HOPE'87 is an Austrian initiative cooperating closely with the Austrian Federal Chancellery and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs regarding the support of youth employment projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America as well as in Central- and Eastern Europe. This international initiative is based on the UN resolution 40/16 "Opportunities for Youth" adopted by the General Assembly on the occasion of the International Youth Year of the UN (1985). Young people are encouraged to show self-initiative and to realize their own ideas of small and medium scale, locally-developed projects creating training and employment for themselves and other young people.
Special attention is given to humanitarian projects in desaster areas such as flood, earthquake or drought affected countries. However, the provision of essential goods, medicaments and medical care is always combined with rehabilitation activities in order to support an efficient and fast recovery of the local infrastructure. In 12 countries worldwide HOPE'87 is represented by local Branch Office Office Managers, endorsed by their local governments. As experts and nationals of their countries these Branch Office Managers are responsible for locating, supervising and evaluating projects, supporting the beneficiaries with the necessary know-how and establishing close working relations with national governments and authorities, the EC, NGOs and international organisations, like UNESCO.
HOPE'87 refrains as much as possible from sending expatriates, but gives full confidence to specially trained local experts .
