The trends which we presented in last year’s report were unfortunately confirmed in 2019. There was an increase in ’natural’ catastrophes, authoritarian regimes became more severe, there were threats to the activities of civic associations and NGOs in many countries. ’Rights defenders; continue working in difficult or dangerous conditions. Their work can be criminalised by the authorities, violently repressed by the powers that be.

Our campaigns respond to specific humanitarian, social and democratic emergencies. Some catastrophes are acute (an earthquake) others are ongoing (military conflicts). All of them have medium or long term consequences. We always work with a longer-term perspective. ESSF doesn’t ’export’ projects we design. Instead, we support social movements with roots to respond to local emergencies based on their own engagement in the field and their own assessment of priorities.

ESSF works without any paid staff, on an entirely activist basis. We transfer 100% of donations to our partners. Our running costs are limited mostly to bank costs (transfer and account maintenance costs), and are less than 5%.

In 2019, ESSF focused its financial aid as follows:

Bangladesh: our partners the peasant organisations BKF-BKS-BAS.

Indonesia: our partner the feminist association Perempuan Mahardhika.

Pakistan: our partners the Labour Education Foundation (LEF), the International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE) Islamabad, and the Crofter Foundation.

Philippines: our partners the MiHands coalition and its members, particularly Tripod.

We continue to widen our regional engagement by supporting the solidarity fund of the International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE) Manila, which is developing its own relationships across Asia.

In 2019 there was no support to new partners.

Dontations to ESSF can be ’dedicated’ to a country or an organisation, or directed to our Permanent Solidarity Fund. This enables us to provide aid immediately in a catastrophe (followed by a specific fundraising campaign to replenish the fund). The Permanent Solidarity Fund allows us to top-up specific solidarity campaigns as required, to provide longer-term support, and to provide support even when the conditions for launching a specific solidarity campaign are not present.

 Summary report by country

The preparation of detailed reports for each campaign and each country can take time. In some cases we may make minor corrections to our summary report.

BANGLADESH

Contributions transferred to the BKF (peasant movement), BKS (women peasant movement) et BAS (indigenous peoples’ movement).

€1,000 transferred 22 January.

€1,000 transferred 12 March

€1,000 transferred 6 May.

€1,000 transferred 13 May.

€1,000 transferred 21 June.

€1,000 transferred 31 July.

Total for the year: €6,000

Total Bangladesh (2011-2019): €34,279

In addition, €2,000 were transferred on 13 November 2019. We record this as an advance on our 2020 programme and budget.

INDONESIA

Contributions transferred to Perempuan Mahardhika (Free Women) pour their support to women workers in industrial suburbs of Jakarta (against sexual harassments and for reproductive rights) as well as the association’s participation in solidarity initiatives with communities affected by natural catastrophes.

(€1,000 was transferred 22 January, but cancelled due to a bank error).

€1,000 was transferred 8 February.

€1,000 was transferred 7 May.

€2,000 was transferred 8 October.

€1,000 was transferred 28 December.

Total Perempuan Mahardhika in 2019: €5,000

Total Perempuan Mahardhika (2016-2019): €13,000

Total Indonesia (2006-2019): €16,500.

PAKISTAN

Continued support to the activities of the Labour Education Foundation (LEF) and IIRE Islamabad. Beginning of support to the Crofter Foundation (CF) :

€1,500 transferred 6 February (LEF).

€1,500 transferred 12 March (LEF).

€2,000 transferred 17 July (CF).

€2,000 transferred 1^st October (CF).

€1,500 transferred 13 December (CF).

Total 2019: €8,500

Total Pakistan (2005-2019): €67,805

PHILIPPINES

Continued support to victims of humanitarian disasters by the MiHands coalition.

Transfers for the MiHands coalition were made either to the coalition’s bank account or directly to the bank account of a coalition member (Tripod):

€1,000 transferred 22 January (MiHands)

€2,000 transferred 30 April (Tripod)

€3,000 transferred 13 May (Tripod)

€2,000 transferred 1 October (Tripod)

€1,000 transferred 1 October (Tripod)

€1,000 transferred 8 November (MiHands)

€1,000 transferred 13 November (MiHands)

Total for the year: €11,000

Total Philippines (2007-2019): €96,089.27

IIRE Manila Solidarity Fund

€2,000 transferred 13 May.
€2,000 transferred 27 May via SOW.

Total IIRE Manila in 2019: €4,000

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TOTAL ESSF General 2019: €34,000

Total General (2005-2019): €294,4673.04

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 Extract from the minutes of the ESSF General Assembly, 16 February 2019

The following points are noted:

1. The opperations of the association continue to be entirely based on voluntary work, a policy of cost minimisation, and reduction of costs so that funds collected can be effectively used for solidarity.

2. The renovation of the ’visibility’ of the website (so that it appears more clearly as an international site and not a French site dealing with international issues), as decided last year, is proceeding well (some of the high-level folders and national folders have been modified, many articles have been reclassified). This work is still a long way from completion. In addition, to ensure a more regular functioning of the site, it will be necessary to change hosting provider; this process may be complicated. The readership contineus to grow. The proportion of English and French visits is increasingly similar, reflecting the ’internationalisation’ of the site. However, the team of administrators remains too small.

3. One focus of the next financial campaign (for the 2020 budget) is to widen the donor base, stressing that even ’small’ donations count.

3. We should continue to widen and regularise our cooperation with other associations like CADTM, Cedetim, Intercoll and the International Labour Network of Solidarity and Struggles. Our practical involvement remains too limited, because our members are spread in various cities and countries.

4. Considering the humanitarian situation, as well as the quality of our relationships with local associations and networks, we will continue to provide regular solidarity to the Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh. Other solidarity initiatives will be more limitted.

ESSF
Pierre Rousset

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 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 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 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 keep you regularly informed via our website of the situation and use of the solidarity fund.

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