Equação, Cooperativa de Comércio Justo, Crl

description of organisation

Equação, Cooperativa de Comércio Justo, Crl (Equação) is a service cooperative, governed by the Portuguese Cooperative Code, which was created in 2006 by a group of grassroots Fair Trade organizations (Associação Reviravolta, Porto; Associação Alternativa, de Braga; Cooperativa Cor de Tangerina, from Guimarães, Ctm-altromercato, from Italy and Aventura Marão Clube - AMC, from Amarante) with the mission of promoting Fair Trade in Portugal through the distribution of Fair Trade products and raising awareness among consumers. consumers, particularly young people, and schools (teachers and students), public institutions, companies. Currently, it has 9 cooperative members (3 collective and 6 individual) and has coordinated, since its creation, more than 40 projects, mainly European, involving hundreds of young people (local and foreign) in international volunteering and participation activities. It is, therefore, very committed to the local and international dimensions of its mission. We can highlight in recent years the following projects (as a promoter and/or partner) of individual volunteering:
- Make Children Smile (2019-1-PL01-ESC11-062695), short duration, with young people with fewer opportunities;
- NATURAL: volunteering Bio, Justo, Local (2019-1-PT02-ESC11-005751), involving young people with fewer opportunities;
- NATURAL: sustainable challenge (2020-1-PT02-ESC11-006544), involving young people with fewer opportunities;
- Break Barriers, Expand Wings (2019-3-PL01-ESC11-077550), involving young people with special needs;
- NATURAL: more sustainable alternatives (2020-3-PT02-ESC11-007256), involving young people with fewer opportunities;
Main objectives:
- Promotion of Fair-Trade PRINCIPLES in Portugal;
- Promotion of SOLIDARY values by bringing volunteering and solidarity to the daily life of the community;
- Development of personal, social and professional SKILLS (young people, volunteers, collaborators, partners);
- SUSTAINABLE practices that seek to present life alternatives to participants and the community.
Equação divides its work into three areas of activity (Bio, Fair and Local). For example:
- Bio: by supporting organic producers in the region (in the production, processing and marketing of products);
- Fair: by promoting the Fair-Trade movement in schools and encouraging the consumption of these products;
- Local: when developing training on social entrepreneurship, participating in the organization of local events and supporting various institutions of the local social network.
Target groups: national consumers and students from the region; organizations working in the field of Fair-Trade and Youth; local, biological and biodynamic producers; local community, especially young people; policy makers; local and international partners.
Geographic reach: Equação is a cooperative with national reach, but it has, above all, a presence in the Northern region of Portugal (and in the region around Amarante, in particular). With the accumulation of experience, network of contacts and credibility in the sector of education for development and youth, it clearly manages to reach, today, other geographical areas, reaching the whole country and even at the international level (working as a partner in projects mobility, learning and partnership with peers in Europe and the world).
Main activities:
1. Promotion of Fair and Solidary Trade (especially among consumers and young people of school age, through various actions in schools - more than 500 to date - having already surpassed 40,000 students);
2. Distribute Fair-Trade products in Portugal (logistics, stocks, storage, etc.);
3. Develop and participate in local, national and international projects, eg:
- Reception, coordination and sending of ESC;
- Reception and coordination of interns (Erasmus+);
- Organization of International Work Camps (IPDJ);
- Mobility projects (youth and youth technicians);
- Development education projects, (whose main objective is to inform and / or produce information for consumers, young people of school age and public authorities on Fair-Trade and themes associated with its principles: Ethical Finance, Responsible Tourism, Healthy Eating, Education for consumption, combating climate change).
Equação is an accredited entity for sending, hosting and coordinating the ESC.