Otros Dreams en Acción, Mexico - Ockenden International

Reconnecting Families and Reversing Deportation Orders

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"This prize is a recognition of our translocal work, for showing up and insisting on the power of organizing in the community. ODA has made a difference not only in the lives of those that come across us, but also to our larger community across borders. The prize will allow us to continue to organize, to be creative, to insist on family reunification, mobility for all and for a dignified return to our countries of origin. We will continue to insist on being heard and contribute to transforming narratives."

Maggie Loredo

Director

What the Judges said

The judges praised Otros Dreams en Acción’s project ‘A Dignified Return for the Deported and Forcibly Returned Community in Mexico’, for its focus on deportees forcibly displaced by the state. They also noted the project, based in Ciudad, is run by deported people and forced returnees and the practical support provided: effective help with documentation, reconnection of dislocated families and legal support for appeals to reverse deportations. “This unique project is restoring identity and dignity, building collective self-reliance amongst those rebuilding their lives out of the wreckage of deportation’, they added.

Feedback from the Field

“ODA means to me a community of healing.” – Sheila Cosmes

“ODA is a sanctuary that fosters expression through art, learning and healing by embracing vulnerability, breaking down walls, and advocating for family reunification.” – César Maldondado

“ODA works to make structural change and secure mobility for all, and on the way creates intentional spaces of care where you can be yourself and feel accepted.” – Luisa Martinez

“ODA is about creating community and fighting for mobility across borders.“ – Guadalupe Chavez

Ockenden International’s four cash prizes recognise and reward innovative projects that deliver evidential self-reliance to refugees and/or displaced people, the hallmark of Ockenden International since its inception in 1951. The four annual prizes are open to projects or programmes focused on Internally Displaced People (IDP)/refugee self-reliance anywhere in the world. The other eleven 2023 finalists (with the other three winners italicised) are:

Asylum Access, Malaysia, for its project ‘Realizing Rights and Self-Representation for Refugee Workers’, which in partnership with refugees is operating a successful employment disputes’ programme focused on mediation, strategic litigation, community empowerment and advocacy in Malaysia.
Fundacion Dialogo Diverso, for its programme ‘My Home Away from Home’ which works for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community of Venezuela and Ecuador through its Reference and Comprehensive Care Centers in Quito and Cuenca.
Give Your Best, UK, ‘Give Your Best Development’ aims to restore autonomy and empowerment to refugee women & children through their innovative online platform, where the public can donate clothes so refugees and those seeking asylum can shop for free with the choice and dignity they deserve.
HIAS Refugee Trust of Kenya, for a project titled ‘Increasing protection, resilience, self-reliance and empowerment of the most vulnerable refugees and host community members, particularly women, adolescent girls and LGBTIQ+ population in Nairobi’, which is working to ensure refugees meet their own basic needs by building the resilience required to become self-reliant through food security, access to savings and credit, entrepreneurship support and empowerment.
Hope Health Action East Africa (HHA EA), Uganda’s project ‘Transforming the lives of South Sudanese refugees with disabilities living in the refugee settlements and hosting communities in Uganda’ for its practical and significant mobility improvements of the often neglected refugees with disabilities – in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement in northwest Uganda, the temporary home for more than 270,000 South Sudanese refugees fleeing ongoing civil war.
Jiyan Foundation for Human Rights, a German NGO that promotes the physical rehabilitation, mental well-being and social reintegration of survivors and their family members by providing them with medical treatment, psychotherapeutic support and socio-legal counselling in northern Iraq. Project name: ‘Strengthening mental health and social cohesion in Northern Iraq – Trauma Therapy, Peace-Building and Civil Society’.
L'Auberge Des Migrants The ‘Calais Common Initiative’ is an inter-organisation consortium led by L'Auberge des Migrants. It integrates the complementary work of five grassroots organisations supporting displaced people stuck at the France-UK border to meet their vital needs: access to water, distribution of food, firewood, tents and clothing as well as defending fundamental rights by provision of outreach work, legal support and assistance of unaccompanied minors, women and families.
MedAcross Onlus, the Italian NGO provides health assistance to isolated migrant and displaced populations in Myanmar, Thailand and Somaliland. The shortlisted project ‘Healthcare and Labor Rights for Burmese Migrants’ is active in Ranong Province, Thailand, where it works with Myanmar migrants with an emphasis on mobile clinics and community health volunteers.
Refugee Aid Serbia provides a safe space and educational hub for refugees and Asylum seekers in Belgrade and beyond. Its project, ‘The Workshop: Education’, is a small refugee-led education initiative in Belgrade and camps elsewhere in Serbia working with refugees predominantly from Afghanistan, Burundi and Iran.
Shanti Volunteer Association, Japan for its enterprising library project ‘Assisting returnees’ integration and stable settlement through improving access to information and learning along the Thai-Myanmar Border’, one of the world’s most challenging geopolitical hotspots.
SINA (Social Innovation Academy), Uganda, nominated by Zimbabwe’s Transformation Innovation Hub (TiH) was awarded one of the coveted Prizes for a training project that’s manifestly inspiring young business entrepreneurs by implementing their principle of ‘Freesponsibility’ – combining ‘freedom’ with ‘responsibility’ – and the co-creation of ‘Self-organized Learning Spaces’.