Letters From The Founders

I deeply believe that all people are sisters and brothers, dearly beloved children of God, for whom He envisioned a dignified and happy life. I therefore cannot accept that so many men, women, and children are denied this possibility. The same is true for the members of the Ruben Fernandes Association, its sponsors, and above all the servant leaders we support, their teams, and their communities: we do not accept extreme poverty, discrimination, or violence. Each of us shares what we have—material resources, time, experience, youth, and commitment—so that, together, we can do our part in building a more just world to all, all, all!

I am part of the International Relations team at the Portuguese NGO IPAV, and I have witnessed firsthand its remarkable growth over the past decade. During this period, IPAV developed a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) methodology rooted in Ubuntu — an ancient African philosophy that teaches that our humanity is shaped through our relationships with others: “I am because you are”; my humanity is intrinsically connected to yours.Through training-of-trainers programs in Africa and other contexts, I have had the privilege of meeting extraordinary young leaders from Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, and the Philippines, among others. Many have grown up in contexts of extreme adversity — refugee camps, severe poverty, and conflict — and have transformed hardship into purpose.What unites them is courage, leadership, love for humanity, and a deep commitment to the common good. Leveraging the ease of communication through the internet and inspired by the values of justice, courage, and kindness embodied by Alexandra Fernandes, the Ruben Fernandes Association has supported and microfinanced self-sustainable projects designed and led by these servant leaders. Together, we have witnessed meaningful and lasting change: the establishment of schools that provide both education and daily meals to hundreds of children; vocational training programs that offer hope and opportunity to vulnerable youth; access to clean water and solar energy for underserved communities; profit driven agribusiness initiatives and microcredit initiatives that help restore dignity and economic independence to widowed women and their children. As Nelson Mandela said, “We are branches of the same tree; we are one human family.” When vision, courage, and service come together, lasting change becomes possible