March 20, 2008
Mission Negra Hipólita covers all Venezuela

(The Daily Journal) - "Officials gathered in the capitol of Yaracuy to celebrate the state's 151st Independence Day and to announce the upcoming launch of a regional branch of Negra Hipólita, a new government mission which aims to eradicate poverty.

Officials in the state capital, San Felipe, used the day's festivities to announce that Negra Hipólita would open in Yaracuy in two weeks.

The Mission , which aims to lift the poorest 20 percent of Venezuelans out of poverty, will become the premier program in the fight against destitution in one of the country's poorest states, Governor Carlos Giménez said.

While he did not provide details about the extent of the program, the governor said that efforts to alleviate the misery of the region's most downtrodden, including street children, drug addicts, and homeless adults would top the state's list of priorities in coming months.

'Our number one priority is to combat poverty. As a state, we are going to guarantee the opportunity, using all our means, to try to annihilate po-verty, at least in Yaracuy,' Giménez said.

Officially launched in Caracas last January, Negra Hipólita is being organized by the Ministry of Popular Participation and Social Development (MINPADES) and will be led by local protection committees made up of community members.

The program plans to provide food, rehabilitation services, housing, and shelter families to participating youth and adults. It also includes the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela, which seeks to use music to keep kids away from drugs.

Officials announced the kick-off of the program in Zulia station March 17.

Yaracuy's mission is expected to start up in two weeks. While the facilities, resources and plans for the mission are already in place, more volunteers are still needed, the governor said.

'They have already elected a protection committee, and we are creating assemblies made up of citizens who are going to be a crucial part of the program. What we are lacking are human resources - volunteers who come directly from the community and who know the people who are affected by this problem,' Giménez said.

Attending the Independence Day festivities was Gen. Luis García Carneiro, Minister of Popular Participation and Social Development, who will oversee the implementation of Negra Hipólita nationwide. Carneiro said he would return to San Felipe for the opening of the mission.

'When I return for the swearing in of Negra Hipólita I am sure we will achieve great things, very beautiful ideas, and I am sure they will attack, with real force, the problem that we have with children from the street and homeless adults.'

Carneiro said that the federal government had created a foundation to ensure that funding for the Mission arrives promptly and directly to those who need it most.

'A national foundation for Negra Hipólita was founded which falls under my direction,' Carneiro said, adding the fund - which has a steady flow of funding - would be adequate to ensure the implementation of the Mission 's various initiatives (...)".