Our Mission

We partner with communities in Latin America to empower them to assert their democratic, economic, cultural and social rights. We strive to improve quality of life by addressing the needs such as food security, clean water, health care and education so that communities may become self-sustaining.

About SOMBRILLA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY

Sombrilla International Development Society is an Alberta-based, independent Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). The society was founded in 1985 by a group of Canadian journalists and professors disturbed by the gross human rights violations in Central America. The society is non-denominational and non-partisan.

In the first years as an organization Sombrilla's primary focus was to provide settlement sponsorship for Guatemalan refugees whose efforts in the struggle for social justice made them targets of repression. Since the mid 1990's, Sombrilla has shifted its focus to the conditions that create refugees. As a result it strives to facilitate respect for human rights, social justice, sustainable development, and gender equity in solidarity with Latin American communities.

Sombrilla develops partnerships with Latin American NGO's in order to assist them in their development. Sombrilla focuses on providing assistance that is result oriented and sustainable.