Ecoa is a Brazilian nonprofit organization founded in 1989. Its focus office is located in Campo Grande/MS. It acts in South America and its main region is The Plate River, where Pantanal and the Paraguay-Parana Wetland System are located.
Mission
The organization’s mission is to promote actions to preserve natural ecosystems and livelihoods through local, regional and national policies.
Ecoa’s vision is base on essential values, such as: responsibility – respect for all beings, for the environment, for life and for ourselves; union – team work; creativity – application of innovative ideas with the purpose of preserving and developing the local environment; ethics - integrity, honesty, trust, transparency and positive attitude in our internal and external actions; Commitment – to approached regions and communities, and sensitivity – welfare and respect to all life forms.
Actuation
Ecoa associates scientific investigation with direct interventions at the field, always approaching, in a participative way, by including traditional communities, schools, research centers, agencies and other NGO’s.
It contributes to sustainable development through the enlargement of capacity building and empowerment of local groups; through incentive for the formation of new organizations and local actors as well as of partnerships and long-lasting synergies.
It promotes campaigns, policies and multisectorial dialogues that create significant spaces for reflection, negotiation and decision before the main issues regarding environmental preservation and improvement of life quality of vulnerable populations.
For the last years, Ecoa has became expert in empowering the scope of “local voices” that act in the defense of significant social and environmental issues. Therefore, it plays the leading role regarding the establishment of non-governmental organizations, community associations, networks, forums and coalitions. Contributing to down to earth democracy.
Ecoa at collectives:
Ecoa has worked as: Focal Point of the Dutch Committee of IUCN for the “Focal Region of the River Basins of the Paraná and Paraguay Rivers”; Currently operate as: Executive Secretary of Pantanal Network’s NGO and Social Movements; Executive Secretary of coalition Rios Vivos; Member of the Brazilian Forum of NGO’s and Social Movements; IIRSA Connection and IUCN Member.
Management
Ecoa is a reference in the region. The organization gained respect from public and private institutions. Our polices prevent personal benefits or advantages to be obtained from our work. Its organization chart is formed by: General Meeting, Deliberative Committee, Audit Committee, and an Executive Board, with a three-year term of office.
