May 2018 was one of the most exciting months of any year in my entire life! You ask why? In a single month, I was able to travel to 3 different cities to advocate for a world without poverty! Crazy, right? (If you don’t think that’s cool then sorry we can’t be friends)
I have been an active member of Engineers without Borders (EWB) for 2+ years. I act as the Advocacy Representative for the University of British Columbia Chapter. My duties in this executive position are as follow:
- Educate Chapter Members about campaigns that help develop Canada’s International Development Portfolio
- Educate Members of the public about these campaigns
- Meet with Member of Parliaments to ask them to bring these matters to the Parliament
So I work on a wide variety of levels to help develop Canada’s International Development Portfolio.
Meeting with MP of Vancouver Quadra, Joyce Murray, about Innovative Financing
Every May, chapter members from all across Canada gather in Ottawa to meet with Members of Parliament to push for more international aid and financing. This year, on May 1st 60 EWBers met with about 90 Members of parliament to convince the government to invest more in small scale businesses in developing countries. In federal budget 2018, Canada allocated about $876 million to innovative financing and we at EWB want to make sure that a large portion of this money goes to small scale businesses and social enterprises especially those led by women. Innovative financing helps provide resources for developing economies while generating return for the investor nation. I met with 3 members of Parliament to discuss this. At the end, we had most of the MPs on board with this ask and our campaign was a success.
After a fun filled weekend, I was back in Vancouver to start my job at MECH Student Services. About 3 days later I get an email from the Policy and Advocacy Director at EWB inviting me to Toronto to attend a week long workshop centered on effective leadership. About a week later I was on a flight to Toronto! (Huge thanks to MECH Student Services for giving me this time off). I attended this week long workshop where we explored leadership through a different lens. We defined effective leadership as the identification of your inner capabilities and the ability to recognize the inner qualities of the team you are leading. It’s safe to say, I learned loads and will be bringing this material into the meetings at our EWB chapter on campus.
At the Toronto 3D sign at Nathan Phillips Square
And here I was thinking that’s it. Now back to normal everyday life. A day later, I get an email from the United Nations HQ in New York inviting me to attend the Presidential General Assembly’s Youth Dialogue 2018 to represent Engineers without Borders, Canada.
3 days later I was on a flight to New York!
With the President of the General Assembly, Miroslav Lajčák
Over an entire day, I had the exciting opportunity to meet with advocates from all across the world and discuss how they thought we can achieve a world without poverty!
And with that I concluded the month of May! Nothing but adventure and learning!
On June 1st I was back in Vancouver. Working full time, completely sleep deprived and living off coffee. But it was all worth it!