Bilance: A Name That Stands For Balance

From 1 June 1996, Bilance is the name of the Catholic development organisation Vastenaktie / Cebemo. An organisation that feels involved with heart and soul in developing another world.

The world is not in balance. The challenge facing the world is how to improve this situation. Bilance is gladly taking up this challenge. Bilance therefore stands for balance in the world - for balance between South and North, women and men, people and the environment. Bilance also stands for partnership and dialogue with people and groups in the South.

Bilance supports communities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, South Asia and Central and Eastern Europe. In cases where people are actively striving for a better and more dignified existence. It is essential that these people have a chance to participate actively and gain scope to take responsibility themselves.

In addition, Bilance encourages awareness in society in the Netherlands about the causes of poverty and injustice, and it invests in advocacy at national and international level.

VSO sends skilled and experienced volunteers to work with communities in the developing world, and campaigns in Britain to change attitudes towards the South.

VSO enables men and women to work alongside people in poorer countries in order to share skills, build capabilities and promote international understanding and action, in the pursuit of a more equitable world.

Voluntary Service Overseas is a charity that sends aid to developing countries - not in the form of money, food, clothing or equipment, but in the form of expert volunteers. The right people with the right skills who are committed to ensuring lasting, sustainable improvements where they are most needed. VSO volunteers are recruited from around the world, and all are dedicated to sharing skills and building the capabilities of those with whom they work.

VSO currently has 1,950 qualified and experienced volunteers in about half of the world's poorest countries and a dozen of the transition economies of Eastern Europe. VSO responds to requests from overseas partners in Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands and Eastern Europe and Russia, and aims to promote international understanding and a more equitable world. Volunteers work closely with local communities in order to pass on experience and skills that are not available locally. Since its founding in 1958 VSO has placed over 25,000 volunteers overseas and there are now 75 local groups in the UK. All of these activities are carried out within the context of the VSO values.

The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, SSNC, is Sweden’s oldest environmental organisation. It was founded in 1909 by a group of researchers and cultural personalities. From that day on, the SSNC has had its given place in matters linked to nature conservation, and has grown to be Sweden’s most important environmental watchdog, backed by the solid mandate of its around 160,000 members.

North/South
The North/South issues have grown in importance in recent years as a result of our "think global and act local" focus. Under the programme entitled "The Environmetal Movement that is Changing the World", the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation is now cooperating with about 50 organisations in the South. This cooperation varies in character, but we consistently aim for a wide interchange of ideas, knowledge and experience between North and South.

Nineteen year old Dharamvir was bicycling along a narrow forest road when he had to hurriedly veer off to let a truck loaded with timber pass by. Just a kilometer ahead he was crossed by some people on two motorcyles coming out of a dirt track who were blatantly carrying guns and who signaled to him not to open his mouth to anyone. And another half a kilometre along he was accosted by a forest ranger who promptly arrested him and confiscated his bicycle. His crime ? He was going to take a class on adult education for members of a forest dwelling tribal community.

The National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) at the University of Pennsylvania/Graduate School of Education was established in 1990 with a major grant from the U.S. Department of Education, built upon a research center founded at the University in 1983. NCAL is supported by federal, state, and local agencies as well as by private foundations and corporations. Focused primarily on North America, the mission of NCAL is to (a) improve understanding of adult learners and their learning, (b) foster innovation and increase effectiveness in adult basic education and literacy work, and (c) expand access to information and build capacity for adult literacy service provision.