by Laurena Rehbein
World Neighbours Canada (WNC) was founded in Oliver 24 years ago, and our programs are currently active in four areas:
• Nepal (Asia)
• Burkina Faso (Africa)
• Honduras (Central America)
• Guatemala (Central America)
The programs work to lead people to be reliant on their own powers and resources.
That means we help people in the program areas analyze and solve their own problems, and then we encourage and train leaders local to the project areas to carry out their own solutions (with our financial support).
Nothing is done “for” the people, or “to” the people in these countries – rather, the people make improvements on their own. We think that really increases the potential for lasting change.
The sort of changes made include the building of pit toilets and central water taps (Nepal), indoor smokeless stoves and chicken rearing (Guatemala), and more effective agricultural techniques (Honduras). (Information about all of our projects can be found at http://worldneighbours.ca.)
One-hundred per cent of the money raised by WNC goes into the projects in the program areas, because we have no paid staff members and our group is run by volunteers (our modest administrative costs are covered by our directors). We are non-sectarian and support people of all faith traditions, and are a federally registered charity.
World Neighbours Canada was started in Oliver in 1989. The first Board of Directors included local residents Graem Nelson, Marion Boyd, Vivian Calder and Michael Newman. Current board members include Graem Nelson, Bruce Petch (Kamloops), Dale Dodge (Oliver), David Denbigh (Kamloops), Judy Gray (Kamloops), Mary Doyle (Oliver), and myself – I am the newest board member, having been signed on in February 2013.
For more information about the programs in each of these areas, along with maps showing their locations and program reports, please check out our website at www.worldneighbours.ca
There is also information there on how to donate. You can also call 250-498-1713, or email laurena@worldneighbours.ca.