About Melania
Melania is a Dutch women’s organization, which aims at fostering direct partnership between women’s groups in the Netherlands and groups of grassroots women in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Melania focuses on micro women projects, which help women to improve their own situations.
How Melania works
Melania does not have funds of its own to finance projects. Requests for financial support are screened by the Project Committee of Melania and after approval are subsequently proposed to Dutch women’s groups.
The Dutch women’s groups will raise the necessary funds to support the project of their respective ‘sister group’ in the South. It is up to the Dutch group to decide upon the project they wish to support. Their financial support should enable the sister group to implement small-scale activities of their own choice.
Only self-help projects, which contribute to the improvement of the social, economical and cultural position of women, are considered.
Partnership with Melania
Regular contact through correspondence promotes a direct partnership between the Dutch group and te women’s group in the South. This contact helps to gain valuable knowledge about each other’s living conditions and to build mutual understanding and solidarity.
By organising meetings and seminars and by providing information on developing issues Melania strives to make Dutch women aware of the causes of unequal distribution of wealth and power between Northern and Southern countries.
Project criteria
The project should originate from a local initiative taken by several (organized) women to improve their social, economical and/or cultural position and raises their level of consciousness and organization.
- The project is directed towards grassroot women (low income groups).
- The women’s group is responsible for project planning, implemantion and sustaining.
- The women’s group should be willing and able to communicate with the Dutch ’sister group’ (letter writing, progress reports).
- The Melania financial contribution facilitates the start of the project. Building the capacity to become selfsupporting is necessary to avoid financial dependence on Melania.
- Melania supports projects in the following fields:
- awareness and organization
- management training
- literacy training and (informal) education
- crop farming, livestock farming
- improvement/protection of natural environment
- health and nutrition
- small-scale trade processing and other income generating activities.
Project applications
- An application should clearly describe:
- situation of the area/country and aim of the project
- target group, their participation in initiating, executing and sustaining the project
- proposed activities and possible bottlenecks
- available resources and local contribution
- nature, duration and budget of the project
Melania Development Cooperation
P.O. Box 16440
2500 BK Den Haag
The Netherlands
info@melania.nl
www.melania.nl
