Shift 8

On Tuesday, SOH brought you the first of a two-part interview with the President of World Vision Canada, Dave Toycen. Today (as promised) we’re excited to bring you the final installment of that interview.

ME: What can people/groups in Canada do to help?

Dave: Canadians wishing to donate to our efforts in eastern DRC can do so by calling 1-800-268-5528, or by visiting www.worldvision.ca. Those wishing to take action and keep up to date on our efforts can do so with one of the following tools. We also have a vast array of resource available at www.worldvision.ca/congo including prayer points for those who believe in prayer.

Write Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs: Using our fast and simple tool, demand Canada take leadership in addressing the crisis in Congo.

Join the Canadians Concerned About Congo Facebook group for updates, actions and discussions.

Check out WorldVisionCanada on YouTube for videos from Congo you can embed on blogs.

Follow CongoAlerts on Twitter for timely updates on the current humanitarian disaster.

ME: Do you have any stories from your trip to DRC that you would like to tell?

Dave: One of the most inspiring children I met was 16-year-old Jonathan*. Jonathan is a former child solider who is now the president of a Child’s Parliament group that World Vision supports in the region. The group was formed in order to empower children to be part of peacebuilding initiatives in their community and has already had a significant impact. Just after the group was formed, the children realized that many homeless children were ending up in the local jail, kept with adult criminals. The group petitioned the local authority and had 15 children successfully freed from the prison and placed in care with host families in the town. The group has also instigated a watch group for girls fetching water so that during this vulnerable act of walking to nearby rivers, the girls are flanked by older boys who stave off potential molesters. It is children like Jonathan that remind me that sometimes children’s courageous acts can embarrass adults into doing the right thing.

Jonathan

*name has been changed to protect the identity of the child.

ME: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Dave: I think it’s important that we remember there is always hope even in the most dire circumstances. I met a mother named Esperance who was at one of our health clinics waiting for her child to be treated. The little one is malnourished, suffering from diarrhea and although slowly recovering after six weeks of treatment, still fighting for her life. Esperance told me that her family is short of food, especially since her husband was shot while trying to flee violence and is now disabled. The family depends on Esperance to tend a small plot for food and take care of them physically. Amidst all of that pain though, Esperance – her name literally meaning hope – told me of her dreams of a future where the war will end and her family can start producing their own food; a future where her children will be safe and have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Esperance with her child, and Dave

Our sincerest thanks go out to Dave Toycen for this interview, and to his amazing staff, for the work they do bringing awareness and aid to the world’s most impoverished people. You truly inspire us!