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Uniterra is an initiative of the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI) and World University Service of Canada (WUSC). This newsletter includes an overview of Uniterra’s activities, reports from our volunteers and concrete ideas for citizen engagement.
We hope it will be to your liking. Please subscribe and spread the word in whatever networks you belong to. Visit the Uniterra website often and join us in taking action!.
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This year, Uniterra enabled no fewer than 404 volunteers, from both Canada and countries from the South, to take concrete action aimed at reducing poverty in13 developing countries. Whether it was in agriculture, the health sector, private sector development, basic education, the fight against HIV/AIDS, or youth programming, our volunteers supported partners from the South so as to strengthen their capacities, support local development and kick off innovative projects—all this in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
At the beginning of May, Uniterra provided 12 interns from Schools of Journalism across Canada with the opportunity to experience reporting from a developing country. This foreign experience will not only allow the students to put in practice their skills, but their reports will also contribute to raising awareness among Canadians to international development issues. Read their blog
Students researching HIV/AIDS in BotswanaA group of Canadian and Batswana students are currently in Botswana for Uniterra's International Seminar. Together they will research various aspects of HIV/AIDS and do volunteer work with local organisations. In August, ten of them will have the opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives on the role of youth in the fight against AIDS at the International AIDS Conference in Toronto. List of participants
Future doctors promote health issues in Malawi
This year, volunteers of the Ottawa Student Health Initiative (OSHI) will take part in constructing an Education Resource Centre in collaboration with the local youth of the Chileka area. This centre will contain information on HIV/AIDS and will act as a meeting point for youth in the area to discuss HIV/AIDS issues, share their experiences and understand behavioural change.
The Ottawa Student Health Initiative (OSHI) is a charitable organization made up of University of Ottawa students in the faculties of medicine, health sciences, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy whose main objective is to promote health at an international level.
Polytechnical School takes action against the hunger crisis in Malawi
In response to the hunger crisis, which resulted from the low food crop production caused by the drought, nine students from the École Polytechnique at the University of Montréal, have left to volunteer in Malawi. During their 11-week stay, they will construct a building that will serve as a warehouse for both food and other non-food agricultural items. Their work will contribute to the efficient and effective management of both relief and agriculture recovery programs through the increased storage capacity of the diocese of Chikwawa.
The Dakar brochure is now on-line
Last November, the Uniterra program facilitated the participation of 40 Canadians in the Third Meeting on the Globalization of Solidarity, which took place in Dakar, Senegal. Read the brochure that contains the texts written by the participants in Uniterra’s first professional seminar.
Godisa Technology : A social economy organization in Africa
An innovative technology developed in Africa might be the answer to the high cost of hearing aids for Canadians with hearing disabilities. Read the article
International cooperation: Waking up to commitmentDuring a recent stay in Montreal, Chantal Bernatchez took advantage of the chance to train future volunteers, share her love of international cooperation and procure a few products needed to further develop the shea butter subsector in Burkina Faso—where she’s been active since 2001. Read about how she “fell in love” with this country, its inhabitants... and the smiles and courage of the women with whom she works. Read her story...
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Niger visit to francophone Ontario
Leave for Change: Luck Mervil invites businesses and institutions to take actionBy Myriam Fehmiu
On March 21, the CECI head office was buzzing. Luck Mervil, CECI’s sponsor, had invited the media and business community to the launch for Leave for Change. This innovative project is an international initiative that enables employees to volunteer for short-term (two to three-week) technical or professional support missions. Read the article
The Vancouver Conference on Community Economic Development
By Roch Harvey
Rooting Development in the Community
This was the issue that motivated the active participation of Uniterra volunteers from Guatemala, Botswana, Vietnam and Sri Lanka at the Annual National Conference of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet), held in Vancouver this past March 15-18. More information on the conference
A unique experience for Uniterra's southern participants
In addition to Conference activities, participants were able to meet partner organizations on Canada’s west coast, develop ties and share and exchange knowledge. Specifically, they visited a First Nations tourism centre and presented their own activities during the workshops organized by Uniterra on North-South partnership. Read the article
Mobilizing a new generation
30 Canadian campuses advocate to Make Poverty History
Thousands of student’s voices were heard as they pressured the Canadian government to sign on to “More and Better Aid. Trade Justice. Cancel the Debt. End Child Poverty in Canada” as part of the national Make Poverty History Campaign. This plea resonated in over 30 WUSC local committees, as whole campuses turned white (the campaign’s official colour). Various campus events brought together students, faculty, administration and other NGOs to make a unified plea against poverty.
Bringing Millennium Development Goals to the fore front
Local committee members challenged fellow students, faculty and local politicians to become critically engaged on issues surrounding the Millennium Development Goals.
By organizing regional symposia in four universities across Canada, students brought together experts from different fields to discuss poverty, basic education, issues affecting minority women and refugees.
Turning Wheels Against AIDS
Responding to the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi, WUSC local committees raised over $25,000 to provide local health centers with bicycles and bicycle ambulances. These locally-made trailers and removable stretchers are easily attached to a bicycle, allowing caregivers to reach and transport patients in isolated villages. At Western University, the WUSC committee hosted a campus wide Bike-A-Thon which included speakers and music making the event a complete success and raising $7500!!!!
Story of a returning volunteer : International cooperation, the experience that changed my life
As a little girl, Brigitte Robert was touched by a song her mother used to play at Christmas time. From this song sung by Édith Piaf, Brigitte understood in her young head and heart that the world’s material goods are not always fairly shared among its people. From that moment on the desire to contribute, however modestly, to making a better world began to bloom inside her. Read the entire story
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Reducing extreme poverty in the world by 2015 IS possible! However, to meet this U.N. Millennium Development Goal, governments worldwide, civil society and citizens of the world must work together. CECI and WUSC offer, through its Uniterra program, many possible means by which you too can play an active role in helping to reduce global poverty.
- Have you ever considered sharing your skills and knowledge, as a volunteer, in Africa, Asia or Latin America? To find out how you can do this, check out our website too see the list of positions to be filled.
- Is your business interested in contributing to development projects in Southern countries by sharing your expertise? Through Uniterra’s Leave for Change program, your employees can spend two to three weeks volunteering with one of our overseas partners, while receiving support by Uniterra professionals in the field. For more information, contact Claire at clairem@ceci.ca.
- Does the idea of getting your community actively involved in the Make Poverty History Campaign appeal to you? In 2005
Uniterra supported activities in roughly 30 communities in Canada during the international day of action on October 17th. This fall, we’d like to double our impact and see 60 communities get involved! If you are interested in organizing an event, big or small, in your own community on October 17th, contact Daniel at daniel@wusc.ca. We’ll be happy to propose ideas, and to offer you helpful tips and tools.
- Would you like to volunteer in Canada by helping to organize special events, by hosting a southern volunteer, or by giving us a hand occasionally? You can become an in-Canada volunteer by adding your name to our list of volunteers. Simply contact Gilles (gilless@ceci.ca) or Carole (carole@wusc.ca).
