Editorial

Fondo Alquimia launches the campaign: "Our construction is not only during times of emergency."

"Our construction is not only during times of emergency" is the message that has motivated Fondo Alquimia to create a campagin supporting women affected by the recent earthquake in Chile. This initiative, in line with the mission of our foundation, encourages women to donate to women, supporting their projects and helping them to carry out the important work they perform within their communities. With this campaign, donations will be channeled towards the activists and organizations that have been most affected by the earthquake, in the regions of Maule and Bio-Bio in southern Chile.

The campaign "Our construction is not only in times of emergency. Earthquake in Chile: Women Donating to Women" has been divided into three phases: Mobilization, to provide for the must urgent post-earthquake needs, Restauration, to give continuity to the work of affiliated activists and organizations; and Reactivation, to rearticulate the political initiatives of these organizations in the communities where they are located. The first phase will end on April 30th, and as of today we have recieved 11 contributions totaling $367,504 pesos (about USD$700). The final goal of this campaign is to raise $15,000,000 pesos (almost USD$3,000). The funds raised up to this point are being directed towards organizations in the affected regions, such as Centro Quidell in Talca, and the Lesbian Community "La Teta Insurgente" and la Casa de los Colores in Concepcion. As a part of this campaign, Fondo Alquimia has established connections with soldarity partners both within Chile and internationally. We invite you to join this movement, the network of "Women Supporting Women," with the mission to continue constructing and building, and not only during times of emergency.

Sisterhood is the word that we as feminists use to refer to solidarity between women. It means helping your sisters, as peers. With the strength of that word, many women have come out to help their peers after the earthquake that devasted the south-central region of Chile; various initiatives have been mobilized with the recognition of the enormous potential that we have as women to rebuild a country. This newsletter will share with you some of our most recent experiences in solidarity and sisterhood.