Category: Events

Magis Americas Staff connect with supporters in California

Posted on by John Byrd

Over the past several years, California has become a more and more prominent destination on my travel bucket list. Although I was born in Washington State, and have made a few treks to the Pacific Northwest, I’ve never had the opportunity to stand in awe of the redwoods, experience the pulse of Los Angeles, pray at the Spanish mission churches, or marvel at Yosemite. That finally changed last month when our Executive Director, Nate Radomski, and I were able to travel to the Bay Area in California. During our trip we were able to meet with some of our generous donors, share a memorable dinner with a member of our board of directors, and, of course, spend time with the remarkable Fr. Pete Henriot, S.J.

A real highlight of this trip was the opportunity to meet with several passionate and generous donors.  These men and women are truly dedicated to making a positive difference in the world and they believe in the mission of our organization. Their commitment to the work of our partners, especially Fe y Alegría and Centro Ignacio Ellacuría (CIE), was communicated most poignantly through their continued connections to the people at the heart of the work. Many conversations centered around the communities of Fe y Alegría and CIE and the impact these people had on the lives of our donors. These conversations reminded me to keep the faces and hearts of our partners in my mind during my work day.

One of the most memorable evenings of my trip was spent in the company of a remarkable member of our board of directors, Pam Hennard. As we gathered around a table, Pam, Nate, and I took time to share what has brought each of us to Magis Americas and the reasons that we are passionate about the causes we support. One theme that stood out to me was the influence of our parents in bringing us to this work.  While we are all successful adults now, their encouragement, support, and examples continue to motivate each of us. 

Finally, the pinnacle of my trip was undoubtedly the opportunity to meet Fr. Pete Henriot, S.J., a legendary figure in the Society of Jesus and a true “man for others.” Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Fr. Pete is an internationally respected Jesuit researcher, speaker, and writer on social justice, globalization, and Africa. Most recently, Fr. Pete has served as Development Director for Loyola Jesuit Secondary School (LJSS) in Malawi.  His work for the school and in other similar roles he has had as a Jesuit is about much more than simply raising funds;Fr. Pete is committed to creating sustainable change, empowering communities, and fostering a sense of hope and faith.

As I returned home from my trip, I carried with me the lessons learned from these incredible individuals. Their examples of compassion, leadership, and commitment continue to inspire me daily in my role here at Magis Americas. California will always hold a special place in my heart as the backdrop to this transformative journey, where I witnessed the power of generosity and the incredible impact it can have on the lives of those in need.

 

The Light Up the Night: For a Brighter Venezuela Gala is Back

Posted on by Nate Radomski

The impact of Fe y Alegría, which was founded in Venezuela over 65 years ago, has always been felt beyond its direct work with marginalized and vulnerable communities. Ask any Venezuelan–on the streets of Miami, Madrid, or Maracaibo–and they will tell you their “Fe y Alegría story”. Through its connections with many public and private institutions, including the Catholic Church, Fe y Alegría has brought individuals together in collaboration in two ways: 1) the annual raffle and 2) community programs, which allowed students to visit Fe y Alegría schools to learn how the organization supports marginalized communities.

Even years later, many Venezuelans recall their experience with the annual raffle and how this special time of the year would fill their hearts. Regardless of where they are now, Fe y Alegría, the raffle, and its little red heart transports Venezuelans of all ages and backgrounds back to that sense of community and belonging. This is the case of Carolina Domínguez, María Alecia Klemprer and Mariana Bustillos, three friends from Venezuela who now live in Houston, Texas. Living outside Venezuela for a number of years, the trio had a growing sense of longing to contribute to the future of their home, in any way shape or form.

“When we became familiar with Magis Americas and Friends of Fe y Alegría in the US, we immediately felt compelled to work together,” said Dominguez.“There was trust in the platform, process and institutionalization of the organization that is not easy to find when working with organizations in Latin America.”

This clear connection to the impact and history of success by Fe y Alegría, as well as the security and transparency provided by Fe y Alegría’s relationship with Magis Americas, it’s long time U.S. partner and fiscal sponsor, allowed Dominguez, Klemprer and Bustillos to realize that this was the perfect opportunity to take action and support their country and its future generations.

Thus, with the support and guidance of Jesús “Txuo” Rodríguez Villarroel, S.J., executive director of Fundación Unidos en la Misión, the Light Up the Night: For a Brighter Venezuela gala was born.

In its first year, in 2019, the gala was a complete success. It gave participants the chance to contribute with friends and family, not only as Bustillos said, to “see that [their] little grain of salt, translates into the smiles on kids’ faces, joy”but also to see a direct line of support to Fe y Alegría as it continues on facing challenge after challenge. It was a true celebration of the work of Fe y Alegría and a moment in which individuals came together for a Brighter Venezuela. To the organizer’s surprise, the event also had strong support and participation from individuals who were not from Venezuela, but who had a strong connection to the country. It gave everyone a chance to get involved.

This year, after being postponed twice due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Light Up the Night: For a Brighter Venezuela gala is back to give individuals a chance to remain connected to the needs of Venezuela and contribute to the organizations working towards solutions. The gala will be inspired by Venezuelan culture through its ambiance and music, dancing and celebrating.

To learn more about the Light Up the Night: For a Brighter Venezuela gala, as well as purchase tickets, sponsor and/or donate, click here.

The gala will take place at the Silver Street Studios (2000 Edwards St., Houston, TX 77007) on Saturday May 7, 2022, at 7pm.

In Spain, over 12,000 participate in races to support Fe y Alegría Chad

Posted on by Nate Radomski

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Since 2007, our partner in Africa,  Foi et Joie Tchad has been working towards quality education in the region of Guera, in the southern part of Chad. Fe y Alegría Chad carries out its mission through teacher training and through awareness raising actions for parents to promote education in their communities. Currently, 149 teachers and 25 staff members of Foie et Joie Tchad attend to 10.000 students in 28 centers.

In order to increase the outreach of their work, Entreculturas – Fe y Alegría Spain throughout its ten delegations across the country have organized during the month of February the Fifth edition of the  charity race “Run for a Cause, Run for Education” aiming to raise funds to provide access to childhood education for 1,500 boys and girls aged 4 and 5 (54% of them are girls).

The races took place in 8 cities across the country with around 12,500 participants and on Sunday, February 28th, the race in Madrid gathered more than 3,500 people in races of 5 and 10 kms for adults and 1km for children.

The UN Human Development Index places Chad as the fourth poorest country on the African continent, given that 80% of the population lives under the poverty line. Out of the 11,630,000 inhabitants (45% of them are under the age of 15) it is estimated that 3.1 million people are in situations of food insecurity (lack of access to basic food intake) and almost 45,000 people have been forced to leave their homes running away from the violence of the armed group Boko Haram.

Chad is also one of the countries with greatest educational deficiencies. The material conditions of their schools are very tenuous and the academic training of teachers is highly limited. Despite some governmental attempts to strenghten the education sector through reforms, political instability and internal conflicts have strongly affected educational infrastructure and have highly increased problems such as lack of teachers, overcrowded classrooms and the increasing low rate of boys and girls attending school.

To that end and through the different races that are taking place, 26 childhood schools will be equipped with school supplies, training for teachers will be offered so they can increase the quality of their teaching and, in order to promote appropriate care for boys and girls in their communities, some meetings and encounters for parents will be held so they can dialogue about the benefits that education brings to their children and ultimately, the positive consequences towards the development of their communities.

Take a look at the photo albums of the races in the different cities by clicking here