For no money in the world
Today, we live in an economic system that builds on exploitation and environmental damage. In 2026 , YOUCA will seek alternative ways to live, produce and consume together equitably without ever crossing human and planetary boundaries. To strengthen that mission, we are joining forces with SomosTerra (Spain), Cordilleran Youth Center (Philippines) and YOUCA Brasil (Brazil).
Rainforests, coral reefs, underground fungal networks, the gigantic animal kingdom, countless communities of people and so many more ecosystems are invaluable. Yet our financial system sees their value only when products can be derived from them, e.g. fossil fuels or raw materials. This means that all these natural resources are reduced to something for sale, something from which a sum of money can be squeezed out.
"And who is going to pay for that?"
Big companies are always looking for ways to make as much profit as possible, for example by paying workers as little as possible in wages or extracting raw materials cheaply. The belief that profit ensures progress and innovation is the driving force behind our current economic system, capitalism. This 'progress' should admittedly be taken with a grain of salt: the endless growth that capitalism aspires to is not without consequences. Resources are depleted, natural areas are irrevocably destroyed and people lose connection with each other by focusing on their own interests. Around the world, we see how people and planet are at the service of the relentless pursuit of financial gain, for example:
- In the Philippines , indigenous people are losing their homes, income and culture due to land grabbing by large corporations. These companies are taking land for large-scale mining, destroying unique wildlife in the process.
- In Jardim Gramacho in Brazil , young people grow up next to a rubbish dump. There, it is cheaper to dump waste next to residential areas than to recycle and reuse it. By not taking into account the cost to locals, big companies make a lot of profit. The poor air quality in Jardim Gramacho and pollution have significant effects on the health of the people living there, who cannot seek better places due to poverty. There is a severe lack of employment opportunities and positive prospects for the future.
- In Galicia, Spain, forestry, eucalyptus monocultures and mining cause frequent forest fires, loss of biodiversity and threats to local livelihoods. The land is owned by a few large, capitalist companies, limiting food sovereignty and pushing young people into poorly paid, insecure jobs.
- In Belgium , we are not free from these effects either. The pressure to work and study harder and harder is increasing. This causes a rising trend in stress-related complaints, burn-out and depression. Research shows that these complaints are also increasingly appearing in young people. There is a giga spectrum of life choices and opportunities to be seized, causing them to become overwhelmed and even burnt out very quickly. The capitalist pursuit of more and more and more puts pressure on people to perform at the expense of their mental health, while access to care for the most vulnerable is inadequate.
We were given our planet on loan from our ancestors and future generations. But because of the damage we have already done over the years, we will not get the safeguard back. Much of the world is already paying the price for this, as the quest for endless profit constantly crosses human and planetary boundaries. So-called 'progress' thus mainly sows discord.
Inequality as a symptom
One of the main ideas behind capitalism is that this economic system creates wealth. In a sense, this is true, but it only applies to a very limited group of people. In fact, the 8 richest billionaires own as much as the poorest 50% of the world's population. That means the 8 richest people, not coincidentally all white men, own as much as the 4.1 billion poorest* people on the planet. And inequality is rising. The poorest people are not getting ahead, while the richest bunch of people keep getting smaller, richer and more powerful. This is not a distant reality: this inequality is also a reality on your doorstep, in your street and at your school.
You see this great inequality not only between different individuals, but also on a global scale. Three times more money flows from poor countries** to rich countries than flows to poorer countries in the form of development cooperation. A rich country like Belgium provides expensive loans and thus exploits the dependence of poorer countries, benefiting its own wealth at the expense of less prosperous communities. As a result, the West's wealth is financed by the Global South, while we often have the perception that it is the other way around.
This dependency puts its finger on the wound. Our financial system allows those who have a lot, whether people or countries, to continue to grow on the backs of others and the planet. Injustices become more visible, exploitation is pervasive, and we see both the global economy and our democracy and planet coming under pressure.
Our system is bursting at the seams
And we, we want to do more than just watch from a distance! We are joining a larger movement of activists and organisations looking for new ways we can live, produce and consume together justly without violating human and planetary boundaries.
There are countless examples of how we can do things differently, some alternatives are even ancient. Many people are already joining in by e.g. buying second-hand clothes because they are cheaper, more sustainable and ethical, buying fruit and vegetables locally or simply growing their own, joining a car-sharing platform, asking their municipality to make space for forests and nature... What about you? What are you already doing to counterbalance this dynamic? No doubt there are already things you intuitively do because it feels fairer to the world. And that's already a fantastic start.
How do we address this?
YOUCA draws inspiration from three strong organisations from different corners of the world that are already actively working for a fairer economic system. YOUCA Brasil, Cordilleran Youth Centre (CYC) and SomosTerra are developing concrete projects, sharing stories and inspiring others to think critically about the current economic system and work for sustainable, ecological and people-centred solutions.
They motivate us here, in our country, to mobilise and initiate actions. With the YOUCA Action Day, we (re)distribute the money to strengthen their work and impact, get their own youth economic justice projects off the ground, and help set the direction towards a more just society with a fair economic system. Find out below how these three organisations (and YOUCA itself) are tackling capitalist exploitation in their regions:
SomosTerra (Galicia, Spain) gives land and food sovereignty back to the community. They are creating a regenerative food forest that enhances biodiversity, restores nature and produces food locally and sustainably. Moreover, they investigate who is responsible for forest fires and engage with young people and schools to raise awareness about the problems in their region. In this way, they empower them to stand up for their rights and the rights of nature. SomosTerra puts the land back into collective hands and thus, in the long term, aims to strengthen the community to build a circular, fair economy.
Cordilleran Youth Centre (Cordillera Region, Philippines) unites young people from across the region to stand up for youth rights. Indigenous youth and their culture receive special attention. Through awareness-raising campaigns, CYC mobilises numerous young people to convince policymakers to stop unsustainable and unfair systems in the region. For instance, they already conducted a successful campaign against the increase of tuition fees at colleges and against land grabbing in indigenous villages by big companies. They want to preserve indigenous culture and its way of life in harmony with nature in the region and ensure that people have equal opportunities for democratic participation.
YOUCA Brasil (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) aims to provide opportunities for young people growing up in poverty in the favela of Jardim Gramacho. They empower them to take control of their future themselves and stand up for youth rights. They do this through leadership training and concrete actions. For instance, they already realised successful clean-up actions in the neighbourhood. They want to convince politicians and policymakers to tackle the causes of problems in their neighbourhood. YOUCA Brasil shares their name with us after a previous collaboration, but don't be fooled: they are a strong, independent organisation built entirely by young people from the neighbourhood.
Following the YOUCA Action Day,YOUCA (Belgium) will also be working on this theme itself. We drum up young people to learn about the pitfalls of our current economic system, look for alternatives that we can put into practice and encourage others to make fair economic choices too.
Will you also join this movement? It's not difficult: join the YOUCA Action Day and show that you too want to make a difference. The more participants, the louder and clearer our voice will be. Being an activist is all in the big and small things. Think about what you can do differently, inspire others or take to the streets together with YOUCA or one of the many other organisations. Because honestly: a society that capitalises on inequality and exploitation? For no money in the world.
* These people do not necessarily all live in poverty. According to the World Bank, 44% of our global population lives in poverty today. It is important to note that there are different definitions of poverty. Among other things, you can ask about poverty in terms of subjective perception (do people themselves think they live in poverty), an absolute budget that people have at their disposal (e.g. $2 a day) or you can calculate poverty statistically on the basis of median income in the community. The World Bank uses an absolute definition, you live in poverty if you have less than $6.84 per day available. 10% of the world's population lives in extreme poverty, with less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank.
** Poor countries are those with low Gross National Income (GNI). GNI is the total value of all goods and services produced by residents of a country in a year, including income from abroad, but excluding what foreign companies earn within that country.
