Background
Terra Nuova is a membership-based association working in international solidarity. It was established in 1969 as a non-profit organisation, and was recognised in 1972 by MAE-DGCS (Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Development Co-operation General Directorate) as an NGO qualified to:
- Implement development co-operation programmes and projects co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to train and post volunteers.
- In 1987 this qualification was confirmed in relation to: carrying out development co-operation projects; selecting, training and posting volunteers; disseminating information on development issues and promoting development education.
- Extension of qualification to the training in situ of citizens of developing countries (1995).
In 1980 Terra Nuova was recognised by the European Commission for the implementation of co-operation projects.
Terra Nuova designs, supports and implements development co-operation projects in Africa and Latin America. It also promotes awareness-raising programmes aimed at informing and sensitizing the European civil society in relation to development issues affecting the South of the world. Terra Nuova and its partners work together in the pursuit of a development model in which more equitable societies respect and valorise cultural diversity and natural resources. In view of this, Terra Nuova endeavours to promote peace and human rights by supporting local economic, political and social development processes at community and institutional level, while facilitating intercultural dialogue and solidarity.
Terra Nuova’s interventions are mainly focused on local socio-economic development in rural and urban areas and on institutional stregthening and capacity building of local institutions. Within this areas, the main fields of Terra Nuova’s activities are currently the following:
- sustainable management of natural resources;
- rural development (agriculture, animal health and production);
- promotion of income-generating activities and job creation, in particular through the support of micro- and small-scale enterprises;
- support to education and human health sectors;
- protection of human rights, and in particular of citizenship, linguistic and cultural rights, as well as the rights of children and adolescents.
Terra Nuova’s activities are characterized by a full-spectrum participation of the local communities in the planning and implementation of the projects, and the promotion of processes aimed at self-sustainability and/or post-crisis rehabilitation. Terra Nuova's work is constantly monitored by the association’s members who are committed to verify its consistency with development co-operation ethics.
The main beneficiaries of Terra Nuova’s initiatives are: children in difficult circumstances, women suffering discrimination, smallholder farmers, nomad pastoralists, micro and small entrepreneurs of the urban and rural informal economy, indigenous populations. Terra Nuova promotes the participation of these social groups in their local and national contexts by supporting democratic processes of development planning for a sustainable management of public goods and the environment.
Terra Nuova cooperates with other European NGOs in raising awareness on development cooperation issues through a joint definition of campaigns, also directed to fund-raising. As a membership-based association, Terra Nuova also raises regular membership fees, as well as occasional donations and contributions in kind (voluntary specialist and non-specialist work) from its members and staff.
Terra Nuova co-operates with a wide range of local and international institutions committed to sustainable socio-economic development, promotion of peace and human rights and natural resource management, at research, policy/strategy and programme/project level: NGOs, CBOs, grassroots groups and associations, universities and research institutes, local and national government, multilateral and bilateral donor organisations. Terra Nuova also participates in development-related networks, federations and platforms: Women and Development (Coordination Italian NGOs promoting and facilitating women’s participation to development cooperation); Italian NGOs Association for International Cooperation to Development; NGOs Coordination for Development Cooperation - COCIS; Italian NGOs Support Group for the Sahel Farmers Movement; Support Platform for Palestine; Italian Platform on Traditional Health Systems; Ecuadorian Associations Working on Children and Adolescents Rights); NGO Council of Kenya.
The eligibility criteria for collaboration are the following:
- ethical, transparent and efficient operational and financial management;
- democratic approach in the internal decision-making and implementation processes, as well as in inter-institutional relationships;
- mutual respect for relevant policies;
- full involvement and assumption of responsibility in the development and implementation of common initiatives. The partners of Terra Nuova participate in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of programmes, projects and initiatives jointly developed. This approach applies from the on-set of the project conception phase, under different forms and according to each body’s competence and ability.