“Girls are like birds”: How girls are reaching new heights in East Africa

There are four tall trophies on Yadah Mouzamin’s desk at Nyai Primary School. They are a dull gold and have masking tape labels, the one I can see reading “U14 Boys 2016 Champions.”

Dispatch from the field: Supporting dairy farmers in Bangladesh

I’ve been in Bangladesh for more than two months now, working with CARE Bangladesh on their programming to help rural farmers improve their agricultural practices – and incomes.

Dispatch from the field: Don’t hit hard, hit home – A lesson in journalism from Kenya

I found Jesca Ciahcabi sitting beneath the shade of a crispy, brown banana tree. I reached for a handshake, but instead she hugged me. We were in Ndiruni, a small village roughly three hours northeast of Nairobi.

Dispatch from the field: “Don’t worry, be happy”

Laura Fortin – a native of Montreal – was an International Youth Fellow in 2015-16. She was placed in Uganda for eight months to support Aga Khan Foundation’s education programming in the region, and still lives there today.

Dispatch from the field: Preschool in the tea gardens of Bangladesh

I began my formal education with expulsion from preschool.

I redeemed myself by succeeding in primary school, phew. While primary school graduation is essentially a universal achievement in Canada, some Bangladeshi children face many barriers to reaching even this level of education.

Dispatch from the field: The rights and responsibilities of microfinance in Tajikistan

The Smart Campaign is a global effort spearheaded by the Center for Financial Inclusion, dedicated to “uniting microfinance leaders around a common goal: to keep clients as the driving force of the industry” – by following principles designed to help microfinance institutions practise good ethics and smart business.

Dispatch from the field: The complexities of reporting in Kenya

It was a straightforward story of exploitation. The people of the fragile Tana Delta, still recovering from tribal violence that claimed over 100 lives in September, were facing an assault on their treasured land by big business – in this case, a Canadian corporation planning a massive biofuel plantation in the region.

Dispatch from the field: From the field to market in Mozambique

When most of your workdays are spent in front of a computer, it’s easy to forget where the food on your plate comes from. I marvel at the mountains of fresh fruits and vegetables at the market arranged like rainbows, but I overlook the time, dedication, and energy of harvesting crops from the field, especially in an environment that dictates what and how much you will eat.

Matters of the Heart: Tackling a cardiovascular crisis in East Africa

East Africa is facing a growing threat: By 2030, cardiovascular diseases are expected to surpass infectious diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS as a leading cause of death in the region.