May 2, 2010. Indigenous populations of Latin America receive direct help from the pope through the Populorum Progressio Foundation. John Paul II founded this institution to help the most forgotten towns of this continent.
Msgr. Segundo Tejado
Populorum Progressio Foundation (Vatican)
“It is a small sign that the pope, that the Holy Shroud, that Peter sees these indigenous populations with a watchful eye, one of caring and of love.”
The idea came with the celebration of the fifth anniversary of the evangelization of America. From that point on, each year they finance about 200 projects.
For example, with 2 million dollars they collected in 2009 they constructed community boards, colleges, medical centers, chapels and they created small agricultural cooperatives.
Msgr. Segundo Tejado
Populorum Progressio Foundation (Vatican)
“We have many projects of formation. Formation for youths, for girls, projects of formation for women also in the rural environment.”
The countries where they invested the most money last year was in Colombia, Peru and Brazil.
One of the most significant aspects of these projects is that they adapt to the necessities and culture of the population, without trying to change it.
Msgr. Segundo Tejado
Populorum Progressio Foundation (Vatican)
“You have to incarnate, you have to become one of them, without losing your own identity, but you have to be with them living and sharing your own life.”
According to Segundo Tejado, this way of helping is the main goal now that globalization is eliminating the particularities of each population. And precisely one of the characteristics of Latin America is the love of tradition, for his own identity.
PVB/IS
FF/DC
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