Blog

  • Manifesto for Remittances in Neza & Press from Mexico

    ACORN Mexico issues a Manifesto for Remittances in Nezahualcóyotl.  This work is the result of a workshop with community residents and interviews with community residents of Neza that were conducted between May 29th and June 20th.  This workshop had the participation of Professor Juarez from the Universidad Obrera, Professor Diaz Rodriguez, a former elected member for the areas of culture and education in Neza, as well as Nadia Nehls, from the Federal Senate and Angelica Gay from Human Rights.  

    Manifesto was a research project by Nuno Solano de Almeida (Lisbon, Portugal) from the Clinton School of Public Health.  Almeida completed his graduate studies in Portugal, Italy and Belgium, including a post-graduate degree in International Relations. His previous experience in the U.S. includes fundraising with Johns Hopkins University and advocacy on racial justice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Almeida’s passions include development and international cooperation.

    Click here to read the Manifesto.

    See the links below for exciting press coverage of the issue of remittances in Mexico.

    La Jornada

    El Universal

    Cartera

     

  • ACORN Canada 2012 Board Meeting and Annual General Meeting

    ACORN Canada 2012 Board Meeting and Annual General Meeting

    At the ACORN Canada 2012 Board Meeting and Annual General Meeting for ACORN Canada held over the weekend, the entire ACORN Canada board and all cities came together to report on the past year and make new plans.

    ACORN Canada Board Member Ginelise Edouard from Ottawa, ACORN International President & ACORN Canada President Kay Bisnath from Toronto, and ACORN Canada Head Organizer Judy Duncan (seated from left to right).

    ACORN Canada Board Member Evan Coole from Cape Breton, ACORN Canada Board Member Dave Tate from New Westminster, and Sharon Shireve from Greater Toronto (seated from left to right).

    ACORN Canada Board Member Ginelise Edouard reports on work in Ottawa.

    ACORN Canada Board Member Evan Coole reports on work in Cape Breton, sitting between ACORN Board Member Marva Burnett from Toronto and ACORN Canada Board Member Dave Tate from New Westminster.

    ACORN Canada Communications Coordinator James Wardlaw discusses communications strategies while sitting next to ACORN International President and ACORN Canada President Kay Bisnath.

    ACORN Canada Board Members (standing from left to right) Peter Gardner from Surrey, Evan Coole Cape Breton, Dave Tate from New Westminster, Ginelise Edouard from Ottawa, Marva Burnett from Toronto, Rohan Jagroo from Toronto, and Pascal Apuwa from Calgary.  ACORN Canada Board Members (sitting from left to right) Preeti Misra from Vancouver, Winifred Fleson from Toronto, Sharon Shireve Greater Toronto, Eddy Lantz from Toronto, and Kay Bisnath from Toronto.

    ACORN Board Member Marva Burnett.

    ACORN Canada Board Member Sharon Shireve from Greater Toronto.

    ACORN Canada Board Member Winifred Fleson from Toronto.

  • Remittance Justice in the News in China

    Chinese Press on Remittance Justice Campaigns and current bill in Ontario.

  • Support Cap on Remittance Fees Now

    MPP Jagmeet Singh Asks Question on Remittance Fees to the Minister of Consumer Services in Ontario, Canada.

     

  • Updates from Dharavi

    Updates from Dharavi

     

    New concrete fence and concertina wire in Dharavi after 10 meters of slums were cleared on each side of sewer pipes.

     

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    New ACORN Recycling Center

     

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    Our World.

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    ACORN India’s Mission

     

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    One of our recyclers doing a rap about Dharavi for a crew from Panamanian TV — Telemetro.

     

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    Recyclers

     

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    Signs at our office.

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    More recycling.

     

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    The ACORN football (soccer) team shirts for our 70 players.

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    ACORN’s English Class draws a crowd.

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    Corporate Social Responsibility project with us got a wall painted at St. Xavier’s.

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    Vinod Shetty consults with Laxsma and other Dharavi leaders.

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    ACORN Dharavi Rocks band practices once a week.

     

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    Hot drummer on the plastic drum.

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    Dharavi Rocks sings together.

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    All of our instruments are recycled plastic or glass items.

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  • Organizing Small Retail Workers in Bengaluru

    Organizing Small Retail Workers in Bengaluru

    Bengaluru (Bangalore)  Here are some pictures of the work of ACORN India and organizer Suresh Kadashan in organizing retial workers in Bengaluru who have to fight against displacement of vendor space and for union recognition.

    Organizing on the city buses . . .

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    Market plans being discussed with Suresh and the K. R. Puram Santhe Maidane Market Association Secretary

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    Farmers’ Market

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    Some of the street vendors with organizer Suresh Kadashan.

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    The third-generation president of the K. R. Puram Santhe Maidane Market Association working with ACORN talks of the next action that is slated to protest displacement and developer plans as a rally where at the end they give blood and donate their eyes to charity, since, yes, the city is taking their very lifeblood and future vision away.

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    Suresh & the Streetvendor President’s Wife

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    Member selling coconuts.

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    Spices from our traders.

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    Goat and her kid frolicking in the streets.

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    Four kinds of chilli.

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    Puja Spices

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    Trading spices with four kinds of vermillion.

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  • ACORN India and Dharavi Kids Featured in Times of India

  • Health Camp and Building Informal Workers Union

    Health Camp and Building Informal Workers Union

    Bengaluru (Bangalore):  As a way to reach informal workers we are organizing into a union, ACORN organizer Suresh Kadashan set up a “health camp” in the construction workers squatting settlement on disputed land between a private holder and the railway. A doctor volunteered and provided health screenings for diabetes, heart, and blood pressure and then out of his pocket provided some simple medicines, the diabetes strips, and referrals if needed to area hospitals. Over 4 or 5 hours we provided 99 screenings without the doctor and his equally volunteering nurse taking a break.  37 of the 99 tested positive for diabetes across all age groups, which was startling. The culprit seems to be diet and the fact that most the cooking oils are not refined making them amazingly dangerous.

     

    Settlement where workers live is more strongly built by the informal construction workers we organize. 

     

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    Pitching the tent for the health camp depends on helpers both tall and small. 

     

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    Doctor and nurse set up as Suresh Kadashan lends a hand with checking for ear mites. 

     

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    Screenings begin . . . 

     

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    Crowds growing . . .

     
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    The men await their turn last.

     
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    Medications are issued.

     

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  • Akshardham Temple & Metro Site

    Akshardham Temple & Metro Site

    Across the flyover or expressway from our oldest site and part of the ITO slum dislocation, is Akshardham Temple and Metro Site #4.  This homeless shelter managed by ACORN India is at the juncture of the Akshardham Metro stop, the railway line (on whose property it is located), a city water station and washing station for the poor, and an easy parking and resting place for auto rickshaw drivers. ACORN India’s 4 centers are among about 85 that are supported by the Urban Board of the Delhi Government.

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    Pictures of the railroad, the organizing staff with Dharmendra and Wade, the Temple and the Metro.

     

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  • ITO Slum and Commonwealth Games Housing

    ITO Slum and Commonwealth Games Housing

    Oldest shelter operated by ACORN India and a year ago we were operating it only for the winter in tents for some of our rickshaw drivers and other workers.

    Now, like the rest, there is hard siding, solar panels, better restroom facilities etc. We participated in an action today for better electric capacity since the panels hardly power one fan.

    The workers come in at the end of their labor, usually around 11 pm and are up and out right after dawn. In the mornings we read the paper out loud.

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