Join us in taking action to urge the Canadian Government to speak out against the atrocities occurring in the Congo and Roza’s community.
Using facebook & social media – contact your MP.
Get informed and ask the question:
What is Canada doing to protect civilians, particularly women and children, from the violence in the DR Congo?
TAKE ACTION:
http://youth.devp.org/action-drc/
Application deadline is June 30, 2011.
The Youth Programs Interns will work closely with the Youth Programs staff to promote and support the involvement of young people in Development and Peace. Currently more than 180 Development and Peace JUST YOUTH groups across the country participate in our education and fundraising campaigns. Learn more about Development and Peace and our Youth Programs at www.devp.org and http://youth.devp.org.
The internship is a volunteer position with a monthly honorarium, for young adults aged 18-35, for the period of September 6 to December 23 2011. It has been designed to meet the needs of the organization and the Intern’s learning goals. For the fall of 2011, we invite applications for 2 internship positions in our Toronto office.
The interns will contribute to: Producing our 2011-12 THINKfast! materials, the Youth Blog and other Social Media platforms, Outreaching to Catholic schools in Ontario and JUST YOUTH groups across Canada, and Database and Administration work.
Responsibilities will include:
Skills Required:
Assets:
Remuneration:
For these internship positions Development and Peace is offering an honorarium of $500 per month for 35 hours/week, which includes occasional evening and/or weekend presentations. The internship requires a minimum 4-month commitment, with a possibility of extension into 2012.
To apply:
Send in a) your resume b) a cover letter describing why you would like to work for Development and Peace, what you would contribute to it, and what you hope to learn during your internship.
Send your application by email to Genevieve Gallant, Youth Programs, Development and Peace at ggallant@devp.org.
HIRING PROCESS: Application deadline is June 30, 2011. Short-listed candidates will be contacted by email in mid-July. Interviews will take place in the first week of August. Start Date is September 6, 2011.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), violence has become a way of life. Violence against women is out of control and rape has become a weapon of war.
In many instances, armed men will overrun a village, attack the inhabitants, rape the women, destroy crops and leave in their wake a path of terror and destruction.
For those who manage to escape, they must return to their villages in the aftermath and try to heal from trauma and re-build their communities with a culture of peace.
This is the story told in ournew graphic novel: ROZA or the Courage to Choose Life, written and illustrated by Congolese artist Séraphin Kajibwami and published by Development and Peace in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The graphic novel includes an overview of the issues affecting this resource-rich country.
The graphic novel will be launched on Tuesday, April 5th with special guests Sister Marie-Bernard Alima, the secretary general of the Justice and Peace Episcopal Commission of the DRC and Most Rev. Nicolas Djomo, President of the Conference of Bishops of the DRC, both of whom are working to bring peace to their country.
Development and Peace supports several projects in the DRC to strengthen democracy, empower women, ensure fair control of natural resources and establish peace in the country.
OFFICIAL LAUNCH
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
5 p.m.
Maison de l’Afrique, 6256 Henri-Julien St.
Watch for this graphic novel to be distributed in your region this fall!
Interested? Contact Genevieve Gallant, Youth Programs at Development and Peace: ggallant@devp.org 1-800-494-1401 ext 230
For more information on Development and Peace’s Share Lent campaign, and to see where Fr. Luis will be throughout his stay in Ottawa, visit the Share Lent blog.
Since its foundation by the Jesuits in 1988, the Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez Human Rights Center (Center Prodh) has worked to defend, promote and increase respect for human rights in Mexico.
As a result of its efforts, inspired by close contact with victims and characterized by professionalism and a holistic perspective in defending and promoting human rights, Center Prodh has achieved:
* The successful defense of crucial cases of human rights violations, including the liberation of a number of prisoners of conscience.
* The strengthening of human rights activists’ work in various regions of Mexico through trainings, workshops, and courses.
* Successful activism, litigation, and other participation before international bodies such as:
* An active presence in various networks of Mexican human rights organizations and fruitful dialogue with academic and research bodies.
Scotty (PEI), Sarah (NS) and Daniel (NFLD) Youth Reps!
The Nova Scotia area, Antigonish to be exact, has been keeping things upbeat.
This past week at ST.FX University students held a Sustainability Week with lots of presentations, booths and activities for students and the townspeople of Antigonish to get out and be informed at and to learn about what are the growing concerns today and what we need to work towards to improve our environment.
Each day held a different topic, Development and Peace helped out with Tuesday March 22nd BOTTLED WATER FREE Day!!!
Getting the word out about our initiatives, what exactly we do as D&P and how we as a community can help to conserve water and stop using bottled water.
Here is just a quick glance of what the week entailed:
Monday, March 21 (Sustainability)
Tuesday, March 22 (Water)
March 22 is International Water Day, so the day’s events will be themed around good ol’ H2O.Wednesday, March 23 (Food):
Thursday, March 24 (Justice):
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch & Learn – “Global Partnerships & Sustainability” With Wyanne Sandler, Breaking the Silence Saturday, March 26 (Earth Hour):
Another Update as D&P rolls on in the East Coast:
This Monday March 28th, a presentation will be given to a local high school in Antigonish in two grade 12 classes, Sarah Cavan, Danny Gillis and Ann Cooke will be presenting the role D&P plays in Canada and what youth/students/communities and people in general can do to help with our topic this year…WATER FOR ALL.
The first class is an IB Global Issues Class, the second class is a combination of 3 classes (there will be about 40ish in total) two global history classes and one global geography class. We want to give youth the opportunity to brainstorm and show them how much they can do to help D&P in the future, to show students it’s the little things such as not buying bottled water that can help, a little goes a long way!
Agenda for our talk is as follows:
Keeping the word spreading is just what we are doing on the East; D&P is working hard to making things happen. Keep up the great work everyone!!!
Sarah Cavan, Nova Scotia Youth Rep
Media? Newspaper article in the Catholic Register about the Carleton University THINKfast
Still planning? Full THINKfast kit in an e-book format
Promo? St. Thomas Aquinas in Brampton’s promo video for Bottled Water Free Zones
Videos to watch?
http://youth.devp.org/2011/01/water-justice-movies/
http://youth.devp.org/2010/03/thank-you-videos/
http://youth.devp.org/tag/videos/
As always, send us in your photos, media, flyers and we will put them up!
This week is D and P Makes a Difference week! March 10 – March 20 is your chance to make a difference with Development and Peace.
This special week is an initiative of D & P with the Canadian Catholic Student Assocation – and there are events across the country!
Toronto, University of St. Michael’s College: Bottled Water Free campaign throughout the weekFor more info on these events and contacts so you can join them, check out the Catholic Students Week listing on the CCSA website.
Join us for Share Lent 2011 — the annual awareness and fundraising campaign of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace. Through your generous donations to Development and Peace this and every Lent, you help build a world of justice.
THE NEW BLOG IS LIVE!
This year, in addition to the printed material, Development and Peace has also created an interactive blog that will use the testimony of members to publicize the work being carried out by its partners in the Global South.
You will find photos, videos and articles to share, a calendar of events and all the resources you need to a rocking Share Lent in your school or parish!
FUNDRAISING ONLINE!
This year, for the very first time, you can participate in our online fundraising efforts for Share Lent by creating a personal page. Offer your talents to those who need them (music, gardening, cooking) and, in exchange, ask your entourage to give to Development and Peace.
So, check it out. See you over at the Share Lent blog!
Word from the Nelson Youth Justice Rally – February 25, 26 & 27, 2011
The Nelson Youth Rally rocked, shocked, and stirred us all weekend, galvanizing everyone into agents of social action in Nelson and the wider world.
Little did I know what was waiting for me when I set out from Victoria on a snowy Thursday morning to begin the epic journey to Nelson through oceans, mountains, and a multitude of Dairy Queens. Smooth traveling is often preferred, but a total absence of friction on ice-covered roads is a step too far. My intrepid travel companion, Julia, and myself gritted our teeth and slid over the many passes (with names such as “Anarchist” to sooth the nerves!) before descending in ecstatic relief into the little mountain town of Nelson.
The arctic winds were still blowing when the busload (and extra van required en route for overspill) of high school students arrived at St Jo’s school, Nelson, late on Friday. The delays and looks of bus-induced fatigue showed that they suffered in the smae fate on the roads.
However, undeterred, the rally began and energy levels bounced back with the start of Penticton’s finest worship band leading us in high-energy, fist pumping, song and dance. We launched straight into the rally’s theme of “Water for all – Let justice flow!” with an improvised skit, ‘Out of Order’, that was as funny as it was disorganized.
Yet, there was no missing the obvious points made about our perceptions of bottled water – clean, attractive, and convenient – and the contrasting reality – unregulated, unsustainable, and exploitative. Armed with our shiny new re-useable aluminum water bottles, we all returned to our respective territories on classroom floors for a refreshing sleep.
The following morning, a volunteer awoke me by prying the table, which I had taken refuge under for the night, from my grasp. The shock was hers when she found me curled under it, but negotiations over its imminent use for breakfast convinced me to it let go. Semi awake, but well fed, we got organized for the day’s mission: a citywide bottle drive to raise money for the local food bank.
As we set off in our groups, it soon became apparent that serious endurance was required to deal with the pain of freezing extremities and avoid hypothermia in the -15 degree winds. But the effort was well worth it. People greeted us warmly, fully backed our campaign to go “back to the tap,” and heaped empty cans and bottles on our backs so that we ended up shuffling through the snow looking like Sherpas.
The result… over $550 raised for the food bank and 80 participants delighted to defrost and refuel once back indoors.
Later that afternoon we were transformed into little communities spread across lush fields and desert plains in order to simulate the challenges faced in the equitable distribution of water.
Poor families in “Desertia” ended up with high debts, illness, death and still faced water shortages, while others in “Watopia,” by virtue of their good fortune of being located amidst plenty of water, accumulated more wealth and water than they needed. Hearing the different families share their experiences afterwards brought home how complex it can be share equitably, even when everyone is doing their best.
The day ended with a closer look at what Development and Peace is – a member-led international development organization founded by the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops – and how it tries to address challenges, such as 
those we encountered in our simulation game, through fundraising and education in Canada in order to support partners in the Global South who promote alternatives to unfair social, political and economic structures.
We also heard some personal stories from the leaders about their journeys into social justice activity. Juilio even rocked the house with his freestyle rap!
Before heading back home, after an eventful and thought provoking weekend, we considered how we could bring the ideas and action experienced in Nelson back to our own communities, i.e. how to share the love?!
Without going into details, the journey home for poor Julia and I made the one to Nelson seem like a Sunday afternoon stroll on a sunny day. I am still thanking God that we survived! But on reflection, there is nothing I would rather risk my life for, than quality time with great friends, working to alleviate poverty any way, big or small, and the sense of fun and fullness that is still lasting today.
A BIG shout out to everyone there, all who organized it, and you for checking this out! Peace.
Jacques St. Laurent, Victoria BC
March 8, this year, International Women’s Day is 100 years old!
Here is a flashback to what it was like in…
1911
More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic ‘Triangle Fire’ in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women’s Day events. 1911 also saw women’s ‘Bread and Roses‘ campaign.
1913-1914
On the eve of World War I campaigning for peace, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February 1913. In 1913 following discussions, International Women’s Day was transferred to 8 March and this day has remained the global date for International Wommen’s Day ever since. In 1914 further women across Europe held rallies to campaign against the war and to express women’s solidarity.
excerpts from http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
At Development and Peace
Partner Profile: Afghan Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC)
The AWRC is an organization that uses microcredit to help Afghan women start small businesses and generate revenues so that they may fight their way out of poverty.
For Pary Gul, 30, the AWRC has changed her life and that of her family. She lives with her husband, their four children as well as her mother. With so many people to support, the family simply could not meet its basic needs.
Thanks to a loan of 5,000 afghanis (about $120.00) from the AWRC, Pary was able to buy a small bread oven and firewood and start baking dough brought to her by the community’s other women. After two months, Pary started preparing regional dishes (sambosa, manto and bolani) and baking her own bread in a traditional Afghan clay oven called a tanor, while her husband busied himself selling the bread. Through monthly payments, she managed to repay her loan quickly while providing for her family.
for more on our programs in Afghanistan: http://www.devp.org/devpme/eng/international/afghanistan-eng.html
Today let’s give thanks for, and celebrate, the strength and wisdom of women — sisters around the world who are working with their families and communities, in peace and with justice, to bring about God’s reign on earth!
by Genevieve Gallant
