XminY solidarity fund

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO XminusY Solidarity Fund is an independent funding organisation in the Netherlands. By providing social movements and small scale initiatives all over the world with financial support, we strive for a world based on more just economical, political and social relations. Our support helps groups and organisations in the South and in Eastern Europe to set up programmes aimed at social justice and political self determination. The organisations we support often exists against all odds and are not only financially but also morally supported by our funding.

SOCIAL CHANGE XminusY's emphasis on social change means that the groups and organisations we support operate from within the margins of their own societies. Their activities are often politically sensitive and they are unable to gainthe official status and recognition necessary to guarantee them steady funding. In general the organisations we support have no or little access to mainstream funding. Our support can be the first impulse to groups to come out of their social isolation or can mean a life-line to groups struggling to keep their heads above water. It can provide a possibility otherwise lacking to bring politically sensitive issues which no other organisation is willing to broach to light. The involvement of XminusY with the projects and organisations it supports extends further than mere financial support. We are generally well-informed on most groups and projects we support and groups who find themselves in trouble can rely on us coming to their aid. For XminusY, the best means at our disposable is the use of publicity. Publicly allying ourselves with an organisation's political position by organising debates and campaigns and writing articles can providemuch-needed support. Sometimes just placing an advertisement in daily newspapers in the country concerned can achieve results.

XminusY supports initiatives aimed at change in all parts of the world. From our long history of involvement in social movements, we know how important it is not only to support work for change elsewhere, but also inour own society. Economic and political decisions in Europe have repercussions in the Southand the East. Supporting initiatives for change in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe also means taking responsibility for taking action in the Netherlands and in other Western European countries. These activities are partly aimed at providing information and influencing public opinion and political decision making on the situation in other parts of the world. They are also for an important part aimed at injustices which take place inour own society. Examples are the support of self-organisations of migrants and refugees in the Netherlands and support of groups which collect information on and fight against neo-fascist and racist organisations. In 1996 a succesful campaign was launched to persuade Dutch beer giant Heineken to withdraw all investments from Burma, a country where we support numerous opposition groups. Financial support to groups of lesbians and gays in the South and the Eastis occasionally coupled with campaigns for more political support, more acknowledgement of their situation and more large scale financial support from the more established funders.

As an organisation independent of government funding, churches or otherinstitutions, we are completely free to determine our own course andpolitical position. By funding controversial projects and sticking our necks out where otherorganisations feel uncomfortable, we try to make maximal use of our independence.