Fundación Codespa was founded in 1985 by a group of Spanish businessmen and university professors who were deeply concerned about the poverty afflicting so many countries in the world. So from the moment it was established, Codespa sought to improve the living standards of people and communities in those poor countries by implementing projects designed to reduce as well as strenghthen local development organisations. This goal has been actively pursued by specialising in the following fields:

Codespa implements its first project in Asia in the Philippines, in collaboration with the European Commission in the year 1994. Its local partner is the Andres Soriano Foundation and together they implement a five-year project designed to assist communities affected by the lahar floods brought about by the Pinatubo volcanic eruption. The project re-settles a community of 250 families, providing them with basic social services such as housing, education and health. A revolving fund is established to facilitate the start-up and development of micro-businesses for the community members.

Codespa's next project in Asia was again implemented in the Philippines, though this time it saw Codespa collaborate with the Spanish Development Agency (AECI) and the local NGO, Fundación Santiago. Again, microcredit is to be a key feature of the project and as such, credit lines are extended to several people's cooperatives engaged in a diversity of trades ranging from coconut farming, fresh-water fishing, tile and brick manufacturing, social housing construction, etc. Numerous trainings are also delivered to help the microentreprenuer members in financial management, gender awareness, marketing and tecnology transfer. The project which initially begins in the provinces of Batangas and Laguna, is soon extended to assist communities of San Carlos in Negros Occidental and Quezon province.

1998 is the year Codespa first expands its activities in Asia by venturing into China. The project, constitutes the first of five phases designed to bring Spanish greenhouse technologies to China, ranging from irrigation systems, to seeds to plastics. The endeavour sees Codespa collaborate with Gexter Internacional and six other Spanish companies, all pioneers in their respective areas of expertise.

Codespa further consolidates its presense in the Philippines in 1998 by teaming up with Dualtech Training Center Foundation, one the country's founding "Dual Training" promoters. The Codespa-Dualtech partnership's short-term focus is to develop the pedagogical skills of teachers from technical schools yet the collaboration is to prove the beginning of a strategic alliance which will help Codespa identify other technical schools in the country also promoting the Dual Training System.

In light of increasing activities in Asia, Codespa decides to hire a Regional Manager to oversee and monitor its ongoing projects as well as to consolidate its presence in the area and develop new projects under a coherent strategy. It is the first time Codespa has staff permanently working in the field and marks the birth of its Asia-wide Delegation.

Phase II and III of Codespa's greenhouse technology transfer project are implemented. Nine Spanish greenhouses are set up, a training center becomes operational and considerable visibility is achieved in the Chinese media.

The year 2000 marks another milestone in Codespa's "asian history" - the project formulation efforts of the previous year, finally sees success as Codespa officially begins to work in a third country of the far east, Vietnam. Codespa joines forces with World in Harmony of Spain - an NGO Presided over by Princesa Irene - and the Institute of Applied Physics & Scientific Instruments (IAPSI), in a primary health-care project to bring basic awareness on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases through the provision of audio-visual materials to the rural communities of Nghe An and Hatinh provinces in North Central Vietnam.

The Spanish Royal Court officially names Dualtech's Teacher Training Center, "Centro Felipe de España". "Centro Felipe" is inaugurated on the 30th January, the very birthday of the Crown Prince.

In China, Spain's President, José María Aznar inaugurates Codespa's greenhouse technology transfer project.

Codespa's work in technical education grows through an alliance with the Center for Industrial & Technological Enterprise (CITE), based in Cebu, Philippines. Equipment is provided to modernise CITE's industrial technology courses and an IT laboratory is set-up with a view to implementing the center's first IT technician course. The course is, shortly thereafter, accredited by CISCO Systems.

Codespa and People's Credit & Finance Corporation (PCFC) team up to deliver trainings to build the capacity of 180 microfinance institutions (MFIs), from alll over the country including rural banks, cooperatives and NGOs for the purpose of developing the financial viability of the participating MFIs. It is the first nation-wide capacity building programme for MFIs to take place in the Philippines.

With a view to developing alternative sources of funds, Codespa begins cooperating with Hanns Seidel Foundation of Germany in an European Commission funded project which aims to promote Dualtech's Teacher Training Center situated in Laguna, Philippines. Industrial supervisors as well as technical teachers are trained at the center.

Codespa-Asia benefits from the AECI's new development financing scheme after presenting a 4-year "Strategy" in the field of microfinance and vocational training to generate employment for the economically poorest members of society. Codespa-Asia will now receive funds totalling over €0.5m per annum for the next four year period. Both the Philippines and Vietnam are the two countries from Asia to benefit from the scheme.

Codespa kicks off its 4-year Strategy with three projects, two in the Philippines and a third in Vietnam: in the former, alongside Julio & Florentina Ledesma Foundation (JFLF) in Negros, Codespa trains and establishes a revolving fund for 1,000 farmers and fisherfolk from the uplands and coastal communities of San Carlos, whilst in Taguig's Muslim neighbourhood, Maharlika in Metro Manila, Codespa sets up an IT training center for the community. In Vietnam, IT again constitutes an area of intervention and the first activities, a Viability Study, are carried out with a view to establishing a model IT institute for technician level students.

In China, Codespa's greenhouse technology transfer project, sees the execution of two new phases, IV and V: Chinese experts travel to Spain and Spanish experts deliver seminars and conferences to agricultural specialists from all provinces of China save Tibet and Xinjiang.

Codespa's staff in the Asia region triples when it hires two expatriate staff for the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as a local microfinance specialist in the Philippines.

Two new projects are implemented in China. Both relate to the transfer of Spanish greenhouse technology; the first of the two to complement the "showcase" greenhouses with a nursery as well as a cooling system, the second to assist public and semi-public firms overcome concrete problems in relation to their specific production needs through the delivery of focussed and localised technical assistance and trainings.

Codespa and Hanns Seidel Foundation join forces once again to access EU funds. Again the collaboration was is the vocational training sector though this time the activities take place in the Province of Tarlac and aim to build the capability of Tarlac Training Center to offer company-based technician training programs and generate revenue through the dual system of training.

Codespa initiates 3 new projects in the Philippines: (i) with CITE, a regional intervention to help 5 schools from Visayas and Mindanao modernise their course offerings through electronic learning and management practices; (ii) with the Alliance of Philippine Partners in Enterprise Development (APPEND), a network of microfinance NGOs, a series of trainings designed to expand the microfinance programmes of 6 members through branching with a view to servicing 1 million micro-clients by 2006; (iii) and lastly with the Tertiary Capucchin Sisters of the Holy Family (HCTSF), 30 abused and/or abandoned street girls are provided with educational and counselling services.

Alongside other Spanish development NGOs, Codespa presents its ongoing projects, with particular emphasis on its microfinance activities, to the Queen Sofia of Spain, in light of Her Royal Majesty's keen interest in said sector, during her visit to Manila.

In Vietnam, a micro-project is implemented in the northern province of Yen Bai together with the Women's Union of Vietnam, the purpose of which is to develop the capacity of provincial and district level officers to formulate base line surveys in order to design community development projects.

Codespa-Asia staff grows further in the Philippines as another expatriate is assigned to Manila.

The AECI's Secretary General, Sr. D. Rafael Rodriguez Ponga in the presence of Hon. Dante Liban of Technical Education & Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines, Sr. D. Ignacio Sagaz inaugurates the IT centre in the Muslim Barangay of Maharlika, Taguig, Philippines.