Olga Calonge
ADRA Europe had chosen the region of Madrid as the meeting point for its annual planning session for the 2025 fiscal year. The team from the ADRA Europe office, led by its regional director João Martins, visited the Spanish capital on September 9, in a day that also included a working meeting with the team from ADRA Spain.
ADRA EUROPE, headquartered in Brussels (Belgium), is the Regional Office of ADRA that coordinates the work and supports the 31 ADRA offices across Europe. During their visit to the ADRA Spain offices in Pozuelo de Alarcón, in addition to João Martins, attendees included the Head of Programs, Thomas Petracek; Fundraising Coordinator, Corinna Wagner; Emergency Response Coordinator, Gabriel Villarreal; Technology Support Coordinator, José Luis Herranz; and Office Manager Jackie Mubedi. Representing ADRA Spain were its director, Olga Calonge; Financial Director, Bogdan Dumitru; Development Cooperation Coordinator, Jimmy Jr. Jean Baptiste; and Social Action Manager, Loyda González.
It is the first time that the entire ADRA Europe team has visited ADRA offices in Spain, allowing them to gain first-hand knowledge of the projects and programs coordinated from there. This visit provided an opportunity to better understand the current work, exchange ideas, and gain valuable insights into ADRA Spain’s efforts both locally and internationally, with a particular focus on cooperation projects in Peru, Ecuador, and Morocco following last year’s earthquake.
Olga Calonge also summarized the projects led by volunteers across ADRA Spain’s 70 branches, primarily aimed at the integration of immigrants and vulnerable populations.
The ADRA Europe team was also interested in the active role of ADRA Spain and its director within the Spanish Coordinator of NGOs for Development. This has allowed Olga Calonge to represent Third Sector organizations in the International Development Cooperation Commission of the Congress of Deputies. Her work in this field has enabled ADRA Spain to propose improvements to the recently approved International Cooperation Law.
The ADRA Europe team was “impressed” by the impact of this work, which has strengthened ADRA Spain’s voice in the public sphere and helped promote the rights and well-being of the most vulnerable populations.
“The personal exchange of ideas was very valuable, and the ADRA Europe team looks forward to continuing to collaborate with ADRA Spain and to support its inspiring work both in Spain and abroad,” said Corinna Wagner, ADRA Europe’s Fundraising Coordinator.
For its part, ADRA Europe shared its strategy for the 2025 fiscal year and the measures it has taken to support the work of all ADRA offices in Europe. Regional Director João Martins explained that ADRA Europe is focusing on strengthening collaboration between ADRA and the Adventist Church, improving access to new funding sources and donors, as well as implementing technological solutions across the ADRA network to better harness the potential of data and enhance operational efficiency.
