What is ALAS?
ALAS or Latin America in Solidary Action (from the Spanish: América Latina en Acción Solidaria) is a non-profit organization founded in the City of Panama on December 12, 2006.
What is the purpose of ALAS?
ALAS promotes Early Childhood Development as the potentially most effective tool in the fight against poverty in the regions it serves: Latin America and the Caribbean.
Where are the ALAS offices located?
ALAS headquarters are in the City of Knowledge, in Panama City. The City of Knowledge is an international project created with a view to promoting education, research, and innovation for the sake of human development. It has been organized to foster and search for further synergies between universities, scientific research centers, companies from the new economies, and international agencies. The government of Panama has invited ALAS to establish its offices on the former Clayton military base, in the very heart of the City of Knowledge project. For more information about the City of Knowledge, please visit: http://www.cdspanama.org
What kind of action has ALAS taken since it was founded?
ALAS has established alliances with a number of well-known and distinguished international organizations. They include entities such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, in an attempt to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake that devastated Peru in August 2007, and the World Health Organization, to work on vaccination campaigns. In addition, ALAS has participated in a number of forums that seek to promote Early Childhood Development, such as the Clinton Global Initiative, the Annual Assembly of the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Latin American Meeting of Education Ministers.
What is the ALAS Movement?
The ALAS movement is a catalyst that calls for action. Its purpose is to mobilize society, fostering concrete actions to help children between 0 and 6 years old across Latin America and the Caribbean.
What was the purpose of the two concerts held on May 17, 2008, in the Cities of Mexico and Buenos Aires?
The goal was to raise awareness in the general public and generate the momentum needed to improve the early development of children between 0 and 6 years old across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Why does ALAS focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD)?
Early childhood is considered the most important development phase in everyone’s life. Eighty percent of an individual’s brain develops between 0 and 3 years of age. Thoughts, sensations, personal traits, and motor abilities are shaped during this period. In addition, basic communication skills, particularly speech and language, develop between 3 and 6 years of age. If neurological development in children under 3 years of age experiences delays due to unsuitable prenatal care, malnutrition, or lack of stimulation, all the adverse effects this may have for the rest of their lives are both difficult and expensive to compensate. The consequences in the medium and the long term include poor health, a disruptive social behavior that could eventually lead to criminality later in life, learning difficulties, school failure, and diminished income-earning capacity. In turn, these have very profound implications. ALAS considers ECD among its top priorities, as it believes ECD to be potentially the most effective way to mitigate poverty and narrow the inequality gap in Latin America and the Caribbean.
How is ALAS financed?
The ALAS operating budget is funded by the generous contributions of ALAS benefactors including Alejandro Santo Domingo, Alejandro Soberón Kuri, Alejandro Bulgheroni, Antonio de la Rúa, Carlos Slim Helú, Emilio Azcarraga, Joseph Safra, and Stanley Motta, among others.
Does ALAS raise funds for Early Childhood Development projects?
No. ALAS has not raised and does not raise public funds in any way. In addition, it does not use the events or forums where it may participate or may have participated to raise funds for Early Childhood Development projects. The CONCERT FOR CHILDREN did not raise funds by any means, including ticket sales, promotions on TV, telephone companies’ advertising campaigns, or any other means not mentioned in this description. ALAS is a movement that seeks to raise awareness about development needs in children up to 6 years of age in Latin America and the Caribbean. ALAS advises and refers individuals as well as pulbic and private entities seeking to donate funds for a childhood project in Latin America and the Caribbean to the many International Agencies and NGOs.
Who finances Early Childhood Development projects?
ALAS seeks to encourage a stronger commitment to childhood development from the public and the private sectors. Thus, it has managed to commit the Carlos Slim Foundation to contribute 100 million dollars, and the Buffet Foundation to donate 85 million dollars. In turn, these foundations themselves will invest those amounts in a number of childhood-related projects in Latin America and the Caribbean.
How does ALAS ensure these investments are actually made?
ALAS is assisting both foundations in the selection of the best projects in which to invest their donations. However, Latin America needs more investment than can be obtained from the business sector alone. The private sector is in a unique position to encourage innovation and look for projects that could bring about better results than the ones we see today. ALAS acts as the bridge that connects foundations and experts in Early Childhood Development. In addition, it offers optimum advice to business executives. The business representatives who have made a public commitment manage organizations ranked among the largest foundations worldwide, whose significance and credibility ensure that their investment commitments will be honored and will be made in well managed projects.
How is the success of ALAS measured?
For ALAS, success lies in securing the commitment of the major representatives from the business sectors, governments, and the public to improve the development of children between 0 and 6 years old in Latin America and the Caribbean. The medical assistance and education an individual receives in the first 6 years of life will certainly determine his chances for the future. Therefore, it should be a top priority for the state and its citizens.
What is ALAS planning to do within the public sector?
ALAS seeks to meet with the presidents and governors to discuss the importance of increasing public investment in Early Childhood Development programs to protect children from the moment they are born under nutrition, health, and education programs. ALAS' goal is to boost the investment level allocated to childhood development programs in government budgets.
Is ALAS thinking of soliciting more representatives from the business sector?
Yes. The ALAS project envisages the creation of groups of business executives in each country that would jointly fund Early Childhood Development projects. The money will be invested through a foundation made up by the same business executives, or else they will be given the option of choosing an NGO that can offer them an adequate service level.
Why does ALAS not raise funds directly?
ALAS does not have the structure required to manage and direct third party investments in field projects. Such an undertaking requires an extensive management structure and vast experience. In the future, ALAS may undertake direct fund raising, but does not currently have the resources to do so.
How many representatives from the business sector is ALAS seeking to commit in this cause for Children?
As many as possible. Moreover, we welcome anyone who is willing to participate. ALAS perceives an extraordinary eagerness to join this cause in the business sector. The establishment of a well-advised network where they can invest hand in hand in a social project for childhood is warmly welcomed by the representatives from the business sector, who see this as an excellent solution for private investment interests in social projects for the region.
How were the CONCERTS FOR CHILDREN financed?
THE CONCERTS FOR CHILDREN were financed through sponsoring agreements. Any balance remaining after paying for all the expenditures will become part of the ALAS Endowment.
How do I get my project financed?
ALAS is not a foundation that offers financing. The purpose ALAS envisages for itself is to raise awareness about the situation that prevails in Latin America and encourage commitment to boost support for comprehensive Early Childhood Development programs.
What if I am a company or corporation that would like to get involved?
Please contact us at admin@fundacionalas.org
What happens if I belong to the press and want additional information?
Please contact us to info@fundacionalas.org
If we did not answer your question and you have additional questions, please email us at: info@fundacionalas.org. |
