The Southern Network of Popular and Solidarity Economy Organizations (RAEPS, acronym in Spanish) begins its activities in June 2017 with a non-profit social purpose, with various actors of the Popular and Solidarity Economy. It represents the associative, cooperative and community sector, in the provinces of Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago in Ecuador, which carry out economic activities of goods and services linked to local production: agriculture, textiles, transformation, cleaning, food, savings and credit, among others. RAEPS Network is a benchmark at the local, regional, national and international level of inter-institutional and organizational articulation, which identifies, proposes and influences public policies for the strengthening and promotion of the popular and solidarity economy.

OUR AREAS OF WORK 

RAEPS is made up of actors from the Popular and Solidarity Economy actors, representatives of Associations, Cooperative and Community organizations, universities, NGOs and support entities, motivated and articulated by common objectives, principles, values and expectations, of solidarity work, who seek to develop policies for the comprehensive development of individuals, families, organizations and communities in the territory so that together we can claim our rights, generate positive changes in people's lives and contribute to the construction of public policies, social and economic structures of solidarity and equity in harmony with nature and search for common welfare.

We are committed to: 

• Comprehensive development, the enforceability of the full exercise of the right of the Popular and Solidarity Economy Actors.
• A fair, equitable and supportive society
• The integral development of the territories
• A Popular, Solidary and Transformative Economy
• The experience and practice of the Popular and Solidarity Economy Principles and Values

Our lines of work:

• Organizational Strengthening of the Popular and Solidarity Economy
• Training, education and technical and social support
• Internal and external integration
• Productive and service coordination

General objective

Position the Popular and Solidarity Economy sector in the economic, social, political, environmental and technological context
 
Specific objectives

• Promote among the members, the principles, knowledge and practices that govern the Popular and Solidarity Economy.
• Provide advice and social and technical training, for the improvement and innovation of the productive, administrative and commercial capacities of the actors of the Popular and Solidarity Economy.
• Formulate plans and projects, with comprehensive approaches, applied from research.
• Carry out accompaniment, monitoring and evaluation of Popular and Solidarity Economy processes.

Strategies

• Establish Strategic alliances with public and private institutions for the promotion and development of Popular and Solidarity Economy.
• Create spaces for citizen information and edu-communication on Popular and Solidarity Economy issues.
• Generate debate, dialogue and exchange of knowledge among the actors of the Popular and Solidarity Economy.

The Network of the Southern Popular and Solidarity Economy Organizations RAEPS promotes among its members a human, supportive, inclusive and articulated development to the economic, social, environmental and technological circuits based on the principles of the Popular and Solidarity Economy. RAEPS is a benchmark at the local, regional, national and international level of inter-institutional and organizational articulation, which identifies, proposes and influences public policies for the strengthening and promotion of Popular and Solidarity Economy.