meetings since 2021 to discuss the challenges and opportunities of Fe y Alegría in the area of care for the Common Home and the Pan Amazon. This process of dialogue and reflection has led the initiative to produce a Reference Framework for Integral Ecology.

In February 2024, Irma and her team presented this new framework for the initiative entitled “Learning Together to Care for Our Common Home” to the national directors of Fe y Alegría. This document, which will be published in the coming months, captures the history of this initiative and proposes an ambitious path for its global, integral work in the International Federation. In its conceptual framework, the document offers a review of integral ecology, based on the encyclical Laudato Sí and the documents produced around the Synod for the Amazon. On this basis, it goes on to offer approaches that illuminate the experience, practices and processes promoted by the Initiative, and proposes educational processes that will guide the incorporation of integral ecology in the various areas of the Federation.

In addition to all the practical and guiding elements of the new framework, the document also serves as a call to the entire Movement. As Irma explained in our conversation, this initiative is all inclusive and the entire educational community is involved. According to her, integral ecology must go beyond our classrooms; it has to leave the playground of our schools and become a purpose for the whole community. The document describes it this way: “Incorporating the family and the community in the process of building ecological citizenship goes beyond the boundaries of the classroom, extending the connection of friendship, care, fraternity and collaboration beyond the school environment.”

 

On April 22, we commemorate Earth Day. On this occasion, we give thanks for the work of Irma, her entire team of the Integral Ecology and Pan Amazon Initiative, and all the members of Fe y Alegría who incorporate this vision in their daily work. We believe that education is a tool for social transformation and, by incorporating integral ecology in our educational communities, we take another step towards a sustainable and just society for all.

 

Fe y Alegría continues to grow

Posted on by John Byrd

It started with one community. 

Fr. José María Vélaz, SJ—a  Chilean priest living in Venezuela—was visiting Catia, a marginalized neighborhood on the outskirts of Caracas. In conversation, he asked members of the community what they needed most. Their answer? A school. With that, Fe y Alegría was born. 

There was no 10-point business plan. Fe y Alegría was never intended to grow beyond the borders of Venezuela. It started with one school back in 1955. But people—first around the region and then around the globe—were and still are inspired by the school’s vision of inclusive and transformative education. The dream grew, slowly and organically, from a single school to an international movement in over 22 countries and counting.

Fe y Alegría first expanded beyond the borders of Venezuela in 1964 when a school was opened in Ecuador. Over the following decade, communities in seven additional Latin American countries would also begin adapting and implementing the Fe y Alegría model. These are some of the “classic” Fe y Alegría offices that many people associate the movement with–Bolivia, Peru, the Dominican Republic. These offices hold a vast majority of Fe y Alegría’s formal education centers, as they were founded at a time of great educational need in the region . Each country adapted the model to their context, but the origins, tradition, and importance of these “classic” Fe y Alegría offices laid the foundation for continued growth on “New Frontiers” in the decades that followed.

This growth–from Venezuela to Ecuador to Panama, and so on–was quite organic in nature and really depended on people to push its movement forward. Religious congregations, lay people, and marginalized communities came together and worked in collaboration to address situations of injustice and poverty in their communities, with education at the heart of their vision of change. It wasn’t until 1987 that these disparate Fe y Alegría offices formally united in  an overarching body, a common platform to help them coordinate transnational efforts and interests.

Since the creation of the International Federation of Fe y Alegría–or Fe y Alegría International–in 2016, responsibility for the growth of the movement has been coordinated by this single body.  One of the four priority areas of Fe y Alegría International since its formation has been to identify  “New Frontiers” for the movement. Time, personnel, and resources have been dedicated to strategically planning the growth of the movement, both in terms of geographic presence as well as in thematic priorities. For example, Fe y Alegría’s is expanding globally in places like Guyana, Nepal, and Guinea and the Federation is also expanding their work for justice in areas such as migration and child safeguarding. All of this growth is due in no small part to Fe y Alegría International’s commitment to “New Frontiers” as a priority area.

Today, this area focuses on three main tasks:

  • Develop new initiatives that contribute to the social, cultural, and labor insertion of people who are victims of violence, discrimination, or new forms of social exclusion. This is done in countries where Fe y Alegría is already present.
  • Study, promote, and accompany the creation and strengthening of Fe y Alegría in new countries, enriching the socio-educational proposal of Fe y Alegría according to contexts and cultures, prioritizing the places where there is greater need or exclusion. This is done in places where Fe y Alegría is not yet present or has recently begun operations.
  • Promote the institutional mission by attending to the development of new topics for reflection and responding to the challenges of the context for action. This includes topics such as education in emergency due to the post-COVID-19 health crisis, humanitarian aid, spirituality, and care for our common home.

All of this work to internationalize and grow Fe y Alegría is dependent on people. That is the beauty of the Fe y Alegría story; it has always been about people: Fr. Vélaz who listened to the needs of the community in Catia Caracas and responded to their desire for a new school;  Abraham & Patricia Reyes, who donated half their home to start that first school and supported the vision of Fr. Vélaz in so many ways;  The community in Ecuador who first adapted the Fe y Alegría model for a new cultural, geopolitical context and expanded the movement beyond the borders of Venezuela.

People like Ernesto and Leocadia are part of that story as well. Their desire to further their education and transform their lives and communities are just two examples of how Fe y Alegría continues to expand its presence at the margins. In countries like Cuba and Mexico in Latin America, Angola and Kenya in Africa, and Cambodia and Nepal in Asia.

You and I are also part of that story. Fe y Alegría was built and continues to grow through the solidarity of many. Your support of Magis Americas contributes to the lives of individuals like Ernesto and Leocadia. Your support allows us to accompany Fe y Alegría in places like Batey Lechería in the Dominican Republic, San Javier del Valle in Venezuela, and San Pedro in Paraguay.

On behalf of all of the Ernestos and Leocadias out there, thank you for being a part of the story.

New Funding for Nine Education Projects in Latin America

Posted on by John Byrd

The Magis Americas Board of Directors has reaffirmed our commitment to promoting access to quality and inclusive education opportunities for people living in marginalized and impoverished communities with a commitment of over $280,000 in funding for nine education projects in Latin America. This round of project approvals is a historic step for our organization as it marks the first time Magis Americas has allocated significant unrestricted funding in support of one of our key priority areas.

“This round of project proposals is a clear commitment by our staff and Board of Directors to support Jesuit education initiatives, particularly those led by our partners at Fe y Alegría,” said Executive Director Nate Radomski. “The projects approved this cycle are particularly inspiring. Teacher formation programs and promoting inclusive accessible education for students with disabilities are two areas where our support can make a real difference in the communities where Fe y Alegría is working.”

Projects Coordinator Ixchel Palencia, with the support of the MA team and Board Projects Committee, has worked with our project partners to identify specific opportunities for improvement and connect them with funding opportunities in the United States. The approved projects will support initiatives in countries such as Haiti, Venezuela, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. Below is a brief summary of the approved proposals.  

Inclusive Environments for Female Students and Individuals with Disabilities

“Equal Opportunities for Girls and Women Living in Rural Areas to Enhance Participation and Social Integration” (Fe y Alegría Nicaragua)

Equal opportunities for girls, adolescents, and women in rural areas of Nicaragua, particularly in the Autonomous Regions of the South and North Caribbean Coast, is a key priority for Fe y Alegría Nicaragua. Recognizing the enduring gender inequality in the country, especially in rural settings, this project aims to address barriers impacting women’s access to education, employment, and overall well-being. Specifically, funding will facilitate business initiatives led by rural women through seed capital for equipment and materials essential to these initiatives, contributing to the empowerment and economic advancement of women in these regions.

“Removing Barriers – Creating Opportunities for a More Inclusive Education” (Fe y Alegría Argentina)

This project encompasses three main components: Baseline and diagnostics, teacher training processes involving educational psychologists and social workers, and engagement with the educational community, families, and the inclusive education network.

The first action involves assembling a team of educational psychologists specializing in disabilities and learning difficulties in Embarcación, Bella Vista, and a shared team for the six early childhood centers in Quilmes. These specialists, alongside existing FyA staff and teachers, will form interdisciplinary teams at each location to launch a diagnostic survey to inform the other stages of the project.

Consequently, teacher training workshops and psychosocial staff will focus on early detection strategies and inclusive pedagogy.

Finally, the teams will engage with the educational communities surrounding each school to foster an inclusive education network. This involves raising awareness among families about the educational inclusion of children with disabilities or learning difficulties.

“Removing Barriers – Accompaniment to the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities at the Colegio San Adolfo” (Fe y Alegría Uruguay)

Fe y Alegría Uruguay initiated a project in 2022 aiming to foster inclusive education at Colegio San Adolfo. Creática, an experienced educational institution specializing in technical aids for marginalized individuals, will work with teachers at Colegio San Adolfo to promote the inclusion of all students by enhancing their technological skills. The project aims to equip all teaching staff with tools for fostering inclusion and to promote awareness of inclusion and disability within the educational community.

Fe y Alegría Uruguay is focused on five outcomes: understanding student needs, enhancing teacher training, developing personalized intervention plans for students with severe disabilities, integrating technology into inclusive educational spaces, and providing support and guidance to families.

Teacher Formation and Support

“Support for Fe y Alegría Venezuela’s Commitment for Teachers” (Fe y Alegría Venezuela)

A salary supplement, specifically targeting support for school transportation, has been proposed to increase teacher retention rates of crucial staff and teachers across six schools within the Fe y Alegría network. 

The incentives provided to school personnel are strategically directed towards transportation assistance, serving as a means to facilitate and encourage teachers’ regular attendance at school and their active participation in training activities. This approach seeks to alleviate the adverse effects of low teacher salaries, fostering a more sustainable and supportive educational environment. The teaching staff who will benefit from this transportation stipend work in schools that are located in crucial border states, including Táchira, Sucre, Anzoátegui, and Zulia.

“Training Teachers and Counselors to Enhance Literacy Competencies and Support Special Education Needs” (Fe y Alegría Dominicana)

We will work with Fe y Alegría Dominican Republic to provide two different types of formation to teachers and staff at the Santo Niño Jesús Educational Center in Batey Lechería. 

First, teachers will receive essential training to enhance students’ literacy competencies. Through targeted pedagogical programs, our project seeks to empower educators with effective strategies applicable in the classroom which foster a learning environment that promotes literacy skills among students. 

Second, the guidance and psychology teams will develop news skills required to identify and offer appropriate support to students with distinct educational needs. By fortifying these teams,  Fe y Alegría hopes to create a more inclusive and equitable educational environment which ensures all students, regardless of their individual needs, receive the necessary attention and support to thrive in their academic pursuits.

“Improving Basic Conditions for Developing Educational Potential in Quispicanchi, Cusco” (Fe y Alegría Perú)

The Fe y Alegría 44 Rural Education Project (PERFAL 44) encompasses a network of 25 rural schools situated in the Quispicanchi province of Cusco, Peru. Spanning 60 km to 150 km from the city of Cusco, these schools have a travel time ranging from one to three hours. Teachers residing in Cusco commute weekly to these rural institutions, staying Monday to Thursday in the school as there is no access to housing arrangements in the communities. Over the years, wear and tear require refurbishments of teacher’s houses doubling as living and office spaces which ensure teacher availability throughout the week. Our project will provide resources for these essential improvements.

At the same time, Connectivity emerges as an urgent need, with the absence of internet access hindering education. Last year, internet antennas were installed in Ccoya and Ccoñamuro schools. However, funding constraints for 2024 prevented continuing this service. The Ministry of Education has yet to recognize the necessity of internet service in rural schools, exacerbating the educational gap. This project will also provide funding to cover the gap between the needs of the community and the resources available through public funding, ensuring internet access for 752 school-aged students.

“Pedagogical Mentoring for the Transformation of Teaching Practice” – (FIFyA Regional)

Fe y Alegría will  launch a pilot project in five countries (Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and Bolivia) focused on improving learning processes for children in schools facing exclusion, by enhancing leadership skills and improving teaching processes amongst staff. 

Training programs will be offered for pedagogical accompaniers, teachers, and directors through the Pedagogical Mentoring Program of Diego Portales University. This program spans two years and involves theoretical-practical training, including modules on contexts and challenges, fundamentals of mentoring, practicum, and professional capacity development. Extensive practice in schools, sustainable installation support, and specialized advice for supporters are also provided. 

Improving Conditions and Ensuring Access to Education

“Plan for Security in Haiti” (Foi et Joie Haiti)

SACHO Consulting will spearhead a project aimed at developing a comprehensive security protocol for FyA Haiti, integrating a thorough risk analysis. Workshops with the team and threat assessments will inform the establishment of policies and controls to address vulnerabilities. Subsequently, a hands-on workshop for staff, featuring simulations and exercises, will ensure a practical understanding and application of the protocol. Continuous monitoring and adjustments by the consultant will further enhance organizational security.

“Integral Formation for Students in El Salvador at the CIE/UCA 2024” (Centro Ignacio Ellacuría)

The integral formation (Ignatian Pedagogy) for students from the Centro Ignacio Ellacuría aims to support the participation of 44 students in the Ellacuría and Casa de las Américas programs throughout 2024. These programs provide students with academic learning, as well as the development of social, communication, and emotional intelligence skills by interacting with other students and with vulnerable populations in El Salvador.

Centro Ignacio Ellacuría (CIE) has developed programs that integrate exploring faith and promotion of justice through an education based on a liberating praxis that connects the national reality with academics. 

The Casa de las Americas program has a duration of 3 months with a focus on a praxis education experience in social, economic, political, and cultural problems at the community, country, regional, and global levels.

The Ellacuria Program, with a duration of 5 months, allows students to live in community and support communities affected by poverty. In this program, there is an opportunity to share with other UCA students, from different programs, by living in a house in Antiguo Cuscatlan. The formation allows students to 1) provide weekly accompaniment to communities 2) live according to values of simplicity and participate in nightly community activities, and 3) receive Ignatian Spirituality formation, which integrates the students’ experiences with their spirituality. 

This formation contributes to their professional, personal, and spiritual growth and integration to the community. 

CIE has traditionally been funded by alumni of the Casa de la Solidaridad program, which are primarily individuals in the United States.