CUSO-VSO- Umeeda Switlo

I met Melissa Renaud, Michael Walsh, Sean Mulcahy and Robin Cheesman at a Preparing for Change training session at CUSO-VSO in Ottawa . This is a course that volunteers take prior to accepting and leaving for their assignment. I took the opportunity to interview them about this unique triangular partnership between Stratford, Sujitoto and CUSO-VSO.

All four work at Stratford in set, costume and wardrobe and stagehands. They are a part of a project to share skills with people in Sujitoto. This unique heritage town in El Salvador has the possibility of becoming a focal area for performing arts in the region.

Sharing theatre technical skills with youth in two theatre spaces will help many youth gain skills and work in this industry.

The model for Stratford festival created in the 1950's is a successful model. Tom Patterson set up a thriving Theatre and Arts community in Ontario. This sustainable and thriving community is sharing its skills with Sujitoto with the help of CUSO-VSO.

A wonderful triangular partnership.

I wish you all well on your assignment and cant wait to hear back from you.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

It was a pleasure interviewing Karen. I must say, all the chatter in the background at the coffee shop made it a bit distracting.

Karen served for 10 months teaching Introductory Computer Science to elementary and junior high students. She had Majored in psychology and sociology from the University of Calgary.

Karen is grateful to CUS-VSO for helping opening her mind and life, for helping her gain experience and to teach.

As many RV's say," it was life changing".

Karen is a singer song writer . You can listen to her music at www.karenfowlie.com

Hear how her experience helped her continue to volunteer and contribute to her community.

Thanks Karen for this interview and keep singing.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

Anne- Catherine Bajard went to volunteer with CUSO with her husband Jose Luis Pereira Ossio. This ended up being a 15 year relationship with a country and its people. Anne- Catherine worked in Potosi, a town on a high altitude plateau approx. 12,000 ft above sea level. Its the place that was and is mined for silver and gold.

Although her initial assignment did not work she helped to identify a need and applied her skills to working with domestic workers.

Her work has continued in Canada with Canadian Crossroads International, CCEDNET, Centre for Global Studies, Climate change in Senegal and more. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

I was fascinated by Anne- Catherine's history being a second generation person involved in international deveopment commitment to social change and belief in the best in each one of us.

Thanks so much for talking with me Anne-Catherine.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

Rick lives in Sorrento, British Columbia. I reached him during International Development week for this interview on Skype.

This was the first time I did an interview that we recorded on skype so please excuse me if it sounds a bit rough.

When Rick came to see me in our Vancouver office we realized that we had studied together at the University of Victoria- marine Biology and were friends then. It was great to reconnect.

Rick went to Nigeria to teach high school biology in a small town of about 15,000 people. 80 other CUSO volunteers left Canada for Nigeria at the same time as Rick. He remembers Stella from Halifax who he is still in touch with. Steve and Maureen Gato, Kim Mock and many more.

Rick continued to teach when he returned to Canada and now works with computers.

Photo- Rick on a motorbike. CUSO RV's always tell me about their bikes.

Thanks Rick for your enthusiasm and wonderful interview.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

I talked to Ilona using Skype in Kimberly during International Development week. She travelled to Malawi to serve as a Doctor with her husband who is a Forrester and their two children.

Ilona returned to her practice in Kimberly recently. I am so impressed by her commitment to help with inequalities in this world. I am sure she will always continue with this objective as well as being a great GP.

Thanks Ilona.

PS Please excuse the sound- we tried recording on Skype for the first time

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

During International Development week I talked with Tanis Clarke, a graduate in French Literature. She in 1978 she applied to serve with CUSO. She was assigned to a boys school in Sierra Leone teaching French.

Tanis worked for CUSO in Ontario and in Peru. Almost 10 years of her professional life.

Recently Tanis decided to support with CUSO-VSO in several ways.

As a donor of a Project in Sujitoto partnering with Stratford Festival. This innovative program focuses on a community around theatre and the arts.

Tanis was also a co-chair for Dance for the World in Vancouver and has been trained as a volunteer selector.

Thank you Tanis for all you do.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

Gil Mervyn recently retired as Municipal clerk for the Municipality of Delta in British Columbia. I met with him during International Development week to hear about his experience in Guyana with CUSO.

This is one of those very special interviews where you hear about how a young person really wanted to make a difference and his journey to make that happen. He was 20 years old when he served with CUSO in Guyana.

1969- Taught in Guyana

Later served with CUSO as Country officer supporting volunteers placed in Ghana.

A rich experience.

Gil hopes help CUSO-VSO in our work. I can think of many ways that a person with so many skills can help.

Thanks Gill for a wonderful interview during International Development week.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

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My sister was staying at a fabulous Bed and Breakfast in Deep Cove called Lockehaven and told me that the owners name was Noulan Bowker and that he served with CUSO. She said that he remembered those years as some of the best of his life. I had to meet him and finally did.

A young engineering graduate served with CUSO in 1971. He had adventured in the high north and so it wasn't a surprise for his family when he took an assignment. He was sure he wanted to go to Thailand.

His assignment was in a place close to Bangkok at a technical college. He told me about how this assignment changed his world and he hoped that he had made a deference.

I think he did. His idea of fixing equipment at the college may have taught his students to take matters in their own hands and make things work.

It was a pleasure hearing his enthusiasm about his 2 year assignment. Thanks for meeting me during International Development week.

Thanks Noulan

CUSO-VSO

Volunteer for a better world! Share Skills volunteers in 43 Countries-Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guatemala, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra, Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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I met Maryam Moghaddas in Vancouver recently. She has been back from her assignment for 6 years. It was wonderful talking with this bright woman who served when she was 29 years old with VSO.

She went as an IT specialist and ended up focusing on training young people to train others on computer skills. Sustainable development at its best.

Like many Returned Volunteers Maryam is very modest about  her work and believes that the experience changed her as much.

I look forward to Maryam reconnecting with her passion in Ineternational Development.

Thanks Maryam for sharing your experience with me during International Development week.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org

When I first met Rosalind at a CUSO Potluck two years ago I was so impressed with the fact that she had cycled from a long distance to come to the dinner. She is very fit and very committed to International Development. She has helped me on several occasions in our Public Engagement work. Thanks Rosalinde, you are inspiration.

1979- Served in Tanzania as a Tailoring instructor

1988-2005 - Served in Ghana with Widows and Orphan's Ministry as a Business Administrator and at the Mencell Girl's vocational school as a Financial Administration Manager.

Rosalind with Madame Betty

Thanks for meeting with me during International Development week and volunteering at the CODEV World film festival.

Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.

www.cuso-vso.org