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18 December, 2001With the project called "One hour for the future", three programmes in the region of Puebla are well on their way.
GERMANY/MEXICO/GLOBAL: In 1997, a few Volkswagen colleagues came up with the idea of supporting projects to benefit street children (see associated link). Now this project, called "One Hour for the Future -- Volkswagen Employees Help Children in Need", is underway. It was launched by the VW central works council, first in Germany, and now in other group companies as far afield as Brazil and Mexico.
The donations are used to support street children projects, primarily in regions with VW sites, and the organisation "Terre des Hommes" advises on, looks after and carries out the projects, which run over a relatively long time span and require more than just one-time support.
In the Puebla area, in Mexico, three projects being subsidised were visited on the occasion of the meeting of the Board of the World Works Council. One of the projects -- IPODERAC -- is organised like SOS--Children's Villages. The children live with an adult in houses that have been planned and built for this purpose. This project has now developed a gainful activity of its own. Some 300 goats are being raised, and goat cheese is manufactured in a cheese dairy, along with other cheese varieties thanks to the purchase of additional milk. This cheese is primarily sold to French restaurants in the Mexico City area, and the proceeds cover around 70 per cent of project costs.
A second project in Puebla -- Casa JUCONI -- builds on three pillars: work with street children on the street; work with children who work at markets, and the Casa JUCONI, a residential building with its own productive workshop -- a bakery whose main purpose is not to be self-financing but rather to teach punctuality, order, the work ethic and discipline.
The third project -- Mateo Quinto -- primarily looks after mentally retarded and physically handicapped children.
In the meantime, the VW trade union in Puebla has become directly involved with another project -- Casa del Alto Refugio -- which mainly takes care of small children.
As of early April 2001, over DM 4.2 million (US$1.9 million) had been raised and donated for the campaigns, which also subsidise and support projects in other regions. These activities will be pursued with concerts and a campaign to collect foreign currencies before the transition to the Euro. The annual donation volume required to support the projects on a sustainable basis and not merely service them with one-time donations is estimated at over DM 1 million (US$460,000).
The donations are used to support street children projects, primarily in regions with VW sites, and the organisation "Terre des Hommes" advises on, looks after and carries out the projects, which run over a relatively long time span and require more than just one-time support.
In the Puebla area, in Mexico, three projects being subsidised were visited on the occasion of the meeting of the Board of the World Works Council. One of the projects -- IPODERAC -- is organised like SOS--Children's Villages. The children live with an adult in houses that have been planned and built for this purpose. This project has now developed a gainful activity of its own. Some 300 goats are being raised, and goat cheese is manufactured in a cheese dairy, along with other cheese varieties thanks to the purchase of additional milk. This cheese is primarily sold to French restaurants in the Mexico City area, and the proceeds cover around 70 per cent of project costs.
A second project in Puebla -- Casa JUCONI -- builds on three pillars: work with street children on the street; work with children who work at markets, and the Casa JUCONI, a residential building with its own productive workshop -- a bakery whose main purpose is not to be self-financing but rather to teach punctuality, order, the work ethic and discipline.
The third project -- Mateo Quinto -- primarily looks after mentally retarded and physically handicapped children.
In the meantime, the VW trade union in Puebla has become directly involved with another project -- Casa del Alto Refugio -- which mainly takes care of small children.
As of early April 2001, over DM 4.2 million (US$1.9 million) had been raised and donated for the campaigns, which also subsidise and support projects in other regions. These activities will be pursued with concerts and a campaign to collect foreign currencies before the transition to the Euro. The annual donation volume required to support the projects on a sustainable basis and not merely service them with one-time donations is estimated at over DM 1 million (US$460,000).