Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
KPMG team members encourage African entrepreneurs to ‘follow their dreams’
At KPMG, our Community Leader Strategy encourages people to channel their enthusiasm and become engaged with communities and organizations. It’s about making a positive difference.
One of our summer interns, Salina Dharamsi from Vancouver, recently explored her passion in international development, while participating in KPMG’s Global Internship program in South Africa. She also invited Keitumetse Sekwele, a team member from KPMG’s Johannesburg office, to get involved in making a difference too.
In July 2011, Salina and Keitumese decided to get involved with UBC’s community-based program in South Africa called “ARC.” The ARC initiative brings together business people from Canada and South Africa, as well students, alumni and faculty from the University of British Columbia. Together, they facilitate a business conference for emerging entrepreneurs from Phalaborwa and nearby townships.
Conference delegates included Phalaborwa residents who owned a variety of businesses including companies involved in the construction, clothing, roof tiling, engineering, children’s entertainment and arts and crafts industries. Some delegates hoped to open businesses in the near future and shared their dreams of opening ecological centres, daycares, shoe repair facilities and other shops in Phalaborwa. Workshops focused on helping these emerging entrepreneurs gain a variety of marketing, finance, accounting, and strategy tools that could help them make business decisions and gain confidence.
Among the many activities was a live case where delegates were provided with background information on a handicraft store in Ethiopia that was thinking of opening a store in South Africa. As the owner of the store was present, delegates were able to interview her and ask questions that could help guide their analysis as to whether or not the expansion was in the best interest of the company. Keitumetse and Salina enjoyed helping delegates with the live case and were thoroughly impressed with the delegates’ ability to use the skills they had learned through the ARC initiative to unravel the case and present their findings.
At the end of the conference, participants were divided into groups and presented with a multi-page business case on a retail store that was experiencing some challenges. Groups worked together to tackle both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the case and ultimately presented their findings to a panel of judges.
Keitumetse and Salina had a lot of fun helping guide their groups through the case and were thoroughly impressed with not only how well the delegates worked together but also the camaraderie and energy that resonated throughout the room. The top three teams were recognized at the Gala dinner where each ARC participant received a certificate, class photo and encouragement to continue to passionately work together and follow their dreams.
“I enjoyed every moment of my stay in Phalaborwa; for me, the highlight was visiting Bornwise, a local fashion designer and conference delegate, at his home. It was so inspiring to see the beautiful garments he makes and to hear of how his participation with ARC has helped him gain new skills and build not only his business but also a good life for himself and his family,” Salina said. “I feel truly blessed to be interning with a company [KPMG] that is so committed to using its resources to reach out to the communities and countries in which it operates and am thankful for the incredible opportunity to be a part of the good work happening in Phalaborwa.”
Salina (2nd from the left) and Keitumetse (right) celebrating at the Gala dinner!
Professor Jeff Kroeker congratulates conference participants who won the Innovation Challenge!
The ARC team visits Kruger! (Salina and Keitumetse are on the bottom row, right hand side)
Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
Thank you Youth Ambassadors! (Connect).
What a year! Salina, Arynn, Evan, Rosemary, Michelle and Jessica are winding down their term as World Vision’s Youth Ambassadors. In celebration, let’s take a look back and celebrate their incredible accomplishments.
2010-2011 has certainly been a year of impact! Thanks to their hard work and passion, our YAs have…
inspired more than 24,000 Canadians through over 130 events to raise more than 100,000 dollars for children living in poverty!
Congratulations YAs on a job well done! You’re an inspiration to us all and we know you will continue to accomplish great things! We look forward to continuing to work with you to make the world a better place.
YA Reflections
Salina Dharamsi, Vancouver B.C.
On Rwanda: “The ‘Rwandan Way’ of exhibiting compassion and warmth in their daily lives will serve as a precedent for my work with World Vision and other organizations that I am blessed to be a part of.”
The YA Experience: “I have really enjoyed being a Youth Ambassador and have learned so much from the World Vision team and YA family. I am so grateful that I was able to visit Rwanda and see firsthand the incredible work World Vision does.”
Advice for the new YAs: “Speak from your heart and really try and shape your presentation based on the audience you will be speaking to! Most importantly, have fun and stay connected to each other and the WV team!”
Original Source: http://worldvisionmedia.ca/connect/?p=2011
Posted in Rwanda & South Africa
Posted in USA & Europe
Posted in USA & Europe
Salina at the United Nations (World Vision Connect).
Salina Dharamsi, a World Vision Youth Ambassador, recently participated in a couple important events with the United Nations. We caught up with her and asked her to reflect on her experiences.
1. Tell us about your recent activities with World Vision International.
In February of 2011 I was invited to participate in a multi-stakeholder debate at the United Nations in New York. The timely discussion, titled “Taking Collective Action in Disaster Risk Reduction for Good Governance – Investing in Our Children’s Future,” focused on disaster risk reduction and involved delegates from the UNDP, World Vision International, Save the Children and Unicef. As one of only two youth representatives at the talk, I advocated strongly for increased youth participation in disaster risk reduction activities and collaborated with leaders and believers in DRR to help develop tangible ways to increase youth participation in all areas of DRR related work.
In May of 2011, I was blessed with the opportunity to serve as a youth facilitator for the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva, Switzerland. Managed by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, the Third Session of the Global Platform brought together over 2,000 policy makers and practitioners from government, international organizations, NGOs, academia, and the private sector. Together we assessed and shared information and ultimately set new directions for disaster risk reduction work.
2. Tell us more about Disaster Risk Reduction as it relates to Climate Change.
Disasters (such as hurricanes, cyclones and flooding) are predicted to occur more often and with greater intensity due to climate change. It’s estimated that every year 175 million children will be affected by sudden climate-related disasters; without increased awareness and commitment from the global community lives of people just like us will tragically be lost.
3. What was your main message at the New York City event?
My main message at the New York City event was shaped by numerous conversations I had with young people before I left for the UN. The common thread between all the discussions I had was that the average Canadian youth feels left out of disaster risk reduction activities. During my address I emphasized three needs that, if addressed, will allow for greater youth participation in DRR related activities:
1. The need for age appropriate DRR information.
2. The need for greater emphasis on two-way communication channels where young people can engage with experts and experts in turn can engage with young people.
3. The need for leaders and believers in DRR to find specific, tangible, realistic and engaging niches in which youth can have substantial input and impact.
In essence, I focused on how the huge global issue of DRR needs to be broken down into tangible steps to engage the 6.5 million youth in Canada (and other young people globally) who are willing, eager and ready to get involved in DRR related decisions that will ultimately shape their futures.
4. Tell us about some of the youth you met in both New York and Geneva.
Through my participation in both of these events, I had the opportunity to meet several inspiring young leaders from disaster-afflicted areas of Kenya and the Philippines. Representing their communities, these young people shared how they have been directly involved in equipping their communities from drought and typhoons.
5. What did you learn through the experience?
The multi-stakeholder debate and Global Platform reinforced my passion for development and advocacy work and opened my eyes to the progress that can be obtained when passionate leaders from a variety of professional backgrounds come together.
6. How can Canadian youth be involved on this issue?
This is a really exciting time for young people to be involved in DRR related activities. With the recent development of the Children’s Charter for Disaster Risk Reduction and youth participation at high-profile events, the opportunities for youth to be powerful vessels of faith and hope, and protect nations in need are becoming more and more available. Don’t hesitate to research online or reach out to an organization you are familiar with for more information on how you too can be a part of DRR!
Posted in USA & Europe
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