Ret Americas Inc

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

WE BELIEVE WE ARE AMONGST THE LEADING NGOS TO PROVIDE TAILOR-MADE SOLUTIONS AND RELEVANT PROGRAMS TO BRIDGE THE GAPS AND RESPOND TO THE REAL NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF THE COMMUNITIES. OUR AIM IS TO PROVOKE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE CHANGE, ENABLING PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE YOUTH AND YOUNG WOMEN TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES AND FULFILL THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS. RET FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON THE TWO PILLARS OF YOUTH AND WOMEN, AS THEY REPRESENT AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS DURING CRISES, AS WELL AS THE GREATEST VECTORS OF POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE. WE BELIEVE OUR HUMANITARIAN ACTIONS DURING EMERGENCIES, IN PROTRACTED CRISES, AND IN FRAGILE CONTEXTS CAN ALLEVIATE THE DEEPEST SUFFERINGS AND CAN BUILD PEOPLE'S RESILIENCE AND ENHANCE THEIR SELF-RELIANCE. WE STAND WITH PEOPLE, WITH REFUGEES, RETURNEES, MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP'S), ALONGSIDE THE HOST COMMUNITIES ADOPTING THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF HUMANITY, IMPARTIALITY, NEUTRALITY, AND INDEPENDENCE. DURING THE 12 MONTHS ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2021, RET AMERICAS WAS ENGAGED IN FOUR PROJECTS, TWO IN PERU, AND TWO IN BELIZE. ALL OF THESE PROJECTS INVOLVED WORKING WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE LARGER OF THE TWO PERU PROJECTS WAS FINANCED BY THE US STATE DEPARTMENT'S BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION AND WAS TITLED "BUILDING BRIDGES OF ASSISTANCE, PROTECTION AND INTEGRATION FOR VENEZUELAN REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS IN PERU". THE OTHER PERU PROJECT WAS ADMINISTERED BY UNICEF WITH FUNDS PROVIDED BY EDUCATION CANNOT WAIT (ECW). IT WAS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION WITH EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MIGRANT AND REFUGEE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND HOST COMMUNITIES IN PERU. IN BELIZE, AN 18-MONTH PROJECT FINANCED BY THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN BELIZE ENDED IN MARCH 2021; IT WAS DESIGNED TO REDUCE INCIDENCES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND YOUTH, PARTICULARLY GBV (GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE) AND TIP (TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS), BY STRENGTHENING GOVERNMENT RESPONSE THROUGH CIVIL SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT. IN ADDITION TO THIS PROJECT, A PROJECT WITH SOMEWHAT SIMILAR OBJECTIVES BEGAN IN BELIZE IN SEPTEMBER 2021 FINANCED BY GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA, A DEPARTMENT OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT THAT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, LEADS CANADA'S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. THIS PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE RESILIENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN BELIZE BY INCREASING THEIR CAPACITIES RELATED TO MENTAL HEALTH, GENDER EQUALITY AND AWARENESS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. FOR MOST PROJECTS RET AMERICAS HAS 10 TO 30 EMPLOYEES BASED IN EACH PROJECT LOCATION, AND DEPLOYS HIGHLY TRAINED STAFF FAMILIAR WITH THE COMPLEX AND DELICATE TASK OF WORKING WITH YOUTH WHO HAVE IN SOME CASES SUFFERED MULTIPLE TRAUMAS AS A RESULT OF CONFLICTS AND OTHER DISLOCATING FACTORS ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THEIR CONTROL. THE CRITICAL WORK OF THESE FIELD STAFF IS SUPPLEMENTED AS NECESSARY BY OTHER COMPANY SPECIALISTS BASED IN THE REGIONAL OFFICE IN PANAMA OR THE COMPANY'S HQ IN SWITZERLAND. THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PROGRAMS ARE THEREFORE PRIMARILY STAFF COSTS, EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES INCLUDING THE COSTS OF HIRING OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS AND TRAVEL COSTS.