World Health Day Challenge 2007

In honour of World Health Day, April 7th, 2007, CPAR is holding its 2nd Annual World Health Day Challenge . CPAR is extending the challenge to physicians and health care professionals all across Canada to donate part or an entire day's worth of their income to CPAR in support of important health and development projects in vulnerable rural African communities.

Last year, over 60 physicians and health care professionals from across Canada raised over $30,000 and demonstrated their commitment to health and development by taking the first ever World Health Day Challenge! I sincerely hope that you will participate this year and help make this year's event even bigger and better!

This year we are asking participants to register online. We have created a special website for the World Health Day Challenge which will allow you to easily recruit colleagues to join your efforts and even to ask friends and family to support the cause by sponsoring your participation. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can do that too by opting out of these options.

To register please CLICK HERE

If you have any questions about this campaign or about CPAR's work in building healthy communities in Africa, please do not hesitate to contact chwadhwani@cpar.ca.

Ethiopia in the Press

A week ago, CNN and BBC were plastered with news of escalating conflict in the Horn of Africa, with Ethiopia’s troops still in Somalia and the United States’ attempts to catch terrorists with bombs. But what have you heard about the county I currently call my home this week? Nothing. Yet, this week, a story just as news worthy has stormed the city of Addis Ababa: the African Union Summit. All weekend, roads have been closed off and police line the streets to ensure safe arrival to the likes of Ban Ki Moon (the new UN Secretary General), African presidents such as Bashir or Mugabe, and, perhaps with slightly less security, the continent’s policy makers.

I crave a mainstream media source that will give the same type of coverage and attention to this meeting as they have to the World Economic Forum in Davos this past week. I know it’s been said before- Africa is sidelined and pigeon holed in the media, where only stories of conflict and disaster grab the global spotlight- but it wasn’t until I arrived here that I realized just how much action is happening on the ground. I feel that without media attention, the outcomes of this type of meeting will not be supported to successful action. Put the spotlight on Africa, not just for more aid and new initiatives run by Western donors, but for support of sophisticated indigenous action that is already taking place.

I Heart Blogs

A non-Ethiopia related post:

Am getting deeper and deeper in the world of blogging. And it's terrific. I joined Technorati the other day, for my CPAR blog, and within one day had four comments from strangers- certainly a first in my online presence. I've also been reading a lot about making money from blogging, and that's the next step. It's hard to imagine the utility of blogs when you have a small audience (mostly your mother and your boyfriend), but I'm determined to use this medium as a way to engage others in development issues. If anyone has any suggestions for me in my efforts to improve, scale up and publicize my two blogs (this one and http://www.cpar-ethiopia.blogspot.com) please let me know!

Kate

Bloggular absenses

Hello All,

If you were to look, you'd find me in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. I'm having some trouble posting on my blog because of slow internet connection (it only works VERY early in the mornings), so if you want news and don't find it here, go to:

My Work Blog

And send me an email!

Kate

Holy Nervous, Batman

So, I have my ticket, I have my waterfilter, I have my antimalarials, I have my sleeping bag, and my safari outfit. But where is my courage? I keep telling myself that it's only a year of my life, and one that I have the wealth and mobility to escape from if I so choose. But at the same time, this impending trip to Africa is the most significant event of my life so far. My stomach is churning, but there are also butterflys of excitement. I know I won't believe it until I get there, no matter if my suitcases are nearly packed and I have the yellow fever vaccinations seering through my veins. 13 days to go. I hope you'll all stick with me on this trip, as I certainly hope I'll have some good stories to tell!

AIDS 2006

It's AIDS 2006, the International Aids Conference, in Toronto at the moment. Go! Go now! Imagine all of a sudden being surrounded by tens of thousands of people working for the same positive change you are!

I have been working at the CPAR exhibit in the Global Village section (booths, etc, lots of NGOS) and have had the chance to check out some of the sessions as well. I know that it's 'just a conference' but there's something about the fact that there are 24000 people (and that's only official delegates) together concentrating on two simple issues: LIFE and DIGNITY. I'm ashamed to admit it, but the intensity of the entire convention has made me cry on several occasions. To me, it feels like there are representatives from every inch of the AIDS landscape, from all points of the compass and all generations. The thing that is the most exciting is that there are also representatives from each APPROACH to alleviate the crisis- the grandmothers selling their crafts to afford to send their charges to school, the NGOs promoting treatment, counselling, and education, and those targeting the underlying POVERTY of AIDS, the Government and Corporate delegates working on policy and research...

This higgledy piggledy blog indicates just what an overwhelming experience this conference is for me- it leaves me utterly unable to convey the enthusiasm, hope and learning that the conference is providing me. All I can say is Hurrah!

seeking x, y, and z

Currently in the glorious midst of a quintessential Sunday. I'm surrounded by the not-so-newsy bits of the weekend Globe and Mail, reading the inflated and exaggerated social commentary so desired of one of my class and intelligence. The remains of nutella sandwiches and glasses of overly pulpy orange juice are strewn about, and so are the articles clipped because they either embody my unvocalized thoughts on the Middle East crisis, or amuse me with their trivial yet disgustingly contemporary "news" ("Bang Bus runs over cyclist"). These guilty pleasures of newsprint and chocolate are tempered with three loads of laundry done, folded and organized according to tee shirts I like, tee shirts for work, and tee shirts for when all others are dirty. And the recently-used sleeping bag is outside airing for good anti-guilt measure. Beehtoven provides the musical accompaniment for this lovely lazy day. Alas, it shall soon be interrupted by the ever beckoning Cafe Crepe!

I am forever imagining what my life will be when I grow up. It's often framed in a spatial way: when I have an apartment/condo/house that is more permanent than an 8 month lease, and more satisfactory than 300 square feet or less, I will start doing x, y and z. In this case, x could be having an assortment of beverages on hand, for surprise visitors and random desires (instead of the current water, water and water I have to offer). Y could be subscribing to a magazine or newspaper, without worrying about change of address before recieving the first issue! And z could be doing laundry once a week, rather than waiting for EVERYTHING to be filthy before doing a marathon wash, during which I have to wear neon hotpants and a Victoria Commonwealth Games 1994 tee shirt, as they're the only things left. Or z's could be spending weekends as weekends, rather than days indistinguishable from the rest of the week.

This adds another element of satisfaction to my already appealing day: it signifies solidity, grown-upness, and "real life" in the face of transience, limbo, and constantly unstructured days/weeks/months that comprise being a STUDENT OF DEVELOPMENT...or maybe just what it is to be Kate?

Old Man Dance Party

A great Thursday night just past. My fabulous friends Aaron and Dev had their launch party for their socially active clothing line, aujCollections. The clothing line is based around the notion of perpetuating the "old boys club" for young men, and the theme of the party was aptly named the Old Man Dance Party. Located at Social on Queen West, the party consisted of many beautiful people, plenty of free alcohol, and oodles of press types and cameras. Auj had created a scene at the front of the bar to look like a club, complete with persian carpets, brandy, overstuffed leather chairs, a gunrack, etc etc. They'd hired some old men and some models who inhabited the space, smoking pipes, playing golf into a rocks glass, and using the old typewriter. It was all very civilized.

The goal of the event was to welcome the collection to Toronto, and to create the final scene in the reality show featuring Aaron and Dev that will air on Star TV in who knows how many months. For me, it's all very exciting because I get to watch these two very young guys (20 and 22) get increasingly successful, and occasionally drag me along with them! As well, the fact that each item of clothing that they sell comes with a code, which can be used to get mentorship for becoming active in the community, makes me interested in these guys even more! I urge you to check out their site.