Sierra Leone Energy is one of the main sectors that needs to be developed, specially in remote areas: but in a sustainable and affordable manner. PRESSD-SL stands for Promoting Renewable Energy Services for Social Development in Sierra Leone. It is an EU funded project which intends to contribute...

  Sierra Leone Agriculture is one of the main industries from the country, becoming a national priority through numerous policies. Boosting Agriculture and Food Security, or BAFS, is an EU funded project which aims to strength Sierra Leone agriculture security to ensure an independent production. Kirstie and Esteban visit...

Most people in Myanmar just want to live in their country at peace. In Kachin State, northern Myanmar, in the midst of violence and conflict, more than 100.000 people were forced to leave their homes. Today, they live internally displaced. The Durable Peace Programme (DPP), funded by the EU,...

Two vloggers. One month. Countless stories. In February, Jeana welcomed Dan to Jamaica and shared the stories of her home country with him. This is a glimpse into the behind the scenes journey of documenting Europe Aid projects in Jamaica. A HUGE thank you to everyone we met during...

Promac, the Programme For the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality is made possible through the Government of Jamaica and the European Union. With their help, medical professionals in Jamaica have been better equipped to save the lives of mothers and babies all around the island In this video...

Sierra Leone education is a priority for the country, where about 60% of the working age population is unemployed or underemployed. Esteban and Kirstie visit the Murialdo Institute in Kissy – one of many schools funded through the European Union’s support to the education sector in Sierra Leone. Here...

We met some very powerful women who have been working with Jamaica Aids Support for Life (J.A.S.L.) to help people living with HIV to live their healthiest, happiest lives. With the support of the European Union, J.A.S.L. has been able to foster peer support groups; empower survivors of violence...

Today we are going under the skin of the Jamaica Banana Industry, specifically focusing on small farmers and banana growers, united by the All Islands Banana Growers Association which collectively brings together some 2000 banana growers island wides. Through European Union development funds, the AIBGA was able to move...

This is a story about love, protection, care – the meaning of family. There is a specific group of vulnerable children who grow up in Myanmar without the protection of a loving family. Orphans, street children, or children who are in conflict with justice, traditionally end up in monasteries...

For our second video in Cockpit Country, we are heading to the north of the Trelawny Parish to visit a new project which commenced in November 2019. Focussed on reforestation and protecting the environment, we met some of the locals who are replanting destroyed areas, and heard about the...

While Jamaica might be famed with tourists for its beaches and resorts, in this video we discover the magnificent mountains and rainforest of Cockpit Country, where eco-tourism and community-based tourism is taking centre stage. We join Cockpit Adventure Tours on their new hiking trail, with their newly trained team,...

Through the Civil Society Boost Initiative, Rise Life Management Services and the European Union are empowering at-least twenty civil society organisations through sub-grants and business training. We visited two unique organisations supported through this programme, DeafCan Coffee and W.I.S.E. (Waste Innovation and Social Enterprise Programme), both of which are...

Today we are in Trench Town, Kingston, meeting Egbert Hamilton, known as the ‘Stone Boss’. Mr Hamilton has been been producing amazing artwork since 1969 from the Alabaster stone. Now, supported by a small grant from the European Union development fund, in partnership with the UNDP, he is better...

Hello from Kingston, Jamaica, and the first in our #Faces2Hearts Jamaica series! The Poverty Reduction Programme helps provide funds for various projects in Jamaica, including arts and community initiatives and educational and infrastructural projects, all of which empower Jamaican people to be more self-sufficient. In this video we’ll show...

After decades of military dictatorship, many people in Myanmar have stopped believing in justice. MyJustice, an EU funded flagship project, partners with local organisations to bring justice back to the most vulnerable groups in Myanmar. Worldwide, the LGBTI community belongs among one of the most marginalised groups. Also in...

This is a story of more than 2000 women making a change in their communities through the art of handicraft making. In the rural areas of Myanmar, deep rooted customs and patriarchy have pushed women in a disadvantaged, vulnerable position, both mentally and physically. On top of that climate...

Five decades of military rule and armed conflict in Myanmar have impacted the country deeply. Today, many ethnic communities have little access to education and continue to live with prejudice towards other ethnic groups. Case2learn, also known as “Conflict Areas Support for Education 2 Learn”, is a project that...

In the remote communities of The Gambia jobs are scarce and women usually end up with no work outside of the rainy season which is the moment for farming. But thanks to the support of UNCDF, the European Commission is able to allocate funds to help the local communities...

Women in Rural Gambia are usually more concerned about their farms and making ends meet through agriculture. However, UNOPS is implementing a Feeder roads project to enable access for vulnerable communities in the rural areas, and the project is focused on employing more women to take part in the...

Working on communal gardens can be difficult, as not everyone is always ready to do the extra work. These women have been given the opportunity to have their own farms with the support of United Purpose and WASDA. We are looking at how they are operating on their own,...

Today we follow three institutions (GIZ, ENABEL and IMVF) which are looking at various possibilities of engaging the youth of The Gambia in different ventures for gainful employment through the “TEKKI FII” project which means “Make it in The Gambia.” Their intervention areas range from Agribusiness, Solar, TVET, and...

The island of Maio is preparing itself, so when visitors arrive they can find a variety of attractions including the locals. They are helping local artists develop souvenirs, promoting entrepreneurship in Maio and taking actions for a solidarity and communitarian tourism. The main objective is to develop the economy...

Brace yourselves as we discover how good food equals to a good mind. We are now in rural Gambia. This visit is even more exciting because we are discovering how the World Food Programme (WFP), with support from the EU, is changing the lives of children at school, through...

After a pit stop at Tanji’s fish market, we go visit Fandema, a project implemented by Mbolo Association in the west coast of The Gambia. This project seeks to empower local women through renewable energy for agro-processing. We’ll see how young women are thought in solar installation and more....

The Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) is a five-year project created to address the economic root causes of irregular migration, as well as providing job opportunities and skills training for young people. It was such an inspiring opportunity for us to meet and hear the stories of all these young...

On our first mission discovering EU projects in The Gambia, we explore how ‘Article 19’, an international human rights organisation, works with three very important institutions to transition The Gambia from a dictatorial inflicted rule, to a more democratic and transparent country. The 2 year EU funded project is...

Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas is a cultural network mainly in music, composed of 30 towns in 10 countries. Festival Sete Sois Sete Luas focuses in remote towns where artists have less chances participate. This video takes you to Nova Cintra in Brava. This band’s name was “Nos Manera”...

In this video we’re taking you to Fogo. The island is mainly known for its active volcano. Rotas de Fogo, is a project launched by the italian NGO COSPE. It is acting to diversify the tourist offer, in order to promote different areas of the island so that the...

Tarrafal de Monte Trigo and Monte Trigo are two neighbourhoods in Santo Antao that have great conditions for fishing and agriculture. However these neighbourhoods are not easily accessible. This project’s name is SESAM-ER. It has brought electricity to Tarrafal by extending the public electric network there, and has installed...

The project Raizes in Santo Antão is promoting inclusive tourism, which empowers civil society to help make the island more tourism-friendly and give it more visibility. In this video we will give you a glimpse of three of their numerous intitiatives: the creation of touristic centres, the installation of...

In this video we take you to the rural areas of Sao Vicente. You’ll get a glimpse of 4 different neighborhoods where the EU has funded a variety of activities promoting rural tourism. We are taking you to Madeiral, Ribeira de Calhau, Monte Verde and Salamansa. In these locations...

In this video we take you to the rural areas of Sao Vicente. You’ll get a glimpse of 4 different neighborhoods where the EU has funded a variety of activities promoting rural tourism. We are taking you to Madeiral, Ribeira de Calhau, Monte Verde and Salamansa. In these locations...

The city of Mindelo on the island of São Vicente is home to many street dogs. Their living conditions aren’t good and this has consequences on public health. Si Ma Bo is an organisation that tackles this problem by implementing a variety of actions. They organise free castration campaigns...

Having described individually 8 wonderful projects focussed on improving people’s lives, this is a reflection on our Paraguayan journey as a whole. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS: ♯ Diego Samaniego ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/samadiego_ ♯ Sonja Agata Bišćan ▸ Facebook: facebook.com/SonjaAgataBiscan ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/sonjathesinger ▸ YouTube: youtube.com/user/sonjaagatabiscan Subscribe to our YouTube channel...

The EU and United Nations have joined forces to work on a huge issue bit by bit. – Spotlight is a worldwide initiative that aims to tackle violence against women and girls. – During our visit to the 3rd Brainstorming Camp hosted by FUSA, we met passionate young activists...

In this first video we will be taking you through the lively and colourful streets of Achada Grande Frente, a fisherman neighbourhood over looking the port of Praia. We will focus on the project Xalabas, created through a partnership between the ONG Africa 70 and Pilorinhu Association. It aims...

Disinformation is false, imprecise or deceiving information that is produced and distributed often on purpose. – The EU is funding a comprehensive project to understand and fight disinformation in Argentina – FOPEA and Chequeado are implementing it. – Information comes from In-form, which essentially means give shape to. What...

“Social economy is this other way of understanding production, commercialisation and the relationship with the Natural Resources we need for our life. It has at its core, not the reproduction of capital, but the reproduction of life.” Claudia Martínez, Be.Pe – We were invited to the wonderful, lively and...

“Environmental Governance” may sound confusing and hard to understand. But difficult words can be really important. – We visited the High Calchaqui Valley in Salta, Argentina, to learn about this EU funded project Fundación Runas and Fundación Grupo El Abra are starting to work on. – Environmental Governance means...

Cauqueva is a 22 year old cooperative that has been making products based on Andean crops. – With this new EU funded project, they will be adding value to animal based products for the first time ever. – Las Animas, a Coya community 12 hours walking distance from Tilcara,...

The Pilcomayo River shapes lives and landscapes across Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. Fundación Proyungas is implementing s new EU funded project that aims to achieve faster and better governance for this precious region. Their role is to build bridges that consider all actors in the territory. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS:...

In this episode of Faces2Hearts, our vloggers spend the night in a million * hotel – camping. They go through thick and thin with the sole purpose of discovering the work of Iniciativa Chaco Trinacional in person. The aforementioned NGO supports the communities of Chaco through giving them water...

The NGO Tierraviva is working alongside the European Union to enable indigenous communities in Paraguay access to public information that is vital for their development. This way, indigenous communities can learn how the state uses the budget money for anything from making schools and roads to healthcare centers. ♯...

Through Fondo de Mujeres del Sur (Which means Fund for Women of the South), the EU supports grass roots organisations of women who are defending their environments. We visited the women of Mocafor, in Formosa; one of the 13 groups that are being supported through the Environmental Defenders Program....

In August 2019, in the case Cáceres v. Paraguay (introduced by a family of rural workers), the United Nations Human Rights Committee has found Paraguay responsible for failing to protect individuals from toxic pollution caused by the agriculture industry. The said case, however, is not an isolated example of...

In this episode of Faces2Hearts, guided by World Wildlife Fund Paraguay, we discover Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, and learn about sustainable development and production practices in the region. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS: ♯ Diego Samaniego ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/samadiego_ ♯ Sonja Agata Bišćan ▸ Facebook: facebook.com/SonjaAgataBiscan ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/sonjathesinger ▸...

Sonja and Diego realize that they need back up to complete their latest Faces2Hearts mission in Paraguay. They join forces with the Lilac Agents. This project, envisioned by ALDA (NGO) and supported by the EU, encourages students (and particularly female students) to combat violence through the use of superpowers,...

Ñamopu’â Caazapá is a program in Caazapá working on two projects: (1) Leo, Pienso y Aprendo (LPA) (I read, I think and I learn) and (2) MaPara – Paraguayan Mathematics. In today’s episode of Faces2Hearts, we visit several schools to see how this EU funded initiative works in practice....

This video is the second part of Episode 2 of Faces2Hearts in Paraguay. Apart from the production of honey, the ProCADENAS project funded by the EU, also works in the context of fish farming. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS: ♯ Diego Samaniego ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/samadiego_ ♯ Sonja Agata Bišćan ▸ Facebook:...

The hydroelectric dam Yacyretá is not the only entity producing energy in the Paraguay’s department of Misiones. In this episode of Faces2Hearts, we explore the production of honey and we meet with the communities involved. The described project is supported and funded by the EU. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS: ♯...

Itapúa is not only home to Paraguay’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also to the School of Political Training for Women Leaders (La Escuela de Formación Política para Mujeres Líderes). The project is funded and supported by the EU, and in this episode of Faces2Hearts, we get to learn...

Last video from Sibo and Konrad tells their own story of how they became friends. Two people so different found a common vision for life. All thanks to Faces2Hearts project. ♯ SOCIAL LINKS: ♯ Sibongile Tshabalala ▸ Instagram: instagram.com/sibolala ▸ YouTube: youtube.com/user/Bongilistic ♯ Konrad Śniady ▸ Instagram: bit.ly/32dxsbG ▸...

EU-funded SCIONA project together with Giraffe Conservation Foundation are working on tracking movement of Angolan Giraffes which found their home in Namibia after 80s. This way they want to understand those animals better so later they can find a suitable environment, where they could reproduce the population in Angola....

Nakayale Vocational Training Center (NVTC) is a training institution that delivers quality training in response to national development needs. The EU funded NVTC with a IT resource center, fully equipped with 25 computers. This will help them develop a broad range of vocational skills and knowledge. NVTC objectives is...

Farmers Club, this is a Development Aid From People To Peaple (DAPP) Namibia’s intiative which is being funded in part by the European Union. This EU-funded project looks at climate smart agriculture for improving the livelihood of small-scale farmers in the Kavango region, in Namibia. The aim of project...

Namibia Red Cross Society have come up with a climate change mitigation initiative that is funded by the European Union. The aim of the project is to promote the use of renewable forms of energy and energy efficient technologies in rural communities. The project identified an energy efficient stove...

Community conservation fisheries in Kaza is the European Union funded initiative that helps the establishment of community-based, sustainable management systems for fisheries, thereby improving food security in the area. Freshwater fish play an important role in the daily livelihood of rural people within the Kaza area. Due to an...

Konrad and Sibongile visit EU funded, permaculture gardens in Nyae Nyae Conservancy. They discover how climate change is affecting the lives of the San community. Through, livestock management and a budding garden, they have been able to adapt and feed themselves, amidst the crisis of climate change. ♯ SOCIAL...

Sibongile and Konrad are on the set of kids TV show “Waka Waka Moo” in Windhoek, Namibia. The show focuses on early childhood development. Through the support of the EU and UNICEF Namibian kids have access to TV program that tells local stories. In their local languages and through characters...

Konrad and Sibongile are visiting Speak Up project in Windhoek, Namibia. They discover how EU funded Regain Trust is trying to tackle gender based violence on multiple levels. They also visit a shelter for victims of GBV. Thanks to the actions of Regain Trust, people like Meme Eveline are...

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