The Fondo Social NeVo (FSN), or the NeVo Social Fund, is financed by volunteer fees; it is destined to be awarded to a selected institution, association or community affiliated with Nexos Voluntarios to carry out a specific development project. All NeVo beneficiaries have the opportunity to submit project proposals, and the competition is a chance for groups to design projects that will have a sustainable, positive impact on their immediate communities.
Nexos Voluntarios held its first NeVo Social Fund contest between December 2009 and March 2010. The eight contestants, consisting of four schools, one kindergarten, the local artisan association, a children’s shelter, and a small community, proposed a wide variety of projects. For example, while Community San José de Media Luna developed an organic agriculture and environmental conservation proposal and Wiñayninchis School in Urubamba focused on environmental conservation classes and other environmental initiatives, General Ollanta School’s project focused on implementing artisan workshops for their students in order for them to learn a new skill, develop a source of income, and develop pride in their Andean culture. The Association of Producing Artisans- Urubamba proposed a low-interest micro-loans project, and Mosoq Runa, a school and shelter for children, created a proposal for a small shop in a local hotel. Villa Marcelo School in Yanahuara proposed a campaign against malnutrition through maintaining an organic vegetable garden at the school, and Yanahuara Daycare and Preschool proposed a new, more experiential approach to education at their institution. Finally, Colegio Agropecuario- Agriculture and Livestock School- Urubamba developed a proposal based on the production of livestock feed. While all of the proposals were valuable and focused on important community issues, the judges selected General Ollanta School as the winner of the competition for the FSN 2010, and the secondary school was awarded the financial prize of US$3,000.
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