
What is Viviamo! Camp?
Viviamo!, Italian for “We live!”, is a World Youth Alliance (WYA) project launched in 2006 which focuses on improving local habitats around the globe. Each of the five WYA Regions identified a community-based habitat project that is effectively addressing poverty and local concerns while highlighting the dignity of the person. These Habitat projects are an opportunity for us to look at some of the ways in which the ingenuity of each person is being harnessed to find unique and creative new solutions to large-scale problems. Now, one year after its initial launch, the various Viviamo! Projects are thriving and attracting more and more volunteers.
This year, the World Youth Alliance would like to give its members the opportunity to experience Viviamo! Projects of regions other than their own. Of particular importance is the opportunity given to members in developed nations a chance to visit the Viviamo! Projects of developing nations.
With these goals in mind, the Viviamo! Camp was conceived. An immersion program taking place in a different WYA region, the participant is given ample time to know more about the other region’s history and culture, and see how these affect its development needs today.
This project aims to strengthen relationships between developed and developing nations by: • Giving participants a deeper understanding of the depth and breadth of the issue of development • Exposing participants to situations where development priorities are different from that of their home country • Teaching participants different tools and programs to help achieve development goals and overcome the challenges that may hinder development
Who will be participating in the camps?
Participating in these Viviamo! Camps will be members of the World Youth Alliance who have completed a certain degree of training, and are interested in learning more about the issue of development and its many faces. Preference is given to members who have participated in the Viviamo! Projects in their own region.
Where will the camps be held?

Asia Pacific is partnering with Gawad Kalinga whose mission is to transform slums into beautiful, peaceful and self-reliant communities by building a culture of caring and partnership among the inhabitants of the slums. (Manila, Philippines)
For more information, click on the logo above or email WYA - Asia Pacific Director of Operations, Desiree Go at desiree@wya.net.
Europe will be announcing its Viviamo! plans soon. Please keep coming back for more updates.
For more information, click on the logo above or email WYA - Europe Director of Operations, Magdalena Bien at magdalena@wya.net.
Latin America is partnering with Acortar Distancias, an organization that helps people in extreme poverty to develop their individual talents and skills. (Guadalajara, Mexico)
For more information, click on the logo above or email WYA - Latin America Director, Lourdes Villanueva at lourdes@wya.net .
Downloads: *more coming soon
Profiles Viviamo! Camp Viviamo! Camp - Asia Pacific Viviamo! Camp - Europe Viviamo! Camp - Latin America
Viviamo! 2006 Reports Viviamo! Profile Viviamo! Africa Viviamo! Asia Pacific Viviamo! Europe Viviamo! Latin America
Others Viviamo! Camp Poster

Viviamo!, Italian for “We live!”, is a new annual WYA project that showcases best practices in development work. In conjunction with the United Nations International Year of Habitat, we have chosen HABITAT for our 2006 theme.
Each of the five WYA Regions has identified a community-based project that is effectively building living environments which address the needs and desires of the person. These projects are chosen for their vision, effectiveness, and integration of the human needs at the heart of habitat.
By recognizing the dignity of each person at the center of the projects, successful initiatives that promote the full development of each person not only develop responses to the problems we face, but enable those who are weakest and most vulnerable to contribute to the needed solutions.
2006 Viviamo! Selections:
 Africa has selected the Nyumbani Village, a self-sustaining community being built to serve orphans and their elderly caretakers who are left behind by the "lost generation" of the AIDS pandemic. Learn more
Asia Pacific has selected Gawad Kalinga, an organization building communities out of slums in the Philippines using an integrated and holistic approach. Learn more
Europe has selected the Greek-Catholic Metropolitan Caritas (Romania), a branch of the global organisation which works to assist those in need, including the elderly, lonely, disabled and those suffering from AIDS. Learn more
Latin America has selected Acortar Distancias, a program that offers street children an integral education ranging from formal learning and art classes to skills training. Learn more
North America has selected the Katrina Cottage, an initiative for beautiful, permanent housing designed for the Gulf Coast environement in the style of local architecture - an alternative to the temporary FEMA trailers given to the victims of the 2006 Katrina Hurricane. Learn more
International showcase:
All regional projects will be showcased at the World Youth Alliance headquarters in New York on December 2, 2006.
For more information and to get involved: please contact your regional office. For press information: please contact Anne Marie Morris annemarie@wya.net
Asia Pacific - desiree@wya.net Africa - irene@wya.net Europe - magdalena@wya.net Latin America - lourdes@wya.net North America - shannon@wya.net
|