Latin America Cooperation Program

Background information

In the heart of the Andes, Mission 21 is committed to helping people on the margins of society in Bolivia and Peru. In places where state welfare has little impact, our partner organizations run projects that sustainably strengthen particularly vulnerable social groups such as smallholder indigenous families, women and girls and enable them to live as autonomous a life as possible in dignity. Mission 21's partner organizations are also active in the urban centers of Bolivia, Costa Rica and Peru, where they campaign for inclusive social coexistence that promotes gender equality and is free from sexualized violence and discrimination.

Program goals 2025 - 2029

Food sovereignty in the Andes

In the Peruvian and Bolivian Andes, our partner organization works with over 6300 Quechua and Aymara-speaking smallholder families to ensure their right to food.

The project calls for agroecological farming methods that enable farmers to cultivate their land and fields in harmony with nature. They also create new food systems thanks to local seeds, organic fertilizers and greenhouses they have built themselves, which provide a sustainable supply of nutritious food and create new income opportunities. This strengthens the resilience and autonomy of families from one of the most vulnerable population groups.

Lake Titicaca in need: strategies for climate justice

Lake Titicaca is in the midst of a serious crisis that is jeopardizing the water supply for almost three million people in Bolivia and Peru. In addition to the water shortage, sewage and waste from households, hospitals and in some cases illegal mining are polluting Lake Titicaca and its tributaries. Indigenous women's organizations and young people are organizing and campaigning to save their sacred Lake Titicaca and its tributaries. In addition to binational environmental action days and forums, creative activities are being called for to raise awareness throughout society and obtain concrete measures from the authorities.

Water extraction in the Andes: Adaptation to climate change

The donations collected benefit partners who work with organic farming. The donations are used on an ongoing basis for water management and reforestation projects.

Overcoming gender-based violence - promoting self-determination and justice

Violence and impunity are a widespread problem in all Latin American countries. Our project partners are particularly committed to combating domestic, sexualized and gender-based violence against women, children and members of the LGBTIQ community. The project organizations are active in prevention work and in providing legal and psychosocial support to victims of sexual and domestic violence. Victims of sexual violence find that their abusers are rarely prosecuted and punished. Our partners in Bolivia and Peru are working with multi-level strategies to change this. They also achieve their impact through close dialog with the authorities.

Indigenous women and young people: strengthening political participation and environmental protection

The educational work of our partners improves the political and social participation opportunities of women and young people in rural Peru. Thanks to the project work, indigenous women know how to campaign more effectively at a political level for the protection of Lake Titicaca and how to demand state involvement through legally binding channels. Young people are also campaigning for more environmental protection and are calling for a commitment from society as a whole to protect the waters from pollution and to protect the environment as a whole.

Theological education for democratic and socially inclusive Companies

In Latin America, the trend towards politically and religiously tinged Christian fundamentalism and authoritarian governments is continuing. Our partner organizations counteract these tendencies. They advocate a critical approach to theology and religion and use their educational programs to promote the social inclusion of dissenters and social minorities as well as care and respect for the environment. In view of the growing political influence of conservative churches, several partner organizations are once again taking a more active approach to more conservative church circles in Latin America and offering a socially critical reading of the Bible that promotes a society of tolerance, human rights and dialogue.

Strong civil society for sustainable development

The partner organizations are strengthened through targeted training so that they become actors that work transparently, efficiently and responsibly. In this way, Mission 21 promotes their influence as opinion leaders in civil society and creates strong institutions and leaders that can bring about sustainable change. The focus is on workshops on the topic of ≪artivism≫: this approach uses the combination of art and social action in public spaces as a means of drawing attention to the environmental crisis or the undermining of political rights in a creative and peaceful way. Regular meetings call for the exchange of knowledge on strategies for dealing with gender-specific violence against indigenous women and legal advice, as well as on approaches to how men and boys can develop positive images of masculinity.

Projects of the cooperation program

Our projects in Latin America are bundled according to subject areas. We continue to support our partner organizations with their projects and are happy to provide information on individual activities and the detailed use of funds on request.

400.1020 Theological education for democratic and socially inclusive societies in Peru and Costa Rica

400.1021 Overcoming gender-based violence - promoting self-determination and justice in the Andes

400.1022 Water extraction in the Andes: Adaptation to climate change

400.1400 Strong civil society for sustainable development in Latin America

420.1020 Food sovereignty in the Andes

420.1021 Lake Titicaca in need: strategies for climate justice

476.1020 Indigenous women and young people: strengthening political participation and environmental protection in Peru

On site

Jannet Villanueva Escudero, Coordinator Peru & Bolivia

Jannet joined the Latin America Program in July 2023 as the Food Sovereignty & Gender Justice Thematic Area Coordinator. The has many years of work experience in the topics of agroecological agriculture, women's empowerment and gender justice. As an organic smallholder farmer, Jannet lived and worked in the rural central Andes of Peru for 10 years before working for different ministries in the field of income generation for smallholder women farmers and food aid levy, among others. Jannet has now been using her experience for almost 20 years in International Cooperation in Bolivia, Colombia and Peru.