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Solidarity Economics Creates Jobs and Income in North-eastern Rural Communities |
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Gleiceani Nogueira - ASACom
In recent years, in Brazil, popular solidarity economics has grown. According to the last survey by the National System of Solidarity Economics, held in 2007, there are in the country 21,578 enterprises of this nature, which create employment and income for 1.7 million people. The majority of whom live in the North-eastern rural zone and are organized in different ways: associations (11,326), informal groups (7,978) and co-operatives (2,115).
The first initiatives in popular solidarity economics arose in the 1980s, with strong support from the Catholic Church. But it was during the gatherings of the World Social Forum that the various segments of this sector began organising themselves and creating identity as a movement.
In June 2003, the National Secretariat of Solidarity Economics (Senaes) was set up, linked to the Ministry of Labour and Employment. In this same period the Brazilian Forum of Solidarity Economics (FBES) was created, the aim of which was to co-ordinate and mobilise the grassroots of the solidarity economics nationwide and to carry out talks between the movement and the Federal Government, as well as with other social movements and international organisations. Senaes and FBES are the result of the struggle on the part of civil society organisations that defend a new model of development for Brazil.
According to the study, “Introduction to Solidarity Economics”, by Senaes, solidarity economics can be defined as “the sum of the activities of production, distribution, consumerism and credit for the creation of jobs and income, based on collective work, on co-operation, on self-management and on the various forms of sharing, seeking social benefit and the care of the environment”.
For Ms Cristina do Nascimento, the co-ordinator of the Brazilian Semiarid Joint Endeavour (ASA) for the State of Ceará, popular solidarity economics has contributed significantly to the organising of the rural communities in the region, improving income and the standard of living of the families.
“Popular solidarity economics has two principles which are the self-organisation and self-management of enterprises on the part of the families involved. Then, this perspective aggregates a greater organisational process, both in production and in commercialisation and in the management of the enterprises. This has contributed to changing the lives of the families, changing relationships within the community itself and among the groups”, says Cristina.
Whereas Francisco Washington, co-ordinator of ASA for the State of Piauí, goes even further. For him, popular solidarity economics is an alternative to the reigning social economic model as well as being an opportunity for social inclusion. “It [the solidarity economics] truly makes possible human and social development and strengthens the organisations of production and credit, gives the families historically excluded from the process of producing and buying a chance to take their part in the country’s economy and creation of income ”, says Washington.
Economics at the service of life, with no social exclusion, is one of the reflections of this year’s Fraternity Campaign, with its title “Economics and Life” and its motto “You Cannot Serve God and Money” (Mt 6,24ff). According to the basic text of the Campaign, the economy must create conditions of security and opportunity for all people , taking into account the relationship and the importance of the environment in the activities of economic, social and cultural development. (Learn more about CF 2010)
EnconASA - Popular Solidarity Economics will be treated at the VII National Conference of ASA (EnconASA), from 22nd to 26th March, in the city of Juazeiro/BA. There will be a workshop on the theme and visits to two experiments in the processing of savannah fruits, in the municipalities of Jaguarí, Uauá, Canudos and Curaçá, in the Bahia Semiarid Region.
“Solidarity economics has taken place in various communities and states. So, bringing this theme into the EnconASA is to make possible a meeting of experiences, but also to reflect on them with those who really live the practice, namely the men and women farmers”, points out Cristina do Nascimento.
The objective of exchanging experiences is also shared by Jussara Dantas, commercial manager of Coopercuc, one of the experiments that will be visited. “It will be a learning moment because we are going to see other experiments and, at the same time, bring to our group new experiences. So, it is a very important moment for any organization. Everybody wants to exchange information”, concludes Jussara.
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