The History of CO.P.E.

The Association was founded in 1983, with the first accessions gathered thanks to the great enthusiasm of a group of young people involved in pastoral care and work, which became its founders.

On 25/02/1984 CO.P.E. he joined Focsiv, thus participating in the councils, information seminars and training courses of the Federation. Since 1988 it has been recognized as suitable by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to carry out an activity of international cooperation, information and development education.
From 1987 to 1989, CoPE participated in an intensive course organized by Focsiv on the training of trainers of departing volunteers (led by Bernard Lecomte), which then resulted in the publication of a manual which includes some pages of experience of the our NGO.
Subsequently, from 1990 to 1992, CO.P.E. participated in the Focsiv courses (conducted by J. P.Flament) on the evaluation of development projects.
In 1988 we started our first project at “Migoli-Iringa-Tanzania” with four volunteers: Giuseppe Gentile, Immacolata Circo, Michele Giongrandi, Antonio Salerno.
In 1993 CoP.E. opens the second project in Equatorial Guinea and in 1995 signs a memorandum of understanding with the NGO Akad of Tunisia, with which a collaboration for micro-realizations is born, with the sending of volunteers in the field of work for a period of three weeks (1999-2006).
In 2003 there was a qualitative leap for associative publishing: CO.P.E. he writes about “Volunteers for Development”, a national magazine that is enriched with contents concerning the South of the world. In 2004, projects were started in Tanzania, one of health care in the Iringa region, one of agro-zootechnical training in the Ruvuma region. In 2005  CO.P.E. is present in Guinea Bissau where he carries out projects in various fields: health, water and support for female entrepreneurship. In 2007 CO.P.E. begins a collaboration with the Yachai Wasi Association in Peru to support the population of the degraded suburbs of Lima. In 2008 it is officially present also in Madagascar where it supports projects of school support and education, human rights and active citizenship.

In 2014 COPE is also active in Italy with initiatives aimed at immigrants and, in the same year, a new office is inaugurated in San Michele di Ganzaria.

To find out more, download the publication of our 25th anniversary!