The Director of Casa Alianza Honduras Receives the “Hero of the Fight Against Modern Slavery” Award
On July 4, 2008, José Manuel Capellín received the “Hero of the Fight Against Modern Slavery” award. The U.S. government thus recognized his efforts on behalf of victims of human trafficking, particularly children. For more than 20 years, José Manuel Capellín has been leading the work of Casa Alianza Honduras to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The organization is also one of the most active in this field nationwide, providing protection and rehabilitation to dozens of children who are victims of various forms of violence.
This award also recognizes the work of the Honduran government, which has increased the number of investigations and prosecutions of those responsible and trained a large number of police officers, judges, and prosecutors on issues related to this scourge. This has enabled the country to achieve a higher ranking in the U.S. State Department’s 2008 Trafficking in Persons Report.
It is worth noting that during the award ceremony, José Manuel Capellín took the opportunity to highlight the need for government policies to defend and protect children and their rights, thereby reminding everyone that there is still much work to be done!
Once upon a time… a charity event like no other!
On October 30, a charity event unlike any other took place at the Geneva Center for Contemporary Art. On the menu: appetizers prepared by Philippe Chevrier and his team; an auction featuring various items, including a T-shirt worn by Roger Federer; live music by the band Time Machine, as well as a set by DJ Mr. Mo. More than 300 guests attended, including Zep, who helped generate media coverage for the event. (See *La Tribune de Genève*, November 3, 2008
)
A big thank you to Laurence, as well as to all the participants, volunteers, guests, and sponsors, thanks to whom we were able to raise nearly 50,000 CHF!
You can now view the photos taken during the event
Casa Alianza at La Barje
For the second year in a row, Casa Alianza took over La Barje, bringing the place to life with its photo exhibit, DJs, and the cheerful energy of its volunteers. Under the supervision of Maud Lambert, Casa Alianza was allocated four Saturdays. Despite the unpredictable weather, which forced us to cancel one date, the party was in full swing all summer, and the Barje organizers estimate that profits should amount to approximately 1,300 CHF per Saturday of operation, or 3,900 CHF for the three Saturdays hosted by Casa Alianza.
For those who aren’t yet familiar with it: La Barje is an organization that promotes sustainable development—whether social, economic, or environmental—by prioritizing local food and beverages and ensuring proper waste management.
Evening at the Ethno-bar to Benefit Casa Alianza
A wonderful initiative by one of our active members, Casandra Feijoo, came to fruition on the evening of October 11, 2008. That evening, the Ethno-bar agreed to donate 50% of the proceeds from the punch and guacamole to us. Casandra and her friends also ran a coat check at the bar’s entrance. The event raised 560 CHF for the Association.
A big thank you to Casandra and everyone who attended!
The Board Is Expanding and Going International
All of this will be made official at our next General Assembly in spring 2009, but we are already announcing the following changes: Philippe Blaser will be leaving the Casa Alianza Board of Directors on January 31, 2009, as he is moving to Vietnam. We wish him a safe journey and a wonderful experience in Southeast Asia.
Emmanuelle Werner is not leaving the Board, but she will be leaving the country in March 2009, to return to Guatemala, where she first began her life as an expatriate. We are therefore delighted to have a Board member on the ground who can represent Casa Alianza Switzerland and stay closely attuned to the realities on the ground to continue the fight for children’s rights.
In Geneva, we welcome Pierre-Yves Binz as a new member of the Committee. Pierre-Yves is familiar with Casa Alianza, having spent time in the field in Guatemala as a volunteer in 2002 and having returned there frequently since then. He will work closely with Marjorie on fundraising, with a focus on developing partnerships with the private sector.
Fernando de Abreu is also joining the Committee. An active human rights advocate who works for Human Rights Watch, he will bring to Casa Alianza his excellent network in Geneva and his expertise in advocacy with international organizations. A former field volunteer in Guatemala, he authored the Casa Alianza Guatemala report on the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution, and child pornography.
The Casa Alianza Compilation, Volume 2
And if you’re running out of gift ideas this Christmas, don’t forget the Casa Alianza Compilation Vol. 2, “Swiss Artists Singing in Aid of Central American Street Kids,” all proceeds from which are donated to the Association, thanks in particular to the generosity of the artists involved in this project.
The second generation of Casa Alianza Switzerland is on the move!
Following the birth of Zoé, daughter of our “fundraiser” ” Philippe Blaser, and Jérémie, son of the president, in 2007, it was Mathieu’s turn to be born in July and Matteo’s in August 2008—the sons of our national webmaster Philippe Vollenweider and our advocacy representative Emmanuelle Werner, respectively! As future young advocates for children’s rights, we welcome them and congratulate their happy parents!
Would you like to get more involved?
We always need our members’ time and ideas to support street children. If you’d like to become an active member, you can:
- Join a team at Casa Alianza Switzerland. Please email info@casa-alianza.ch or visit our website (www.casa-alianza.ch).
- Help with stuffing envelopes? For our mailings, we’re looking for a few people who are available to help stuff envelopes. Please sign up at info@casa-alianza.ch
- If you have ideas for activities, please get in touch by writing to info@casa-alianza.ch.
Thank you for your support!
Editorial team of Qué Pasa No. 8: Marjorie Granjon and Fanny Bauer.
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