Regaining lost youth: A place to heal in Sierra Leone

Fazineh Keita and Ava Vanderstarren, founders of Innocence Lost Foundation, are raising money to build a community centre in Kabala, Sierra Leone in order to provide a safe haven and educational facility for former child soldiers affected by the Sierra Leone civil war in the 1990s. Through presentations, event fundraising and outreach programs throughout the…

B.C. students export their knowledge

Have you ever thought that world crises could be more easily solved if business, government and nonprofit sectors worked more closely together? That’s the idea that was developed during the Global Crisis Simulation, founded in 2013 by a group of students from the University of British Columbia (UBC). They saw a need for a truly…

A lecture on conservationism

Dolphins are precious and intelligent creatures. They put a smile on our faces with their happy sounds and graceful movements. Yet in places where dolphins are not a protected species or where the enforcement of protective laws is lacking, the reality is very different. Stefan Austermuhle is a German biologist who had been involved with…

Empowerment and enlightenment for women in Afghanistan

A society with an educated population will find the tools and agency in itself to flourish. That’s the belief that motivates the Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan), a non-profit organization, to work towards the attainment of universal education in Afghanistan. For the past 15 years, Canadians in the organization have dedicated themselves to…

Spreading worldwide literacy and gender equality

Instead of the usual formal sit-down event, Room to Read, a global non-profit organization focused on literacy, wants to start a discussion for change. To commemorate its 15th anniversary, the Vancouver chapter plans to host a series of events instead of one big one. Room to Read is aiming to reach its 10 millionth child…

Turkish Ambassador sees similarities between Canada and home country

Vancouver’s claim to fame, according to Turkish Ambassador to Canada, Selcuk Unal, is that it was first – the first city to establish a Turkish Canadian Society, back in 1963. In town for Turkish Republic Day celebrations, Ambassador Unal discusses how a coincidental family fact along with tourism, a diverse palate and strong educational opportunities…