Connection The Coady
February 2024
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St. Francis Xavier University and Coady Institute stand on the lands of Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded home of the Mi’kmaw. We express our deep gratitude and appreciation to the generations of Mi’kmaw who, since time immemorial, have loved and stewarded these lands and the beings who call them home. Colonization is not just history; it exists in the present tense. While we strive to decolonize ourselves and our University, we know there is still much for us to learn. We are committed to doing the hard work of self-reflection and to repairing relationships with the Mi’kmaw on whose lands we reside, including embracing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action and embodying their spirit in our plans to move forward with our University. Ms~t wiaqpulti’kl ankukamkewe’l l We are all treaty people
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In this issue... In Case You Missed It: Eileen Alma named Coady Institute Executive Director 4 Welcome: A Message from Executive Director Eileen Alma Welcome New Graduates
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Michelle Obama names Coady Grad Maria Omare as Visionary to Watch 10 Partnerships and Projects
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Local Engagement in Nova Scotia Pathy Foundation Fellowship
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Coady Staff and Partners awarded at StFX Convocation Recent Events
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Where are they now?
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Ela Bhatt Memorial Bursary
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In Case You Missed It: 2022-23 Annual Report Coady Graduates in the News
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Do you have a story to share about how you are applying your learnings from Coady Institute? If so, contact us at coadycom@stfx.ca
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: EILEEN ALMA NAMED COADY INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR A familiar face with more than 30 years of experience in the development sector has been selected as the new Executive Director of Coady Institute. Eileen Alma was appointed to the position for a five-year term beginning September 2023 after 16 months as Interim Executive Director.
“I am confident Eileen will continue to use all her skills to provide the leadership Coady Institute needs in bringing change leaders from Nova Scotia, Canada, and internationally together to learn and share about community-led development.” - Dr. Amanda Cockshutt Academic Vice-President and Provost, St. Francis Xavier University
Read the full announcement.
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WELCOME: A MESSAGE FROM
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EILEEN ALMA Together with partners in Canada and around the world, Coady will continue to #GoForTheGoals! and work with emerging and established community leaders. At Coady Institute we have been commemorating International Development Week (IDW) from February 4 to 10 and highlighting how we remain committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The SDGs guide governments and civil society as we work with partners to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable world. This newsletter tells the story of what the Coady Institute team and our partners have been working on during the past eight months here in Nova Scotia, Canada, and countries around the world. Not only have we welcomed participants here on campus at St. Francis Xavier University, but program staff have also been teaching online and in communities everywhere. Coady graduates continue to flourish and are putting their knowledge and experience into action to create social change. One of many initiatives, Global Affairs Canada funded project Engage! continues to progress in five countries and includes the launching of climate schools by SEWA (India) and climate-focused online and in-person courses being co-facilitated by CCDB (Bangladesh) and Coady as well as social enterprise competitions organized by CLE (Haiti), TGNP’s national gender festival in Tanzania and ongoing support for women’s livelihoods in Ethiopia led by WISE. Our focus in Canada pertaining to the SDGs includes good health and well-being (SDG 3), quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), climate action (SDG 13), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). Work contributing to these
goals is elaborated on in this newsletter. Youth’s leading role in shaping the future is absolutely critical to the success of these goals. In this regard, the 2023-24 Pathy Foundation Fellows are now midway through their fellowship and five of them shared their experiences during our monthly Coffee House (held February 7) that took place on campus and online. You can also learn about the Centre for Employment Innovation’s Nova Scotia Youth Focused Community of Practice (YF-CoP) and the 2023 Nova Scotia Career and Employment Student Symposium. Also, shared here are the experiences of St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) students Emma Jewkes and Sydney Anthony who traveled to Ahmedabad, India as part of the Sears Internships in Social Enterprise Program – an initiative launched as part of the John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility at StFX’s Schwartz School of Business. This coming period will be a critical time for Coady as we develop a new strategic plan that informs our work to 2030 and beyond. Together with partners in Canada and around the world, Coady will continue to #GoForTheGoals! and work with emerging and established community leaders. This work would not be possible without the support of our donors and partners. Thank you for your commitment and I hope you enjoy reading how we are creating the social change the world needs now. Eileen Alma Executive Director
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WELCOME NEW GRADUATES
Celebrating the 2023 Diploma in Development Leadership Graduates On November 14, we held a small online graduation ceremony for the 2023 Diploma in Development Leadership participants. After their 10-week residency at Coady Institute, St. Francis Xavier University the graduates worked to implement social change initiatives in their communities with the support of program facilitators and cohort peers. Examples of community initiatives include: Storytelling to Raise Communities’ and Rural Women’s Voices in Mali by Agathe Diama; Empowerment of Women Inmates in Byculla Prison by Glasten Mathew Gonsalves; and Strengthening Stakeholder Engagement in Youth and Women Economic Empowerment Projects by Prisca Nandede.
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34 Graduate from ACTivate Program in Partnership with GMIST Thirty-four participants from across Atlantic Canada graduated from the first ACTivate Program in partnership with the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism (GMIST). The program brings an asset-based and community-driven approach to tourism, building on existing knowledge, skills, and strengths within communities to enhance community wellbeing. Participants from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario completed the five-month program which featured a series of online sessions, as well as four days of intensive in-person learning in Gros Morne, Newfoundland and Labrador, before returning to their home communities to put their learnings into action.
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Welcome New Graduates
58 Social Change Leaders Graduate from On-Campus Summer Certificate Programs On June 30, fifty-eight social change leaders from countries around the world celebrated their graduation from one of three on-campus certificate programs: Feminist Advocacy for Agency, Equity, and Justice, Livelihoods and Markets, and Community Led Solutions for Climate Change.
Participants travelled from their homes in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to learn new tools, share their experiences and knowledge, and develop their skills for social change.
Celebrating the 2022-23 Pathy Fellows The 2022-23 Pathy Foundation Fellowship cohort celebrated the completion of their yearlong Fellowship journey. These six young leaders from across Canada dedicated the past year to their own personal and professional development, and to leading positive social change in their communities in collaboration with community partners, mentors, and Coady staff. Learn more about their community initiatives.
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Welcome New Graduates
Off-Campus and Online Certificates Seventy-nine participants from around the globe graduated from online certificate programs throughout 2023. Courses ranged from topics including Building on Abundance in Indigenous Communities, Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), Building Community Resilience in a Changing Climate, and more. Meanwhile, 142 participants graduated from off-campus offerings made possible thanks to strong partnerships and collaboration with community organizations locally and globally. Offerings included: • Feminist Advocacy for Gender Justice Workshop, Bangladesh • Women's Economic Empowerment: Livelihoods and Markets Approach, Tanzania • Leadership and Safety Workshop, Canada • Redevabilité Sociale: Stratégies et Pratique, Senegal • Synergy: An Asset-Based and Community-Led Development, Kenya • Building Community Resilience in a Changing Climate, Bangladesh The new graduates join a network of more than 10,000 Coady graduates in more than 146 countries globally.
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MICHELLE OBAMA NAMES COADY GRAD MARIA OMARE as VISIONARY TO WATCH “Today, The Action Foundation is not only an institution that’s closing the education gap for children with disabilities, it’s a safe haven for young women to explore their truest passions and be their best selves.” Michelle Obama A British online magazine and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama have recognized a 2015 Coady Institute graduate. In August, Obama nominated Maria Omare as one of Red magazine’s The Next 25: 25 visionaries to watch. Maria took part in Coady’s Global Change Leaders program and is founder of The Action Foundation. The foundation helps build inclusive and resilient communities for children, women, and girls with disabilities in Kenya. “The Action Foundation has been a refuge for kids with disabilities to learn, grow, and explore their interests for over a decade,” Obama wrote in the Red article. “Today, The Action Foundation is not only an institution that’s closing the education gap for children with disabilities, it’s a safe haven for young women to explore their truest passions and be their best selves.”
The Action Foundation Maria says she founded The Action Foundation in 2009 as a way to support children with disabilities and their families in her own community by providing a space for them to go to learn and work. “A lot of families with children who have a disability are largely isolated because of stigmas, negative social norms, and attitudes,” Maria says. “So if we weren’t here, a lot of them would
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still be at home, probably going through really challenging mental health issues. Now the kids have a chance to access basic health and education opportunities.” Over the past 14 years the organization has expanded its efforts and her learnings from Coady Institute have helped. The Action Foundation also outgrew the initial centre they were operating. Using an asset-based, community-led development approach, Maria says the foundation mapped out assets within the community to reestablish another center. “The space is truly inclusive and mirroring the support that we wanted to offer the community,” she says. “We realized the community has the power to bring about the change that they want to see. That’s something that helped me navigate through that period.” The community held fundraisers and parents of the children with disabilities organized themselves to contribute what they could. Local businesses also began to support the effort and when surrounding communities saw what was happening support grew. She says a new threestory building became a source of hope and light to hundreds of people in the community, providing employment to at least a dozen community members. “The pillar of how this building was able to come to life was through small contributions from the people who we are currently directly working
All countries need to invest in children, girls, and women with disabilities. We cannot do it in isolation. We have to come together and do it and bring about this change together.“ - Maria Omare with,” Maria says. “They were really invested, even designing the space. It is really their own space. It doesn’t belong to the actual foundation but it’s their space and every single person who runs the center right now, it’s fully community owned and run.” The centre now has a mixture of staff and volunteers and continues to grow through a holistic approach that has attracted different types of funding. The funding allows the foundation to hire professionals to deliver different services for the children and their families including counseling, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy. “We’ve grown quite a bit from working with just a handful of kids to now supporting thousands of children across the country working to strengthen government systems that provide health and education for children with disabilities, setting up caregiver support groups,” Maria says.
The Action Foundation is not only an institution that’s closing the education gap for children with disabilities, it’s a safe haven for young women to explore their truest passions and be their best selves. The foundation’s efforts caught Obama’s eye. “We have a program that is Michelle Obama’s favorite, which is enabling girls with disabilities to reimagine what their futures could look like through STEM,” Maria says. “We are building the next generation of girls with disabilities who can be coders, engineers, and graphic designers who can leverage this new digital age.” Read more.
SUPPORT SOCIAL CHANGE BE A COADY CHANGE LEADER
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PARTNERSHIPS and PROJECTS Coady Partner to Launch Climate Schools through Engage Project SEWA building climate resilience of poor informal sector women workers in India Coady Institute partner Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) of India is examining how climate shocks are affecting poor women who work in the informal sector and offering educational programming to prepare for and mitigate risks. SEWA’s Manager Ni School (SMS) as a Centre for Innovation and Learning will focus on the communitybased training of women leaders, women empowerment, capacity building, and strengthening knowledge through learning initiatives. The $50,000 project will support 8 climate educators, 40 climate and date entrepreneurs and raise climate change awareness in 5,100 households in three districts within the state of Gujarat, India. This work builds upon Coady’s in-person course Community Led Solutions for Climate Change and online course Feminist Leadership for Capabilities, Ecology, and Transformation delivered in partnership with the Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh (CCDB). The climate schools and the courses are a part of Engage! Women’s Empowerment and Active Citizenship which is funded by Global Affairs Canada. Learn more.
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Women Entrepreneurs in India Adapt to Changing Climate: StFX Student Interns Conduct Focus Groups with SEWA St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) students Emma Jewkes and Sydney Anthony recently travelled to Ahmedabad, India as part of the Sears Internships in Social Enterprise Program – an initiative launched as part of the John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility at StFX’s Schwartz School of Business. Hosted by longtime Coady partner, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), the students worked alongside the organization to conduct participatory research on the impact of climate change for women working in India’s informal economy. Emma and Sydney presented their research findings in a recent presentation to StFX faculty, staff, students, and local community members. Learn more.
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LOCAL ENGAGEMENT in NOVA SCOTIA Nova Scotia Works Governance Forum: Learning and Collaboration Session On November 20, 2023, the Centre for Employment Innovation (CEI), in collaboration with Impact Organizations of Nova Scotia (IONS) and the Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI), hosted the Nova Scotia Works Governance Forum: Learning and Collaboration Session with Nova Scotia Works (NSW) Service Providers. The forum's main objective was to provide a space for NSW service providers to engage in a dynamic exchange of experiences and insights on the topic of governance. By centering discussions around the challenges and best practices related to non-profit governance, the forum aimed to catalyze a collective effort toward enhancing governance standards within the sector.
2023 Nova Scotia Career and Employment Student Symposium The 2023 Nova Scotia Career and Employment Student Symposium was held virtually on August 15 and 16. Hosted by the Centre for Employment Innovation (CEI), the symposium was pleased to share the work of post-secondary student interns from across Nova Scotia, highlighting research and emerging best practices related to career development, employment, and labour. This year’s panel topics included Inclusive Workplaces and Employment, Inclusive Education and Institutions, Youth Engagement, and Community-Led Development. A big round of applause to our eight student presenters! To watch recordings of this year’s panel presentations, visit CEI’s YouTube channel.
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A Nova Scotia Youth Focused Community of Practice
A new season of the Centre for Employment Innovation (CEI)’s Nova Scotia Youth Focused Community of Practice (YF-CoP) has begun. The YF-CoP is a space for career and employment service professionals across the province to come together and share their learnings, challenges, and best practices surrounding youth engagement. So far this season, we’ve enjoyed hearing from a panel of youth entrepreneurs about their experiences, and from a panel of youth working in the IT field, learned about relevant supports for Indigenous youth, and practiced our futures-thinking skills. Topics for the upcoming semester include a panel on youth volunteerism, dignity at work, and the future of youth career development. If you’re a career services practitioner in Nova Scotia interested in joining our community of practice, you can find more information and a link to sign up for our email list here.
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PATHY FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP Carleton University joins Pathy Foundation Fellowship Partnership The Pathy Foundation Fellowship has been working in tandem with five Canadian partner universities – St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, NS), Bishop’s University (Sherbrooke, QC), McGill University (Montreal, QC), University of Ottawa (Ottawa, ON), and Queen’s University (Kingston, ON) – to offer the yearlong Fellowship program for the past nine years. In September 2023, they welcomed Carleton University, located in Ottawa, Ontario, as a sixth partner. Carleton University’s Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Dr. David J. Hornsby, says this new partnership is one built on shared values.
“Carleton University is excited to partner with the Pathy Family Foundation to enhance our experiential learning opportunities through the Pathy Foundation Fellowship. The Fellowship aspires to foster more civically-minded and oriented graduates. Fostering global citizen scholars lies at the heart of the Carleton education experience. The addition of this Fellowship provides students at the undergraduate and graduate levels a wonderful chance to apply what they have learned and the skills they have gained to the betterment of their communities.” - Dr. David J. Hornsby Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic), Carleton University Graduating students from Carleton University will now be eligible for the community leadership program and may receive up to $40,000 in support of a community project. The Pathy Foundation Fellowship is facilitated by Coady Institute on the campus of St. Francis Xavier University. The Fellowship is a yearlong community-focused experiential learning opportunity aimed to develop active and effective change-makers, while creating positive social change in communities around the world. Fellows develop new tools and skills through participatory workshops; work closely with communities to foster sustainable and positive social change through co-developed community projects; and receive mentorship and personal development support through Coady staff, dedicated leadership coaching, and peer fellows.
READ MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP
Pathy Fellows in the Field Pathy Fellow Developing Tools to Support Muslim Human Trafficking Survivors Laila Alfadhli is a graduate of University of Ottawa where she studied Translational Molecular Medicine. As a Pathy Fellow, she wanted to use her research skills in a new way. Laila is working alongside Sakeenah Homes – an organization that provides culturally-sensitive supports for Muslim women and children in areas such as transitional housing, food insecurity, medical and mental health, and education and employment – to develop a rehabilitation program for Muslim women survivors of human trafficking. Read more.
Pathy Fellow Creating Comprehensive Sex Education Training in Nova Scotia Maëlle Weber is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (StFX)’s Women and Gender Studies program. During their second year of study, they completed a summer research project focused on asexuality and asexual perspectives on comprehensive sex education. Now, Maëlle is using their Pathy Fellowship to further their work with the launch of SEXEDUCATE – a sexuality education teaching collective aimed to provide educators with support, knowledge, and skills to deliver comprehensive sex education. Read more.
Pathy Fellow Working to Support Pregnant Girls in Ugandan Refugee Settlement Danie Mahirane is a graduate of University of Ottawa where she studied international development and globalization. Before moving to Ottawa to pursue her studies, Danie lived in Windsor, Ontario, a place she calls her ‘Canadian hometown’, because like many, Danie has more than one hometown. Danie recently returned to another hometown, The Kyaka II Refugee Settlement in Uganda, for her Pathy Fellowship initiative which aims to support underage pregnant girls. Read more.
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COADY STAFF AND PARTNERS AWAR Coady Staff Pauline MacIntosh receives 2023 Community Outreach Award
Pauline MacIntosh (Program Teaching Staff) received the St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) Community Outreach Award at the university’s December convocation ceremony. The award recognizes university faculty and staff who have demonstrated a long and consistent commitment to serving the Nova Scotia community. Pauline MacIntosh worked with the StFX Extension Department from 1997 until its merger with Coady International Institute in 2019, at which time Coady Institute was formed. An experienced adult educator and facilitator, she is passionate about working with groups engaged in asset-based community development, capacity strengthening and education, and leadership for learning and change. Pauline grew up in a family that believed in community and cooperation and this influenced her from an early age. Her service to community has taken many forms, including volunteer canvasser with the Canadian Cancer Society, Tree of Lights volunteer with the Antigonish Guysborough Early Childhood Intervention Program, 4-H leader, speaker and process facilitator, and Lower South River Pre-School board director, among others.
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RDED AT STFX CONVOCATION Pauline has had immeasurable impact on her community, dedicating countless volunteer hours in numerous capacities over many years. She currently volunteers as Vice Chair of the St. Andrews Community Partnership Board of Directors, an organization comprised of 12 non-profit communitybased organizations; Vice Chair of the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society Board of Directors, a non-profit housing organization that owns and operates 28 homes in Antigonish; and Vice Chair of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council Board of Directors, which serves as the voice of the co-operative movement in Nova Scotia.
“For Pauline, her engagement with community is her life’s work and passion. While her role at Coady and formerly Extension is well known and has been specifically focused on these connections in Atlantic Canada, her commitment has been well beyond this for decades.” - Eileen Alma Executive Director, Coady Institute Pauline truly embodies the spirit of the Antigonish Movement and its emphasis on transformation through community outreach, adult education and collective action. Read more at stfx.ca
Former Coady Director Dr. John Gaventa receives Honourary Degree Former Coady Institute director and Vice President, Dr. John Gaventa received an honourary degree at the StFX University spring convocation ceremony.
Dr. Sean Riley, former President, StFX; Gord Cunningham, former Executive Director, Coady Institue; Sen. Mary Coyle, former Director, Coady Institute; Shelagh Savage, former Program Staff, Coady Institute; Dr. John Gaventa; and Eileen Alma, current Executive Director, Coady Institute.
John has made significant contributions to grassroots adult education, academic scholarship, and international development over a distinguished career of nearly 50 years. Throughout his work, he has sought to use his research and leadership to support community driven efforts for social change and social justice. John formerly served as Director of Coady Institute and as Vice-President, International at StFX University. He is currently a Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), a leading global institution for development research, based at the University of Sussex. Read Dr. Gaventa’s remarks
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RECENT EVENTS Coffee with Coady: Katherine Fleming International Development Award Thank you to all who joined us for Coffee with Coady during StFX University Homecoming to hear Katherine Fleming International Development Award recipient Prossy Nantongo speak about her Coady experience and her efforts to help young women transition from school to employment in Uganda and Rwanda. We were pleased to be joined by Fleming family members Madeline Zutt and Annie (Livingstone) MacDonald (daughter and niece of the late Katie Fleming, respectively), and Kevin McGilly who attended StFX with Fleming and has been one of the stewards of the annual award in her memory.
ABCD Unconference: Applying Asset-Based Community Development at Coady Institute The annual ABCD Unconference is a unique and transformative gathering place which brings together like-minded people around large-scale conversations that matter. For this year’s event, Coady staff and partners hosted a day of panels including Diploma
in Leadership Development Participants’ experiences with ABCD; Women Organizing to enhance Childcare and Protection using ABCD; and ABCD and Indigenous Cooperative Education. Watch all three panels on YouTube
Feminist Leadership Speaker Series: Queering Feminist Movement Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership ‘Engaging with Feminist Leadership’ series welcomes feminists from around the world who share their personal journeys with Coady participants, graduates, and others during an online session. Coady staff Sarika Sinha recently hosted a conversation with Nursyahbani Katjasungkana (Co-founder, Indonesian Legal Aid Association for Women) and Arvind Narrain (Visiting Faculty, School of Policy and Governance, Azim Premji
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University) who each have extensive experience advocating for queer human rights in their own contexts. Feminist Leadership Speaker Series Brought to you by Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership
QUEERING FEMINIST MOVEMENT
A conversation with Sarika Sinha Coady Institute
Nursyahbani Katjasungkana Co-founder Indonesian Legal Aid Association for Women
Arvind Narrain Visiting Faculty School of Policy and Governance Azim Premji University
Thursday, October 19 | 10:00 AM (ADT) | 1:00 PM (UTC) Register at: tinyurl.com/queering-feminist-movement
Coady Coffee House: Peacebuilding Series Each month Coady Staff Digafie Debalke hosts a conversation focused on peacebuilding and conflict transformation alongside an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. These hybrid events are hosted both inperson and livestreamed via Zoom for all who wish to attend. Building Peace at Home and Abroad: Identifying Risks and Opportunities
Sisters of Saint Martha: Lifelong Journey of Peace
Challenging Hegemony in International Development : A Conversation with Pathy Fellows
Building Peace at Home and Abroad: Identifying Risks and Opportunities
Sisters of Saint Martha: Lifelong Journey of Peace
Challenging Hegemony in International Development : A Conversation with Pathy Fellows
Celebrating Student Entrepreneurship and Social Impact StFX student business student Inka Mittler ’25 is the first recipient of the Social Entrepreneurship Fund. A collaboration with the StFX Discover Box and the Gerald Schwartz School of Business, this newly established fund supports burgeoning social entrepreneurial students who need modest start-up funds to bring their business plans to life. Initiated by StFX alumnus and entrepreneur Alex Dorward ’11, along with support from several Xaverian alumni and friends of StFX, the Social Entrepreneurship Fund also provides mentorship from the StFX DiscoverBox, Gerald Schwartz School of Business faculty, and/or Xaverian entrepreneurs.
February 2. Coady Institute’s Emilie Chiasson ’02 spoke with Alex about his experience as an entrepreneur, being the Owner/CEO of Ascribe Marketing Inc., and the Co-Founder/Co-CEO of Bunking. During the fireside chat Inka was announced as the winner and she spoke about her project to recycle waste from 3-D printing. If you would like to support the Social Entrepreneurship Fund, please visit: www.alumni.stfx.ca/socialentrepreneurshipfund
StFX Discover Box and the Gerald Schwartz School of Business supported by the StFX Advancement Office held a fireside chat on
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Krishna KC
Diploma in Development Leadership (1985) Nepal (currently residing in Toronto) “I got the highest level of satisfaction when I felt I gave all that I could!“
Who did you work for and what was your area of work following your time at Coady Institute?
women, and the vulnerable by taking high-level calculative risks in certain interventions while the fighting was active in emergency countries.
After graduating from Coady Institute, I worked for United Mission to Nepal, Save the Children, OXFAM UK, and Okenden International (a British NGO). For 12 years, I mainly worked with UNICEF, UNESCO, and the International Organization for Migration. I was involved in various areas of project management at field, country, and regional office levels mainly in literacy and education, management, capacity strengthening, and building through coaching, mentoring, and organized training. I was also involved in strategic planning for country programs and community development such as sustainable development, humanitarian as well as relief in emergency countries, and nonemergency countries around the world.
On one occasion, there were many bombs around us, and two powerful rockets landed in our office compound when we were in a meeting in a UNICEF office. I helped the UN staff and moved them to a safe location. There were other times when I negotiated with the government, rebels, and even with UN agencies (internally) for the rights of children – especially rights to education – or took medicines and food to children when the active fighting was going on.
What was the highlight of your professional life? I was recognized on many occasions in countries such as Cambodia and Sudan for working in emergency duty stations such as Sudan, Iraq, Cambodia, Pakistan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, and Albania for humanitarian activities including building peace. I was happy and took it as an opportunity to serve children,
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I wrote about my life’s work in the book The Journey of Hope & Global Humanitarianism – Creating Paths and Building Foundations for Literacy and Education Worldwide which is my first-hand account of the world of national and international development and relief organizations impacting the quality of life globally. The book is available at humanitarianbook.ca and Amazon. It is also available as an eBook at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Rakuten Kobo, and Chapters-Indigo.
What was the highlight of your personal life? Well, I have had excellent exposure to various cultures and practices around the world and have had immense satisfaction with what I was able to do for others. I sincerely believe that nothing can give you this level of satisfaction when you can do something for the needy people, children, women, and vulnerable (social service). All the recognitions and awards remind me of my good and difficult times. Some of the jobs were well paid which helped me to save my family, it also made it possible for me to donate $100K to Kathmandu University for scholarships and endowment funds for female students from underprivileged and underserved areas. How did your time at Coady Institute prepare you for your work? Coady was a venue for me to get all the confidence in my life. A feeling of ‘I can do what others can’. My visit in 1985 was a very good exposure for me as I met many classmates from around the world and learned a lot in classes and from all the classmates who had various experiences. As it was a long time ago, I remember one of the classes I learned and enjoyed was talking about strategies for development. Other subjects were ‘Change
down approach (not bottom-up) and selfishness among people is growing which prevents certain positive social changes. What piece of advice can you offer social changemakers who are working in communities around the world to bring about social change? I got the highest level of satisfaction when I felt I gave all that I could! One must have high-level ethics at work and responsibilities to achieve beyond expectations. If someone is serving selflessly, I encourage them to think deeply all the time and get better results. Believe in yourself, work hard but work smartly. Think deeply about different issues, causes, and their interrelations, and understand the context and situation. Also, understand the development politics as you need to find a power center, work with them diplomatically without being influenced by them, and find the best way to solve those issues or minimize the negative impact on people. KC Krishna can be reached via (https:// humanitarianbook.ca/contact-author/)
Management’, ‘Concepts of Cooperatives’ and ‘Accounts’ Coady's exposure visits were very useful for learning and understanding the Western lifestyle with whom I often had to work either as their subordinate or a supervisor. In your opinion, what are the biggest issues in bringing about social change, justice, and equality in today’s world? Some of the bigger issues are how children, women, minorities, and vulnerable populations are denied their full human rights and I believe silence in the face of injustice is wrong. Governance systems have often used a top-
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ELA BHATT MEMORIAL BURSARY For close to 40 years, Coady Institute has partnered with the Self-Employed Women’s Association, founded by the late Ela Bhatt. During these decades, Coady staff and participants have been inspired by Elaben’s life’s work in support of grassroots women seeking to improve their lives socially and economically. The result of her work has led to a movement of more than 2.5 million informal workers in India and countless organizations globally who have been inspired by Elaben’s model of women’s empowerment. On the first anniversary of her death, Coady Institute and friends of Elaben created a bursary in her memory. This bursary will provide an opportunity for a grassroots leader(s) to take part in Coady courses each year, women who otherwise would never have had an opportunity to do so.
Ela Bhatt, former Coady Director Mary Coyle, and SEWA Managing Director Jayshree Vyas
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 2022-23 ANNUAL REPORT As the world emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a renewed enthusiasm for bringing together change leaders from around the world to learn how citizen-led, asset-based community driven leadership can bring about social and economic change. As we share highlights of the year in this report, you can see how important the efforts of community leaders are in making the world a better place for all. Our support for these leaders would not be possible without strong partnerships and donors who are so generous with their time and money. We thank you and appreciate each and every one of you. Read the report.
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COADY GRADUATES in the NEWS
Coady Graduate Raises $3-Million for Clean Tech Startup Click for more.
‘Becoming a Matriarch’ by Coady graduate Helen Knott named in top 10 ‘Best Books of the Year’ by Indigo. Click for more.
Coady Graduate Elected as Vice President of the Organization of American States (OAS) Committee of Experts on Violence (CEVI) and is the first representative from Trinidad and Tobago to serve in the position. Click for more.
Michelle Obama names Coady Grad Maria Omare as Visionary to Watch. Click for more.
Coady graduate and Circle of Abundance Mentor Rose Paul named one of Atlantic Business Magazine's 25 Most Powerful Women in Atlantic Canada.
Coady graduate and KFA recipient Prossy Nontongo speaks with CBC about her work and Coady journey. Click for more.
Click for more.
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Interested in learning more about how you can financially support Coady Institute? Contact: Emilie Chiasson echiasso@stfx.ca 902.867.4697
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