Let’s begin by thanking those who have already, this year, contributed to our permanent Solidarity Fund Asia or participated in the main campaigns in progress: in particular the support, via Mihands coalition, to the victims of the conflict that largely destroyed the city of Marawi in Mindanao [1], in the south of the Philippines; and support for the activities of the Labor Education Foundation in Pakistan [2]. In both cases, the militant networks with which we collaborate were forced to act in very difficult, even dangerous, conditions of insecurity.

Other financial solidarity initiatives have been or will be taken by the end of the year. We will come back to this in more detail in the 2017 report we will publish early next year (the reports of previous years are available on our website).

We already presented our concept of “social movements helping social movements” and the articulation between emergency aid and lasting reconstruction [3]. Today, it seems important to stress how much we are dealing with a situation of “worsening urgency”.

The ecological crisis is already having devastating effects, the neoliberal order undermines the capacities of collective resistance and social solidarities, the conflicts for the control of the resources (in particular) multiply.

The responsibilities of the movements and networks that aim to respond to humanitarian crises on the ground are constantly increasing. However, they suffer the backlash of austerity policies. Access to various sources of more or less official funding and support for volunteering is decreasing and many international solidarity organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain their level of support.

For its part, ESSF receives no subsidy and operates on a militant basis, without paid staff. In thirteen years of activity, we have collected around 200,000 €. This is an important amount with regard to our scale - although it remains a “ridiculously low” amount in relation to the needs and the mass of money channeled through institutions and “well established” funding agencies.

We devote most of our support to grassroots associations and networks that have little or no “institutional” support. This support represents a very significant part of the budget that allows them to finance direct aid to people hit by humanitarian disasters - to respond to the emergency, but also to help the victims to organize themselves to regain control of their destiny and defend their rights.

The help that we can provide through ESSF is not a “drop of water” for the victims and the movements that support them, it is essential and we need to be able to pursue it in the long term, because humanitarian disasters never resorb in a few months.

For this, we can only count on militant donations and the strengthening of a tradition of solidarity that we have carried on for thirteen years, with you.

Pierre Rousset
ESSF

To send donations

Cheques
cheques to ESSF in euros only, payable in France, to be sent to:
ESSF
2, rue Richard-Lenoir
93100 Montreuil
France

Bank Account:
Crédit lyonnais
Agence de la Croix-de-Chavaux (00525)
10 boulevard Chanzy
93100 Montreuil
France
ESSF, account number 445757C

International bank account details :
IBAN : FR85 3000 2005 2500 0044 5757 C12
BIC / SWIFT : CRLYFRPP
Account holder : ESSF

Through PayPal
You can send money through Paypal: see the PayPal button on the upper right side of ESSF English home page: http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?page=sommaire&lang=en

Through HelloAsso
You can also send money through the association HelloAsso: see its button on the upper right side of ESSF English home page: http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?page=sommaire&lang=en
Or go directly to:
https://www.helloasso.com/associations/europe-solidaire-sans-frontieres/formulaires/1/widget

We will keep you informed through our website of the state of the permanent solidarity fund and how it is utilized.