Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Celebrating the Nobel Peace Prize 2014: The Power of Education!
2014-12-10 | Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat, 199 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1N 1K6, Canada
Participants joined AKFC and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway on December 10 for an evening featuring:

Video highlights from the Nobel Peace Prize Awards Ceremony in Oslo
A discussion on girls’ education between award-winning journalist and author of Ascent of Women, Sally Armstrong, human rights activist, Lauryn Oates, and Afghan-Canadian girls’ education expert, Noorin Nazari
A festive reception with Norwegian treats
An opportunity to purchase holiday gifts that empower women from Far and Wide Collective

Event details: This event has taken place.

In partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway

Undertaken with the financial support of:

Canadian Humanitarian Conference
2014-12-04 - 2014-12-05
Photo courtesty of DFATD
Watch the webcasts:

Webcast
The following conference sessions are available as webcasts:
Thursday, December 4:
Opening Remarks

Khalil Shariff, CEO, Aga Khan Foundation Canada
The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and la Francophonie
Nicolas Moyer, Executive Director, Humanitarian Coalition

Presentation by Nick Harvey, Thematic Team Coordinator, World Humanitarian Summit
Responding to emergencies in the most difficult places: Is the global humanitarian system failing to reach those in need?

Nigel Fisher, former Regional UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis
Stephen Cornish, Executive Director, MSF Canada
Claude Bruderlein, Strategic Advisor to the President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Catherine Bragg (Moderator), former Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Beyond Government: The Role of Humanitarian Organizations in Upholding the Responsibility to Protect Principle

Clémentine Olivier, Humanitarian Affairs Advisor,Médecins sans Frontières Canada
Eamon Aloyo, Senior researcher at the Hague Institute for Global Justice
Kyle Matthews (Moderator), Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
Marie Lamensch, Assistant to the Director at the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS)

Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management into Development Practice

Nusrat Nasab, Executive Officer, Focus Humanitarian Assistance, Pakistan
Andrew Shore, Director, Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Response Group (IRH), Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Ashbindu Singh, former Director of the Early Warning of Emerging issues Branch, United Nations Environment Program
Michelle McCombs (Moderator), Deputy Director, Programs at Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC)

Closing Plenary

Sue Szabo, Director of Social and Economic Policy, IDRC
Presentation on the Syria Crisis by Nigel Fisher, former Regional UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis
Presentation on the Ebola Crisis by Patricia Erb, President and CEO of Save the Children Canada

Friday, December 5:
Health Care in Danger: Legal and Ethical Challenges

Robert Young, Senior Delegate, ICRC
Adrian Di Giovanni, Senior Program Officer, Law & Development, IDRC
Josephine Cirezi Cishibanji, Project Coordinator, MSF
Nils Mork, Assistant Project Manager for MSF’s Medical Care Under Fire project, Director of Communications, MSF Norway
Isabelle Daoust (Moderator), Senior Advisor, Office of the Director General, International Operations and Movement Relations, Canadian Red Cross

Opening Plenary with Keynote Speaker

Khalil Shariff, CEO, Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
François Audet, Professor, School of Sciences and Management ESG UQAM & Director, Canadian Research Institute on Crisis and Aid (OCCAH)

Adaptive and Accountable Reponse: Use of Technology and Feedback Loops

Isabella Jean, Director of Evaluation and Learning, CDA (Cambridge, MA)
Gabriele Almon, Fellow – Humanitarian GIS Specialist, World Vision International
Alana Mascoll, World Vision Canada Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs Program Officer
Denise Byrnes (Moderator), Executive Director, Oxfam-Québec

Advancing Canada’s Humanitarian Leadership Through Cross-Sector Collaboration

Nicolas Moyer, Executive Director, Humanitarian Coalition
Paul Forgues, Principal Manager, Governance and Corporate Responsibility, Conference Board of Canada
Rosemary McCarney, CEO and President, Plan Canada

The Role of the Private Sector in Humanitarian Response: Good Practice and Opportunities for Expanded Collaboration Between Humanitarian and Business Communities

Brent Carbno, Program Director, Ericsson Response
Jay Aldous, WFP Director of Private Sector Partnerships
Charlotte Empey, Principal, FYI Media, former Editor in Chief of Metro News
Jacqueline Wright (Moderator), Vice-President International Programs, CARE Canada

Closing Plenary

Leslie Norton, Director General, International Humanitarian Assistance Directorate, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
John de Boer, Senior Policy Advisor, UN University – Centre for Policy Research (UNU-CPR)
Nick Harvey, Thematic Team Coordinator, World Humanitarian Summit
Nicolas Moyer, Executive Director, Humanitarian Coalition

Closing Remarks

Khalil Shariff, CEO, Aga Khan Foundation Canada
Rosemary McCarney, CEO, Plan Canada

Click here for more information on the Canadian Humanitarian Conference.

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Undertaken with the financial support of:

#CHC2014 Tweets

Re-imagining Social Accountability for Results
2014-12-02
Participants joined Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Global Partnership for Social Accountability for a presentation and panel discussion on the current state of civil society and recommendations for new perspectives on future engagement. The seminar also launched the GPSA report Social Accountability: What Does the Evidence Really Say? Paul Samson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, provided opening remarks.
Event details:This event has taken place.
Speakers:

Opening remarks by Paul Samson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Roby Senderowitsch, Head of the Global Partnership for Social Accountability, The World Bank
Almudena Ocejo, the Executive Director of the Centre for Social Control and Democratic Construction at CIESAS in Mexico
Sajjadur Syed Rahman, Senior Fellow, School of International Development and Global Studies, Ottawa University

In partnership with:

Undertaken with the financial support of:

Financial Inclusion and the Rise of Digital Banking
2014-11-21
Jason Lamb, Deputy Director, Financial Services for the Poor with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, provided an overview of low-cost digital payment systems and recent innovations aimed at improving financial inclusion in developing countries.
This knowledge exchange workshop was targeted towards development practitioners and academics who are active in the delivery and analysis of programs facilitating the provision of financial services to poor individuals, entrepreneurs, and small and medium enterprises.
EIn partnership with:

Undertaken with the financial support of:

Webcast: Development Finance Institutions and the Canadian Development Context
2014-11-19
This webcast is the first of a series of events that AKFC hosted on topics related to emerging economies.
Event details:This event has taken place.
Watch the webcast:

Webcast presenters included:
Brett House, Senior Fellow with CIGI, is a Visiting Scholar at Massey College, University of Toronto and Lecturer in the Economics Department and a Senior Fellow at the Jeanne Sauvé Foundation at McGill University. His research looks at the effects of trade liberalization on growth, the rise of emerging markets, and options to improve sovereign debt restructuring. He is also an advisor to and partner in Tau+ Investment Management, a start-up impact fund.
Gerhard Pries, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, is founder and CEO of Sarona Asset Management Inc., formerly MEDA Investments Inc. In over 20 years of frontier market investing, Mr. Pries has been a founder of a number of firms and funds, including Sarona, MicroVest Capital Management, MicroCap Capital, and the Latin America Challenge Investment Fund. He currently serves on the Investment Committee for Grand Challenges Canada and on the boards of MicroVest Holdings, ImpactAssets, and numerous companies in the Sarona portfolio.
Karim Harji is a co-founder and partner at Purpose Capital, an impact investment advisory firm that mobilizes all forms of capital — financial, human and social — to accelerate social progress. Karim is a Senior Research Associate at the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation at Carleton University, and teaches social entrepreneurship in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is the co-founder of SocialFinance.ca, and serves on the Boards of the Responsible Investment Association, Small Change Fund, and CanadaHelps.
Dr. Linda Jones is the Director of SME/Investment at MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) and an international expert in the field of inclusive private sector development including. Linda has extensive strategy and implementation experience across Asia and Africa through long-term positions and consulting assignments for implementing agencies, multi-lateral organisations and private sector entities. Following a successful career as a business executive, Linda was Senior Technical Advisor at the Aga Khan Foundation in Geneva, Technical Director at MEDA in Canada, and Director of the Centre for Women’s Leadership at the Coady International Institute. She has contributed to the overall advancement of the pro-poor economic development field through positions such as the Chair of the Board of Directors of the SEEP Network, Editor of the Enterprise Development and Microfinance Journal, Founder and Chair of Women Advancing Microfinance, Canada, and Advisor to the Eurasia Foundation on women’s entrepreneurship. Linda has published extensively on inclusive economic development – including the primary resource on Agricultural Value Chain Finance with the FAO – and has been a facilitator/trainer with the Southern New Hampshire University, the SEEP Network, the Boulder Institute, and the International Labour Organisation among others. Linda was a Commonwealth Scholar and holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from McMaster University and a diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies from Conrad Grebel College.

Undertaken with the financial support of:

Inside Afghanistan: Mellissa Fung on Reporting from One of the World's Most Fragile States
2014-11-10 - 2014-11-19
This event was co-presented by Aga Khan Foundation Canada and our partner journalism schools across the country. Mellissa’s presentation included an audience Q&A.
Event details:This event has taken place at University of King’s College, Carleton University, Mount Royal University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Regina, Concordia University, and Humber College.
Join the conversation: #InsideAfghanistan
Download the poster here.
Speakers:
Mellissa Fung
Award-winning journalist and former CBC correspondent Mellissa Fung has been on the frontlines of a wide range of stories on both Canadian and world affairs for the last 20 years. She covered the war in Afghanistan, and produced the award-winning documentaries Canada’s Ugly Secret and No Country for Horses. She received the prestigious Gracie Award for her interview Comparing Notes from Captivity. Her bestselling first book, Under an Afghan Sky, chronicles her experience as a hostage after she was kidnapped while on assignment in Afghanistan in 2008. In 2013, Fung returned to Afghanistan to report on the continuing challenges that exist there for women and girls. In addition to the CBC, her work has appeared in The Walrus, The Toronto Star, GlobalPost, and PBS among other publications. She has been featured as a keynote speaker for organizations as diverse as the Women for Women in Afghanistan, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, and the American Bar Association. Fung lives in Washington, DC
This series was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: A Challenge for West Africa
2014-11-10 - 2014-11-11
We traveled across Quebec to bring this exciting discussion to your university!
Event details: This event has taken place at Université Laval and Université de Montréal.
Download the poster here.
Speakers:
Dr. Mamadou Koné Program Manager, Health, Aga Khan Foundation Mali
Dr. Mamadou Koné has almost 15 years of experience in managing and coordinating community health programs within large international health organizations. In February 2012, he became Health Program Manager for Aga Khan Foundation Mali. Prior to this, Dr. Mamadou worked for different international NGOs: Motherland international (1998-2001); Aide Médicale Internationale (2002); and Action Mopti (2003-2012). During this period, Dr. Mamadou worked on various health related issues within international development: maternal and child health, HIV, nomadic health, health in school environments, medical and psycho-social care for orphans, and sexual and reproductive health among adolescents. His extensive knowledge of his country’s healthcare system allows him to act as a consultant and to support health-related decision-making.
Dr. Aboubakary Gollock, Research Professor, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
Aboubakry Gollock is a consultant and associate researcher professor at the Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD), in Dakar. He holds a PhD in Economic Sciences from the Pierre Mendès France University (UPMF) in Grenoble as well as a post-doctorate in public health (Axe Santé mondiale) from the Research Centre of the CHUM (Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal). Dr. Gollock also conducts research in Senegal as part of IDRC’s West African capacity-building initiative, which is geared toward health systems research. His research looks mainly at issues related to governance, equity and healthcare funding in Sub-Saharan Africa, at assessments of public policy and international aid, and at the economy of health-related intellectual property and innovation.
Université Laval Speaker: Dr. Slim Haddad, Professor in Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval
Slim Haddad is a physician specializing in public health and also holds a PhD in Economics. He teaches in the fields of program planning and evaluation, international health, health economics and applied research methods for population health. He is actively involved in global health research. His investigations address the fight against malaria and child anemia in Africa, the promotion of vaccinations and the reduction of maternal mortality. His current research examines the sources of vulnerability among young children and mothers, the analysis of inequalities in healthcare and access to services, and the impact assessment of population interventions in the development context. He has coordinated the completion of numerous research projects and programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. He manages “Santé-Cap”, an inter-university research training program in world health, as well as the Teasdale-Corti research team on vulnerability and health in West Africa.
Université Laval Moderator: Dr. Jacques E. Girard, Associate Dean, Population Health, Université Laval
Jacques Girard has specialized in community health since 1981. After a three-years of international cooperation experience in Africa, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at Université Laval in social medicine, health systems analysis, primary healthcare and global health. In October 2005 he worked as an international consultant in the development of health systems and services in Chile and Mexico. In 2012 Dr. Girard was appointed Associate Commissioner for Appreciation and Analysis at the Health and Wellbeing Commissioner’s Office. More recently, he became medical assistant for Quebec City’s public health regional director. For the last two years, he has been the Dean’s assistant in population health, and he has worked in particular on global health development at Univesité Laval’s Faculty of Medicine.
Université de Montréal Speaker: Dr. Valéry Ridde, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal
Valéry Ridde, PhD, is an associate professor at the Université de Montreal’s School of Public Health, a researcher at CHUM’s Research Centre and he holds a research chair in applied public health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. His research interests include universal healthcare, health services funding, assessment of world health programs and related public policies, and healthcare access equity. His PhD in community health from Université Laval in Québec City looked at public policies related to health and equity in West Africa (the case of the Bamako Initiative in Burkina Faso). He has published over 120 articles in academic journals. His scientific writings and reflections can be found here.
Université de Montréal Moderator :Dr. Lucien Albert, Director, Unité de santé internationale
Lucien Albert specializes in management and change within health organizations. He co-founded the International Health Unit (USI) at Université de Montreal in 1996 and has been its director ever since. This organization is affiliated with Université de Montreal’s School of Public Health and to its hospital (CHUM). In his role as director, Mr. Albert manages the development, planning and coordination of international health projects in more than 30 countries. He has supported the design and implementation of healthcare reforms (including hospital reforms) in several countries, supported strategies aimed at improving human resources systems, supported the inauguration and management of various hospitals, led numerous restructurings and audits, supported health planning at the national, regional and local levels, and has supported the strategic planning of several teaching and health institutions. These programs have been carried out directly for developing countries or for bilateral or multilateral cooperation organizations such as the World Bank, the World Health Organization, DFATD, the French Development Agency (ADF) and private foundations, among others.

This series was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

Youth (Un)Employment: Global Problems Meet Local Solutions
2014-10-20 - 2014-10-24
Why youth economic opportunities? Young people bring energy, capacity and ingenuity to economies and communities. Yet 73 million young people across the globe continue to look for work without many opportunities. We wanted to bring attention to innovative initiatives, such as the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Pakistan, as well as community driven initiatives in Canada, that are paving a path to increase economic opportunities for young people.

Event details:This event has taken place at the University of Calgary, the University of Toronto, Dalhousie University, the University of Ottawa, and McGill University.
Watch the webcast:

Download the event poster here.
Join the conversation: #AKFCYouth
Speakers:
Abdul Malik, General Manager, Aga Khan Rural Support Program in Pakistan
Abdul Malik has more than 12 years of professional experience in the field of development and has been General Manager of AKRSP Pakistan since 2011. At AKRSP, he is leading a number of key initiative surrounding youth development, rural livelihoods and institutional development. Previously, he worked in the United States with a number of leading institutions, including the World Bank and the Brookings Institution. Mr. Malik has primarily worked on issues surrounding aid effectiveness, migration, poverty and local development. Mr. Malik holds a Masters degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and an MBA from LUMS Pakistan.
Erin Markel, Principal Consultant, MarketShare Associates
Currently Erin is a Principal Consultant at MarketShare Associates (MSA), a boutique consulting firm committed to supporting innovative economic development programming and results measurement. She heads MSA’s Economic Opportunities practice area, which focuses on empowering women and youth. Erin has led a variety of consultancies including work with USAID, the IFC, Plan, CARE and the Aga Khan Foundation. Prior to joining MSA, Erin was a Program Manager, Market Development and Access to Finance at the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). Past experience included working for Women’s World Banking, ProMujer International and the Aspen Institute. Erin holds a Master of International Affairs in Economic and Political Development from Columbia University.
Local speakers:
Toronto – Cindy Tan, Project Director, CivicAction
Over the past five years, Cindy has contributed to CivicAction’s work driving multisectoral collaboration on issues ranging from transportation, leadership diversity, to regional economic cooperation. Cindy is now project director of CivicAction’s newest initiative, Escalator: Jobs for Youth Facing Barriers. She also oversees CivicAction’s DiverseCity Fellows program and Emerging Leaders Network (ELN), two initiatives that are nurturing the next generation of city-builders and changing the face of our region’s leadership. Prior to this, Cindy spent almost a decade focused on social, economic, and cultural change in China, including managing a poverty reduction grants program. She has degrees in anthropology, political science and women’s studies. Cindy is passionate about supporting others to reach their potential and bring about change in their lives and in their communities.
Halifax – Denise De Long, Project Manager, Greater Halifax Partnership
Denise manages the Halifax Connector Program – a networking program that helps local and international graduates connects people with business leaders and better succeed in Halifax. She has an M.Ed is in Educational Policy (International/Global) and a graduate diploma in Adult Education. Her background spans 20 years of intercultural communication training and teacher training in Canada, Taiwan and China. Denise also provides support to the National Connector Program that is being replicated in cities across Canada. Denise worked in educational project management and program development across Alberta. Since returning to Halifax in 2008, Denise has worked at Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services and Dalhousie University. She has been a certified administrator for the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and has lead workshops for teachers and faculty.
Ottawa – Gordon Betcherman, Professor in the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa
Gordon Betcherman is a Professor in the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa, with a cross appointment to the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He is the Supervisor of the doctoral program in International Development at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Betcherman is also a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Germany. His research interests are in labor economics, demography, social policy, and the economics of development. His most recent publications are on the impacts of labor market institutions in developing countries. He was a co-author of the World Bank’s 2013 World Development Report on Jobs. Dr. Betcherman joined the University of Ottawa in 2009 after 11 years at the World Bank where he last was Sector Manager and Lead Economist in the Human Development Sector, Europe and Central Asia Region. He holds a PhD from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Montreal – Darlene Hnatchuk, Director, Career Planning Service (CaPS), McGill University
Darlene is Director at CaPS, McGill’s central career services. She works with employers who want to connect with and recruit the great talent at McGill, and assists students in understanding and articulating the skills and qualities they have developed through their experiences. Darlene has worked in career services for over thirteen years in universities and non-profit organizations where she has focused on youth employment and career development. She was previously on the board of directors for the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers. She is currently on a mission to promote increased experiential learning opportunities for students. Darlene holds a master’s degree in organizational development from Université Laval.

This event was undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

Book Launch: Making Markets More Inclusive
2014-10-16
In honour of World Food Day (October 16), participants joined AKFC for the launch of Making Markets More Inclusive, a book that shows how NGOs and companies can connect poor producers with the right markets to create better social and economic impact.

The event featured presentations by author Kevin McKague and CARE’s senior technical advisor, Farouk Jiwa who discussed the challenges, successes and lessons learned from their experiences in market engagement and value chain analysis in Bangladesh. The presentations included short videos and photos from development projects and were followed by a question and answer session with the audience. The book was available for purchase immediately following the event.
Event details:This event has taken place.
“Making Markets More Inclusive is a rare book that makes the local relevant for the global by drawing out lessons from CARE’s project work in Bangladesh’s dairy industry through a flexible, pragmatic, and ultimately satisfying application of value chain tools. There’s much to be commended in this book!” – Timothy J. Sturgeon, Senior Research Affiliate, Massachusetts Institue of Technology
Speakers
Dr. Kevin McKague is an assistant professor of eEntrepreneurship and strategy at the Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University, and an internationally experienced academic and researcher of market-based and social enterprise-led approaches global poverty alleviation.
Farouk Jiwa is senior technical advisor for economic development at CARE USA, and co-founder and director of both Farm Shop and Honey Care Africa.
Synopsis
Making Markets More Inclusive: Lessons from CARE and the Future of Sustainability in Agricultural Value Chain Development bridges the management literature with original research on agricultural value chains in developing and emerging economies. This exciting work is the first to delve into the skills, capabilities, strategies and approaches needed for inclusive value chain development. McKague shows how NGOs and companies can connect poor producers in developing economies with the right markets to better create social and economic impact. He also analyzes one of the leading agricultural value chain initiatives in the world, which is being replicated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in several different value chains in Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana, India and Mali.

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Undertaken with the financial support of:

Making the Grade in Global Education: Unlocking the Power of Play
2014-09-30
Unlocking the Power of Play marked the debut of AKFC’s new event series, Making the Grade in Global Education. Several youth leaders and trainers from Right To Play gathered in Ottawa to demonstrate the games and activities they use to educate children and youth, both in Canada and abroad.
Following the live demonstrations, three knowledgeable speakers took the stage to discuss the effectiveness of play-based learning: Amina Mwitu, Program Director for the Madrasa Early Childhood Program, Dennis Bright, African Policy Director for Right To Play and Louise Zimanyi, Early Childhood Development Advisor at the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. The panelists shared a wide range of perspectives, from how teachers are trained to play and how child-centred learning fosters the development of a child’s language and social skills.
Over 130 guests attended the event in person and via webcast. The discussion was moderated by Kristy Kirkup¸ a journalist for CBC News in Ottawa.
Thank you for joining us
Join the conversation: #GlobalEd2014
See what participants had to say: View the story “Unlocking the Power of Play” on Storify
To join the conversation, use the hashtag #GlobalEd2014 on Twitter.
Watch the webcast
The event is now available online for anyone who could not attend.

Learn more about early childhood development
Investing in quality education is proven to enhance a person’s quality of life. Yet, many regions of the world are challenged by access to education, lower standards of education, low retention rates and a shortage of teachers who can help students succeed. It is well established that play, sport and other child-centred learning practices have the power to address such challenges.
Watch this video to learn how investing in early childhood development helps break the cycle of poverty.
Read this brief to learn how nutrition influences a child’s ability to succeed.
Download this brochure about the Madrasa Early Childhood Programme.
Read more about the Aga Khan Development Network’s education initiatives in Kenya.

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Undertaken with financial support of:

Please note that there is no parking at the Delegation. Street parking is available nearby, on Boteler Street, Dalhousie Street, Parent Avenue, and Bolton Street. Please take care to respect all posted parking regulations. The Delegation has visitor entrances on Sussex Drive and Boteler Street.

Belonging Matters: Identity, Health and Sustainable Development
2014-06-02
A panel of experts from the Aga Khan Development Network and CIFAR’s program in Social Interactions, Identity and Well-being presented their latest insights on the importance of social networks. A moderated discussion included a question and answer session with the audience.
The evening inspired and informed policy-makers, scholars, practitioners and engaged citizens who are searching for new ways to understand well-being and to build resilience in vulnerable communities worldwide.
Event details:This event has taken place.
Guest speakers:

CIFAR Senior Fellow Alex Haslam
CIFAR Advisor John Berry
The CANADIAN PRESS Medical Reporter Helen Branswell

Biographies

Undertaken with financial support of:

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The 25th Anniversary Celebration of the International Youth Fellowship Program
2014-06-01
Event details:This event has taken place.

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Return to Afghanistan: In Conversation with Mellissa Fung
2014-05-12
Last year, Mellissa returned to Afghanistan for the first time since her captivity – and on May 12, Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists were pleased to host Mellissa in Ottawa for a live, webcast event.
Using images and video she collected on her most recent trip, Mellissa explored the Afghan people’s success and challenges, and explained why the international community must continue to invest at this crucial moment for the country.
Mellissa made brief remarks, followed by a moderated discussion hosted by Don Martin, host of CTV’s Power Play. Refreshments followed.
Event details:This event has taken place.
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Mellissa Fung
Award-winning journalist and former CBC correspondent Mellissa Fung has been on the frontlines of a wide range of stories on both Canadian and world affairs. She covered the Beijing Olympics and the war in Afghanistan among other events, and produced the award-winning documentaries Canada’s Ugly Secret and No Country for Horses. Her bestselling first book, Under an Afghan Sky, chronicles her experience as a hostage after she was kidnapped while on assignment in Afghanistan in 2008. Fung lives in Washington, DC.
Read her October 2013 article in The Walrus – “Afghanistan Undone”.

Undertaken with the financial support of:

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Canada and the Fight to Protect all Children from Polio
2014-04-08
Public Event
Canada and the Fight to Protect all Children from Polio: Successes and Challenges to Eradication by 2018

At the April 2013 Global Vaccine Summit, Canada and other global leaders pledged financial and political support to achieve a lasting polio free world by 2018. One year after and in the lead up to the Prime Minister’s Summit on Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), this event took place at an opportune time to recognize what the Government of Canada, UNICEF and partners have achieved, and to critically examine major obstacles that lay ahead to achieving eradication and their concrete solutions.
Tackling issues such as the risks (ongoing and threatened) of new outbreaks, the serious political and security challenges, and the elements needed for the final push towards eradication, guests had the opportunity to hear not only from Minister Paradis but also leading experts from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Rotary International.
Speakers answered questions in an interactive discussion and a photo exhibit of Canadian-supported UNICEF polio eradication programs were on display.

Opening
Khalil Shariff, CEO of Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Keynote
The Hon. Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development

Expert Discussants

Peter Crowley, Head of Polio, UNICEF
Dr. Bruce R. Aylward, Assistant Director General – Polio and Emergencies, World Health Organization
Wilfrid J. Wilkinson, Past President, Rotary International

Closing
David Morley, President & CEO, UNICEF Canada

Event details:
This event has taken place. Watch the webcast:

Canada and the Fight to Protect all Children from Polio was the seventh event in the series AKFC Seminars on Nurturing Maternal and Child Health, co-hosted with the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (CAN-MNCH). This series of events explored approaches and strategies designed to strengthen health care in developing countries, with a particular focus on maternal and child health.
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IN MY LIFETIME: A global story of hope, change and possibility
2014-04-01
AKFC invites you to take a personal journey through Canada’s role in international development, exploring what it means to improve the health of mothers and children in parts of Africa and Asia.

In April 2014, AKFC hosted a breakfast series across Canada called In My Lifetime. We shared five personal stories, sparking a dialogue with Canadians about the importance of international development and how investing in women and children is key to solving global poverty.
Each storyteller came from a different generation and offered a different perspective. The common thread was the belief that change is possible.
Experience the story
Join the conversation: #IMLifetime

Undertaken with the financial support of:

Global Health & The World of Business
2014-03-27
A key example is Canada’s support of GAVI’s innovative business model, including the Advance Market Commitment, which has reduced the price of the pneumococcal vaccine by 95% for poor countries. This event took place at a key moment to define the role and value of public-private partnerships, and determine how existing models can realize further progress at a global scale and be replicated in other sectors.
As the global community prepared to convene in Toronto at the Summit on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (May 28-30), AKFC and CAN-MNCH continued to explore effective and innovative approaches and a new development framework for post-2015 to reach the most marginalized women and children.

Moderator
Catherine Clark, Host, CPAC’s Beyond Politics

Opening
MP Lois Brown, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development

Panelists

Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance Mark Lievonen, President of Sanofi Pasteur Limited Joel Spicer, President of Micronutrient Initiative

Event details:This event has taken place.
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Global Health and the Business World was the sixth event in the series AKFC Seminars on Nurturing Maternal and Child Health, hosted in partnership with the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (CAN-MNCH). This series of events explored approaches and strategies designed to strengthen health care in developing countries, with a particular focus on maternal and child health.
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Please Use Responsibly: Journalism as a Tool for Development
2014-03-20
Aga Khan Foundation Canada and Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) were pleased to co-present an evening in conversation with Amara, now part of the BBC Media Action team and the Gordon N. Fisher/JHR William Southam Journalism Fellow at Massey College in Toronto. He discussed the many roles media can play in the developing world – both contributing to the causes of war and repairing societies when the fighting stops – as well as what Canadian reporters can learn from journalists around the globe. The discussion was moderated by Alison Crawford, national reporter in CBC’s parliamentary bureau. A reception followed.
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Speaker bios are available here

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Education at the Margins: Reaching Children in Fragile & Conflict-Affected States
2014-02-27
“Education for children is a basic building block we cannot afford to ignore.” – Lois Brown, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development.
Ms. Brown’s opening remarks set the stage for an informative conversation about the importance of providing education to all children, especially those living in fragile and conflict-affected states.
Following her remarks, a panel of leading figures in education took to the stage to discuss the needs and challenges facing children in difficult environments. Alice Albright, chief executive officer for the Global Partnership for Education, David Morley, president and chief executive officer for UNICEF Canada and Sharif Ghalib, senior political advisor at the Embassy of Afghanistan, engaged in conversation with an audience of over 130 guests gathered at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat and online via webcast on February 27, 2014. The event was moderated by Diane Jacovella, assistant deputy minister, Global Issues Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.
Topics discussed ranged from physical infrastructure to financing education and ensuring learning outcomes are met. The speakers reached consensus in noting the importance of having teachers, communities, civil society and government all work in tandem to enable safe, secure, quality education for all.
Widening access to education
Read about AKFC’s work in Afghanistan, where over 50 per cent of children are now enrolled in school.

In partnership with:

This presentation is undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

AKFC Seminars on Nurturing Maternal and Child Health
2014-01-23
The AKFC Seminars on Nurturing Maternal and Child Health were hosted in partnership with the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (CAN-MNCH) from September 2013 to January 2014. This 5-part series of events explored approaches and strategies designed to strengthen health care in developing countries, with a particular focus on maternal and child health.

COMPLETED EVENTS
Friday, September 27, 2013 – Inaugural Event and Webcast: Finishing the Undernutrition Agenda
Event has closed – To watch a recorded webcast, please click here
Undernutrition is an underlying cause of almost half of child deaths in the world each year; undernourished children face a lifetime of consequences, including chronic poor health, mental impairment and economic hardship. In a new series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition, renowned medical journal The Lancet features new data and policy recommendations on global nutrition. The papers are a follow up to the Lancet’s 2008 series, which identified the critical 1,000 days between a mother’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday as the priority window for impact. Participants joined Series editor Dr. Robert Black and a panel of series authors as they discussed how new evidence and recommendations can deliver better results on nutrition in the world’s poorest countries. Mr. Paul Rochon, Deputy Minister of International Development, also provided remarks. This event was held in partnership with the Micronutrient Initiative (MI). To learn more about The Lancet research series, please click here.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013 – Fortifying Human Capital in the Health Sector
Event has closed – To watch a recorded webcast, please click here
The Aga Khan Foundation Canada Seminars on Nurturing Maternal and Child Health, hosted in partnership with the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, explored approaches and strategies designed to strengthen health care in developing countries, with a particular focus on maternal and child health. The second event of the five-part series focused on:
The availability of qualified health professionals is central to the delivery of effective health care. From administrative support to medical specialists, every level of staff is key. But many developing and fragile states suffer from a lack of trained staff needed to build a coherent health system. Participants joined Jules Zanre, Head of Mali Delegation, Canadian Red Cross, and Anne Wilson, former President, Canadian Association of Midwives, who discussed specific human resource needs in the health sector and strategies to address them.

Thursday, November 14 – Shifting Behaviours: Tools for Better Health Practices
Event has closed – To watch a recorded webcast, please click here
Ensuring healthier lives, especially for women and children, begins at home. Women and children die every day of diseases such as diarrhea, which are easily preventable with better hygiene practices. But how can the health care community spur a change towards healthier practices? Changing traditional behaviours takes a lot of time, effort and contextual knowledge to be successful in any country. Participants joined Dr. Dauod Khuram, Aga Khan Foundation, Afghanistan; Ms. Robin Montgomery, Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development; Mr. Rohit Ramchandani, Cola Life and Ms. Carol Nablema, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation Consultant for a panel discussion on techniques to encourage better health practices in the developing world.

Thursday, December 5 – Supply and Demand: Examining Financial Access for Health
Event has closed – To watch a recorded webcast, please click here
Access to health services is globally recognized as a human right, yet for millions of people, basic health care remains out of reach. This is partly due to a lack of financial resources for individual households. Participants joined Marcia Metcalfe, Director of Microfinance and Health, Freedom from Hunger; Marnie Davidson, Program Manager and Health Advisor, CARE Canada, and Albert Tseng, Health Sector Lead, UNDP Business Call to Action who each shared a range of innovative approaches aimed at reducing the economic burden of health care. This session was moderated by Diane Gagnon, Lead, Global Health Research Initiative.

January 23, 2014 – Virtual Health, Healthy Reality: Exploring eHealth
Event has closed – To watch a recorded webcast, please click here
A growing number of practitioners are exploring eHealth – leveraging advances in communications technology to strengthen health systems across the globe. Aiming to promote improved health service provision, especially in difficult-to-access rural and remote communities, these innovations have resulted in a suite of programs from health messages delivered to mobile phones to video conferencing between doctors on different continents. Participants joined Dr. Kendall Ho, Director, eHealth Strategy Office, University of British Columbia, Saleem Sayani, Director, eHealth Resource Centre, Aga Khan Development Network and Chaitali Sinha, Senior Program Officer, International Development Research Centre, for an in-depth look at how eHealth is contributing to improved maternal and child health. This event was moderated by Dorothy Shaw, Chair, Canadian Network for Maternal and Child Health.
Undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada.

Cultivating Food Security: Today, Tomorrow and Beyond 2015 | In conversation with Elisabeth Rasmusson
2013-11-21
Watch a recording of the event:

Undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).

Saving a Generation: Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the Developing World: 2013 University Seminar Series
2013-11-08
According to United Nations’ estimates, in 2010, some 800 women died every day from complications of pregnancy or childbirth, 99% of them in developing countries. Some 7.6 million children died before the age of five[1].
The Aga Khan Development Network has been working for decades to address the underlying causes of these staggering numbers through its programs in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) in some of the poorest communities of the developing world. Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) was pleased to present the results of some of this work as part of the 2013 University Seminar Series.
AKFC started its University Seminar Series in 2001 by bringing international development practitioners from its partner projects in Asia and Africa to universities across Canada. The goal: to engage students from a variety of fields in discussions and workshops on key development issues, providing them with an opportunity to gain a practical understanding of the challenges involved in designing and implementing projects in the field.
This year, AKFC was pleased to partner with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to presentSaving A Generation: Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the Developing World, a series of conversations with faculty, students and other interested guests at twelve universities and partner sites across western, central and eastern Canada.
Our speakers included: Umaira Ansari, Research Associate and Communications Coordinator for the Nigerian Evidence-based Health System Initiative; Aditi Iyer,Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore; Sisawo Konteh,Director of Outreach Services for Aga Khan Health Services Tanzania; and Rudoba Rakhmatova, Senior Health Program Officer for Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan.

We were very pleased that over 550 students, faculty, and members of the public attended the seminars in 10 cities across the country.
If you are interested in learning more about the University Seminar Series, or possibly hosting a seminar please email us.
Undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada.
[1]World Health Organization,Trends in Maternal Mortality:1990-2010: WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and The World Bank Estimates(Geneva: WHO Press, 2012)http://www.unfpa.org/public/home/publications/pid/10728

Measuring Quality of Life
2013-10-24
This event has concluded
View a recording of the event here:

For more information on the Quality of Life Program, please click here.

Undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD)

Reporting Without a Parachute: Reflections from a â€˜Post-War Correspondent'
2013-09-24
Following the series, Marc produced a short video to share his reflections on post-war correspondence.

You can also view a Storify summary of the series below:

[View the story “Reporting Without a Parachute: Reflections from a ‘Post-War Correspondent'” on Storify]
Undertaken with financial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).
Additional information
Marc Ellison left the safety of his cubicle after a 10-year career in IT to chase his dream of becoming a photojournalist. To prove it wasn’t a foolhardy exercise, he’s worked in Central African Republic, northern Uganda and South Sudan over the last two years.
Marc’s most recent project, funded by an International Development Research Centre award, examined the reintegration of female former child soldiers in Uganda (www.dwogpaco.com). In 2013, he received an award from the Canadian Association of Journalists for a subsequent series he wrote for The Toronto Star about the challenges these women continue to face.
Marc has since produced work for: The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, 60 Minutes, CBC, iPolitics, VICE magazine, The Tyee, MTV Canada, Canadian Geographic, IDRC, Radio Miraya and The New Nation (both South Sudan), Mega FM (Gulu, Uganda) and OpenFile.
He recently won best photo in the “Africa” category in the World Bank Picture Inequality competition, and his work is currently being displayed in an outdoor PhotoSensitive project in Toronto.
In October 2013, he will be travelling to post-conflict Mali to assist in a reality-radio project with Farm Radio International.
You can follow Marc on Twitter @marceellison and see his work at www.marcellison.com.

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Cultivating Active Citizenship: Inspiring Young Canadians to make a difference
2013-06-12
Dougherty says that inspiring young Canadians to take action goes beyond Facebook likes and Twitter followers. It’s about getting personal with youth and asking them – face-to-face – to get involved.
Active citizenship is about “understanding our power as individuals and as a collective to make change and to be agents of change,” said Dougherty.
Apathy is Boring is a non-partisan charity that uses art and technology to educate Canadian youth about democracy and motivate them to get involved in their communities, while the EYES Project promotes the importance of community-building and environmental sustainability in youth education, and offers a forum for Canadian educators and students to discuss these issues. Both aim to engage youth in active citizenship.
“When I think of strategies to engage young people, I always start with the premise that we all come to a learning experience with personal knowledge and life experiences,” said Glithero, highlighting the importance of making education personal.
Learning that is driven by youths’ interests and passions becomes an avenue for engagement with local and global issues, she explained.
Youth have plenty of good, innovative ideas to put forward – the key is to ensure that their ideas wind up on the desks of the people who need to hear them, including elected officials and other community leaders, said Dougherty. Youth also need to be involved in decision-making – and not just in token roles, added Glithero. They must be an integral part of the process.
The event was in celebration of 26 young Canadians who are undertaking eight-month placements in Africa and Asia through Aga Khan Foundation Canada’s 2013-14 International Youth Fellowship program. Every year, fellows are placed with partner organizations in the fields of development management, microfinance and microenterprise, and media in order to develop leadership skills, contribute to their host organizations, and learn about international development.
This year’s fellows come from coast-to-coast, bringing a diverse range of experience to the table: from working for the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh; to researching leisure activities in Malawi’s refugee camps; to arranging travel for Inuit from northern Quebec to working on community development projects in Kenya.
Over the next eight months, they will be put their experience and abilities to use while working in Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Bangladesh. This year’s recipients are:

Adam Feather (Ottawa, ON) placed in Tanzania with the Aga Khan Foundation
Alim Fakirani (Montreal, QC) placed in Tanzania with Aga Khan University
Allison Enns (Winnipeg, MB) placed in Mozambique with Aga Khan Foundation
Alyza Devraj (Vancouver, BC) placed in Madagascar with the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance
Andrea Shillolo (Emsdale, ON) placed in Kenya with Aga Khan Foundation
Andrew Lusztyk (Toronto, ON) placed in Kenya with Honey Care Africa Ltd
Caitlin Cassie (Coquitlam, BC) placed in Uganda with Aga Khan Foundation
David Meffe (Montreal, QC) placed in Kenya with Nation Media Group
Dhaarna Tangri (Surrey, BC) placed in the Kyrgyz Republic with Aga Khan Foundation
Douglas Lau (Burnaby, BC) placed in Tanzania with Aga Khan Health Services
Edward Zvekic (Gatineau, QC) placed in Egypt with the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance
Flavie Halais (Montreal, QC) placed in Kenya with Nation Media Group
Hilary Clauson (Ottawa, ON) placed in Bangladesh with Aga Khan Foundation
Jamie Charlebois (Halifax, NS) placed in Bangladesh with CARE
Jessica Pisarek (Vancouver, BC) placed in India with Aga Khan Planning and Building Services
Kendra Thorogood (Ottawa, ON) placed in Tajikistan with First MicroFinance Bank
Laurence Couture Gagnon (Rimouski, QC) placed in Tajikistan with Aga Khan Foundation
Nabeel Ahmed (Mississauga, ON) placed in the Kyrgyz Republic with the University of Central Asia
Nicole Gladstone (Ottawa, ON) placed in Uganda with the Madrasa Resource Centre
Oksana Kovalenko (Toronto, ON) placed in the Kyrgyz Republic with the First MicroCredit Company
Olga Mirzoeva (Ottawa, ON) placed in Tanzania with CARE
Raafi-Karim Alidina (Edmonton, AB) placed in Bangladesh with Aga Khan Foundation
Rukshan Mehta (Toronto, ON) placed in India with Aga Khan Trust for Culture
Safiqa Kara (Calgary, AB) placed in Tajikistan with Aga Khan Health Services
Savannah Hallworth (Delta, BC) placed in the Kyrgyz Republic with the University of Central Asia
Tracey Evans (Oakville, ON) placed in Bangladesh with CARE

Check back to our International Youth Fellowship webpage to read about their experiences and to learn more about AKFC’s fellowship program.

AKFC Seminars on Innovative Financing for Development
2013-06-04
Watch selected interviews with speakers who participated in the AKFC Seminars on Innovative Financing for Development series. Complete webcasts of all the events in the series are also available.
Event Highlights
Accelerating Impact: the Role of Impact Investing in Innovative Financing for Development March 26, 2013 – In the inaugural event of the series, Edward Jackson, a faculty member at the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, and Karim Harji, a co-founder and partner at Purpose Capital, explained that impact investing means investing for a mix of financial and social returns. “There are wicked problems that we need to solve – everything from extreme poverty to climate change – and we need some new tools,” said Jackson. “We need ways of levering capital and influence and results. Impact investing is one source of leverage and mobilization of a new set of tools and products both for private capital and for public capital.”

View the recorded webcast

Clients at the Centre: Workshop to launch The New Microfinance Handbook
April 30, 2013 – This full-day workshop was held in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation and featured a keynote address by Bob Christen, President of the Boulder Institute of Microfinance, as well as presentations by Ann Miles, Director of Microfinance at The MasterCard Foundation; Steve Rasmussen, Manager of Technology and Business Model Innovation at the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor; and Joanna Ledgerwood, Director of Enterprise Development at Aga Khan Foundation. The workshop explored the need for increased financial inclusion in developing countries by examining the financial market system and promoting a thorough understanding of client needs. Current research is looking to understand the financial lives of the world’s poor and the broad range of financial services that would be helpful to them, said Mr. Christen. “What are they doing informally and how can we be helpful formally? How can we add value to those financial lives? How can we help them achieve their family goals that are so fundamental?”

View the recorded webcast

Innovative Financing for Early Childhood Education
May 16, 2013 – In light of uncertain economic times, budgets for education – and early human development, in particular – are often the first to suffer. In his presentation, Dr. Marito Garcia, Lead Economist and Program Manager at the Human Development Department of the Africa Region of the World Bank, described the impact this has on the world’s poor. To address this he first outlined successes around the use of conditional cash transfers and introduced two new ideas – young child development bonds and young child development credits – which could help change how education programs are funded worldwide. “The rate of return to early childhood investments is 2 to 3 times that of primary of secondary schooling,” said Dr. Garcia. This entails higher lifetime earnings, reduced crime, a lesser propensity for diseases and more, making the investment in early childhood education extremely important for societies as a whole.

View the recorded webcast

Local Assets for Local Needs: Community Philanthropy in Action
June 4, 2013 – In the final event of the series, AKFC hosted a panel discussion with Janet Mawiyoo, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Community Development Foundation; Victoria Grant, Interim Director of The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada; Nick Deychakiwsky, Program Officer at the C.S. Mott Foundation; and Natalie Ross, Program Officer at Aga Khan Foundation USA. In describing the the Kenyan context for community philanthropy, Ms. Mawiyoo explained that drawing on local resources through community philanthropy can reduce dependency, allow communities to lead their own development, and cultivate sustainable, long-term assets.

View the recorded webcast

Further Reading about Innovative Financing:

Accelerating Impact: Achievements, Challenges and What’s Next in Building the Impact Investing Industry [pdf]

The New Microfinance Handbook [pdf]

The Case for Community Philanthropy [pdf]

AKFC Seminar and Live Webcast: Tracing Health to Its Roots: Linking Early Childhood Development to Healthy Adulthood
2013-01-25
Dr. Lye, the inaugural Executive Director of the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development at the University of Toronto, highlighted the importance of the first 1,000 days in a child’s life in establishing trajectories in health, learning and social functioning as an adult.
This event was part of the AKFC Seminars, a sustained series of events and other learning materials that stimulated deep conversation on selected themes in development. The seminar series focused on early human development, with other speakers exploring interventions to reduce child mortality and the importance of micronutrients in determining the child’s potential.
Learn more:
Watch an interview with Dr. Lye, where he details the progress being made in Early Human Development and moving beyond basic child survival.
