Canada announces financial contributions to partners through its Volunteer Cooperation Program

In addition to increasing the participation of Canadians in international development, the Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) contributes to the economic and social well-being of the poorest, most marginalized and most vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, in developing countries. With a budget of almost $418 million, the VCP will fund 13 volunteer projects through 15 Canadian organizations, from 2020 to 2027. Due to the pandemic, VCP partners have increased the number of available placements for virtual volunteers to serve their host countries from Canada.

Project: Enhancement of Children’s Rights (PRIDE)
Partner: International Bureau for Children’s Rights
Funding: $17,676,009
Locations: Burkina Faso, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Morocco, Peru, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia
Description: This project will support 311 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and increase the performance of 32 developing country partners in implementing more inclusive and innovative international development initiatives that advance gender equality. It aims to strengthen the participation of children, especially girls, through increased protection of their rights and strengthen the capacity of partner organizations and state institutions so that they are better equipped to promote and enforce the rights of girls and boys in a sustainable manner.

Project: Championing Gender Equality Together
Partner: Crossroads International
Funding: $37,454,350
Locations: Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia
Description: This project will support 770 volunteer placements in targeted sub-Saharan African countries. In addition to increasing the engagement of Canadians in international development in relation to gender equality, economic growth and inclusive governance, the project also aims to strengthen the performance of approximately 60 local civil society organizations and government partners, 72% of which are women’s rights organizations, in delivering stronger gender programming in the following sectors: women’s rights, access to justice, the reduction of gender-based violence and economic empowerment and leadership.

Project: Accelerating Women’s Empowerment
Partner: Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO)
Funding: $49,999,998
Locations: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, Honduras, Kenya, Laos, Myanmar, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo and Vietnam

Description: This project will support 2,905 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries with a view to contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. It will increase the performance of partners in developing countries in delivering more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality. This project will build these capacities through volunteer advisers who will act as mentors or coaches and become catalysts for partners that are primarily in the agriculture and tourism sectors of the project-funded countries in realizing their full potential.

Project: VCP-CECI 2020-2027
Partner: Centre d’étude et de coopération international (CECI)
Funding: $49,999,436
Locations: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Guatemala, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Myanmar, Nepal, Rwanda and Senegal
Description: This project will support 1,300 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries in Africa, the Americas and Asia to increase women’s economic empowerment. It will improve the performance of more than 100 partner organizations in developing countries, including their ability to address the gender-based challenges and relationships that hinder women from reaching their full potential. The project will support partners and opinion leaders (for example, journalists, religious leaders and entertainers) who influence the image of women in economic activities.

Project: VOICE for Women and Girls
Partner: Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada
Funding: $10,107,661
Locations: Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, the Philippines and Senegal
Description: This project will support 263 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries by helping partners deliver more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable initiatives that advance gender equality. Cooperatives and credit unions can have a significant role in increasing financial inclusion. Capitalizing on existing programs and partnerships, volunteers will work to increase the capacity of partners in developing countries in delivering sustainable development results in response to local needs, with a particular focus on locally identified marginalized groups of people, especially women and girls.

Project: Sharing Canadian Expertise for Inclusive Development and Gender Equality
Partner: Cuso International
Funding: $49,985,745
Locations: Benin, Cameroon, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Honduras, Jamaica, Laos, Myanmar, Nigeria, Peru and Tanzania
Description: This project will support 1,100 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and will increase the performance of 136 partners in delivering more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives. These partners include feminist, volunteer, climate-action and youth organizations that promote women’s economic empowerment, women’s rights, the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, social inclusion, the political participation of marginalized groups and leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation and sustainable resource management.

Project: Skills, Leadership, Education (Programme CLÉ)
Partners: Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie in consortium with Éducation Internationale and the Fédération des cégeps
Funding: $34,194,892
Locations: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Haiti, Rwanda, Senegal and Togo
Description: This project will support 740 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries to improve the economic and social well-being of the most marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls. It aims to improve the performance of 45 partners in implementing more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable education initiatives and services that advance gender equality.

Project: Equality in Action
Partner: Oxfam-Québec
Funding: $49,999,999
Locations: Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, El Salvador, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Jordan, Liberia, Peru, Senegal and Sierra Leone and the West Bank, Gaza
Description: This project will support 694 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and strengthen the performance of 72 women’s rights and civil society organizations. The project will empower women and girls to contribute to the evolution of social norms and policies that affect them, encouraging their participation in decision-making processes and in exercising their rights.

Project: ColLAB
Partner: SUCO
Funding: $30,551,292
Locations: Burkina Faso, Benin, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, Peru, Senegal and Togo
Description: This project will support 469 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and aim to increase the performance of 51 partners in implementing more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality. It will address global challenges, such as climate change, food insecurity and social and economic inequalities, including those that perpetuate power imbalances, violate rights and undermine the development and full participation of women and girls.

Project: Agro-Innov Network for an Inclusive and Sustainable Agricultural Entrepreneurship
Partner: UPA Développement International
Funding: $12,015,754
Locations: Burkina Faso, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Guinea, Haiti, Peru, Senegal and Tunisia
Description: This project will support 665 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and will increase the performance of professional agricultural organizations in implementing more inclusive, innovative and sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality. The project aims to improve the productivity and profitability of family farms in these countries while strengthening the performance and governance of the organizations that support them.

Project: Volunteers Engaged in Gender Responsive Technical Solutions (VETS)
Partner: Veterinarians Without Borders
Funding: $9,003,374
Locations: Cambodia, Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Senegal and Vietnam
Description: This project will support 190 volunteer placements in targeted countries in the areas of animal, human and environmental health. This project will increase the performance of 10 partners in developing countries in delivering more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality. The project will use the skills of Canadian volunteers to support smallholder farmers, primarily women, in reducing poverty by improving family income and nutrition, principally through the improved production of livestock and crops, while promoting land rehabilitation and conservation for sustainable development.

Project: Innovative Global Networks for Inclusion + Equality (IGNI+E )
Partner: World University Service of Canada (WUSC)
Funding: $49,999,621
Locations: Ghana, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe
Description: This project will support 1,200 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries. It will harness the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians to assist 70 partner organizations in improving the socio-economic well-being of poor and marginalized youth, particularly young women, by generating inclusive, remunerative and sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.

Project: HerStart Our Future
Partner: Youth Challenge International
Funding: $16,997,583
Locations: Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda
Description: This project will support 310 volunteer placements in targeted developing countries and aims to increase the performance of local partner organizations in delivering more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality. The project will catalyze a social innovation ecosystem and provide aspiring and established young women social entrepreneurs with access to training and business development services that will allow them to create enterprises that have social impacts.