Transcript Sustainable Development Program Cuban Council of

Sustainable Development Program
Cuban Council of Churches
THE VISION
WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE?
A program of the Cuban Council of Churches
(CCC) that promotes and accompanies the
social commitment of the Cuban church to
sustainable community development as a living
out of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
THE MISSION
WHAT DO WE WANT TO DO?
Promote church-based spaces of community
participation, that offer local sustainable
development with gender equity, as a testimony
of our Christian faith.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Promote and facilitate the social commitment of the
Cuban church focused on sustainable development on a
local scale.
• Develop locally identified community programs/projects,
based on practices and technologies that preserve and
increase the productive potential of natural resources, in
order to mitigate the effects of Climate Change.
• Facilitate exchanges and dialogue on best practices for
sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.
• Implement processes for the formation of leaders,
facilitators and local promoters for sustainable
development with gender equity and justice.
PRINCIPLES
 We believe that loving and serving one’s
neighbour are fundamental to our being.
 We recognize the need to promote ethical
values in our society such as: solidarity,
honesty, dignity, faithfulness, justice and
sensitivity.
 We believe in improving the quality of life
through the formation of a cultural
environment and self-help models that
balance sustainable development in harmony
with Creation.
PRINCIPLES
PRINCIPIOS
PRINCIPIOS(CONTINUED)
 We believe that the participation, multiplying
of good practices and the establishment of
equal and just relations between women and
men are essential in the implementation of
community initiatives.
 We affirm that the creation of the knowledge
base of local actors constitutes the
development base for their communities.
These include:
TARGET
POPULATION
• Local church and secular leaders
identified in the community.
• Facilitators and promoters of
community projects.
• Families involved in local
communities.
FUNDING SOURCES - 2009 - 2012
Canada
(PWRDF)
Spain
21%
Switzerland
1%
4%
Germany
74%
Approximately 100 food security micro-projects
have taken place throughout Cuba over the past
decade.
Capacity Building of
Community Development
Promoters
Introduction
 Since 2003, a key focus of the Sustainable
Development Program has been the capacity building
of Cubans in churches and secular organizations as
community development promoters. These
individuals are trained to carry out community needs
assessments, and develop and implement sustainable
development projects.
 Approximately 240 individuals have graduated from
the program; among them Bishop Griselda Delgado
of the Episcopal Church of Cuba.
Principal Results
Graduates of the capacity building program develop:
 Project management skills for local development
 Skills in project coordination with various ecumencial and/or
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secular community organizations
Capacity to develop and carry out self-managed local
development that does not depend on support from the State.
Analytical skills and the ability to seek out, elaborate and
manage local solutions for local problems.
Leadership capacity at the local, regional and in some cases,
national and international levels.
Process and methodology skills in project management.
Present and future challenges
Current conditions in Cuba require a strategic response from local
communities in order to satisfy basic food needs at the local level, especially
for those most vulnerable in society. This includes the need for increased
practical capacity and training in food production at the local level.
At the regional level, coordination and sharing of successful initiatives are
needed to strengthen the capacities of those working locally.
Local community empowerment is key to consolidating local food
production that maximizes all available productive land and uses appropriate
agro-ecological methods and technologies for the food needs identified.
The impacts of climate change are calling us to develop and implement
new agro-ecological systems, and adaptation and mitigation practices.