For some time now, and with more and more insistence in the last few months, our partners in Nigeria, particularly in the North, have mentioned in our conversations the combined effects of violence and insecurity following attacks by the armed group Boko Haram. Not only are these partners forced to restrict the scope and frequency of their activities, but they must also deal with the emergence of humanitarian concerns.
Christine Charette, Youth member of Development and Peace
The landscapes in Zambia are unbelievable! Today, we are on our way to Livingstone, known for the famous and powerful Victoria Falls. I’m so thankful to our Zambian friend, Andrew Simpasa, a Jesuit seminarian, for his kindness, his happiness and his time and energy to bring us to visit this amazing wonder of the world. I have never seen someone so proud of his country!
Armella Sonntag, Regional Animator for Saskatchewan
There comes a time in most journeys when the mind and heart make the switch over from focussing on the travel and adventure to thinking about returning home. Yesterday was that day for us. For our last full day in the Philippines, we put ourselves in the hands of our partner, PETA (Philippines Educational Theatre Association). They led us through a morning of evaluation, an afternoon of preparing for our return home and an evening of celebration.
On Canada Day, we drove to the mining town of Mufilira with Development and Peace’s partner JCTR Kitwe. We shared some of our national pride with our Zambian friends by singing them Oh Canada. The pride that I held onto was challenged many times throughout our very eye-opening visit that day. The site of the copper mine we visited was very similar to the mines that are headquartered back in Canada.
Today, we travelled to Caisawan in the province of Eastern Samar to actively participate in the Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) Shelter Recovery Program. The money for this program has come from Canadians who donated to Development and Peace’s emergency appeal to help those who experienced the devastating impacts of Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the central part of the Philippines on November 8, 2013.
A group of twelve Development and Peace members from the Prairies and the Atlantic provinces, accompanied by two staff members, are on a solidarity trip to the Philippines.
Two years after the serious humanitarian crisis that affected 16 million people in the Sahel region of West Africa, Development and Peace remains on alert. In 2013, the situation improved slightly, but the harvest was still not plentiful enough to fill the gaps, and the ongoing conflict in Mali continued to destabilize the population. Thousands of vulnerable families are still confronted with hunger and growing poverty.
A group of twelve Development and Peace members from the Prairies and the Atlantic provinces, accompanied by two staff members, are on a solidarity trip to the Philippines.
A group of twelve Development and Peace members from the Prairies and the Atlantic provinces, accompanied by two staff members, are on a solidarity trip to the Philippines.
