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My name is Dynka Amorim dos Santos, I'm from São Tomé and Príncipe but I'm living in Portugal
for 7 years.
and I am currently a college student. I'm doing a degree in International Political Science.
And I reconcile that with the activities of the Association Bué Fixe that is an association of young African migrants from PALOP.
Currently we are developing a project in area of prevention of *** \ AIDS here in the municipality of Amadora,
Where we use the communication tools: radio, magazine,
sending educational SMS messages, publications of information
on facebook
show videos
on the issue of *** \ AIDS and other channels as well.
Well, it was an interesting process.
It all started in 2003, we note a big lack of information
directed to young people in São Tomé and Príncipe the issue of *** \ AIDS
and it was then that the United Nations, of São Tomé and Príncipe organized open days
where people could get to know the services that are provided in São Tomé and Príncipe.
And that was when we had the opportunity to be with a
Portuguese lady
who at the time was a consultant of the World Bank and helped the government of São Tomé and Príncipe
to create a strategic plan
to combat AIDS and she was encouraged us to create a project,
in which the main objective was inform, raise awareness and educate youngsters
for the issue of *** \ AIDS.
At one point the idea was to be an association, but as we thought it was
very bureaucratic
we decided to create a magazine, and there was the kick out and the magazine
officially launched
in 13th September of 2003
in São Tomé and Príncipe. And that's how everything started
to crowl
and then the magazine began to be distributed
for free in schools
in Youth Cultural Centre in Portuguese of Luis de Camões and other places of higher concentration of youngs.
In 2005, we had an other course
with the arrival of some members
to Portugal,
we didn't want to put an end to the project, and we brought the project
to Portugal
and we extended our target audience:
Mainly not only the youths from S.Tomé from there and from here, we open to other youths from other countries
of Portuguese language or African progeny
as well.
And the Bué Fixe was walking, then we
Expand our channels of operation
namely with the creation of our radio space that played in
college radios in Portugal.
Through information sessions that we organize, through the distribution of condoms
that we done and still do. That's how it all started to consolidate and we started to apply to some
Youth Initiative programms. The first programm
that we apply to officially was the Youth in Action Programm, in 2007
but in 2007 they didn't approve the project, it was only approved in the end of 2008
where the goal was that, help, inform
educate youths
about the ***\AIDS. The first project that
we submit
was a project
in the area of preventing of ***\AIDS, was a 18 month project
that we develop, we used the information sessions, the distribution of condoms,
the magazine for the young migrants of Lisbon.
And then the second project with the Youth in Action was the creation of
the youth radio Bué Fixe
wherein we use the radio component
to educate young to approach all the themes connected to youth
mainly the young migrants.
And then was the third project with the Youth in Action, was a pilot project
of council of europe, the project "Enter", that wasn't only developped
in Portugal, but also in countries of council of the europe,
wherein the main objective was
promoting the access to social rights
to youngs that live in disadvantaged neighborhoods. And from our side, we develop
a project
that it called "Média Jovem"
in promotion of access to social rights in what we used tools
of communication
that was to encourage
and promote the access of youths to their social rights, mainly youths who lived
in irregular situations
in Portugal that we specified, essentially in the access to health
in the access to job and some basical rights.
So that was
our path, then we also organized the association, the association was growing up,
we participated in some national projects, some international ones
as partners
and we had the chance to participate in some national and international events
And Bué Fixe kept on growing
more members from another countries started to join, and then in 2010 we formalized
Bué Fixe Juridically
as a youth association,
fruit of the labour that
we did these times, and Bué Fixe is now a very considered associaiton
We've been working with several partners, suchs as MTV
the Parish council, several local associations in the Amadora municipality,
we've been appearing
in magazines and newspapers, either in Portugal and Outside Portugal.
Well, I can't say...
Yes, in a way it can be considered... Writting and application for a project
It's not easy
it requires trainign. For example, the Youth in Action Form
in the beggining for who never seen it before, it's very complicated.
We have specify, for instance:
the general objectives,
the specific objectives
the metodology, the evaluation and that's not always that easy
for people that want to start a local initiative project.
So, I can say that this is one of the big barriers. Another big barrier is also
to find people that are available
to colaborate in a volunteering way. This we can also say it's a another barrier,
But we see it not as a barrier, but as a challenge, and lately
we've been improving. We not have a big policy to enable our members on how
to make a project, and that's very good.
Well, the support of the Youth in Action program was extremely relevant.
If it wasn't for Youth in Action, in the beggining it would be very complicated for us to develop
some channels of the project. For instance, through the support we received from Youth in Action
in the end of 2008 that enabled us, for instance, in the printing of the magazines,
if the transportation costs, for administrative matters, it was extremely fundamental, it's a programme
that I recomend to any group of youngsters to apply to and it is worth it.
I can say in briefing
that the support was extremely relevant...
not only the support, but also the training courses that they organize.
It's extremely relevant.
It enabled youngsters to find partners,
in improving the project, in the matter of visibility, so, the support is always important.
Well, actually, tips diversify a lot. One of the tips I can say is
to have the motivation
Motivation is extremelly important.
To identify the problems and have the support from someone who knows
how to formalize an idea and that can help a youngster in the steps to follow. First
for instance
to identify the financing sources, to get to get the people that can come and work in the project
and to start working, always with the help of the supervisors that can help.
but essentialy is to identify the problem,
to have a spirit of volunteering, spirit of wanting to change something
and get to work. Obviously there will be some barriers, but I understand those barriers
as being a challenge.
As a final message I would like to say to people that
there are many possibilities,
many projects that can be developed: many social projects, in the field of culture, sports..
Any kind of project is always welcome, it's always an added value,
because on one side it can help the person to grow
in some skills, that can become
benefical for the future,
work work work and always with the help of others. So, any kind of
social initiative,
has a very relevant weight in a comunity and in a municipality
and my final message is, go ahead with the project, with initiative
that this world well needs it