Hope Notes - Fall 2011

Stories of hope from around the world FALL 2011 FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) CANADA’S QUARTERLY PUBLICATION

FH responds to drought in East Africa PAGE 6 Broaden your horizons PAGE 11 Snapshots of staff development PAGE 10

FALL 2011

I’ve seen development occur in our partner communities, and I know it takes a lot of time and work for these communities to reach sustainability. Identifying and investing in effective leaders who work well together is a key component of successful development.

I recently experienced an entirely different and extremely difficult level of development several months ago, resulting in me being hospitalized.

On May 22, I underwent a three-hour back surgery to repair damage caused by two collapsed discs which had compressed the surrounding nerves. The surgeon removed the broken parts of the discs and corrected my vertebrae’s curvature in order to increase the nerves’ travel space. Then the painful recovery process began.

I’m not usually one to slow down; now I was forced to stop.

Yet I observed from a distance how our organization successfully ran on its own. Each staff member – in Canada and in our partner communities – carried the load with their own talents and skills.

Community members rallied together around a common vision of a sustainable future, and our generous supporters continued to make this life-changing work possible. I saw that I was a part of something much bigger than myself.

Intentional collaboration truly brings out the very best in a community. The following pages tell stories of what development looks like, including two progress reports from graduated communities, a first-hand account of an FH staff member meeting her sponsored children and a bird’s-eye view of how FH is helping meet a United Nations Millennium Development Goal.

These goals are accomplished when we’re all working together.

It’s a privilege to be working alongside each of our staff and each of you.

Be blessed,

Ben Hoogendoorn President

FH Canada is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to providing long-term relief to those bound by poverty through sustainable community development. As part of the global Food for the Hungry (FH) network, we currently work in ten countries around the world.

Through project development, child sponsorship, emergency relief and medical equipment distribution, FH Canada strives to meet the physical, spiritual, social and educational needs of each man, woman and child living in poverty.

Poverty Revolution is a movement of engaged Canadians who are partnering with FH Canada to end poverty one community at a time.

As a Certified Member of the Canadian Council for Christian Charities, FH Canada meets the stringent standards set by the CCCC for accountability and organizational integrity.

6% Administration and running costs 6% Invested to generate future income 88% Building sustainable communities Charitable Registration number:

132152893RR0001

FH Canada 1 - 31741 Peardonville Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T 1L2 T 604.853.4262 TF 1.800.667.0605 F 604.853.4332 info@fhcanada.org povertyrevolution.org facebook.com/poverty.revolution This issue of Hope Notes is printed on recycled paper including 30% Post Consumer Waste. The paper is also lighter, requiring less postage to mail.

We thank Tech Web Direct for considering the environment and helping us save money as we partner in sharing these stories of hope with you.

“Develop” is a loaded verb.

But what does it actually mean?

Look at it from the perspective of a photographer.

Developing a photo in the darkroom requires strategic precision, various chemicals and proper tools. The film strip is first projected onto a sheet of blank paper, with certain parts exposed to more (or less) light at specified intervals depending on the desired outcome.

It’s then placed into a tray of developing fluid for just a few seconds before being moved into the stopper fluid, halting the print from progressing too far. Finally, the image is permanently solidified by the fixer chemical where it becomes clear whether the print has succeeded or whether it needs to be repeated and revised.

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This organic process takes multiple tries to get it right, and it’s sure to fail if the photographer doesn’t treat each negative with dignity. The photographer first needs to get to know the negative – what are its characteristics? Strengths? Weaknesses? More importantly, what’s its story? And how can the photographer most effectively share this story with the world?

That’s what we strive to do as we develop relationships with each of our partner communities.

You’ll find images of development throughout this magazine as you read stories about hope gradually coming into existence in our partner communities – and in Canada as well.

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Mbale’s butterfly effect FH VOLUNTEER SUZANNE VANDER WEkkEN EXPLAINS HOW ONE VILLAGE’S SUCCESS INSPIRES OTHERS IN MBALE, UGANDA TO RISE OUT OF POVERTY A typical day in Uganda found me travelling from the main Mbale office to FH’s partner villages – Makhai, Bufukhula, Marare and Nashisa – riding side-saddle on the back of a motorcycle. Each village looked the same that first month in January: dirt roads, mud and stick houses, children running everywhere.

By the time I left in May, I saw each of these four villages as unique.

Makhai took its first step toward sustainability in 2000. At the time, the community had no school, poor infrastructure, limited agriculture and little hope. Ten years later, Makhai graduated from its FH partnership as a selfsustaining community.

Neighbouring villages heard about Makhai’s progress and soon came on board with FH. First was Bufukhula in 2006, which had a church building but no school.

Then Marare partnered with FH in 2009, coming in with a church building and an operating school system but no school building.

Nashisa joined in 2010, already having a government-funded primary school and several churches, but still struggling to meet its basic needs.

I most clearly understood these connections as Sampson, a community leader from Makhai, delivered one of the most powerful speeches I’ve ever

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SUZANNE VANDER WEKKEN

heard. Speaking to community members from Marare and Nashisa, he explained that “Makhai gave birth to Bufukhula, Bufukhula has given birth to Marare and Marare to Nashisa.

So that makes me a proud father, grandfather and,” he paused, smiling at the Nashisa community members in front of him, “a great-grandfather.”

results from building relationships and developing people. We should see a community not as schools or houses or wells, but as the people who utilize these things for their livelihood.

It can be easy to assume the grandchild – or great-grandchild – has it easy, but each generation struggles to forge its own path.

Sampson beautifully illustrated the similarities and differences between the four villages. They’re related, but each has its unique personality and dreams.

I came home to many wellmeaning people whose first question was, “What did you do?” In all honesty, I saw that no amount of money, buildings or programs could result in meaningful development without first getting to know the people who will be carrying these resources forward. Although I did get the chance to teach and serve, I feel it’s most appropriate to respond with, “I didn’t really do much, but I loved much.”

My time in the Mbale region helped me to better understand that the most sustainable and sacred form of community development

Suzanne Vander Wekken served as a volunteer health educator for nearly five months in Mbale, Uganda.

www.povertyrevolution.org

FH Canada

what’s new in Makhai?

After graduating from a 10-year partnership with FH last September, the village of Makhai (in Mbale, Uganda) stands as self-sustaining.

And they’re still making huge strides!

A mango tree, standing tall in the community, had long been a regular hang-out spot for binge drinking and purposeless loitering. In 2006, the owner of the property had enough and prohibited drinking in the area.

But he took it a step further, donating the property to be used for a future vocational training school.

MAKHAI VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

Community members rallied around the project, which became fully operational in 2008. Since then, young community members have been trained in trades such as carpentry, sewing, mechanics and administration. It’s a testament to Makhai’s commitment to continually grow without FH’s financial support.

8 years to sustainability!

A kAMONYI, RWANDA VILLAGE GEARS UP FOR ITS DECEMBER GRADUATION This December marks the completion of a partnership between FH and the village of Cubi (pronounced “choo-bee”) in the kamonyi community of Rwanda.

Eight years ago, FH approached the community’s leaders and formed a long-term relationship. The leaders identified education, agriculture, health and income generation as Cubi’s main priorities and the community has made great progress in each area.

Before this partnership, not all the children had access to school. The classrooms (built in 1956) couldn’t hold many children or keep them dry when it rained. The teachers did their best but weren’t being professionally developed or properly resourced. Plus, families who made a living from farming tiny plots of land with nutrient-depleted soil couldn’t afford uniforms or supplies.

Today, many of these parents belong to agricultural cooperatives with 40-60 members each. These groups of neighbours are trained in the best agricultural practices for the region – like making organic fertilizer and terracing the hilly land – as well as in management and accounting skills. Some

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NEW CLASSROOMS IN CUBI

groups are even consolidating their land to increase productivity, and other groups have saved together to build offices or mills. Parents can now cover their children’s schooling and their family’s health insurance costs, and they’re also implementing new knowledge about preventing and treating common diseases.

With the recommendation of Cubi’s leaders, FH will now partner with Kamonyi’s Busekara village, about 14 kilometres away.

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Reframing relief Is relief always the best response to crises and disasters? This is what many Canadians and non-profits are beginning to ask.

The term “relief” often gives the impression of a short-term response, but that impression is rarely accurate as there are very few short-term crises. The current drought and resulting famine in the Horn of Africa is a prime example of this misconception. Given the region’s cyclical droughts, the crisis has been building for almost two years. And realistically, the region can count on more droughts in the future.

According to the recent Global Humanitarian Assistance report, which looks year-by-year at the past decade’s aid, emergency aid is repeatedly spent in the same countries each year. Additionally, the same report states that donor aid hit an all-time high in 2010. So if generosity is on the rise and money typically goes to the same regions, why isn’t international aid making a deeper impact in areas with reccurring emergencies?

Perhaps the difference between development and relief is deeper than once thought; or maybe, as FH Canada president Ben Hoogendoorn says, “relief work just needs to be reframed.”

Food for the Hungry (FH) has been involved in relief efforts since the late ‘70s but does so with a specific mandate: to build long-term, sustainable development programs. “Investing into long-term solutions is the most effective way to ensure lasting relief,” says Ben. Take Ethiopia as an example. Families involved in FH’s community development programs in Ethiopia are managing through this drought better than ever before.

Water wells, healthy livestock and drought-resistant seeds are just a few areas these communities have prioritized to survive the inevitable dry seasons. Today, that investment is paying off.

Our response in east africa: FH is partnering with the Canadian Food Grains Bank and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee to distribute food to some of the most severely drought-affected communities in Ethiopia.

More than 60,000 people will continue to receive food aid for the next several months.

As a result of FH’s collaborative partnerships, donations to this emergency response are eligible for a 4:1 match.

To learn how you can help or to receive the latest updates, visit www.fhcanada.org/drought

“The investments of FH . . . have allowed the communities that we’ve been working with to withstand this drought in ways that they wouldn’t have been [able to] prior to that work,” says Shep Owen, FH’s regional director for Africa. “It’s possible to address immediate life-saving needs with long-term approaches.”

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www.povertyrevolution.org

FH CANADA

FH fights future droughts A kENYAN FARMER LEARNS PRINCIPLES FOR PREVENTING CATASTROPHE DURING A DROUGHT

HALDAYAN BUYING A GOAT

Many East African communities depend on livestock. So when their animals die, they lose the ability to care for their families. Drought-induced food emergencies can be prevented by working proactively with communities to increase their animal-care capacity and by planting droughtresistant seeds. FH has seen many communities use these resources to grow resilient against reccurring droughts.

Haldayan grew up raising livestock in the Marsabit community of kenya until a drought in 2009 forced him and his animals to a neighbouring district in search of water and pasture. Other herders also migrated, resulting in conflicts over resources and cattle. Fortunately, Haldayan managed to save most of his animals.

The long-awaited rainfall finally arrived and Haldayan returned home. At this time, FH organized a livestock marketing and grazing workshop for herders in

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the area, providing an opportunity to reflect on the losses incurred during the drought. Most participants were shocked when they calculated their monetary losses.

“The workshop was an eye-opener for me,” says Haldayan, who realized the importance of preventing significant losses during future droughts.

“When the season is favourable and pasture is plentiful, the number of livestock increases. But the moment drought strikes, we lose everything.”

FH trained participants to sustain their livestock by providing the animals with vaccines, deworming medicine and sufficient food. Using a cash-for-work model, herders built boreholes, dams and troughs to keep the animals hydrated.

“I have never thought that I could earn money and herd my livestock without facing difficulty,” Haldayan says. “I am ready to face the future with a lot of confidence.”

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Developing a global commitment The global Food for the Hungry (FH) network isn’t the only organization working towards a povertyfree world. Back in 2000 at the United Nations Millennium Summit, 189 world leaders committed to improve the lives of the world’s poorest by 2015. The meetings resulted in the Millennium Development Goals: eight poverty-reduction targets marking a monumental partnership between governments and non-profits. Here’s an example of FH’s contribution towards one of the goals.

Millennium Development Goal #4: Reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds • Situation: Child mortality rates are decreasing, but not fast enough to reach the goal by 2015.

•

Efforts: Ramping up health and nutritional education plus offering training on prevention and treatment of common illnesses.

Mothers matter: •

Leader Mothers in Cachiman, Haiti stopped a cholera epidemic by teaching mothers to make oral re-hydration solution and to build hand-washing stations.

•

Mothers in Uganda saw the percentage of their children suffering from diarrhoea drop from 35% to 3% after the implementation of consistent handwashing.

•

187 mothers in Ethiopia improved their families’ diets by learning how to preserve the nutrients in cooked vegetables.

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www.povertyrevolution.org

FH CANADA

FH helps the child...

...by empowering the mother

FH’s child sponsorship program aims to develop all aspects of the child: physical, social, academic, emotional and spiritual. Through sponsorship funds, children get to go to school and gain access to health care, giving them the boost they need to reach their God-given potential. Sponsorship supports the children until their parents are in a position to better care for them.

Who better to care for children than their mothers?

Volunteer “Leader Mothers” are trained to teach health, sanitation and nutrition practices to other mothers in their communities – especially to pregnant women and mothers with children under the age of two, where the burden of illness is the greatest. One by one, women are transforming the health of their families and significantly supporting the fourth development goal.

Each Leader Mother trains at least 10 women who then train 10 more, ultimately impacting the health of the entire community. child-protection INITIATIVES: Protecting children from violence, exploitation and abuse is a high priority for FH Canada. In light of our commitment to develop models of sustainability that target root issues, not symptoms, FH Philippines, FH Cambodia and FH Peru are running child-protection programs that prioritize education for families. See page 14 to read about Peru’s plan to maximize longterm success in child-protection initiatives.

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Snapshots of staff development A VANCOUVER COUPLE USE THEIR PROFESSIONAL BACkGROUNDS TO CREATIVELY SUPPORT STAFF IN kAYANZA, BURUNDI

DANNY AND HAILEY TAYLOR

Desperate little faces stare up at Danny Taylor.

“Can we eat our bubble gum now?”

The kids at the Richmond, BC day camp have already enjoyed the first few chews, but have now been asked to put the gum down, with the promise of a second piece if they resist the temptation to pick it up again during the presentation.

But soon Danny has popped a fresh piece of gum into his own mouth and starts passing around the container so the kids can smell the sugary scent of what they’re missing.

“It’s a lesson on self-control,” explains Danny, an addictions specialist who develops interactive programs aimed at preventing addictive behaviours.

the child development staff to communicate among all the FH Burundi program centres. The internal newsletter will enable the often-remote staff to share needs, challenges and victories with each other.

Improving communication – with each other, in the classroom and with their Canadian partners – was a key reason FH Burundi asked the couple to work with them. One of their main projects was to train the staff to document the impact of their work through interviews and photography.

“It’s about empowering them to tell their own stories,” explains Danny, himself a talented photographer. “The land is beautiful, and what FH is doing with them is amazing; but it’s just life for them. They don’t have the outside perspective to say, ‘This is awesome!’”

It was no surprise then to find Danny at the front of the classroom during his three-month term in Burundi, where he was asked by the local FH office to train the child development staff and community volunteers on how to most effectively engage students in a context where teachers can’t just play a video or show pictures to make a story memorable.

Meanwhile, Danny’s wife Hailey used her experience with organizational administration to develop a way for

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LEADER MOTHERS TEACH OTHERS TO MAKE COMPOST-FILLED KITCHEN GARDENS.

KIDS SPONSORED BY MEMBERS OF ALBERTA’S SHERWOOD PARK ALLIANCE CHURCH

www.povertyrevolution.org

FH Canada

Broaden your horizons RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GLOBALLY-CONSCIOUS ENTERTAINMENT People often ask how they can create conversation within their community about issues of poverty.

There are plenty of resources out there, so we’ll get you started with some reads and flicks that are great for a book club or movie night.

Looking for more suggestions? www.education.fhcanada.org

An Imperfect Offering

War Dance

by James Orbinski

(2008)

One trip can change everything.

In 1988, Dr. James Orbinski embarked on a year-long research trip to Rwanda where he investigated the health conditions of infants with AIDS. Confronting widespread illness and suffering paired with economic and governmental corruption significantly impacted his future.

Dr. Orbinski takes readers along on the journey of an aid worker to expose some of the lowest points of humanity but also to share unimaginable acts of strength and compassion.

When Helping Hurts

by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

THE TAYLORS WITH FH BURUNDI STAFF MEMBERS (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) ANNE MARIE, JANVIERE AND PATRICK

D BY TA’S ARK RCH

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Helping always helps, right?

Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert know otherwise. In their book When Helping Hurts, the authors combine development philosophy, in-depth research and personal experience to present foundational principles for working with the poor, both locally and abroad.

According to Melissa Giles, FH Canada’s training manager, it’s a must-read for people engaging in or supporting international relief and development work.

“Music is our tradition. Even war cannot take it from us.” These words come from one of three children in a Ugandan internallydisplaced persons camp who are competing in a national music and dance festival. kick back and check out the Emmy Awardwinning documentary which the New York Times describes as “an honourable, sometimes inspiring exploration of the primal healing power of music and dance in an African tribal culture.”

The Price of Sugar (2007) Every year tourists flock to the Dominican Republic’s pristine beaches, often unaware that just a few miles away are thousands of Haitians enduring slave-like conditions while harvesting the sugarcane that ends up in North American kitchens. The Price of Sugar follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he rallies some of the Western hemisphere’s poorest people and forces us to ask where our products come from, at what human cost they’re made and where our responsibility lies.

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The man behind the containers

Meet Lindsay Brucks, director of FH Canada’s International Medical Equipment Distribution (IMED) program based out of Saskatoon, Sk. IMED’s warehouse is full of equipment and supplies donated

by Canadian hospitals which get shipped in 40-foot containers to under-equipped medical centres in developing countries.

What does an average day in the IMED warehouse look like?

We have a new project to fulfill about every three weeks.

Depending on the complexity of the shipment requested, our days are spent organizing supplies, calibrating equipment and packing the container. If there is any spare time, our bio-technician tries to test and calibrate equipment in advance. Our shipping schedule is often fully booked early in the year so we do what we can.

How many containers can you send out in a year? We shoot for 20-25 containers, depending on the complexity of the requests. The demand from overseas is huge but we have to secure shipping funds from donors. Although we have many partners, that takes time.

ambulance in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was outfitted with a stretcher, backboard, patient tub and ambulance decals and lights.

Why do Canadian doctors, nurses and caregivers like donating to the IMED program?

They have a deep desire not only because they are in the profession but because they cannot bear the thought of excellent equipment sitting in a storage closet when it could save a life. They understand the value of medical care and the world-wide need for adequate equipment. Recently we sent a CT scanner to Niger; before this there was only one CT scanner in the country. People want to be a part of that – medical professionals or not.

To volunteer with IMED in Saskatoon, email them at imed@fhcanada.org. To donate towards shipping a container, visit www.fhcanada.org/medical.

Have you personally seen a container being delivered to a hospital overseas?

Yes, I have been fortunate enough to see deliveries in Nicaragua and also in Uganda. When you open the doors of the container, it’s amazing to watch the recipients’ faces. There is so much joy and excitement. This fuels me. I try to bring that back to Canada so people can really understand the hope they are delivering.

What is the most unusual request you have received from an overseas clinic?

A few years back a Hummer was donated by a generous Canadian couple to be used as an

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IMED WAREHOUSE

www.povertyrevolution.org

FH Canada

Face to face

Getting grade 9

Jessica Rempel has been corresponding with 16-year-old Catarina for a year and with 15-year-old Petrona for three months. This past May, the FH Canada staff member met her two sponsored children in Nebaj, Guatemala.

Catarina was shy the first day our team arrived in her community, and I must admit I was a little nervous as well. Her parents welcomed me into their home – which had a bed, a small table and some rocks to sit on – and they thanked me for the support the family receives from Catarina’s sponsorship.

Catarina opened up much more when we saw her family a few days later and the connection seemed even JESSICA AND CATARINA stronger as we joked and laughed together. Her family assured me they would try to keep all their children in school, and asked if I could come visit them every month. Catarina’s father, Agustin, even came to assist with our team’s construction project.

As I later walked up to Petrona’s house, I saw a lovely flower garden that her mom proudly showed off. Petrona was quiet at first but quickly warmed up and told us about her family. I met her mother, grandmother and five PETRONA siblings. Her parents are both deaf and mute but even though her mother could not speak, her excitement and gratitude for my visit was clear.

Now when I communicate with Catarina and Petrona, I know our letters will reflect our unique bond because I have a deeper understanding of their lives in Guatemala. I would love to go back for another visit, but until then I will faithfully send pictures and letters of encouragement.

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BELO’S NEW SCHOOL

The village of Belo in Sasiga, Ethiopia is celebrating a milestone in its history.

Belo’s first high school opened its doors last September and a year later has 380 boys, 88 girls, 13 teachers and even a few parents who are completing grade 9 with their teenaged children.

This school is particularly significant for girls in Belo. Parents had been reluctant to send their daughters to high schools far from home due to the risk it posed to their safety. As a result, the majority of girls in Belo didn’t attend high school.

Now families in Belo have a renewed commitment to education – and it’s showing. As of June 2011, Belo’s school is receiving higher academic scores than some of the other high schools in the region.

The community is eager to begin offering grade 10 this fall.

ATTENTION SPONSORS: THANkS FOR WRITING! Over 400 letters have already been received through the online message centre (log in at www.fhcanada.org) and our field staff affirm that your notes of encouragement are truly treasured by your sponsored children. Handwritten letters are also still accepted! That’s why we provide you with a sponsorship toolkit.

If you haven’t received one, feel free to choose or to make your own cards. Our field staff work hard to translate messages, but please remember that it may take some time to receive a reply from your sponsored child. Questions?

Give us a call at 1.800.667.0605.

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Lasting change: Last fall we shared a story of reconciliation from Greater Lima’s Santa Barbara village and their partner Heartland Alliance Church (HAC) in Alberta.

Now we’ve got an update!

Standing up against violence A Community member in Greater Lima, Peru gets GOVERNMENT recognition Celinda, a homemaker living in a tin-roof house at the highest point of a slippery hill, is being recognized by Peru’s Ministry of Justice for her potential to impact a violence-prone community.

Last year, residents of her hillside squatters’ area identified the main issues facing their youth. An extensive diagnostic conducted

by FH Peru revealed that 31% of these families viewed sexual abuse or rape as significant threats to children and teens, with outsidethe-home child abuse identified as another main threat. This is on top of the domestic abuse which is common in impoverished areas of Peru.

So women like Celinda are calling for change. After participating in FH Peru’s workshops on family communication, anger management, women and self-esteem and household and budget administration, as well as

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two conflict resolution courses co-run by the Ministry of Justice, Celinda graduated as a family counsellor who now promotes non-violence in her community.

Greater Lima’s community leaders have renewed their commitment to work with FH Peru as they continue to run workshops, train counsellors, host clubs and visit homes – all with the aim of building relationships and challenging the cultural lie that says family violence is inevitable.

Development is so much more than the water and sewage services now in Greater Lima homes, or the more safely constructed hillside houses and small businesses started up since the community partnered with FH. It’s people like Celinda, her husband and her kids who chose to prioritize love, patience and respect in their own home and are now encouraging their friends and neighbours to do the same.

Recognizing the huge issue of “machismo” and domestic violence on his first trip to Santa Barbara in 2007, HAC team leader Scott Wiens and his wife Susanne wanted to host a couples’ retreat the following year. But at the time, no couples were ready or willing to participate.

Then in 2010, FH Peru suggested that the Wiens try again, and in March of last year, 20 couples attended the two-day retreat.

More than a year later, people in Santa Barbara are still talking about the event. Lives and marriages have been transformed, and the men impacted by the experience have shared the lessons with other men in the community.

Couples say they won’t soon forget the retreat because they considered it so valuable to their personal lives and to the well-being of their community.

CELINDA & HER KIDS

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FH CANADA

Five steps that delivered hope in Cambodia Three years ago, the southern Cambodian community of Chhuk (pronounced “chewk”) graduated from its FH partnership. Today, the community operates a school with 900 students and two dormitories. Many local farmers still teach what they learned from FH’s agricultural program to neighbouring farmers. The community also started their own child development program as well as several savings groups. Some of the formerly sponsored children are now teachers, pastors and leaders in their communities.

1. Prepare

UNDERSTANDING THE TRANSFORMATION FH’s field staff in Cambodia used the Five Steps of Hope, a highly relational process which equips and empowers community-level leaders with the responsibility and capacity to promote their community’s development, with an emphasis on the well-being of their children.

6 months

Local field staff align themselves with FH’s vision of sustainable community development and address opportunities for personal growth and leadership development.

5. REPRODUCE

2. explore

ONGOING

FH networks with community leaders to develop relationships and gain a comprehensive understanding of the community.

This final step takes the impact of the previous steps and promotes it to neighbouring communities.

4. empower

6 years

Community members receive technical training in the areas identified as priorities by the community’s leaders. FH staff walk alongside local leaders and mentor them as they gain competence, confidence and ownership of the knowledge and as they share it with fellow community members.

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6 months

3. MOBILIZE

1.5 years

Leaders identify community members and equip them with resources for their respective roles in leadership, agriculture, child development, health care and savings groups.

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Savings Group Spotlight: Modhumoti Group COMMUNITY:

Mymensingh, Bangladesh April, 2008 MEMBERS: 22* (all-female group) TOTAL SAVINGS: 74,195 taka ($972.45 CAD) GROUP FORMED:

MORE THAN MONEY All group members have completed a nine-month intensive literacy course.

They now spend part of their weekly meetings learning lessons on health, legal rights and values for healthy relationships. They are also trained in business skills and trades like sewing and effective animal rearing.

LATIFA STARTS A BUSINESS! Group member Latifa has put her business training from the group into practice. She took a loan from the group and started a shop, providing everyday necessities to her community.

This is a huge step up from just a few years ago, when Latifa and her fellow group-members were the poorest people in their community.

“We will be able to be something now.”

– AkLIMA, GROUP LITERACY LEADER

LEADING TO GRADUATION The group’s elected leadership: (L-R) the health leader, literacy leader, cashier, secretary and president. They receive additional training so they can increasingly take over the responsibilities their peers have chosen them for. In fact, this group is on track to become independent of FH in the next year. *Names and some photos have been changed for confidentiality

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