The Building A Future Foundation is proud to announce that the “Group of 3” was recently created in collaboration with the French association Watever active in Bangladesh and in France and with Nedsom Foundation active in Somalia and in the Netherlands. Each of the 3 parties already reached a tangible level of development by researching, developing and launching innovative double powered fishing crafts with sails and engine and/or by providing BOP training (bottom of the pyramid) in sea related activities and/or by creating financially viable social businesses.

 

The signature of an MoU reflect a strong will of the 3 parties to:

  • Find and implement synergies.
  • Define common strategies.
  • Use each other strengths and best practices.
  • Have a unified approach towards official organizations such as the FAO of the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Commission and/or national governments and private operators, donors or investors.

PRESENTATION OF THE PARTIES

 

Watever (www.watever.org), created in 2010 by Mr. Marc Van Peteghem – world famous naval architect (VPLP) – and Mr. Yves Marre – director of Tara Tari shipyard in Bangladesh- has as mission to design and develop useful and sustainable floating solutions for population in need living in coastal areas. The organisation follows a special approach that focuses on the needs of the target groups to find solutions that use and promote local resources and expertise. The actions of Watever association are based on three pillars: (1) the research and development on natural materials for the construction of floating solutions; (2) the support to shipbuilding; and (3) the training on shipbuilding.

 

Building A Future Foundation, created in 2006 by Mr. Pierre Pringiers – Honorary Consul of Belgium in Sri Lanka and Mr. Tissa Jinasena, both leading entrepreneurs founder of Loadstar (tyre industry) – has as mission to improve the living conditions of underprivileged population depending on the resources of the ocean through capacity building, empowerment and economic self-sufficiency.  In that frame work, BAFF introduces innovations in the fisheries sector and in the development of businesses related to the leisure sector based on north/south cooperation. BAFF focuses on implementing ecologic, economic and social sustainable solutions and aims at a scalability of its projects within Sri Lanka and countries with similar problems or opportunities.

 

Nedsom Foundation (www.nedsom.com), created by Mr. Guled Ahmed is a Dutch Somali organisation which aims at developing sustainable socio economic projects in the fisheries sector to fight poverty and hunger in Somalia. One of the core activities of Nedsom in Somalia is to provide training to local population in boat building and fishing related activities.

 

The 3 organizations active in the zone North of the Indian Ocean each reacted to a major issue:

– Watever to the cyclone SIDR in 2007 in Bangladesh.

– BAFF to the tsunami end 2004 in Sri Lanka.

– Nedsom Foundation to 15 years armed conflict in Somalia.

Their objective was, in each of the 3 contexts, to accompany local communities in the improvements of existing fishing boats or in the creation of more efficient and innovative vessels which can easily be integrated in the local economy.

 

In each case, the North/South Cooperation is predominant:

– Watever between France and Bangladesh.

– BAFF between Belgium and Sri Lanka.

– Nedsom Foundation between the Netherlands and Somalia.

 

“THE GROUP OF 3”:  COMMON OBJECTIVES

To improve the living conditions of populations living along ocean shores and river banks by introducing sustainable fishing boats solutions with sails and engine and by providing training to the local population in innovative boat building techniques and maintenance of the boats.

 

  • This helps the local population to gain back control over their marine environment and the ocean halieutic resources at a sustainable scale versus the present trend of factory fishing boats fleet coming from overseas, depleting the resources and leaving no added value to the coastal population.

 To implement community impact-driven projects in a social, economic, ecologic and sustainable approach.

 

“THE GROUP OF 3”:  CORE VALUES

SOLIDARITY

“The group of 3” seeks to focus its activities on economically, technologically and geographically disadvantaged communities.

 

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

The solutions that “the Group of 3” proposes are designed to be perennial, to foster autonomy and to be environmental friendly.

 

RESPECT OF THE LOCAL KNOW-HOW

Through its actions, the Group of 3 aims to respect, preserve and promote local expertise and know-how allowing our useful and innovative fishing boats with sails and engine to take root in the local economy.

 

CREATIVITY

The Group of 3 seeks to develop solutions that emerge from innovative ideas to face the complexity of today environmental, economic and social stakes.