Community Event Focuses on Impact on Global Change

A Kelowna student has recently returned from an international development aid and will hold a public event to explore the issues facing developing countries.

Okanagan College International Development student Janine Roth has travelled to Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, Israel, Venezuela, Mexico, and China. The 29-year-old spent her time there working on international development aid efforts.

“I wanted to go to these countries to hear and see for myself what those communities needed,” said Roth. “It’s important to focus our development efforts on what the people in those countries tell us they need, versus us going in with our own ideas of what we think they need.”

Janine Roth with a Haitian student during one of her aid missions (Photo Credit: Okanagan College)

On April 8 the public is invited to explore the issues developing countries face, and hear from the individuals and organizations in our Okanagan community who are helping transform the lives of those in need. The inaugural International Development Night will be hosted at Okanagan College’s Kelowna Campus in the Student Services Building from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The interactive community focused event includes information booths, mini guest lectures (room A125), networking, live music, and light refreshments. It is an opportunity to speak directly with local non-profit organizations about their aid efforts and expand the awareness of the need for individuals to contribute to developing countries beyond our everyday.

A dozen local non-profit organizations will be in attendance: Hope for the Nations, Partners in the Horn of Africa, Kelowna Zambia Partnership, Developing World Connections, Global Citizen Kelowna, Amnesty International Group 161 Kelowna, Gifts to Grandmothers, World Neighbours Canada, Inter-cultural Women’s Educational Network, Bicycles for Humanity, Potters Without Borders, Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan.