From 8-11 June, Instituto Rio hosted an exchange programme with representatives from Fundación Comunitaria Puebla IBP, Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuense (FECHAC) and WINGS member Comunalia (Alianza de Fundaciones Comunitarias de Mexico). The activities included meeting to present the work done by the organizations and site visits to projects supported by Instituto Rio.

Mexican community foundations saw first-hand the work of community-based organizations in Rio, and pointed out similarities with initiatives in their country, such as the preservation of culture within communities, and the work towards a culture of peace in communities where youth are constantly exposed to violence.

As part of the exchange, the Fundación Comunitaria Puebla IBP highlighted their work managing 25 funds that support projects in the Puebla state, and FECHAC shared its experience in the mobilisation of corporate resources involving more than 36,000 businesses. Another topic discussed was the Mexican community foundations’ involvement in public policy, given their local knowledge.

Comunalia brought to the conversation the importance of strong networks in supporting local initiatives. Laura Trejo, Comunalia’s executive director, emphasised how networks allow member organizations to achieve common goals once a relationship of trust is built, encouraging collective knowledge building and collaboration.

For more information visit http://www.institutorio.org.br/node/206 (Portuguese). Images courtesy Instituto Rio.