Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Location: APEGGA Conference Centre, 2200 – 700 2 Street SW, Calgary
Cost: Free (lunch is not included, but please feel free to bring your own)
RSVP: EWB Calgary
Jolly Ann Maulit is a senior African Program Staff member of EWB’s Malawi Water and Sanitation team. Since February 2010 she has been working in Malawi’s water and sanitation sectors and has made significant progress in the personnel management, training and coordination of Malawi’s Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) initiative. Recently, the Government of Malawi has established the goal of making Malawi Open Defecation Free (ODF) by 2015 through the ODF Malawi 2015 Strategy, which Jolly Ann co-wrote with key partners in the water and sanitation sector (UNICEF, Ministries of Health and Water, District staff, various other Non-Governmental Organizations). Jolly Ann and other members of the Water and Sanitation team have also been working in partnership with Malawian District Health Offices and other Non-Governmental Organizations on the Global Sanitation Fund initiative, which strives to coordinate the activities of all players in the sector towards these objectives.
During this session, Jolly Ann will give an overview and answer questions regarding the work the EWB Malawi team is doing in the Water and Sanitation sector as well as discussing the team’s strategy and challenges going forward in this area.
Please try to arrive a few minutes early as the presentation will start promptly at noon.
Join us on Thursday, January 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to learn more about EWB’s vision, objectives and operations. We will be highlighting ways to get involved in various capacities in Calgary, and on national distributed teams. The presentation will take place at the MEC Community Room (830 – 10th Ave SW). All are welcome.
Professional Fellowship Q&A
Applications for the 2012 Professional Fellowship Program are now open. Join us for an information session on Thursday, January 26, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm (immediately following the EWB 101 session) at the MEC Community Room (830 – 10th Ave SW) to learn more about what the application and selection process and what to expect overseas. See below for application details.
Byuela Byuela Wine & Cheese and Silent Auction – Tickets On-Sale Now
February 15th, 2012 6:30 to 9:30 at the Art Gallery of Calgary (117 8 Avenue SW) Tickets $35 / $20 (students) – Purchase online
Byuela Byuela means small small in Dagbani – a dialect spoken in Ghana, West Africa, in a village where four Calgary volunteers worked during 2011. EWB believes in long term changes that can’t happen overnight. Our work in Africa is about investing in people and building capacity within local organizations that are committed to their communities. EWB’s grassroots approach involves thousands of individuals across Canada that through their everyday choices and contributions create change. We believe development is about uncovering the root causes of the problem and it can be the small thoughtful changes that create a lasting impact.
Each year, with the support of individuals and companies in Calgary, our chapters are able to send one or two volunteers overseas to contribute to EWB international development efforts through our volunteer Fellowship Program. This year the University and City chapters are collaborating to host a Wine and Cheese Fundraiser for sending four volunteers overseas.
Returned overseas volunteers from Ghana will share their experiences through brief presentations throughout the evening. These volunteers, as well as volunteers from our Malawi and Zambia programs will be in your midst to answer all of your questions about how EWB is having impact in Africa.
The Keynote speaker will be Donna Kennedy-Glans. Donna is an internationally respected lawyer, businesswoman, author and speaker with over 25 years of experience working with organizations in over 30 countries to reach their potential. As the first female vice-president of Nexen Inc., her responsibilities included managing the country’s relationships with host governments and communities around the world. Among the social and youth development organizations she has worked with, Donna founded Integrity Bridges Inc., which works with organizations seeking to imbed their values in practice, moving beyond just public relations platforms. Donna was awarded a Global Woman of Vision aware in 2007, and was named a Compelling Calgarian in 2010. We are pleased to have Donna at our event, and look forward to hearing her perspectives.
Applications for the 2012 Professional Fellowship are now open!
Are you looking to push your boundaries? Are you looking for opportunities to enhance your career? Are you interested in learning more about international development and helping to solve systemic problems stopping Africans from overcoming poverty? Look no further.
Engineers Without Borders Calgary is currently taking applications for the 2012 Professional Fellowship Program, consisting of a four-month placement in one of the following African countries: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Zambia and Malawi.
The application is due on February 17th. Please join us this Thursday, January 26 at 7:30 pm at the MEC Community Room (Upstairs) to learn more or visit our website for additional resources.
You don’t have to be an engineer to apply.
Date: August to December 2012 Location: Burkina Faso, Ghana, Zambia, or Malawi Language: French and English placements are available, however the interview will be in English Sectors: Agriculture and Agribusiness, Waterpoint Functionality, Governance and Rural Infrastructure, Business Development Service
At less than 2% of the annual federal budget, Canadian foreign aid is achieving real results in the lives of the world’s poor. From providing life-saving vaccines and treatment for deadly diseases to investing in agriculture and farming to fight poverty, it is making a massive difference. Canada’s spending on international development has been frozen for some time, and there are now discussions to cut that budget as the government looks for ways to reduce the deficit. We understand that the world continues to face tough economic times, but now not the time to slay our deficit on the backs of the world’s neediest. Please join us in calling on the Canadian government to protect critical international development funding. Sign the online petition.
World Bank Spending Commitment on Education
RESULTS Canada has asked EWB Members to consider supporting their action for January; to build momentum to force the World Bank to actually invest the money it committed in 2010 for basic education in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals. To learn more about this topic, visit their monthly action summary and show your support by signing their online petition.
Non-EWB Events
True Vision Ghana Book Club
- “The Challenge for Africa” by Wangari Maathai
Saturday, February 25, 2012, 5:30pm
EWB Members are invited to join TVG at their book club for a book discussion & local-ingredient potluck
Please RSVP to Evelyn Tanaka to receive the address (held at a private residence).
Waterlution Hub Events
Waterlution’s purpose is to inspire pattern-making and pattern-breaking change towards a healthy and sustainable relationship with water. We develop and nurture dynamic communities of action around water by hosting leadership development and multi-stakeholder dialogue opportunities. Our vision is for the next generation of decision-makers – across all sectors and stakeholder groups – to be informed, passionate leaders with a commitment to healthy watersheds. Events are held in and around Calgary, visit their website for additional details.
EWB 2011 Failure Report Now Available
EWB believes that success in development is not possible without taking risks and innovating – which inevitably means failing sometimes. We also believe that it’s important to publicly celebrate these failures, which allows us to share the lessons more broadly and create a culture that encourages creativity and calculated risk taking. This is a culture we value within EWB, and also try to to work with our partners in Africa to create in their organizations. We are excited to be able to share these Failure Reports from our program and staff and volunteers.
This is a two part evening – feel free to join us for either hour, or both.
Where: Mountain Equipment Co-op (community room upstairs) When: Thursday, January 26, 2012 / 6:30pm until 8:30pm
6:30 to 7:30 pm – Overview of EWB
This hour will focus on providing an overview of EWB:
* The organization’s vision and structure
* In-Canada Programs and Campaigns
* African Teams and Projects
* Opportunities for involvement
This would be a great session to introduce EWB for your family, friends and colleagues.
7:30 to 8:30 pm – The Professional Fellowship Program
This hour will focus on explaining the application, selection, training and overseas expectations/work associated with the Professional Fellowship Program (i.e. short term overseas volunteer opportunities). Applications for 2012 placements will be opening in February.
Thank you to all who shared their Perspective this year, and thank you the 3117 people who generously donated to the campaign.
The Calgary City Chapter raised $5135, while the campaign collectively raised $232,927.
Our volunteers are back!
We are happy to welcome back Calgary Professional Fellows Eric Limacher and Kevin Hanson, and TransCanada Employees Marielle Flottatt and Dominique Dagenais. We looking forward to hearing them share their experiences with us over the next couple of months. In the meantime, visit their blogs and newsletters as they’ve shared a few new stories while wrapping up their time overseas.
Development Drinks
EWB is co-hosting our first “Development Drinks” with the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation on Thursday, January 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Barley Mill at Eau Claire (201 Barclay Parade SW). Join us for an after work drink and a casual discussion on some of the current issues and interests in international development. Feel free to bring a friend or co-worker along. Reservation is under “ACGC/Development Drinks”.
Byuela Byuela Wine & Cheese and Silent Auction
February 15th, 2012
6:30 to 9:30 at the Art Gallery of Calgary (117 8 Avenue SW)
Byuela Byuela means “small small” in Dagbani – a dialect spoken in Ghana, Africa, in a village where one Calgary volunteer worked for the past six months. EWB believes in long term changes that can’t happen overnight. Our work in Africa is about investing in people and building capacity within local organizations that are committed to their communities. EWB’s grassroots approach involves thousands of individuals across Canada that through their everyday choices and contributions create change. We believe development is about uncovering the root causes of the problem and it can be the small thoughtful changes that create a lasting impact.
This will be a lovely evening of wine, cheese, discussion and thought provoking presentations highlighting our overseas volunteers and programs. All proceeds will go directly to our overseas programs. Join us after work with colleagues and clients, friends and family, at this convenient downtown location.
Tickets will be $35 (a reduced $20 price is available for students). We’re just getting ticket sales set-up so watch for additional information on ticket sales coming soon. In the meantime, mark February 15th in your calendars; we hope you will be able to join us.
It’s 2012 … maybe your New Year’s Resolution is to give back to the global community? Here are some ways to get involved with EWB.
Learn More About EWB
Join us on Thursday, January 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm to learn more about EWB’s vision, objectives and operations. We will be highlighting ways to get involved in various capacities in Calgary, and on national distrubuted teams. The presentation will take place at the MEC Community Room (830 – 10th Ave SW). All are welcome.
Be an EWB Workplace Champion
Do you want to be involved in creating change in your community and workplace? We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about creating change to set up lunch and learn presentations in their workplace, and to give presentations at other workplaces across Calgary. This is a great way to improve your presentation skills, meet great people, and learn all about various aspects of poverty and international development, and how engineers can have a positive global impact. Please contact Andrew Kettle for more information.
Join our Global Engineering Team
We are currently seeking exciting outreach and learning opportunities in Calgary focused on sharing the potential for engineers to more effectively address complex challenges while increasing their positive global impact. We are building a group of volunteers with a focus on Global Engineering and are looking for individuals who are passionate about developing the engineering profession and energized to build this movement. Please contact Angela Alambets on how to get invovled with our Global Engineering team.
Become an advocate for foreign aid effectivenes
The Political Advocacy / Aid Effectiveness team will be holding their next meeting on Thursday, January 19, at 6:30 pm in the common area at Eau Claire Market. Anyone who is interested in learning more about what EWB does in the political advocacy sphere is welcome to join. Contact Nicolas Choquette-Levy if you would like further information.
Head to Africa as an Overseas Volunteer
Applications to be a volunteer in our Professional Fellowship Program (short term placements) will be opening in February 2012 (for a departure date of August 2012). Join us for an information session on Thursday, January 26, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm (immediately following the EWB 101 session) at the MEC Community Room (830 – 10th Ave SW) to learn more about what the application and selection process and what to expect overseas. Please email us if you have specific questions regarding the Professional Fellowship.
Run to End Poverty
Help us fundraise by participating in the Run to End Poverty. Or, help organize the race by volunteering. See below for additional details.
Explore and Share EWB Resources On-Line
Find out more about EWB in Canada and overseas programs with these videos from our volunteers in Canada and Africa.
Announcing the 2012 Run to End Poverty (and looking for volunteers)
The Run to End Poverty (R2EP) is an event in partnership with Calgary’s Scotiabank Marathon / Half / 10k & 5k run on May 27, 2012. The organizing team is off to a good start with a solid group of leaders and many great ideas to build on last year’s successful event.
There are a couple of ways you can help to make this year’s run that much better. They are:
1. Visit our Facebook Page and LIKE us! Then TELL your friends.
If we reach 200 likes by the end of February, we will draw a name for a FREE run registration in the Calgary Scotiabank Marathon / Half-Marathon / 10k / 5k run on May 27, 2012.
2. Create an R2EP Team at your organization / school / business OR suggest it to a friend!
Last year the Run to End Poverty raised $100,000 for EWB’s Africa Programs. That’s HUGE! And, corporate teams were a big reason for this achievement.
For Organizations or Businesses – Employees at companies including Shell, TransCanada, CH2MHill and AltaGas all contributed heavily to last year’s Calgary fundraising. If you think your company could use a boost in spirit and charitable giving, then the Run to End Poverty is an excellent opportunity to get involved in a fun, healthy activity while giving back to a good cause.
For Universities or Schools – If you feel like your school or university (even your child’s highschool or junior high) needs an interesting project to build team spirit, then this is an excellent opportunity. Maybe you can create a partnership with the track and field team?
Start a team, and as a reward you will be entered into a draw to receive your own FREE run registration. Contact: calgary@runtoendpoverty.ca to get a team started.
3. Volunteer your time (from a JUST a few hours to a lead role)
The organizing team is still looking for people to take on lead roles (including logistics, media support and sponsorship). However, every bit counts and we will also need lots of help for just a few hours on Race Day (May 27, 2012), as well as a few hours of help in preparation ahead of the big event. For more information on volunteering opportunities with the R2EP contact Barend Dronkers or visit the EWB Calgary Webpage.
Hosted by EWB and The Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC), we are holding our first mixer on Thursday. Development Drinks will be an excellent opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and those in the non-profit and development sector.
The reservation is under ACGC / Development Drinks, and we will be located in the basement room.
Parking is available on the street or in the parking lot near Eau Claire Market.
