The Slaight Family Foundation today announced that it will donate $7 million to support seven Canadian non-governmental organizations. The donation will be split equally among all seven groups, which include Stephen Lewis Foundation, War Child, Free The Children, Right To Play, Human Rights Watch, Partners In Health Canada, and World Vision.
The donations aim to support Canada’s efforts in global humanitarianism. The work of these NGOs will be supported over the next four years as they aim to create change in seven unique ways across the globe.
“The work these seven NGOs are doing is critically important. When we were selecting different organizations to partner with, it really came down to the versatility of these projects and the need for change in these regions,” saidGary Slaight, President and CEO of Slaight Family Foundation. “We hope these gifts will benefit many people for years to come, and that we inspire others to support humanitarianism efforts on a global scale.”
The gifts were announced today at an event hosted by the Slaight Family Foundation. Leaders in Canadian humanitarianism and business leaders were also present. Chief executive officers from all seven NGOs spoke about the importance of these gifts and the projects they will support.
“The work that we do as humanitarians is only made possible by the generosity of others. The generosity we’ve seen from the Slaight Family Foundation is an inspiring example of those who want to make a difference in the world,” saidDave Toycen, President and CEO of World Vision. “At the end of the day, our dream is to change the lives of women, men and children around the world, and these donations help make that dream a reality.”
The donations announced today will fund seven special projects in different regions throughout the globe. Each project will touch a different group of equally important recipients, including women and children in Thailand, grandmothers and orphans in sub-Saharan Africa, and victims of war and human rights violations in Cambodia and beyond.
The Slaight Family Foundation Gifts, in detail:
Stephen Lewis Foundation
Support to grandmothers raising children orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa
The Stephen Lewis Foundation will continue to work with grassroots organizations to improve the livelihood and security of grandmothers raising children orphaned by AIDS. Support will be provided through food security, income-generation opportunities, and housing for grandmothers and orphans in their care, as well as national convenings of grandmother groups in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Tanzania.
War Child
Justice support to abused mothers and children in war torn countries
Support for mothers and children that have experienced abandonment and violence inflicted by war is critical. War Child aims to expand current justice programs to additional war torn countries where the need it evident. These programs rebuild legal structures, provide access to free legal counsel and ensure authorities understand the meaning of rights.
Free The Children
Agriculture and food security in Kenya
This project focuses on community based support for 2,000 farmers in 20 Kenyan communities through training and resource availability. Agricultural education will be offered through school based support, which will focus on training and support work on farms, agricultural clubs, and construction of school based green houses for school and home consumption.
Right To Play
Child centered learning in Thailand
To help with the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of children in Thailand, Right To Play will focus on improving life skills through sport and play based learning activities. The donation will improve access to teachers and volunteers and increase the capacity to incorporate play into school activities.
Human Rights Watch
Access to clean water and sanitation in Thailand
Developing expertise on rights to clean water and sanitation is the focus of this project. Increasing women’s rights and developing sophisticated methodologies for documenting economic, social and culture rights will assist in gaining access to clean water and sanitation.
Partners In Health Canada
First residencies in emergency medicine in Haiti
Over the next five years, Partners In Health will train 18 residents in emergency medical care to help assist with trauma, triage and disaster relief in Haiti. Processes will also be set up to ensure a transfer of skills to other medical professionals in the area.
World Vision
Protecting human rights in Cambodia
World Vision will work to prevent human rights violations in Cambodia through education and assistance. Work will focus on advocating new policy initiatives to government, raising the profile of human rights issues within Cambodia, and helping victims of human rights injustice transition back into the community.
