Short profile: | CISS/Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud is an Italian no profit association funded in 1985 (reg. n. 8027, 30/04/1986, Palermo Registration Public Office), beginning immediately to operate; it has been recognised since 1989 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and it is a NGO in contact with European Union since 1988.
CISS is a NGO of solidarity and international co-operation, but in consideration of his presence in an European territory characterised by strong and specific development problems, it also acts with local interventions and projects. Thus, the three main intervention areas of the NGO are:
a) Projects and activities of solidarity and international co-operation;
b) Projects and activities of education, formation and awareness;
c) Projects and interventions of development at local level, in Southern Italy.
In order to point a) CISS has carried out (from his foundation to the end of 2006), including completed projects and projects that are still in course, 50 actions of two years or more and over 200 interventions of shorter duration, co-financed by the European Union, the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, some Agencies of the United Nations and local or regional Italian administrations. Countries where projects are actually running are: Algeria, Brazil, Dem. Rep. of Congo (Kinshasa), Ivory Coast, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Lebanon, FYROM (Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia), Morocco, Mauritania, Palestine, Sri Lanka and Tunisia. In these projects CISS utilise expatriated staff.
In order to point b) CISS has carried out 7 projects of two years or more and over 150 specific actions of development education and awareness; it is also permanently present in several schools with his formative offer, for pupils and teachers. CISS also dispose over a specialised Documentation Centre with over 4,500 titles.
In order to point c) CISS realises projects and interventions for the most disadvantaged sectors of the society; among these: a project for job creation for long unemployed women; a project to promote Equal Opportunities; several interventions (to local level) with young people in risk situation who are one of the main target group which CISS works with.
CISS has a flexible operational structure, with the central headquarters in Palermo, two operative offices in Italy (Naples and Bari), and field offices in the countries of operation. |