2016-12-07-noticia-Tantaka-campaña-navidad

The germ of the Christmas Campaign at the University was the Kilo Campaign, in which food was collected for needy families. In 2010, the request for food was joined by a request for second-hand toys in good condition, and two years later, clothing began to be collected as well.

In this edition of the Christmas Campaign organized by Tantaka there are two novelties in the collection: on the one hand, beauty and hygiene products for refugee women through the project Beauty for RefugeesOn the other hand, books and school supplies for needy families in Cuba, through the Church of La Milagrosa, in Havana, where the Navarre priest Jesús María Lusarreta is the parish priest.

José Manuel Trillo, of the Admissions Office service, and Álvaro Giráldez, Academic Secretary of the ICS, are the promoters of this financial aid to Cuba:

When did you start collaborating with the Milagrosa parish in Havana?
We are a group group of volunteers, some employed by the University and others not, who since 2005 have been collaborating not only with La Milagrosa, but also with other parishes and religious congregations in Havana.

How did this partnership come about?
Through a former student of the University and several Cuban health professionals. Some of them have made stays in Spain, attending seminars, courses and periods of training. We have also made several trips from Spain, often taking advantage of stays for professional reasons, to supervise the work in the field and to be closer to the real needs.

What is your work in this project?
We work in partnership with Tantaka and different NGOs, such as the Navarra Organization for financial aid among the Peoples (ONAY), for the reception of materials; also participating are financial aid al Tercer Mundo (with the shipment of medicines to Cuba) and the NGO Actúa. It is a matter of joining forces to have a greater impact. Thanks to small donations from individuals and companies, we are constantly sending to Cuba, always within the Philosophy of partnership and financial aid to training human and integral of the person. We collaborate with the Archbishopric of Havana and Santiago de Cuba, with different parishes and some priests who do great social work in the city.

What is most needed by the families that the parishes help?
The needs are diverse, from medicines to powdered milk, non-perishable food, school supplies, toiletries, diapers, etc.

How is the shipping process to Cuba?
We have a small team that coordinates the reception of materials, classifies them, evaluates their condition and organizes their shipment. We mainly send them taking advantage of trips of known people or through small boxes in containers. In all cases we ensure that they are received by their final recipient, since we send them by hand to submission . In addition, there is total transparency in all donations. Crowdfunding is used to reach the objectives set. There are people who make donations in kind and others who collaborate with financial donations to cover some periodic purchases and shipping costs.

What would you say to the entire university community to encourage them to donate to this cause?
Our experience is that getting involved in these projects makes us better. We financial aid get out of ourselves and make friends with people, in this case, very qualified and of great human value from whom we learn every day. We are the main beneficiaries.

 

Until December 16, in different buildings of campus in Pamplona, clothes and toys for the parish Caritas, food for Hermanitas de los Pobres (especially milk and oil) and food for Cuba (especially baby food) can also be donated.

More information on the Christmas Campaign.