Canadians Create Change in Peru

Every year, around 120,000 young Peruvians join the ranks of those who are neither studying nor employed. There just isn't enough work, and many can't afford schooling.

But despite the obstacles that life puts before them, many youth in San Juan de Miraflores -- a poor neighbourhood of Lima, Peru -- are creating a better future for themselves and their families.

Three youth involved in an innovative Youth Employment Centre in San Juan agreed to tell their stories. The Centros de Jovenes y Empleo is a collaboration of CUSO-VSO, the Quebec NGO Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi de l'Outaouais, and the Peruvian NGO Kallpa.

Jacky’s Story

Oswaldo’s Story

Wilmer’s Story

Want to get involved? Check out www.cuso-vso.org today to see how you can help!

Moving Beyond Price

by Shannon Sutton

As we celebrate National Fair Trade Weeks from May 1 to 15, and World Fair Trade Day on May 9, La Siembra’s worker-owners are reflecting on fair trade’s true impact. We’ve seen increased coverage of fair trade issues in the media in recent months, frequently highlighting the price paid to farmers for their goods. While this has certainly served to raise awareness on the financial benefits of the fair trade certification system, the buzz around La Siembra is about much more than just price.

Our co-operative works closely with producers in the South, visiting farmers and inviting them here to learn more about Canadian markets. As we’ve visited producer co-ops in the Dominican Republic, Peru, Panama and Costa Rica, and have welcomed producer representatives from those countries, we’ve been reminded that, while fair trade principles do guarantee fair prices to farmers, thereby assisting them to stay on their land and better plan for their future, they provide critical support for producers in many other ways:

• Supporting environmentally sustainable farming practices such as waste reduction, soil fertility maintenance and water resource management;
  
• Facilitating access to advance credit which allows for long-term planning;
  
• Strengthening farmer-owned co-operatives, whose members experience empowerment via ownership and added value in the supply chain;
  
• Providing premiums to those farmer-owned co-operatives, enabling them to benefit farmers and their families through such projects as the building of health clinics, water systems and schools, as well as allowing investments in business and technical infrastructures.

As 100% fair traders, we feel like that’s a lot to celebrate. We invite you to celebrate with us by participating in our World Fair Trade Day contest. Visit www.fairtradeday.ca for more info and to enter.

Happy National Fair Trade Weeks and Happy World Fair Trade Day!

Shannon Sutton studies International Development at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and holds an undergraduate degree in Marketing and International Business from McGill University. Shannon has worked as Communications Manager at La Siembra Co-operative/Cocoa Camino, and currently sits on La Siembra’s Board of Directors. Shannon has worked as Interim Manager of a fair trade eco-lodge in northern Mozambique, and as Project Co-ordinator for Communications at an NGO in London, England.

Opportunity to Listen: Why Everything Must Change

By Abid Virani

Each and everyday, educational institutions welcome guest speakers to share their knowledge with students. Speakers range dramatically, from young determined activists to former politicians turned humanitarian. Students should take every opportunity to listen to these speakers “not only to hear them, but also listen to them.

It is vital, in this day and age, for students to gain an understanding of multiple perspectives. Although a speaker may not intrigue you “they may be too right wing or left wing“ it is still a valuable experience to listen to them. By doing so, students are better prepared to understand their own beliefs and perspectives.

Occasionally, there is an outlet that consistently shows various perspectives. Speak Up for Change not only addresses hundreds of issues, from literacy to technology, but it is also one of the many outlets of knowledge that cannot be ignored. On October 23 - 24, another outlet for students was available in Oakville, Ontario.

Fatmire Feka, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and Founder of Kids Club for Peace, is amongst the list. There are best-selling authors, CEOs and Presidents of non-profit organizations. Organizations represented include Student Reach International, Nelson Mandela's Children Fund, Gender Equality Incorporated, Opportunity International Canada and Habitat for Humanity. The conference is called, "Why Everything Must Change".

How fortunate we are to be a drive away from such knowledge and experience. Let us never doubt the powerful impact of, not hearing, but listening. Let us always remember that our ability to listen and learn is perhaps the strongest weapon in our arsenal for a making positive and lasting change in this world.

As youth in Kosovo, we worked hard. We didn’t change the world, nor did we change our country, but we did have an impact on our communities, on our peers, and we did plant a powerful seed of hope in people’s hearts.

- Fatmire Feka, in her keynote address at WEMC 2008

A Poor Person’s Lifeline to Empowerment is Literacy

By Carol Davis

Literacy is a key tool to fighting poverty. If a poor person is literate, then one is much less likely to be taken advantage of by others. If a poor person considers oneself literate, then that also increases one's self esteem. If a poor person is literate, then one's chances of finding a job, or being successful in one's business is greatly enhanced. If a poor person is literate, one can make more informed decisions about health issues.

I work with poor people in Uganda every day. My goal is to help each one of them out of poverty. I have been working with two different groups of women now for over two years. The women in the group who are literate are able to hold better committee positions within the group. These same women are further ahead in being able to start businesses, keep adequate records for their businesses, and help other women in their group.

We have discovered that the single biggest motivator for women in our group to become literate is the fact that if they complete at least 20 hours of computer training we will find a U.S. email pen pal for them. The fact that this was a prime motivator for those who are illiterate was a surprise to us. But, those who were illiterate figured out that to have an email pen pal, they would have to do three things. First, they would need to become literate in their own language. Second, they would have to learn English and learn to write English well enough to do simple emails. Third, they would actually have to take the computer class and learn basic computer and internet skills. Once they figured this out, there was a dramatic desire to learn English which had never been there before.

Once these women learn English (which is also the official business language in Uganda), then they are excited to discover that they are able to read the orders for the beaded products we buy from them. They can speak directly with volunteers and other trainers who are working with them. They can speak with shopkeepers in their town and be regarded as more educated. They are able to help their own children with their school work (most Ugandan schools teach classes in English). They can examine documents for themselves and not have to rely on others who might be dishonest in interpreting them. If they are Christians, they can read the Bible for themselves and not merely rely on someone else’s interpretation for them. They have immeasurable pride when they are able to sign their full name when receiving money for their beaded product sales instead of merely using their initials or only a fingerprint.

Being able to do all of the above, suddenly changes much in their lives. It changes how they look at themselves. It gives them hope. They can read their doctor’s prescriptions and suddenly realize perhaps they need eyeglasses to see things more clearly. They suddenly have more worth in their own eyes. If they have more worth in their own eyes, then they gain confidence and skills to be better communicators to other people in their lives such as husbands, children, police officers, landlords, shopkeepers, and taxi drivers. They are more likely to want to open a bank account, and more likely to take out a micro-credit loan because they understand the paperwork.

Literacy is the catalyst that propels them forward and gives them the courage and tenacity to tackle the tough issues they face daily. Ultimately, this will defeat poverty. I agree with Kofi Anan who says, “Literacy is at the heart of development. Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”

Carol Davis is the founder and President of Outreach Uganda, a U.S. based nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower poor people in Uganda, especially women and children. She spends five weeks each summer in Uganda working with two women’s groups. Read more at www.outreachuganda.org.

Literacy: A Tool for Growth

By Mozafer Rajabali

Literacy is a very important socio-economic factor for the development of any human being, because it provides everyone a level playing field to communicate and become a global entrepreneur. Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write, and the ability to read and write in itself is a matter of debate. What remains essential though, is the fact that the increase of literacy rates brings about economic development, which is defined as betterment in the general standard of living.

Measuring literacy in the developing world is somewhat difficult, because there are a number of challenges a developing country faces. In most circumstances the literacy rate is usually a hypothesized guess based on whatever information that has been previously collected. The lack of intent to collect valuable data on literacy also signals that it is not as important as it should be for majority of third world countries. The matter of the fact is - literacy is worse off than the numbers tell us because of lack of resources.

Literacy is important because it is associated to education. Education, being a merit good has social benefits that have to be exploited by each and every community. One of the major factors stunting economic growth and development in less developed countries (LDCs) is the inability to control population growth. As per the Malthusian catastrophe, if population isn’t controlled it will grow exponentially and food will at the same time grow linearly. This will result in a catastrophe where the results are famine, drought and major rural-urban divisions. In poor families, the need to procreate is there because the children can then act as assistants in the daily chores and provide essential manpower usually for family businesses – while at the same time taking their chances on any surviving children. It is in the most blatant terms, a situation of Darwin’s survival of the fittest. Therefore, by teaching people to read and write, not only will they learn about birth control – but they will also be able to value essential human rights for each and every single child.

What a lot of people fail to realize is that literacy creates certain independence for the literate person. It instills in the person some pride over themselves and brings about a great deal of self-esteem. As a result of this new independence, there is a new drive and determination within the person – and thus entrepreneurship is born.

Literacy lies hand in hand with growth and development, because it is a branch of education, which is a merit good that should be a social requirement in any context. It is important because it will provide a number of people with access to an entrepreneurial spirit. If provided with the necessary needs, poor people can flourish under pressure because of their entrepreneurial spirit! A prominent example is that of Muhammad Yunus’ Grameen Bank, which mainly provides single mothers with children microloans and has an amazing success rate at the moment. Yunus discusses about his achievements through the bank in a book called “Banker to the Poor”. One of the things Yunus outlines very well is the need to put in place an institution for these poor people that is run by people who genuinely and sincerely want to help. It is this same spirit that can help pull majority of the poverty stricken world out of the poverty cycle, yet it is almost nonexistent in a number of developing countries.

The modern era has quite easily created a much smaller and compact world, where global communications is in the midst of its reign. If an entrepreneurial spirit is put into place in developing countries, our communication systems can provide the world with a much-needed boost socially and economically. It can help build and diversify our global markets for the future. At present, what we need is to create that spirit of helping those below us and not always looking to pursue lives of those who are above us economically. By pulling the people below us, up to a reasonable level – not only will it bring happiness to their families, but to you too. It will bring unbound satisfaction as Pierre Charding puts it “the most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of oneself to others.”

Mozafer Rajabali is a student who wants potential to be recognized in the most deprived of countries.

How to Change the World for 10 Bucks: Discovering power of making small changes

Author challenges us to change the world and get involved!

Innovator and author Paul Edney is blurring the lines between education and social justice. His book, How to Change the World for 10 Bucks challenges Canadians to make small changes in their lives, and to measure the impact their change makes.

In the video below, watch teachers and students at Toronto's Bishop Strachan School whose lives have been affected by the book, and discover the collective power of making change on step at a time. The video is part of TVO's Get Involved! program.

The Kid

In honour of this week's theme recognizing the International Day Against Child Labour, Arzoo has dedicated this piece to the wonderful kids who suffer from poverty, and yet somehow manage to share a shining smile.

"The Kid"
By Arzoo Zaheer

He looks at us with those dignified eyes
His head slightly tilted
That appeal for respect in his eyes
That appeal for recognition
Shining magnificently

He beseeches us politely
Wondering if we will ever answer
His lips quiver as he fights hesitation
Wondering how to endeavour properly
Silently praying

Yearning for a hug
That orphan kid
Hugs his knees
Sitting on the rough ground
He watches the kids pass
Hand in hand with their parents
A tear escapes his deep eyes
That magnificent shine almost disappearing

Am I not wanted?
Am I not needed?

A smile forms slowly
As he looks up at the sky
And feels the strength and courage
Emanating from within

One day, I will be loved
It’s not too dark yet
It’s not too dark yet

Arzoo is a graduate from University of Toronto, with a major in Biology and double-minor in Mathematical Sciences. During her academic years, poetry was her weakest subject. Real poems started flowing out of her pen, after 9/11 left its deep marks on her soul. She decided to write poetry to inspire, guide as well as to speak out against wars and war-crimes. Her blog is found at serenepoetry.wordpress.com.

Brainchild

By Kate Somers

School: many view it as the daunting brick building to which students across Canada tread each weekday. It’s a place chock-full of information and instruction- an idea that is no doubt bolstered by the presence of that extra heaviness in your backpack each day, of textbooks relentlessly weighing you down. Granted, you arrive home every day having been taught something new- but is it instruction, or true education?

Often times, I cannot help but feel that, amongst the maths and sciences; the social studies and the histories; the geographies and the arts... there are numerous subjects omitted from our timetables. These are subjects whose presence hasn’t been lost from existing tutorials...rather; they’ve been absent all along. With the arrival of March, one can expect flowers to blossom and come into bud...but what about the blooming- the development and the thriving- of new ideas?

As March is designated International Ideas Month, I can’t help but express a thought of my own: I truly believe that education outlines in their existing forms need to be altered. In order for a school to truly be considered an environment where learning is accomplished, curriculums need to be incredibly more inclusive: students must be educated on those subjects predominantly deemed “taboo.”

My idea for March and April is as follows: I believe that public and private education curriculums should begin to introduce the teaching of Gay Rights in Canada into their outlines. Canada has progressed in leaps and bounds during the past 5 to 10 years concerning the growth of Gay Rights, but there is still a great deal of room for improvement. Why not start at school, where education is advocated, to plant the seeds of change in young minds?

I recently spoke with Donna Borooah, a grade 11 student also attending school in Toronto. Borooah is a member of her school’s GSA- the Gay Straight Alliance.

Says Borooah, “I definitely do not think that there is enough being done within schools to create awareness.”

Borooah acknowledges that although there are some members of her school’s community actively promoting an awareness of Gay Rights, the participation of the entire school population is noticeably lacking. Borooah backs the idea that school should be an environment in which true lessons are taught- not solely chemistry lessons, but those useful in developing a world of equality and acceptance.

“High school isn’t the most accepting and comfortable place for anyone who has differences,” says Borooah, and admits that “many more things can be done.”

So what does she suggest? How can we possibly introduce this “new” form of education into our precise systems? Borooah mentions awareness raising events, such as the Day of Silence she learned about through participating in her school’s GSA: “it’s a day to represent all of the people who had no voice, no right, and no power to be themselves or to express themselves the way they are,” Borooah explains.

So can we do it? Can we truly make school a place where lessons are not only taught, but understood, and molded for use in society? Can genuine, bona fide life lessons be learnt in a school environment? Well... it’s only an idea. However, just as advocated by poet Oscar Wilde, who once famously said: “an idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all:” in other words, without risk in idea, there can be no advancement. Education is like an idea that starts small in your mind, with only the minutest details, and then eventually buds into a fully fledged initiative: it just takes that first step to eventually complete the race.

Kate Somers is an 11th grade Toronto Student involved in the Toronto Star's Junior Journalist Program. She is passionate about spreading the issues promoted by Free the Children, such as spreading the access to education for youth around the world.

UN ministers urge nations not to slash education budgets amid financial crisis

By UN News Service

With hundreds of millions of people around the world with little or no access to education, participants at a United Nations conference in Geneva urged governments not to cut funding for this critical sector amid the current financial turmoil.

Participants at the week-long International Conference on Education, which ended today, voiced concern at the impact of the global financial crisis, warning that it “will have a disproportionate impact on the poor – those who carry the least responsibility for these events.”

According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which organized the conference, the hundreds of millions around the world with little or no access to education include 75 million out-of-school children – more than half of whom are girls and one third are disabled.

Many of these children are working and many belong to indigenous groups and linguistic minorities, or are living in conflict and post-conflict situations. There are also some 776 million adults who lack basic literacy skills.

In the current economic environment, providing quality education was all the more important since education was crucial to reducing poverty and improving health and livelihoods, stressed the participants, which included ministers, education experts and civil society representatives.

“Funding for education should be a top priority and… the financial crisis should not serve as a justification for a reduction in the allocation of resources to education at both the national and international levels,” they stated.

The conference recommended a number of steps that governments could take to improve their education systems and ensure more inclusive education. These include equipping teachers with the skills and materials they need to teach diverse populations, and promoting the greater participation of those concerned in decision-making.

Article published by the UN News Service on November 28, 2008

Student Day of Action to drop tuition fees!

Students across the province of Ontario were given the chance to speak-up for more affordable post-secondary tuition fees, today.

Ontario student fees are among the highest in Canada, with large annual increases of 4-8 percent. With the average Ontario student debt load now approaching $28,000 for a 4-year program, in many cases students can't even work and save to pay for tuition fees.

The campaign is about Education, and supports the basic human rights of access to education. It is intended to empower students, families and allies to have their say and demand a plan for the post-secondary education system that is based on access, equity and fairness.

The Canadian Federation of Students believes that if students speak-up, present an alternative, and mobilize together, they will be able to drop fees. Education is a right!

For more information on the Drop Fees campaign, visit www.dropfees.ca.

Speak Up for Change will have Patricia Stavropoulos' account of the Ottawa rally shortly. Stay tuned!

Let's save 10.5 million children

At ACCESS, we believe that education is the key to causing positive change in society, especially in the developing world. However, children in many parts of the developing world spend their childhood struggling to survive, without much hope for a secure, productive life.

They face incredible odds: of the 57 million people worldwide who died last year, 10.5 million of them were children under 5 years old. Treatable illnesses become life-threatening when combined with poverty, war, poor-sanitation, and inadequate health care.

For those who survive childhood, the path to a secure and happy future is still filled with obstacles. Children in developing nations have limited access to education, which limits opportunity and reduces potential.

Economic, social, and cultural factors keep 121 million children, especially girls, from attending school. Faced with difficult choices, parents often take girls out of school to care for younger siblings, help with household chores or work outside the home to contribute to family income.

In the world's least developed countries, only 14 percent of secondary school enrolment is female.

Non-profit organizations such as ACCESS provide both monetary aid to devolving nations along with global awareness of these issues. Through these groups we can do our part to change these shocking statistics and work toward universal education and an acceptable quality of life for all.

With files from Care.org

Want to end poverty? End ignorance.

by Maxine Bower

Poverty. Well, we are the generation that has the ability to end it and I am very hopeful. I believe that we just might stamp out poverty. Our generation will have to battle with consumerism and the ideals of individualism, fatalism, etc. in order to end poverty, but I have hope. I see many of my peers concerned and taking action to end it.

Through witnessing the passion of others to create change, I believe that we can. But, how?

Ignorance, in my opinion, is the reason for many problems. For example, in some developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa there is a prevalent belief that having intercourse with a virgin can cure AIDS. As a result, women and children are constantly raped due to the "Virgin Myth" and the spread of AIDS continues.

Maxine Bower in the Dominican Republic in 2008.

If these men were properly educated, would this be an issue? Some women in developing countries such as China and India practise female infanticide because they are unable to afford children. If these women were educated and were able to be hired into well-paying jobs, would this be a serious issue?

If women in the less developed European countries like the Ukraine were educated on the dangers and signs of being tricked into sex slavery, would the sex slave trade be as big of an issue? Or if all women everywhere had an education that provided men and women equal opportunity, would we be the minority of a population?

I believe that the answer is “NO”.

Knowledge is power and power provides strength. Knowledge through education provides opportunities and keeps us safe from ignorance, which is often used to our disadvantage.

For these reasons, I strongly believe that destroying poverty and the other issues that stem from it can be solved or lessened through education.

Education is the key to ending the horrors of poverty!

Maxine Bower is a high-school student in Brampton, Ontario where she is the President of the Social Justice Club.

Blog Action Day is October 15

Participate in Blog Action Day through Speak Up for Change!

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. The aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

The purpose of Blog Action Day is to create a discussion. They ask bloggers to take a single day out of their schedule and focus it on an important issue. This year: Poverty. Send your submission to editor@accesscharity.ca before October 30th to be considered for a MP3 player prize!