Locally or internationally, volunteers’ time and skills are key to global development efforts. In Canada, the WUSC network of Local Committees is active across more than 100 post-secondary campuses, and are led by more than 1000 volunteer members across the country. It is through this network of volunteers that WUSC is able to operate its Student Refugee Program , which provides the opportunity for over 150 refugee youth to resettle in Canada to pursue post-secondary educatio

#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you inspiring stories from the field, showcasing the impactful work of our dedicated VETS program volunteers. Meet Dr. Riley Bauman (DVM), an Animal Health Advisor who spent two months in Kenya (April–June 2025), working alongside smallholder dairy farmers and Meru Dairy staff to promote animal health, gender equity, and sustainable livelihoods. Bridging Community Medicine and Food Animal Health Even before I entered vet school, I knew I wanted to

“It’s like a gag order.” That’s how Pilar  García, country representative for Cuso International in Peru, describes a new law in that country that targets non-profit organizations to prevent them from supporting projects that promote human rights, gender equality or LGBTQ+. The new law, which went into effect in April, expands the powers of the Peruvian Agency for International Cooperation (APCI) so it can limit the operations of non-profit organizations that are deemed to be

By Tessa, volunteer supporting feminist advocacy in Cochabamba, Bolivia In Cochabamba, Bolivia, women’s collectives meet every month to denounce violence, defend their rights, and make their voices heard in the public sphere. Working alongside the feminist partner organization Instituto de Formación Femenina Integral (IFFI), Tessa had the privilege of supporting these efforts and witnessing their transformative power. As a volunteer focused on gender-based advocacy, she contr

Lorrie Lawrence is the Executive Director of the I.A.M. Collective, which she helped create in 2018. Photo by: Gavin John Written by: Gavin John Lorrie Lawrence’s colourful ribbon skirt and warm smile trail the aisles of the Old Strathcona Farmers Market in the heart of Edmonton’s vibrant Whyte Ave. While pointing out vendors that she knows, a woman touches Lorrie’s shoulder, excitedly exclaiming “Lorrie! Where have you been? I miss you!” The two of them were stall neighbours

José Kouassi, Volunteer advisor in project management, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilization, Ivory Coast. Workshop on a Writing Project for Women Legal Professional of AFJCI On 21 and 22 November 2024, I had the honour to conduct my second training with the Association des Femmes Juristes de Côte d’Ivoire (AFJCI) , on a writing project, during my mandate as a project management advisor, focusing on monitoring, evaluation and resource mobilization.  This worksh

#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Zainab Baqiri, a Climate Change Advisor who spent four months in Laos (August–November 2024) working with CARE to strengthen climate resilience and adaptation strategies for vulnerable communities. From Climate Advocacy to Action When I discovered the VETS program, I saw an opportunity to turn my commitment to climate justice into tangible impact. Climate change dis

John Ritchie, Métis owner and operator of Hideaway, opened his business in 2018, allowing him to share his love of nature and his culture across 160 acres of pristine wilderness. Photo by: Gavin John Written by: Gavin John The wide and open farmland cedes to a blanket of pines and poplar trees draped over gentle rolling hills in northern Alberta. Small creeks wind their way through muskeg-dotted forests, providing shelter and sustenance to the region’s wildlife. Nestled amids

“Success is when at least one woman is positively impacted by what I do. It is about impact, choosing quality over quantity, and creating meaningful connections.” – Inaara, HerStart International Fellow Link to blog on www.yci.org Inaara became a Communications & Gender Equality Fellow with YCI’s HerStart program in Zanzibar, Tanzania in May 2024. At the time, Inaara had recently completed her Masters in Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies and faced challenges in finding mean

Since 2017, the armed conflict between the Cameroon Armed Forces and armed separatist groups, known as the Ambazonia War or the Cameroon Civil War, has affected Cameroon’s Anglophone region. The ongoing violence has had catastrophic impacts on the civilian population. Many live in terror and uncertainty, almost half a million people have been either displaced or forced to migrate to neighbouring Nigeria, and thousands of lives have been claimed. This includes Theresa, who mov

For years, women near the Mulanje Mountain Biosphere Reserve relied on firewood collection to sustain their families, contributing to deforestation and economic vulnerability. With support from WUSC’s Partner Innovation Fund (PIF), the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) launched Kindling the Enterprising Spirit, a program helping 200 women build sustainable businesses in beekeeping, climate-resilient farming, and fruit tree nurseries. Participants also received climat

Insights into the commitment, communication and dignity of indigenous craftswomen in Bolivia  Introduction - Listening differently  In the tumult of international development narratives, some voices remain on the margins, often silenced or reduced to frozen clichés. Since my arrival in La Paz, it has been the voices of indigenous women artisans who have taught me to listen differently. Their hands weave more than textiles: they tell of struggles, hopes and worlds.  It was thr