Preamble
EL PUENTE practices development cooperation. It aims especially at supporting people in the so-called developing countries financially, materially and conceptionally. At the same time EL PUENTE focuses at broadening the consciousness of the people in the Federal Republic of Germany for the issues of the 'developing countries'.
Through equitable trade EL PUENTE intents to empower its partner-projects in the so-called developing countries to help themselves. Public relations and educational work in the field of development policy go along with the ltd. company’s trade activities.
The 'idea EL PUENTE' is supported by action groups interested in development policy, world shops and people who are willing to actively contribute to a change of the unfair structures among 'developing countries' and industrial nations.
The development policy’s background
We are aware of viewing the economical and political Situation of our alternative trade partner countries and their classification as 'developing countries' through the prejudiced view of industrialised countries, which are affected by material wealth and material thinking.
The so-called developing countries are affected by a strong social and economic gap within their society. A relatively small upper-class faces a broad, often rural, population, which is economically disadvantaged and socially deprived. The rural population is lacking an adequate supply of medical care, higher education and essential infrastructure.
By contrast it is the upper-class that usually profits from foreign trade with industrial nations and rushes the industrialisation for power and prestige reasons. Resources are often exported underpriced in order to finance the purchase of weapons amongst other costly technical products. A high inflation rate, the drawback of staple foods in favour of export and growing debts are the accepted consequences. Characteristically culture, consuming habits and technical innovations of the industrial nations are overvalued by the ‘developing countries’. At the same time products and skills which originate from their own culture are undervalued. The present situation of the 'developing countries' mainly originates in the colonial era during which the colonial masters used the former colonies to expand their own power and economy. Those of today’s industrial nations that keep the 'developing countries' in this exact dependency act similarly. Industrial nations often deliver expensive and unnecessary equipment goods that correspond more to the needs of their own export economy than to those of the 'developing countries'. The industrial nations aim at keeping the cheap sources of primary products because our wealth is based on cheap resources and cheap energy. During the past years the 'developing countries' suffered increasingly from speculations on the foreign exchange and currency market as well as from the interest policy of the industrial nations, which often led to interventions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Objectives
EL PUENTE supports projects like cooperatives, self-help support groups and family businesses which aim at an independent development. Independent development means autonomy from external influences, participation of all members in decision-making processes and an equal distribution of all earnings. In those countries which encourage a such development by aiming their politics at the well-being of the majority of the population, at the protection of minorities and the covering of all basic needs, EL PUENTE also cooperates with state-owned enterprises.
Development aid through trade
This kind of development can only succeed if the International Economic Order, which is significantly decided by the industrial nations, is changed. But those, who take advantage of the established International Economic Order are not interested in an independent development of the 'Third World Countries'. The alternative trade among project partners in 'developing countries' and organisations like EL PUENTE are aware of this unfavourable situation and can therefore only set an example.
On the one hand EL PUENTE expands trade with our project-partners, on the other hand it aims at counteracting an export dependence. Furthermore, our principle of independent and in partnership trade includes the cut-off of the intermediate trade and the payment of mostly fair wages.
Project criteria
Preliminary notes
The criteria for an evaluation of our project-partners are meant for EL PUENTE’s internal use, i.e. they are supposed be decision-making aids to get to know and evaluate a trade partner, the objectives, structure and products. The order of questions does not present a ranking. It is by no means intended as a fix scheme that is to be applied. The questions should be assessed according to the respective project-partner.
1.Objectives and organisation of the producers
1.1. Do the project-partners aim at
· organising themselves in local standard self-help groups (cooperatives etc.) or are they already organised in that way?
· having all the different representatives take part in the decision-making process?
· marketing products for these self-help groups and paying the members adequate wages that exceed local standards?
· using possible profits for social, medical and cultural community projects or to improve the conditions of production?
· developing the individual’s and the group’s self-esteem?
· avoiding one-sided dependencies?
· having many (disadvantaged) persons or groups take part in the manufacturing of the products?
1.2. Are the products
· mainly manufactured for the local market (and only in second instance for export)?
· manufactured in reasonable conditions of work?
· manufactured in culturally evolved local techniques and do not contradict cultural traditions?
· made of local material?
· manufactured as object of utility or decoration?
2.The producers position
2.1. Is the project-partners position characterised by
· insufficient alimentation?
· insufficient housing conditions?
· insufficient medical care?
· unhygienic neighbourhood?
· inadequate supply of clean drinking water?
· a lack of educational opportunities?
· own efforts to improve the conditions of living?
2.2. Does the project-partner belong to a group which
· lives in suppressed and underprivileged circumstances?
· is hindered in independent development?
· is economically suppressed?
2.3. Is the project-partners economic situation characterised by
· insufficient domestic marketing prospects?
· a discriminating dependency of intermediaries?
· the fact that an increase of exports does not lead to a new, harmful dependency?
3.Criteria for selling the products
3.1. Are the products
· saleable with regard to quality, price and economic aspects?
· appropriate to communicate information in the field of development policy?
· appropriate to raise awareness for the difference of other people and cultures?
3.2. Public relations
Of equal rank with the import and distribution of goods from developing countries EL PUENTE aims at initiating a change of attitude here in Europe. Public relations and educational work intend to point out the unfair structures of international trade as well as the fact that our wealth is based on the poverty of the ‘developing countries’. A partnership between trade participants shall emerge from this knowledge.
