Sankofa CANADIAN CROSSROADS INTERNATIONAL

w w w . c c i o r g . c a • V o l . 1 1 N O . 1 • S p r i n g 2 0 1 1

49 Bathurst St., Suite 201Toronto, ON M5V 2P2 Canada

2 3 4ED Karen Takacs honoured with women’s rights award

Aminata Fund launched in support of women and girls in Africa

Fighting forced marriage in Senegal continued on page 2 >C

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By Tara Scanlan,

La Paz, Bolivia

A FAIR TRADE: New loan fund ensures decent work for Bolivian coffee producers

This bustle of activity at COAINE is the result

of three years of work for both Crossroads and

local microfinance partner FONCRESOL.

Today, the staff are busy working the land,

preparing for the harvest season. The local

coffee company is amongst the first recipients

of a Fair Loan, a new kind of credit developed

specifically to serve Fair Trade producers and

exporters.

“Since receiving the Fair Loan credit, with

this financing, farmers are able to export cof-

fee,” said Jaime Andrade, who is responsible

for Fair Trade Projects at FONCRESOL.

The loan enables farmers and producers

to sell their coffee to the more lucrative export

markets. Without access to credit at this criti-

cal point in production, producers are pres-

sured to unload significant portions locally at a

much lower price. It also allows farmers to

cultivate larger quantities of coffee.

“The loan allows farmers to pay their

workers, to pay for the production and to pay

their debts before they export the coffee. If we

have to sell our coffee beforehand we make

less money, and we have less containers to

export,” said Mauricio Palli vice-president of

COAINE.

“Money is everything,” piped in a bright-

eyed local coffee farmer. For producers like this

man, the Fair Loan has delivered higher income

due to the combination of increased exports

and a fair price for his coffee beans. As a

result, he is able to increase the quality of life

for his family.

“The producers can send their kids to

school, giving them better possibilities for the

future,” added Andrade.

At the dizzying altitude of 4100 metres El Alto, Bolivia, is

one of the fastest growing cities in Latin America. Down a dusty cobbled street stands the office of COAINE, a small coffee export-er. The day I visit the office, it is a flurry of activity as workers pro-cess and prepare a container of coffee bound for Europe.

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l “They have greater access to heath services, clean water, and the

smaller, more rural, areas are able to increase their communication

services and facilitate transportation.”

Through their relationship with FONCRESOL, and with access to

credit like the Fair Loan which Crossroads has supported since its

inception, many Bolivians have increased economic and social

development in their communities.

“The role of Crossroads is a big one; they are part of the

project,” said Andrade. “Their support, economically and technically,

has made it possible for us to achieve what

we have. Without Crossroads, this project

wouldn’t have existed. Crossroads has done

a lot of work in leadership and communal banks, providing women

with training and access to credit, which has improved their lives

and their self esteem.”

During my visit to the coffee processing operation in El Alto,

I spoke with farmers about the connection they feel to coffee

drinkers. What did they have to say to us, to the people they grow

the coffee for, here in Canada?

“We would like Canadian coffee consumers to know that the production

process of coffee is still difficult in the country,” said President of COAINE, Don

Martín Tomas. “The producers are small. Production isn’t industrialized. There is no

technology in the processing, and production is not on a big scale. Coffee production

in Bolivia is primarily manual.

“We understand that the price of Fair Trade organic coffee is higher, but we

would like consumers to know that costs of

production are higher,” continued Tomas.

He explained that certification by the

Fair Trade Labelling Organization, and other

specific regulatory bodies from import coun-

tries, is costly.

For farmers, processors and the staff at

FONCRESOL, it is important that consumers

make the connection, that we understand our

role in the relationships that brings that delicious,

steaming cup of joe to our tables.

Fair Trade lays bare every link in the chain

from the producer who plants the seeds, to the

company that processes and packages the beans, to the roaster who toasts them,

to the barista who serves them and to the consumer who drinks it. It ensures that

every person in that chain plays a part in ensuring coffee production and export

provides a decent and dignified living.

My job here in Bolivia, as a Crossroader, is to help expand these connections, to

solidify the links in the coffee chain from Bolivian farmer to Canadian roaster.

So, the next time you sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee, think back to all the hands

it passed through to get to you. And I urge you not to be passive, but to pl ay your part

in ensuring a fair deal and a dignified living for every person along the chain.

Tara Scanlan is currently on placement as a Fair Trade Marketing Specialist with

FONCRESOL in Bolivia.

continued from page 1 >

George was speaking about her recent gift to Crossroads.

“In this case, I can help groups of women. Women who

have so little, yet are so capable of making change for

themselves.”

Crossroads is helping create decent work for

women by increasing access to capital through micro

loans and by supporting small collaborative ventures

such as shea butter cooperatives through which women

can earn a reliable income. Crossroads is also working to

reduce violence against women and girls and to provide

support to victims. Increasingly, women in communities

where Crossroads works are able to care for their families

and are taking greater leadership in their communities.

“Patsy’s gift will support vital work with women and

girls in Africa,” says Karen Takacs, Executive Director of

Canadian Crossroads International. “It is a remarkably

generous gesture. Patsy has devoted her life to working

with others to improve social conditions. We are hon-

oured that she has chosen Crossroads to continue this

work with women in Africa.”

George, 70, has made a lifetime of giving. As a

social worker and volunteer, she worked alongside immi-

grant communities, First Nations people and other disen-

franchised groups to assert their rights. She has won

numerous awards and distinctions for community service

including the Order of Canada. And in retirement, she

continues to provide leadership to many non profit orga-

nizations including serving as a member of Crossroads’

Board of Directors.

When asked what she thought the impact of her gift

would be, her response was swift. “What is the impact?

One hundred times what I could do myself… just by

bringing resources to these women. I feel at peace real-

izing that the amount of money I could give will make a

real difference in the lives of women in Africa right now.”

A gift to empower African women and girls today

I want to support women, to bring resources to women, so they may make change for

themselves. Canadian Crossroads International is a well run organization that it is

doing exactly what I want to reach my goals,” said Patsy George.

The donor: Patsy GeorgeThe gift: $40,000

The cause: Canadian Crossroads International

The reason: To help women and girls in Africa

reach their potential

“The producers can send their kids to school, giving

them better possibilities for the future.”

-Jaime Andrade, FONCRESOL

“I have had the tremendous fortune of working directly with people in the global South,”

says Takacs. “In the face of unimaginable obstacles — extreme poverty, HIV and AIDS,

endemic violence, regular violation of their rights — friends and colleagues in Africa and

Bolivia persevere. My resolve and my passion for development work is inspired by the

dedication of the people we work with to creating a more just and equitable world.”

This May, Takacs will be honoured with a 2011 YWCA Women of Distinction award

in recognition of her lifelong commitment to improving the lives of women and girls, and

for her leadership in the field of international development,

“It is a tremendous honour to be recognized by the YWCA. This is an organization

that for 130 years, has been at the forefront of improving the lives of women and girls

in Toronto, and that continues to forge the path towards equality through their programs,

their advocacy and their participation in community life,” says Takacs.

“Over the past decade Crossroads has made tremendous strides and

I am extremely proud of the impact of our work. This honour is a testament

to the dedication and passion of Crossroads board, staff, volunteers and

partners. Much remains to be done, and I am very optimistic about the

change we can achieve together,” said Takacs.

Six other exceptional women will be honoured with Takacs for their role

in advancing the interests of women and girls in different sectors: Cristina Amon,

Science & Engineering; Elizabeth Goldberg, Law & Justice; Joan Lesmond, Health

Leadership; Sherry Cooper, Corporate Leadership; Sophia Gran-Ruaz; Young Woman

of Distinction; Vivian Del Valle, Community Support.

“We are very proud. Crossroads has evolved under Karen’s leadership, from a

group highly respected in the field of cultural-exchange to a results-based development

organization that has made advancing the rights of women and girls central to its work,”

says Darlene Bessey, chair of the board of directors and Takacs’ nominee for the award.

“Today Crossroads is achieving substantive results in reducing violence against women

and girls; increasing the participation of women in decision making; and increasing

women’s social and economic autonomy. And we could not have got there without

Karen’s leadership.”

The awards dinner for the 31st Annual YWCA Women of Distinction Awards,

presented by Sun Life Financial, will be held on Wednesday May 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the

Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Tables and tickets to attend the awards are available

online at www.womenofdistinction.ca. We hope to see you there!

A WOMAN OF DISTINCTION IN OUR MIDST:ED Karen Takacs named 2011 YWCA Woman of Distinction, Development and Advocacy

"Crossroads has evolved under Karen's leadership, from a group highly respected in the field of

cultural-exchange to a results-based development organization that has put the rights of women

and girls at the forefront of its work."

-Darlene Bessey, chair of the Board of Directors

By Christine Campbell

“

When Crossroads Executive Director Karen Takacs is asked

what propels her, year after year, to fight poverty and sup-

port women’s and girls’ rights, the answer comes easily.

“We were asking ourselves how we could make a difference in the

world here in Canada and internationally,” said Lawrence in a recent

interview.

Then, somewhere along the road in the mountains of West

Virginia it struck Miranda. Aminata, the stalwart protagonist from

The Book of Negroes has moved hundreds of thousands of readers

across Canada and the world. Why not enlist her character to

inspire support for the ongoing struggles facing women and girls in

Africa today?

And so, Lawrence and Miranda decided to launch a special

fund at Crossroads bearing her name, The Aminata Fund.

“Just as it’s hard for most ordinary people today to imagine

in a visceral, real way what the daily life… of a slave in the 18th

century might have been like, it’s also very difficult for most of us

ordinary Canadians to understand and feel and visualize what daily

life might be like in some rural village in Southern Africa or in Mali or

Ghana,” said Lawrence. “Offering the novel, using the name of the

protagonist Aminata [is] … a stepping stone, so that people have a

point of entry.”

Crossroads’ rights-based approach to development – working

to empower women and girls to live free from violence, to participate

fully in public life and to have equal access to training and decent

work – moved Lawrence and Miranda to action.

“Crossroads was such a natural fit. Larry has spoken many

times about…the importance of the Crossroads experience not just

in terms of changing his life, but in influencing his fiction and

ultimately [The Book of Negroes] itself,” said Miranda. “[Crossroads]

is not simply dropping some funds and some expertise… It’s an

experience of working together towards some common goals.”

Lawrence served overseas three times with Crossroads (Niger,

1979; Cameroun, 1981; Mali, 1989).

“[Volunteering with Crossroads] changed my life forever,” he

said. “It opened up my vision of the world. It helped me get a sense

of the daily lives of ordinary people who were carrying on with such

dignity and strength, often in conditions of real poverty.”

Addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality requires

international cooperation. And every Canadian has a role to play.

“Many people feel totally bewildered about how they can make

a difference and how they can direct their own personal generosity,”

said Hill. “Raising the profile of Crossroads among Canadians helps

provide that bridge and lets people give more of themselves and of

their purses.”

Lawrence’s time as a Crossroader in Africa continues to inspire

his writing today. And now, he hopes that one of his most powerful

characters will inspire change.

“The fund celebrates the idea of a person who is strong and

capable and resilient even in the face of monstrous injustice,” said

Lawrence. “And of course there are today still so many women and

girls who are strong and capable and resilient, who carry on in the

face of monstrous inequity.”

To make a gift or to participate in the Aminata Fund, contact

Jill Bridgman:jill@cciorg.ca; 416-967-1611 ext. 270.

“Raising the profile of Crossroads among Canadians helps provide that bridge and lets people give more of themselves and of their purses.”

- Lawrence Hill

W hen a new loan was launched by Crossroads partners in Bolivia, coffee

farmers, processors and exporters got a fair deal.

Don Martín, a small scale coffee producer

in Bolivia is urging Canadians to play their part.

“We would like Canadian coffee consumers to

know that the production process of coffee is

still difficult in the country… We understand that

the price of fair trade organic coffee is higher,

but we would like consumers to know that costs

of production are higher.”

Fair trade values every person in the pro-

cess from planting to harvest, and compensates

them fairly. As Don Martín noted, his ability to

make a fair wage depends, in part, on us — on

our willingness to pay a fair price.

Don Martín knows it takes cooperation the

world over for people in his country to realize

their human rights and at Crossroads it is a les-

son we have taken to heart.

In this issue of Sankofa travel with us to

Bolivia to discover how a new Fair Loan is

enabling farmers and producers like Don Martin

to enjoy decent and dignified work. Join us in

Senegal to witness how local partners and

Crossroaders are supporting women to escape

from forced marriages, to claim their right to a

life free from violence, to self-determination and

to access to justice.

And there is more. Board member Patsy

George has received numerous honours for her

work with marginalized communities in Canada.

Now, thanks to a generous donation to

Crossroads she is supporting African women

and girls to make change in their lives.

And so too are acclaimed writer and three-

time Crossroader Lawrence Hill and his wife,

Miranda Hill. Lawrence and Miranda have

chosen Crossroads as their charity of choice,

launching The Aminata Fund, a new initiative to

support girls and women in Africa named for the

inspiring lead character in his award winning

novel, The Book of Negroes.

Finally we celebrate the life of Crossroads

founder Dr. Alan Lane and his unwavering ded-

ication to our work. His legacy lives on through

hundreds of Crossroaders who volunteer each

year to work for change.

Message from the ChairDarlene Bessey

Solidarity in action:How we can all contribute to change

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Monthly Donor Profile: Tricia Schers

Without the exchange of any words, a child

who didn’t share my language communi-

cated a message that caused a life-changing shift in

me. She was HIV positive and all she wanted from

me was to be hugged.

When I returned home from my time in Suriname

as a Crossroads volunteer, I felt compelled to do more for

marginalized people, especially women and children. It is because

of my experience with Canadian Crossroads International that

I became a monthly donor.

Having worked in non-profits for most

of my career, I know the incredible value of

having monthly donor support. But the main

reason I give is that Crossroads made it

possible for me to see the world through a

different lens. Crossroads gave me an

opportunity to enrich the lives of others and

at the same time enrich my own.

When I think of how many Crossroaders there are, I become

very optimistic about the incredible opportunities we could be

creating as a group if we all became monthly donors.

MONTHLY GIVING Making every dollar countWe cannot overstate the importance of our loyal Monthly

Donors! Knowing we can rely on this income enables

us to plan more effectively, increasing the impact of

our work. Monthly giving is the most cost effective and

environmentally responsible way to donate, and you can

cancel or change the amount you give any time. A gift of

$20 a month, less than $1 per day, could help a woman

gain financial independence. Over time it adds up to a

significant and vital contribution.

Tricia Schers

Miranda and Lawrence Hill

Lawrence and Miranda Hill launch The Aminata Fund for girls and women

By Candice O’Grady

Crossroads_CCI www.facebook.com/canadiancrossroads

Stay current with our latest news on:

It started on a road trip. Lawrence Hill, the acclaimed author of the award-winning novel The Book

of Negroes, and his wife Miranda Hill were reflecting on their good fortune. Five wonderful

children, a best-selling book (Lawrence), a successful independent communications company and the

launch of the inspired non-profit Project Bookmark Canada, which brings Canadian literature to life in

public spaces (Miranda).

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Crossroads is supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Ministère des Relations interna-tionales of the Government of Quebec, other government and non-government funders, as well as many individuals around the world. Sankofa is published twice yearly for Canadian Crossroads International alumni and friends. Please send us your comments, letters and ideas. • Executive Director: Karen Takacs • Director, External Relations: Christine Campbell • Coordination and writing: Candice O’Grady • Linguistic services and writing: Nicolas Gersdorff • Contributors: Tara Scanlan, Simon Godin-Bilodeau • Photos: Tara Scanlan (cover, 2), courtesy of Patsy George (2), courtesy of Tricia Schers (3), Simon Godin-Bilodeau (4), Rick Lane (4) • Art Direction: Wioletta Wesolowski, Visual Concepts • Canadian Crossroads International, Toronto Office: 49 Bathurst St., Suite 201, Toronto, ON, M5V 2P2; Tel: 416.967.1611; Toll-free: 877.967.1611; Fax: 416.967.9078; email: christinec@cciorg.ca Montreal Office: 3000, rue Omer-Lavallée, Suite 126, Montréal, QC H1V 3R8; Tel: 514. 528.5363; e-mail: nicolas@cciorg.ca

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Crossroads gratefully acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Because she doesn’t love her cousin and wants to stay

in school, Alice refused to comply with the forced

marriage and approached the Association pour la

promotion de la femme sénégalaise (APROFES) for

advice and support.

Alice’s story is not an isolated case; forced

marriages are commonplace throughout Senegal. In a

national survey, 14 per cent of female respondents

stated that they had been forced to marry. The practice

occurs at all levels of society, although it is more

prevalent in rural communities. UNICEF estimates that

36 per cent of Senegalese women are married by the

age of 18.

Often low-income households try to marry off their

girls in order to ease the family’s financial burden or to

take advantage of a dowry. A girl can be promised in

marriage even before she is born. In Senegal it is esti-

mated that nine per cent of girls ages 7 to 14 leave

school to enter the conjugal home and that number rises

to 13 per cent in rural areas. From then on, they are

isolated from their families and subject to the whims of

in-laws.

To force these girls to conform to their new lives,

they might be beaten, raped or kept as virtual prisoners

by their husbands. Having little to no control over sexual

matters, they are at greater risk of contracting diseases

such as HIV and AIDS. Young girls are not physically

ready for childbirth or even to have sexual relations. The

consequences can be very serious, even fatal: infections,

tearing, haemorrhaging and possible sterility.

Crossroads has been working with APROFES

since 2007, supporting women and girls who have

experienced domestic violence and bolstering their

efforts to reduce violence through public education.

APROFES provides a range of support services for

victims including a counselling centre, emergency

financial assistance and access to medical and legal

services.

My placement is focused on forced marriages and

supporting APROFES’ efforts to end the practice.

Currently, I am conducting participatory research with

victims and documenting their cases. In partnership with

women and girls who have experienced forced mar-

riages and the staff of APROFES, we are working togeth-

er to develop new awareness-raising strategies and

support programs.

In fact, free consent to marriage is already an

explicit right stipulated in Senegal’s constitution and

forced marriages are a crime punishable by two to

five years in prison. However, enforcement of the

law remains a challenge. APROFES, together with

Crossroads, has committed itself to interventions,

education, and advocacy to fight forced marriages.

Already, Crossroads has supported the creation of

a rotating fund that will help women victims of violence

earn an income and increase their autonomy.

Crossroaders have created a domestic violence data-

base providing APROFES with vital evidence on the

extent of violence against women. In addition, volunteers

have supported APROFES to organize discussion

groups for victims of violence and, after the organization

observed this practice during a partnership visit to

Quebec, the implementation of training for staff in

counselling and intervention.

All of these initiatives are part of a women’s rights

approach that seeks to empower women to increase

their self-determination and to live a life free from vio-

lence. When the study on forced marriages is complete,

it will provide APROFES and the women and girls it

serves with more crucial information — for lobbying

governments to enforce existing laws, for bringing cases

to court, and to increase public knowledge about funda-

mental human rights.

Simon Godin-Bilodeau has been on placement

with APROFES for more than a year. He is currently

conducting participatory research with victims of forced

marriages.

Lane, an accomplished surgeon and devoted family man, made the unconventional

choice to travel to Africa on a mission with Dr. Robinson.

“It’s hard for someone in the modern day to realize what the adventure was like 50

years ago,” explained Lane’s son Rick. “Picking up stakes from a professional life and

heading off [to Africa] for a summer-length period was basically unheard of.”

Being in Africa transformed Lane. He and a handful of others founded Crossroads

based on the simple premise that One World is possible. They believed change could

be achieved by bringing people together, from different countries and races, to work on

a common cause.

“In partnership with women and girls who have experienced forced marriages... we are working together to develop new awareness -raising strategies.”

Making the case for changeDocumenting and fighting forced marriages in Senegal

Lane’s commitment to Africa and to Crossroads lasted a lifetime. He passed away

on February 11, 2011 and a celebration of his life was held on February 15 in Hamilton.

Crossroads staff, board and community extend our deepest sympathies to his family

and friends.

Crossroads co-founder Don Simpson remembers Lane as a clear thinker with an

incredibly disciplined mind and a wicked sense of humour, who loved to grapple with

complex problems — of which there was no shortage in the organization’s early years.

“[Lane] was the powerful example of the quiet servant leader… He didn’t need to

talk to make his presence known,” said Simpson. “He had a great capacity for identify-

ing the strengths in people, and becoming a mentor and supporter… He was straight,

main-line, middle class Canadian, and he had a mind that could explore the most

unconventional, courageous ideas and support them.”

Lane’s children were profoundly influenced by his involvement in development

work. Three of his children went overseas with Crossroads, Rick (Lesotho, 1971), Rob

(Japan, 1972) and James, godson to Dr. Robinson (Singapore, 1984).

“It was through my father’s involvement that I got involved with Crossroads,” said

Rick Lane. “My overseas experience with Crossroads was probably the most important

component of my own personal development in my life, certainly in that era of my life…

And I can only assume that would be the case for many of the hundreds of others who

have had the same kind of experience.”

Our profound thanks to Alan Lane for his lifetime of dedication. Dr. Lane’s family

is continuing his legacy of support by asking that donations in his memory be made to

Crossroads.

When “Alice” was just 16 years old, her father decided to marry her to

her 25-year-old cousin, who lived in Dakar. Alice was notified just a

few hours before the marriage was to take place in the mosque. Now that

she’s 18, Alice must leave her father’s home and move in with her husband.

By Simon Godin-Bilodeau, Kaolack, Senegal

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF ALAN LANE

By Candice O’Grady

The night Alan Lane first heard the enigmatic American civil rights activist Reverend

James Robinson speak, the course of his life, the lives of his children and the

future of international development work in Canada were fundamentally changed.