Presentation of the materials

As every year, there are some basic contents about each country that can be consulted on the internet and that can be printed in PDF format. The maps, flags, most of the photos, the synopsis and the statistics, have been obtained- with authorisation- from Guía del Mundo, made by Instituto del Tercer Mundo (www.guiadelmundo.org.uy). We extremely thank Instituto del Tercer Mundo for kindly sharing these materials with us.

Together with these contents, each day is focussed on a letter written by a person from a different country. We are invited to read this letter without prejudgement, trying to understand why the person wants to share it with us.

Next, “God also writes”: a quotation of the Word of God that makes us listen to what He tells us as well. His Word deepens our listening attitude and invites us to pray.

After reading the Word of God and praying, we are suggested to do a simple gesture: “Now it is your turn to write”. Now you answer the letter you have read. This way we show that it is possible for us to change, even by doing very simple gestures.

And for those who wish to deepen their knowledge, there are more things included about each country:
- Its history (obviously summarised), which will help us learn why this country is one of the least developed countries in the world.
- Other letters that we have received from people who live in that country (those originally written in English or French).
- A modest gallery of photos of each country.

What is the Human Development Index (HDI)

The original definition for Human Development, was given by the Human Development Report within the UNDP (UN Program for Development) in 1990:”Human development is a process of enlarging people´s choices” This definition is not far from the definition of the common good given by the Pope John XXIII as “ all the social conditions which allow and favour the integral development of the person in every human being” (Mater et Magistra 65).

This concept of human development is much more extensive than the simple income level, but at the same time it is more difficult to quantify. The Human Development Index (HDI) tries to quantify this complex reality. It is measured by combining indicators of life expectancy, educational attainment and income. (Other aspects as cultural, moral and spiritual development of nations have not been tried to quantify)

Longevity is measured through life expectancy at birth, educational attainment is obtained through combining the rate of illiteracy and the number of people (from 6 to 24) registered at schools and universities. Income is expressed in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) per Capita in US dollars and this is a means to enable us to establish comparison among countries. It measures the real value of the buying capacity of the population, compared with an international standard (the average value of goods and services in the United States). To give an example: If the total price of goods in country “A” is 50% lower than the price of the same goods in the U.S.A., to be able to establish the comparison, it is considered that with 100$ you can buy the same in country “A” as with 200$ in the U.S.A.
HDI goes from 0 (no development) to 1 (full development). Being the materials for the campaign so complex, and so long the time needed to have all of them ready, the list of the countries for the 2009 edition is the same that appears in Human Development Report 2007-2008, published by UNDP in November 2007. To this list of the “last forty”, we have added those countries which are not in the UNDP because their extreme situation makes it impossible to know in a trustworthy way basic facts and figures through which this index is elaborated. Some of these countries are Iraq, Afghanistan, Liberia and Somalia, which should be included . They are the first countries on our list.

To know more about the Human Development Index- and about Development in general- there is a lot of information in the page of the UNDP (in English), where you can consult and import all facts concerning the development of all the countries in the world. You will also be able to see interesting interactive graphics.

Planning 2009

Download table in PDF format

Credits and Aknowledgements

2009 Campaign Coordinator: José Eizaguirre.
Contact with the writers of the letters: Aurora Lassaletta and José Eizaguirre.
Special assistance: Teresa Eizaguirre, Belén Vinuesa and María del Pozo.
“God also writes”: Monasterio de la Conversión (Becerril de Campos, Palencia, Spain)
“Now it is your turn to write”: Teresa Eizaguirre, Aurora Lassaletta and Lourdes Gago.
English and French Edition of the Campaign: Aurora Lassaletta.
Authors of the submissions from each country: Juan Eduardo Arnaiz, Luis Cañal, Yago Castro-Rial, Álvaro Cervera, Silvia de Diego, José Eizaguirre, Teresa Eizaguirre, Victor de Felipe, José María Fernández Rico, Asunta Fernández-Palacios, Lourdes Gago, José María Galván, Tona García de Quesada, Roberto García-Villaraco, Jesús González Galindo, Samuel Horche, Victoria Ibarra, Eduardo López Palacios, Diego Luca de Tena, Gema Miñana, Marta Morera, Nuria Morera, Pilar Morón, Lina Mur, Matías Oñate, Manuel Ortiz, Maribel Orusco, Estefanía Osma, Juan Miguel Ramiro, Álex Segrelles, Pilar Storch de Gracia and Lola Torres.
Layout: María José Amigo (Spanish), Loreto de la Cruz (English and French).
Secretarial: María José Amigo.
Images: Guía del Mundo and other sources
Technical Support: José Luis Gil (Selu) and Manuel Iranzu (Manu)

Translators:

-English-Spanish: Izaskun Arias, Luis Cañal, Silvia de Diego, José Luis García Sanz, Aurora Lassaletta, Brian Murdock, Pablo Rambaud, María Rodríguez Donate, Cristina Schaver, José Ramón Sebastián de Erice, Álex Segrelles, Jaume Ussetti, Enrique Zabala.
- French- Spanish: María José Amigo, Gustavo Bombín, Antonio Bringas, Juan-Pierre Castro-Rial, José Mª Fernández de Retana, Mercedes Marqués, José Antonio de Muguerza, Ignacio Otaño, Juan Manuel Rueda, José María Salaverri, Álex Segrelles.
- Spanish-English: Mike Beattie, Luis Gamboa, Mike Galvin, Steve Schaver, Robert Wood.
- French-English: Arthur Cherrier.
- Spanish- French: André Verhnes, Maite López, Matthieu Hilim-Peleke, Joseph Aziwa.
- English-French: Louis-Daniel Lomie.
- Other Translators: Domingo Fuentes, Mª Inocencia Costa and Mª Auxiliadora Hernández (Portuguese-Spanish), Lorenzo Amigo (Italian-Spanish), Inés Oleaga, (Tetun-Spanish).

We specially thank the following people who have written to us from the “last forty countries”:

Iraq: Yaroub Akram Ali.
Afghanistan: Hadi Azami.
Liberia: Fathia Bracewell, Augustine V. Kallon, Weedor Sallay, Samira Printers, Sekou D Keita.
Somalia: Ridwan, Nimcan.
Sierra Leone: Mamoud Mansaray, Fatmata Maureen Conteh, Samuel Allen, Said D. Kamara.
Burkina Faso: Clémence Ouédraogo, Ilboudo Tindaogo Boris Raymond, Pascal Ouedraogo, Bourama Fomba.
Guinea Bissau: Miguel de Barros.
Niger: Oga Luc Ayéna, Fatouma Harouna, Issa Bara.
Mali: Fatoumata Sy, Mathieu Traoré, Diadié Yacouba.
Mozambique: Elisa Mathe, Julio Fernando Fumo, Jeremías Matheus.
Central African Republic: Bero Raymond, Prosper Nemekon.
Chad: David Ndodong, Abraham V. Ketem.
Ethiopia: Badame Gelete Birru.
D. R. Congo: Gilbert Longwa Kisuba, Ernest Kasongo Kamba, Christian Bwenda, Matthieu Mwanza Lubavu.
Burundi: Désiderate Hatumgimaha, Stanislas Bbahiraje.
Ivory Coast: Gonla Tommeussia Lambert, Gondo Stephane, Beuneu Diamon Irene, Eveline Yeamie, Alpha Kermon, Emile Kpan, Gneka Ferdinand Oyano, Blah Yeukayoueu Marthe.
Zambia: Chongo Prudential Mukupa, Mwansa Mumba.
Malawi: Members of Club of Writers MIRACLE, Martin Banda, Hamilton Chimphamba, Toha Mwazavi, Saukira Sitima.
Benin: Florent Kouduro, Herman Bagara, Paul Yassegoungbe.
Angola: Claudio Manuel Joao Antonio (Paiva).
Rwanda: Josiane Nyirahabimana, Etienne Karekezi, Francois Ndoriyobijya.
Guinea: Togba Guemou Louis.
Tanzania: Joseph Mwasha.
Nigeria: Maria Walter.
Eritrea: J.I.A. (anonymous letter), Robel Tedros Tasfamariame.
Senegal: Yayi Bayam Diouf
The Gambia: Ajarata Bojang
Uganda: Oyano John, Klatum David Okumah, Ojok Walter, Odong Jimmy Bodo, Acar Lucy Harriet, Omon Constantino, Auma Margret.
Yemen: Hasan Ahmed Ismail, Fawzi Al-Dubhani, Khalid Ahmed Moheyddeen.
Togo: Albert Padembana, Emmanuel Atekpe, Félicité N'dakpazé, Gnandi Kodjo, Moïse Bagaram.
Zimbabwe: Anonymous letter from a woman.
East Timor: Ozias Correia, Marcelo dos Santos.
Djibouti: Mouna Saleh Hassan, Charmake Hassan Allaleh, Ibrahim Chehen Ibrahim, Mariam Boubaker, Jean-Luc Abdoul-Gabar, Mayro Mohamed Ali, Souleiman Elmi Kayad.
Kenya: Tiyan Joseph, Zacharia Chiliswa, John Losur Losuron.
Sudan: Esther Jamba, James Kadema, Abba Agnes.
Haiti: Michel Rose Flore, Edith Michel, Autila Judith.
Papua-New Guinea: Charles Ori, Albert Varina.
Cameroon: Rodrigue Yumbi Sado, Songo Ngok Gabriel Cyrille, Armel Bayokolak, Despin Tchoumké.
Madagascar: Myora Andriamahefasolo, Holimalala Rasoanaivo.
Nepal: Anita Khawas, Ciatur Bugban, Tejkumari Karki.

People who have actively participated by trying to contact the writers of the letters:

Manuel Tapia (Iraq), Esther Morales, Debbie Elizondo (Afghanistan), Hno. Miguel Pajares (Liberia), Chester Clark (Liberia), Oscar Mateos (Sierra Leone), P. Alejandro Peñalta (Burkina Faso), Hna. Clara Bretón (Burkina Faso), P. Eugenio Jover (Burkina Faso), Josep Frigola (Niger), Hnas. María Auxiliadora Hernández and María Inocencia Costa (Mozambique), Marie Sveen and Keita Ishitani (Central African Republic), Lourdes Gago (Chad), Hna. Ángeles Martín (D.R. Congo), Christophe Muyuka (R. D. Congo), Germán Arconada (Burundi), Alberto Begue (Kenya, Zambia, Guinea), Renata Dubini, Asuka Imai and Marcelline Auguste (Ivory Coast), Jacques Hillinger (Zambia), Oscar Solorzano (Zambia), Bill Schlosser (Malawi), Juan Souto (Benin), Aicha Diallo (Guinea), Jesús Romero Trillo (Tanzania), Isabel de Pedro (Nigeria), Lamin Saho (The Gambia), Michele Cavinato and Carolyne Akello (Uganda), Antonio Martínez Castro (Yemen), Maximin Magnan (Togo), Marta Barral e Inés Oleaga (East Timor), Mons. Giorgio Bertin (Djibouti), P. Tomás Herreros (Kenya), Mercy Otim (Kenya), Stanislas Limdeyou (Haiti), Hna. Elma Tuzón (Papua New Guinea), Angele Dikongue (Cameroon), Mons. Gustavo Bombín (Madagascar), Victor Sahayaraj (Nepal).

Other people who have kindly collaborated by giving us leads to establish contacts, or doing complementary tasks:

In Spain: África Directo, María José Amigo, Aurora Atienza, Manolo Atienza, Antonio Bringas, Guadalupe Carramiñana, Fernanda Castillo, Álvaro Cervera, Viviana Colella, Nocem Collado, Hna. Candelas Díaz, Rocío Eizaguirre, Alejandro Fernández, José Mª Fernández de Retana, Susana Fuertes, Iván Forero, Maya García de Vinuesa, Cecilia González, Nacho Granados, Beatriz Hernáez, Anabel Hernández, Nadia Jamard, Mª del Valle Jover, P. Manuel Jurado, Concha Lassaletta, Marta Marí, Hno. Ramón Martín, Ana de Mendoza, Laura Mora, Luis Paradinas, Hna Juana María Pérez de Ciriza, María del Pino Santiago, Cecilia Plañol, Hna. Carmen Pizarro, Cristina Redonet, Lucía Rodríguez, Marisa Sánchez, Jesús Santos, Jaume Ussetti.
In other countries: Louise Aubin and Laura Buffoni (Somalia), Alberto Eisman (Kenia), Vicente Felipe (Italia), Emilio Hernando (Malí), Augustine Mpuru (Lesotho), Jose M. Saenz de Miera, Paula Luaces, María Aguadé.

Bible quotations have been taken from The Unbound Bible.

The general information, statistics and the map in this page have been obtained with the authorization of www.guiadelmundo.org.uy