Message-ID: <199510090305.AAA27724@rjo04.embratel.net.br> Date: Mon, 9 Oct 1995 00:05:12 -0300 From: Joaquim Moura <mailto:poa-bsb@CR-DF.RNP.BR> Subject: Partners' seminar on NGO To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
Dear Friends,Last weekend I have attended a seminar on NGO - "the efficiency defy" sponsored by USAID-Partners of the Americas, in Rio - in a 5-star hotel by the Copacabana beach. Of course the seminar was a success, and to most attendees the discussed issues (systematic volunteer administration, project elaboration and fund raising) were quite relevant novelties.
But I'd like to inform here the two main points (I think)
have been missed in that seminar, both able to empower a lot the work of the voluntary and professional staffs. but seldomly remembered, when empowering NGOs is discussed.
1. Is it possible to talk seriously about empowering voluntary or professional people without consider their physical and emotional energies? I am telling this because I know that many people - volunteers and professionals - could work very more if they have more energy control. Weak, stressed, tired people can be fully operational? I don't think so, and I perceive that many people astonished with my working rhythm would benefit a lot if they learn more about health food and corporal practices to become tireless and more creative and productive. This knowledge is important not just to their own productivity, but also to overall community productivity, sustainability and feasibility, thus demanding that the NGOs' volunteers and professionals know these practices firsthand to promote them among the populations.
By health food of course I mean locally organically grown vegetables and whole grains as the basis for their nutrition and by corporal practices I could indicate my own (tai-chi chuan) but there are many others techniques available, from the east and from the west, including meditation and breathing consciousness, yoga, massage, self-massage, bioenergetics etc.
2. The other point is related to a greater organization among these same NGOs. Each of them is involved with just their own objectives but these disarticulated and at random point-by-point approach is unable to promote the bigger change we are striving for. To believe that a lot of disarticulated NGOs will promote a significative change in the society's culture and future is the same that trust that a thousand of monkeys, each one typing a computer after a year could have produced some readable material. That seminar could be a great chance to discuss how all those NGOs could work together, could plan together the means to promote more significative changes, the critical aspects they could address together etc. This strategical approach is the same I have being suggesting to the international agencies which communicate through this list. Union and coordination, besides transnational awareness and communication - should be our distinctive operational characteristics.
A last point: I was invited by the Partners to visit D.C. from October 28 to November 22, to meet the people who could help our D.C.-Brasilia project involving community, citizenship and youth development. I hope I will be able to meet people from VITA, VOCA, USAID Results and other important agencies settled in D.C. area. If you like to meet me to discuss about your current or future projects in Brazil, please advise me. If you would like to attend a meeting where we will be discussing Brazilian issues and perspectives, please tell me. (give me this pleasure, if you please). ______________________________________________________________ Joaquim Moura (all the controversial opinions are just personal) Youth & Citizenship Development Commission Partners of the Americas - Brasilia / Washington DC Committee SHCGN 713 - Bloco I - Apt. 202 - 70760-739 - Brazil Phone (55 61): 414-1904 (w); 273-5613 (h); 414-1898 (fax)