Cape Breton to Colombo: Opportunity of a lifetime

Today I will be patiently waiting with intense excitement at the J.A Douglas McCurdy airport to board the first of 4 flights that will take me from Sydney, Nova Scotia to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka by early morning Friday to take part in a volunteer co-operative study mission. 

To say I am looking forward to it would be a massive understatement on a number of levels.  Having caught the travel bug early in life, traveling in general has sort of become what I live for.  Traveling anywhere, with anyone, at any given time always provides that blend of spontaneity and change of scenery where, as soon as it’s over, I’m left hanging onto my seat looking forward to the next opportunity to hit the road and see what else there is to see and do.

There’s also the fact that I’ve shoveled my driveway about 9 or 10 times in the last week and a half.   Old man winter seems to be particularly interested in seeing that Cape Breton Island has a season that’s up to his standards this year.  I will welcome the heat and humidity with open pores for any chance to escape the cold.  Not even this screen capture from my iPhone can get me down at this point:

Thunder and lightning?  That’s nothing!  We’re Canadian, we sneeze thunder and lightning!   Bring it on Colombo.  But hopefully it will turn in our favor and look a little more like the Sri Lanka that earned the nickname the Pearl of the Indian Ocean:

The mission, called Journey out of Poverty, involves bringing together 10 co-operative and credit union employees and developers from across Canada to travel through Sri Lanka visiting a number of co-operative and credit union organizations in order to learn how the Sri Lankans are utilizing this model to alleviate poverty following the 25 year civil war that recently ended in 2009, and in rebuilding communities following the devastating tsunami that hit in 2004.

I have always hoped for the opportunity to take part first-hand in some kind of international development work in a meaningful way.  I’ve been active in fundraisers and awareness campaigns for various NGO’s through my volunteer work with Junior Chamber International, such as; JCI Nothing but Nets, Save the Children Canada, and efforts to raise awareness of the UN Millennium Development Goals, but I will likely never meet the people those efforts have benefited, or understand exactly how they live and witness and learn about the issues that affect them daily right there in their own communities. 

That will all change over the next week, all thanks to the good work the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) continue to do in providing these opportunities for Canadians to explore how the co-operative model of business is used in developing countries to address various issues including poverty alleviation.  The co-operative model of business instills ownership, empowers individuals, highlights the importance of training and education, promotes democracy and concern for community, and is rooted in the values of self help, self responsibility, and equality.  It’s hard to imagine how any group of individuals who enthusiastically adhere to these values and principals wouldn’t soon find their way on their own journey out of poverty with the right supports.

From what I have read about the Sri Lankan people they are a very warm and hospitable people, so although my surroundings will be foreign to me, as a Cape Bretoner I am expecting a familiar sense of welcoming.  

Sri Lanka has a beautiful and vibrant culture inspired largely by ancient Buddhist traditions, sprinkled with Dutch, Portuguese and British influence throughout the country so I’m expecting a visual overload, not to mention the food…curry, curry, and more curry! 

But more on that later…I’ve got errands to run!

By: Mark Sparrow

Seeing is believing

Two more sleeps until I make my way to the Toronto airport for the long flight to London and then an even longer flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka.  I am very excited when I think of actually experiencing the Sri Lankan culture. And even more exciting is the fact that our group will be visiting credit unions and co-ops.  I truly believe in people helping people, which is the basis of CCA’s important international development work.  During this Study Tour we will get to see how successful CCA has been in Sri Lanka putting CDF funding to good work. I very much look forward to this trip (although I think Sri Lanka may be even more humid than Ghana if that's possible - I'm sweating just thinking about it!) 

My past CCA Coaching Program trips to Ghana in 2008 and 2009 were very rewarding.  We worked with credit union managers and were able to see the effects of the programs that CCA offers. Women who had attended the Women’s Mentorship Program were able to come back to their credit unions with new knowledge and skills.  And through the Coaching Program we were able to share our Canadian credit union experience with both credit union managers and boards.

Photo: Susan Tustin and fellow CCA volunteer Brian Thorne at Berekum Teachers Credit Union in Berekum, Ghana.

One can only imagine the devastation that occurred in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami in 2004. I am eager to learn more about how CDF funded many relief projects and how CCA worked with long-time partner SANASA to help people slowly rebuild their lives. By being able to see this work first hand, we hope to be able to return to Canada and help raise funds to ensure CDF and CCA can continue to help communities help themselves in Sri Lanka and around the world.

By: Susan Tustin

You too can visit CCA's work in post-Tsunami Sri Lanka by clicking on the links below to see four amazing video stories profiled through CCA's Cinema:

• Mohamed Fishes Again
• Sithy Rebuilds
• Home at Last
• Safe from the Sea

Seven days from today . . .

Seven days from today, I will be in Sri Lanka with my ten fellow volunteers seeing the good co-op and credit union development work that takes place in-country. The strategic purpose of this trip is to open the eyes of these Canadian volunteers, so that that we can return home and raise funds for the worthwhile work of CDF. CDF funds growth and development programs based on co-operative values, to help people and communities around the world work their way out of poverty. 

I am excited about the journey and the outcomes. I know from past experience, having travelled as a volunteer with CCA to Ghana, Malawi and Thailand that the co-op people we will meet will be amazing and inspiring. My work colleagues at First West Credit Union are supportive of this adventure and they seem anxious for me to leave and not too concerned about when I get back.  I like to think that is how credit union people behave when they care about you!

My family is different of course. My wife and I have seven children, with the three youngest ones aged 2 yrs, 4 yrs and 7 yrs. My younger kids want me to take some pictures of the elephants that I will see. Even though I explained to them that I am working with co-ops, that this is not a safari, they are adamant that the elephants are everywhere. I will see what I can do.

Photo: Elephants at Ampara, by Ingrid Fischer CCA Africa Director, formerly stationed in Sri Lanka

My bags are not packed but I do have a mental list, which means I will leave several important items behind. Oh well, I know that we will be in good hands and that the hospitality that we will receive will be great.

Please check our blog and I will keep you all up-to-date on the trials, tribulations and learning that our team encounters on this great co-op journey in Sri Lanka and beyond.

By: Barry Delaney