Annual Report 2019

Project contributions for education
Total: CHF 2 236 927
In Africa:
CHF 717 948
In Asia:
CHF 746 559
In Latin America:
CHF 512 493
Intercontinental:
CHF 2 290
Europe:
CHF 257 637
At the Latin American Biblical University (UBL),
Joseline Ester Luque learned to appreciate
indigenous spirituality and strengthen indigenous
groups' awareness of their own identity.
Photo: zVg
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for minorities in partnership with two higher
education institutions: the Universidad Bíblica
Latinoamericana (UBL) and the Departamento
Ecuménico de Investigaciones (DEI).
Joseline Ester Luque Gonzales, aged 23, is
studying for a Bachelor’s degree at the UBL in
San José, the Costa Rican capital. Much of her
work involves collaboration with indigenous
communities. Through the UBL, she has learned
to appreciate indigenous spirituality and has
come to see its links with Christian spirituality
in a positive light. This is helping her to support
and strengthen the self-confidence and selfworth
of the indigenous groups through her
exchanges with them. She explains that she has
also broadened her horizons as regards gender
equity, prompting her to take a committed approach
in her working and living environment.
For a fairer society
Amanda Villalba has long been an advocate of
a fairer society in Chile. When she originally
came into contact with the CEDM, it offered a
protective shield for her against political oppression
during the Chilean dictatorship: “It was a
place where like-minded people met up – a place
where you could learn to interpret the Bible in a
different way. There were seminars that helped
me as a woman to achieve inward liberation, and
generally to cope better with my fears.”
Now, 30 years after the end of the totalitarian
regime, Amanda Villalba is part of a new
social movement. In October 2019, 1.2 million
people took to the streets of the nation’s capital
to protest against social injustice and demand
improvements to the social, healthcare and educational
systems. Among the protesters was
this active senior citizen – who certainly does
not look her age. Courses at the CEDM such as
“Initiatives to strengthen civil society” helped
her to do more to fulfill her political responsibilities.
“I was able to get involved in the local
council – especially the peace group, which was
on the front line during the protests on the Plaza
Italia. My objective is to support this country
so that it can start from scratch again without
fear!” When her asthma allows, she still joins
the other members of the peace group at the
daily protests: her presence helps to placate the
police. What began as a simple protest against
price increases for public transport has now developed
into a series of bloody clashes between
young people and the police. “They say that they
are only doing their job. But I want us to pause
and listen to one another.”
Amanda Villalba is convinced that individuals
cannot achieve much on their own: “Many
people are afraid, and they are fearful of changes.
This is why we have such an enormous responsibility:
we must join together, listen to the
people and show them how to move forward in
the right direction. People can’t do this on their
own; only if we act as a community can we work
together to build a fairer, peaceful society.”
Daniela Rauck
Fundraising Team
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