Well, today is the last call for chicken orders - if you want some, message me ASAP! Find the info here. The rain barrel fundraiser has been extended, as we now have a set date and location! You can pre-order your barrels until June 15th. We will be having our sale at the Kitchener Market (300 King St. E) on June 22nd, from 7am-2pm. We'll be located outside on the piazza, so come on by and say hello (I promise to remind you all the Thursday before the event)! Oh, and by the way - it is an amazing price for the quality of product you are receiving - rain barrels are typically sold for $60-150 in retail stores, and our price is $50! Visit www.rainbarrel.ca/indevours to place your order. Now for the comment on development. One of my professors used this political cartoon in one of her presentations, and I just think it is one of those images worth a thousand words. There is so much truth and in it. I think this image is an accurate depiction of how the 'Western', 'developed' (or whatever you want to call us) world has taken advantage of the other nations, beginning in the time of exploration and colonization. The one comment I would make on the image is that it neglects to depict our similar treatment of South America and Asia.
Anyhow, the truth of this struck me when I saw it, and I was shocked at the suddenly overwhelming feeling of guilt that I had, as I recognized in this simple cartoon, the story of how I came to have all the objects and general wealth that I possess. What do you think about this map of the world? Does it make you wonder?
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Well, I thought I’d share a funny video with you today. Take a few minutes and watch this sarcastic take on two very different, and similarly complicated fields. Well, we want all of our supporters to get to know us a little bit better, so our marketing team is making short videos of each of us and featuring them on our YouTube channel, indevours1. Today was my debut, so I thought I'd share it here! There are a few other videos up on the channel, and 2 more will be uploaded every week, so check back to meet some of my classmates! In explanation of my constant need to look down in the video - I am horrible at public speaking, so I have to write out what I want to say in order to actually get it said! Hope this gives you a more clear idea of what I'll be doing and why I'm going to absolutely love it! Hey, hey, hey! The INDEVOURS are moving at super-speed to get fundraisers up and running, and our first two are ready for orders! Additional info is below. Here’s why you should buy from us: I am representing INDEVOURS, a student-run organization at the University of Waterloo whose members dedicate the fourth year of their International Development studies to living in and working with communities in the developing world. In order to help our members offset some of the significant costs associated with this field placement, we are hosting various fundraising events. The funds raised will assist us in putting our theoretical acumen into practise as we strive to achieve positive and sustainable social, environmental and economic development for our communities at home and abroad. We value optimism, education, and stewardship, and will work for change by harnessing diversity, innovation and opportunity. Please visit www.indevours.wordpress.com to learn more about us. Elmira Poultry is super tasty, raised free-range in the area, locally processed, and the different kinds of packaged meat are listed above. I have also attached the PDF sell sheet below, so if you'd like to download that for easier reading, feel free! If you want to order some meat, please submit your order to me via email ([email protected]) by May 30th. I’ll need your name, phone number, and the call number and quantity of boxes you want. Money needs to also be submitted by May 30th in cash or cheque form (made out to St. Paul's University College, with INDEVOURS written on the memo line) – contact me to make arrangements. Chicken will be delivered Saturday, June 15th from 2-4 pm at St. Paul’s University College. Once again, if you can’t make it for that day and time, contact me to make other arrangements, and I’ll see what I can do. ![]()
![]() We are partnering with RainBarrel.ca to run a fundraiser selling rain barrels in Waterloo. Orders are now being taken for a June 22nd pickup date at the Kitchener Farmers' Market (300 King St. E). Rainbarrel.ca reclaims food grade barrels to be reused as rain barrels, each of which comes fully equipped with a leaf and mosquito filter basket, an overflow adaptor that permits multiple barrels to be connected in series, 1.2m of overflow hose and a spigot that attaches directly to a garden hose. The price is $50 per barrel, and barrels can be ordered online at www.rainbarrel.ca/indevours.
Rain barrels capture and store rainwater collected from roofs through downspouts. They provide chlorine-free and fluoride-free water, which is ideal for flowers, vegetables, lawns, shrubs and trees. Collected water has a number of other uses including washing cars, cleaning floors, laundry and more. These many uses can provide cost savings and conservation opportunities for every homeowner, especially those who pay to have water trucked in, use a well or have a water meter installed. Environmental benefits of using rain barrels include reducing reliance and draw on city water, healthier plants because there are no additives such as chlorine in the rainwater, and reduces storm runoff that can pick up contaminants on its way into the local water supply. So, what do you think? If you are interested in purchasing yummy chicken from Elmira Poultry, or eco-friendly rain barrels for your garden, let me know as soon as you can! There has been quite the internet uproar over the past week or so, all about Abercrombie & Fitch, their policies, and their CEO’s public statement. I have been following along, and have compiled a list of posts to read that follow the development of the story, and end with an interesting twist.
First off, this article gives a little bit of the original story, and follows it up with a social media campaign video that someone has started in protest. The whole story blew up and even Ellen got in on the action! Then, the critical thinkers grabbed onto the story and the #FitchtheHomeless campaign, and opened the eyes of the blind followers, reminding people that by relegating A&F clothing to the homeless, it is the same kind of discrimination that A&F is doing in refusing to make larger sizes and burning their defective merchandise. You can read some of these opinions here, here, and here. Finally, a friend of mine who works in inner-city New York with The Relief Bus, an organization that works to assist the homeless, posted a co-worker’s response to the whole issue. Personally, I came to the same conclusion as the critical thinkers, recognizing the discrimination in the #FitchtheHomeless campaign, even though it is ironic and feels like a way to ‘stick it’ to A&F. I have never shopped at A&F, and do not plan to in the future, and I hope that more people will also make this choice following this week’s media storm. Did you hear about this kerfuffle over the week? What do you think? Last month, I shared an advertisement by END7, which I felt was overdoing the shock aspect of their work. So I was pleased to see an email in my inbox the other day, promoting a “new, light-hearted” video for Mother’s Day. I’ll let you watch and make your own decision as to whether they succeeded in that aim. I do think that their mission, to end 7 preventable diseases by 2020 is a difficult one to make light-hearted, so I think they did the best they could. A great thing about this organization is that even the littlest amounts of money can have a dramatic impact on a person’s life – it costs about 75c to protect someone from these parasites!
I think that as we all take time to appreciate our mothers today, we should ponder the number of children who lose their mothers, and the mothers who lose their cherished children due to easily preventable illnesses. I am so blessed to have been born into a family with relative wealth and to have an abundance of resources at my disposal, which allow me to get treatment when ill, attend school, and live comfortably. In honour of the mothers around the world who are struggling to provide for and raise their precious children, Happy Mother's Day, everyone! This ad is a neat example of how creativity and technology can combine to make something really cool, which can also provide vulnerable people with assistance. Check out the article here, and watch the clip. Can you see other applications for this that would produce a similar outcome? Let me know in the comments! Spring is here, and with it is the day that I move onto campus to begin my final term of classes at the Waterloo campus. It marks the beginning of a four month count-down to Malawi and a new adventure.
This term, I will be studying special topics in international development, geographies of development, advanced marketing and communication for development agents, and some electives for my peace and conflict studies minor, such as conflict resolution in schools. My cohort will be running events to raise awareness and fundraise to offset placement costs, and I will let you know when and where these will be happening, so that if you’d like to join in the fun, you can! Off to fight the geese for a place on the grounds of UW… wish me luck! Well, a year ago I was experiencing la culture Francophone in Alma, a town in northern Quebec. I was fortunate enough to win the lottery and the government of Canada paid for me to experience the culture that comes with the second national language. Explore is a program that is run by the government for students to improve their speaking skills in their non-native official language, by immersion, for a period of five weeks. It was amazing and I recommend it to anyone who qualifies and is interested in improving their other official language! Alma was special though – it is a smaller program than most, and is aimed at students who are musical and would like to learn about that aspect of francophone culture and have dedicated time to practice their art. Along with about 20 students, I had the privilege of learning francophone music, French music terms, and explored the area of Lac St. Jean at the same time. I lived with a local family and got to know them and my lovely housemate - Natalie, was surprised to discover my cousin Ryan attending as well(!), attended local events, enjoyed local fresh baking, cheeses, and beer, got spoiled by house parents, visited the ghost town of Val-Jalbert with its' amazing waterfalls, spent a day in Quebec City, went whale-watching in Tadoussac, participated in an improv concert/contest, did a high-ropes and zipline course - which was a huge stretch for me as an acrophobe (fear of heights), ran a bake sale with the help of my friends to raise money for refugees, and ended the five weeks with a concert and farewell party. Explore was amazing – feel free to contact me if you are interested in applying and would like to chat about my experience. Sadly, the Alma program has been discontinued, but there is one in nearby Chicoutimi, and many others spread throughout the province and country. |
AuthorWelcome! My name is Katiana and I am a development professional pursuing my dream to live out Isaiah 1:17 to the best of my abilities. I am passionate about teaching and working with vulnerable families and children to improve their lives sustainably.
CaveatThis blog is composed of my personal opinions, which do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of institutions or organizations that I may be or have been affiliated with.
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