One of the blessings of my work is the opportunity to meet CJI’s Jesuit partners and the people they accompany in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
I was recently in Santa Maria de Nieves in the Peruvian Amazon, where about 45 Jesuits and lay people from five countries that share parts of the Amazon rainforest gathered to share experiences and to discern how the Society of Jesus can best respond to the needs of the region.
The Amazon is the world’s largest and most diverse tropical forest, a hotspot for biodiversity and life on Earth. It is essential to the survival of the planet, and it is home to people with rich cultures and languages. Yet the region is being threatened by land grabbing, deforestation, resource extraction, the forced displacement of people, extreme poverty, and human rights abuses.
It is in this reality that Jesuits and lay people work, some of them in very remote and difficult areas. There are Fe y Alegría schools and vocational training centres, parishes, community radio stations, social centres that work with communities to improve agricultural production and provide livelihood. We were fortunate to taste and see the fruits of this labour in the communities: honey, corn flour, cocoa, and much more.
It was here, in a place that took me two flights, a 16-hour journey by van, pickup truck, and boat to reach, with no electricity or potable water, that the words of Psalm 23 echoed: “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”
At a time when so many people are victims of war and conflict, climate-related disasters, poverty and inequality, growing authoritarianism, and more, it is reassuring to know that there are those who despite this dare to hope and to work for change.
Thousands of community leaders trained by Lok Manch, half of whom are women, engage in activities such as planting of saplings, to help mitigate the effects of climate change in vulnerable areas. Photo: Lok Manch
God reveals grace as we lean into community, bear witness and advocate for others, especially those who are persecuted and marginalized. This community includes you, our supporters, who join us in our collective efforts to provide quality education, livelihoods, accompaniment and advocacy for the rights of the poor and forcibly displaced, women and Indigenous people. It includes our partners and the disadvantaged communities they work with, who refuse to give up the vision of a just and peaceful world and who inspire us with their courage and determination to improve their lives.
This Easter we highlight the work of our partners Comparte, a network of Jesuit centres promoting alternative economic activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, and Lok Manch, a people's forum of about 100 Jesuit and secular organizations in 15 Indian states and 15 Jesuit provinces.
Comparte (meaning 'to share') works to build a just and sustainable economy that benefits everyone. It promotes an economy that puts justice and care for our common home before profit. Comparte works with marginalized sectors in 11 countries to set up cooperatives that produce organic and sustainable products; it conducts research and training to help put sustainable practices into action. In India, Lok Manch helps the rural and urban poor, especially Dalits (the lowest strata of the caste system) and Adivasis (Indigenous tribes), to access education, food, housing, health and other rights. It conducts information and training sessions and trains local leaders to help improve the lives of their communities and engages in policy advocacy.
This Easter, may we see God’s marvelous work in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us and beyond us. May it inspire us and help us believe that our work for justice is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous.
With gratitude and best wishes for a hope-filled Easter.
Jenny Cafiso Executive Director
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ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Comparte - Latin America
Carmen Cortez Delgado (L), supported by Comparte, sells her handicrafts directly to consumers at fairs in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Photo: Comparte
Comparte (meaning "to share") promotes a solidarity economy that puts justice and the environment before profit. Dominant models of economic development often have devastating social and ecological impacts on local communities. Founded in 2011 as a network of the Jesuit Conference of Provincials in Latin America and the Caribbean, Comparte began by supporting local production of organic coffee, cacao, honey, and other products. It has since grown and developed into a resource, training, and research hub, and has fostered partnerships with Jesuit universities and like-minded organizations. Comparte members are in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Spain.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION
Lok Manch - India
Lok Manch programs raise awareness and build the capacity of community members to participate meaningfully in governance. Photo: Jenny Cafiso/CJI
Many rural and urban people in India lack access to education, food, housing, and health services. This is especially true for groups classified by the government as Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis). Lok Manch (People’s Forum) promotes their dignity and well-being through policy advocacy and by teaching them how to avail themselves of their legal rights. Tens of thousands have benefitted from information and tools provided by Lok Manch, which consists of about 100 Jesuit and secular organizations in 15 Indian states and 15 Jesuit provinces. Lok Manch also trains local leaders who help their communities improve their living conditions.
Share the joy and hope of Easter by donating now. You can help fund projects for poor and marginalized communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. These are vital initiatives in education, ecology and sustainability, human rights, civic participation and peace building, and support for the rights of forcibly displaced people.
