iDE Canada and CLWR joined us for Champions of Change (Lunch & Learn) to chat about their award-winning projects.

WATCH CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE (LUNCH & LEARN)

MCIC celebrated two outstanding projects last month with the inaugural Development Impact Awards. The winning projects were announced during the International Development Week launch event at the Manitoba Legislature on Tuesday, February 6th. The awards highlight exceptional projects that advance MCIC’s vision of a more just and sustainable world.  

The Development Impact Awards are selected by a panel of development professionals based on the six action areas of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP):

• Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls
• Human Dignity
• Growth that works for everyone
• Environment and Climate Action
• Inclusive Governance
• Peace and Security

This year’s winners were outstanding in the areas of Gender Equality and Human Dignity. MCIC congratulates Canadian Lutheran World Relief and iDE Canada and their partners on taking home the first Development Impact Awards for their exceptional work! 

Canadian Lutheran World Relief 

Gender Responsive and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the West Bank (GRIT)

Development Impact Award: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls

Women in the West Bank face plenty of barriers. Those living with disabilities face even more. Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) and their partners Lutheran World Federation – Jerusalem responded to these challenges by taking a comprehensive approach to supporting women’s education.  
 
The Gender Responsive and Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (GRIT) project, supported by funding from Global Affairs Canada and the Manitoba Matching Grant Program, helps women and girls overcome a variety of barriers to education. The program offers supports that that will help 1,143 women access Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) with transportation, scholarships and equipment grants and more. Another 1,093 women can take advantage of gender inclusive measures introduced to make institutions more welcoming.  
 
Amal Mohammed is one of the women who has used the GRIT project’s wrap-around supports to reshape her life. She capitalized on her love of cooking, pursuing a Culinary Arts course at Ramallah’s Episcopal Technical and Vocational Training Center. Her determination, entrepreneurship and training in culinary skills and marketing have helped her succeed as a sweets manufacturer in the Palestinian market.  
 
“My life has changed because of my hard work and perseverance,” Amal shared. “I’ve become more financially able and independent from my family. I have a stable source of income, which makes me feel safe. I created my own website to market my products.” Through this transformation, she was helped by GRIT supports including scholarships, apprenticeship support, and equipment to use as she mastered her craft.  

Image: Women in the CLWR-supported GRIT program train in technical and vocational skills, including as mechanics. 
 
In their submission, CLWR said the project “recognizes the capacity and tenacity of Palestinian women, including women with disabilities, and seeks to reduce barriers to help them achieve their educational and career goals. By improving access to technical and vocational training programs, GRIT opens doors that have been closed to many girls and women such as Amal, enabling them to participate in the labor market and enhance their status in their communities.” MCIC is proud to recognize the immense impact of the GRIT project on Gender Equality in the West Bank. You can see more about this project in CLWR's video, Iqbal's Story: 
 

iDE Canada

Embedding Gender, Environmental Sustainability and Government Inclusion Through Sanitation Marketing in Northern Ghana

Development Impact Award: Human Dignity

In northern Ghana, sanitation and economic development are critical community issues. iDE Canada and their partner Sama Sama has taken an innovative market-based approach to tackle both. Entrepreneurs like Adam Adamu are leading the way with latrine businesses that have installed hundreds of toilets in people’s homes and communities. Her sanitation business now installs around 10 systems each month and has grown to seven employees. 

 
You can watch Adam’s story in her own words in this video interview:  

Local community consultation and participation have made Sama Sama a successful enterprise incubator, and a growing number of women are becoming local business owners through the project, iDE reports. 

 
“We have seen an increase in women toilet business owners more recently, a number of whom were encouraged personally by Adam Adamu to venture into the construction space and who are now earning an income for themselves and their families and are providing a needed sanitation service to their communities,” iDE stated in their submission. 

Improving sanitation, women’s empowerment and human dignity are among the key outcomes of this project, and MCIC is pleased to recognize it through the Development Impact Awards. MCIC member projects are made possible with funding from the Government of Manitoba and Global Affairs Canada.