W.I.S.E World (be)

(be) World
W.I.S.E
Work, Internship, Study and Exchange
A Newsletter from the World W.I.S.E Resource Centre & ICS
Special International Development Week Issue, Vol. 4 Issue 2, 2006
Inside this Issue
Message from ICS
and World WISE
Research in
International
Development:
The UofM Does Way
More Than You May
Think!
Movin’ Their Worlds:
Student & Alumni
Profiles
International
Development Week
Calendar
of Events
The Travel WISE
Bulletin
Student Group News
Coming Events &
Announcements
Photo: CPAR
MOVE YOUR WORLD!
February 6th to 10th is
International
development week
Canada continues to play an important
role in international affairs and Manitobans are leading the way.
The theme of International Development Week 2006 is “Move Your
World” and the Canadian International
Development Agency wants everyone
to know what you can do to move your
world - both figuratively and literally.
The World W.I.S.E Resource Centre,
for example, can help you find out what
kind of opportunities exist to intern
overseas, volunteer for short or ex-
tended periods of time or work professionally with a variety of agencies
and companies that do development
work. This issue of World W.I.S.E
includes profiles of students and
alumni who have made the move and
done their part to make poverty history. During the week of February
6th to 10th, ICS, World WISE, the
Office for International Relations and
Housing and Student Life (among
others) are hosting a series of events
that are designed to inform, inspire
and entertain. More inside! Œ
Message from Tony Rogge
Message from Rhonda Friesen
Director, ICS
Student Exchange Coordinator
The distance between Winnipeg and Ougadougou is
roughly the distance between
my fingertips and my keyboard. You may choose to focus your energy and creativity
locally, that’s great, but you
can’t deny or ignore just how
connected the world has become.
Travel and see the world! It
sounds like something out of a
paper back novel or TV drama.
But in today’s reality, it is fast
becoming the key to obtaining
valuable global skill sets that
employers, agencies and institutions view with increasing
priority.
Marshall McLuhan coined the term—the global village—but I wonder if he ever really imagined just
how true these words would ring (which tone is
popular in Burkina Fasso these days?). Knowledge
of what’s going on outside our back-yards (and how
it affects them), the ability to function crossculturally and the foresight to build and maintain
professional and personal networks, whether at home
or abroad, are all skill-sets that international employers rate highly among graduates. IDWeek is a time
to reflect on our place in the world and share stories
and ideas about where we go from here. Join us.
The University of Manitoba recognizes that our
graduates are requiring a greater depth of knowledge
about the world than ever before. And, you don’t
want to just see the world when you could experience it, learn from it, live and work in it. At the International Centre for Students, we are striving to make
sure you have every opportunity to become globally
minded. Find a job in Asia, volunteer in Africa, register for a Travel Study course to Italy, apply for a
UofM student exchange to Australia or Iceland. It
will change not only you, but the future opportunities
available to you.
The World W.I.S.E Resource Centre and the International Centre for Students are located on the
fifth floor of University Centre. The mission of
World W.I.S.E is to “Connect UofM students to the
world”. The Centre promotes and coordinates a variety of formal exchange agreements between the
University of Manitoba and other institutions around
the world. Information on other opportunities to
blend international travel, internship work and volunteer opportunities with your academic goals is also
available in the resource centre. World W.I.S.E also
provides pre-departure orientations to UofM students participating in exchanges or going abroad as
part of their study program.
World W.I.S.E & ICS
ICS is dedicated to enhancing the student experience and promoting student success by providing a
range of specialized services and programming to
international and Canadian students who want to
internationalize their education. All students are welcome! We encourage you to volunteer and participate in the Centre’s activities. Œ
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World W.I.S.E
newsletter Vol.4
541 University Centre
474 6842 - 474-8502
Exchange Coordinator & Advisor
Rhonda Friesen & Robin Dirks
Program Coordinator
Lois Ward
International Student Advisors
Robyn Tully, Helen Wang
& Margarita Rowley
Off-Campus Work Permit
Coordinator
Gitan Armour
Welcome Family Coordinator
Jackie Poulos
Reception
Rosa Di Noto
Issue 2, 2006
MAKING POVERTY HISTORY THROUGH
TEACHING, RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
Public health campaigns, community health centres, health systems research, lab-work, policy work and infrastructure are all part of
the global effort to improve health outcomes and make poverty history. The UofM is busy on all fronts. See Dr. Joanne Embree on
Monday, February 6th at 2:30 p.m. ( Eng 2, Room 110) to learn more about the UofM’s role in the world’s fight against HIV/AIDS.
The UofM is committed to international education,
research and service in the interest of reducing poverty and contributing to human security. This commitment is expressed in the institution’s internationalization strategy. Faculty members and students are
involved in sharing their expertise in a number of
development programs and projects with university,
government, civil society and community partners in
Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Americas.
The Faculty of Social Work, for example, is involved
in a six-year project co-directed by Drs. Maria
Cheung and Tuula Heinonen, with major funding
from the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) as well as the crucial in-kind support of the University of Manitoba and its project
partners: the National Women's University in China,
Sichuan University, the China Women's Federation,
the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and different non-governmental organizations. The purpose of
the project is to build social work human resource
capacity at institutional levels to improve social service delivery to rural women in three regions in
China. With the assistance of the University of Manitoba, rural social work services training models are
being developed and implemented so that rural
women in Inner Mongolia, Sichuan, and Shandong
are better able to understand and exercise their legal
rights and to participate more fully in family and
community activities.The project also aims to have
an effect on gender relations and to enhance the participation of rural women in local politics.
In Cuba, the Faculty of Nursing team led by Dr. Judith Scanlan is working with the Instituto Superior
de Ciencias Médicas-Havana (ISCM-H) and the
Ministry of Public Health to enhance their capacity
to provide graduate nursing education and to
strengthen the ability of nurses to conduct research
and disseminate results using existing community
needs assessments. This six-year project, with CIDA
funding, also aims to raise the capacity of Cuban
nurses, in partnership with the Society of Cuban
Nurses, to use evidence-based and gender-sensitive
nursing knowledge in practice. The expected results
include the enhanced capacity of ISCM-H to provide
nursing education at the PhD and Master of Nursing
levels; improved nursing practice in Cuba through
the strengthened capacity of 15 nurses to conduct
research; the raised capacity of 120 trainers and
1,200 Cuban nurses to use nursing knowledge and
participatory methods at the service delivery level;
and enhanced public knowledge of advances in the
role of nurses throughout the health care system.
In a CIDA-funded project nearing the completion of
its third phase, the Faculty of Engineering is collaborating with the Science and Technology Centre of the
Ukraine to contribute to its continued development
as an inter-governmental body capable of receiving,
evaluating, developing and monitoring projects that
employ Ukrainian scientists formerly engaged in
weapons research and production. The project, under
World W.I.S.E
Cont’d on page 6
newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
3
Movin’ Their Worlds!
Student & Alumni Profiles
There are literally hundreds and hundreds of opportunities for you to move your world by applying for a spot
on a formal academic exchange program or getting involved in an internship, applied research attachment or
volunteer placement. Students at all levels are taking advantage of a wide range of programs, developing
their professional skills, gaining valuable cross-cultural experience and doing cutting-edge research — all the
while making real friends and real contributions to everyday life around the world. Everyone’s experience is
different, but they all share one common theme; they move you personally to new and better things!
Dorian Watts
Geography, 3rd Year
Destination: Ukraine and Bolivia
My experiences abroad are some of the greatest of
my life. My dreams to travel have been around for as
long as I can remember. While in Ukrainian class
one day the professor began talking about a program
where you could go to Ukraine, take two classes and
get six credit hours! I was ecstatic and the next summer I was signed up, ready to go and off for sixweeks.
The program is run in partnership with the University of Manitoba and The Kyiv Mohyla Academy
and is structured just enough so that accommodations
and some activities are prearranged, but basically
you have the freedom to do as you please, always
knowing that there is a safety net there if you need it.
There were so many participants that year we had to
live far from the downtown area, but we got used to
it. We attended two classes, Monday to Friday in the
mornings, and in the afternoons we had excursions.
This was when other students from the Academy
would take us around the city of Kiev to the historic
sites and museums. Our days were flexible and the
students taking us on the tours would give us choices
on where we wanted to go that day.
This was an amazing experience and I found that
learning a language comes more easily through immersion. I also learned how to navigate a foreign
city! My experience in the Ukraine made me want to
travel more!
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World W.IS.E newsletter
All smiles during carnival:
Dorian and her Bolivian counterpart
Last year I did just that, taking a whole year off
school to participate in a Canada World Youth
[CWY] exchange. CWY provides youth with the opportunity to participate in a volunteer program where
half of the time is spent in a small community in
Canada and the other half is spent overseas. For my
program, I lived in Kindersley, SK for three and a
half months, and then in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for
three and a half months. Living with a counterpart
from the host country (Bolivia), with two different
host families and having multiple volunteer work
placements, this was one of the most challenging
things I have ever done in my life. Despite the fact
that now my graduation date is a little later then I
would have liked, it was all worth it. It made me realize that there are just so many things out there that
you just cannot learn in a classroom. Œ
Vol.4 Issue, 2
2006
Dean Medeiros
B.Sc Ecology (Hons), UofM
Masters Candidate
Natural Resources Institute
Destination: Brazil
My studies in Brazil completely changed my perception of the world and have had a profound impact on
my aspirations.
Before my trip to Brazil, I would have been completely satisfied studying solely biological aspects of
some cool plant or animal. However, in Brazil I realized the impact poverty was having on threatened
biomes, such as the rainforest. I became interested in
learning more about the social and economic aspects
of conservation.
For my Masters thesis I was fortunate to study an
aquaculture cooperative in Cananeia, Brazil, which
was recognized by UNDP for achieving simultaneous biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. My studies in Brazil have prepared me for a
career in conservation and development and I have
recently accepted a contract in north eastern Brazil to
help teach better farming techniques like agroforestry and permaculture. In the future I may also be
working for Rain Trust Ltd. (www.raintrust.com).
My experiences in Brazil have helped me refine and
follow my dreams while creating numerous new opportunities. Œ
Dean in a contemplative
moment
Jane Polak Scowcroft
Engineering, 3rd Year
Destination: Tanzania
Last year I was selected as a Junior Fellow with Engineers Without Borders. Over the summer I volunteered in northwestern Tanzania for four months
working with a local non-governmental organization
called the Family Alliance for Development and Cooperation (FADECO).
I worked on two major projects. The first was a food
preservation technique. During the rainy season there
is a produce surplus, but some goes to waste because
of lack of refrigeration, so FADECO developed an
appropriate fruit and vegetable drying technology.
The second project was creating an information technology policy for the area, to assist FADECO in it’s
quest for encouraging technological advancement in
the province. However, the most important impact of
this experience was a personal one: learning a new
language and culture, creating friendships across the
seas and trying to understand the complexities of
poverty and development— priceless. Œ
Jane is speaking about her experiences in Tanzania
on Thursday, February 9th at 12:30 p.m.
in 541 University Centre
World W.I.S.E
newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
5
Cont’d from page 3
the leadership of Dr. Nabil Bassim, supports the transition of Ukraine to a market-based economy and the
conversion of military-oriented institutions; it promotes the integration of Ukraine into the international scientific community; and it fosters links and
commercial relationships between Canadian businesses and Ukrainian scientists.
The Faculty of Medicine is participating in various
programs and projects aimed at preventing HIV/
AIDS in Africa and Asia and providing improved
care for people living with HIV/AIDS. With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Jamie Blanchard of Community Health Sciences and
Medical Microbiology is directing a team that is
scaling up effective programs for the prevention of
HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in 16
high-risk districts in the Indian state of Karnataka,
and thereby contributing to the goal of minimizing
the size of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in India. Several
initiatives are under the leadership of Dr. Stephen
Moses of Medical Microbiology and Internal Medicine. For example, the Kenya STD/AIDS Control
Project, which is completing its third phase, is reducing the incidence of STD/HIV infections in Kenya
and mitigating their impact. The purpose is to catalyze the widespread implementation of evidencebased prevention and care programming in Kenya.
The Regional AIDS Training Network Project, with
a second phase coming to an end soon, is building
Africa’s capacity to take responsibility for key development tools and to promote the emergence and
strengthening of a network of institutions capable of
action on multi-regional or Africa-wide challenges.
The purpose is to transform the currently-established
Regional AIDS Training Network to a fully functional and sustainable African organization to share
the members’ knowledge and to provide quality
needs-based training to trainers and managers on
STD/HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support.
The UofM has been greatly enriched by its involvement in international development. These initiatives
have given opportunities to professors and students
to enhance their cross-cultural knowledge, communication and understanding, and their increased ability
to see issues through the world view of others has
been reflected in the classroom. Important research
papers have been generated, which often have been
jointly prepared with project partners. Funding has
been obtained for this purpose from the International
Development Research Centre and other agencies
and institutions. The linkages developed through the
projects have led to the establishment of new international partnerships which have facilitated academic
collaborations and faculty exchanges. The strengthened linkages have also supported the development
of student exchanges, student recruitment and study
abroad opportunities. Thanks to the involvement of
faculty members and students, the UoM has been
recognized locally, nationally, and internationally as
an institution of higher learning that is committed to
employing its scarce resources in partnership initiatives that raise the human potential of everyone and
contributes to improving the living conditions and
opportunities of thousands of women, men and children. ΠCompiled by Cameron Zywina, Office for International Relations
Photos by CPAR: Water & sanitation in Ethiopia, Malawi; Nutrition and mother & child health; income generation & skills building
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World W.IS.E newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT WEEK
Calendar of Events
Mon.
February
6th.
Dr. Joanne Embree, Head of Medical Microbiology
“From Science to Action: The University of Manitoba and
HIV/AIDS Development Projects”
2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in Eng 2, Room 110
How to Plan and Find International Careers!
Tues.
February
7th.
Wed.
February
8th.
Thurs.
February
2 Free Seminars with Jean Marc Hachey
Author of the Big Guide to Working and Living Overseas
Session 1: 12:00—2:00 p.m. and Session 2: 4:00—6:00 p.m.
Room 343 Asper School of Business
Leadership, Action & Change!
Three Short Films, Discussion & PRAXIS
5:30 to 7:30 ‘ish in the Main Floor Lounge of the
Arthur. V. Mauro Residence
Jane Polak Scowcroft, EWB
“Who Are We Creating Opportunities For? A Case Study with
Engineers Without Borders in Tanzania”
9th.
12:30 to 2 p.m. in the ICS Lounge, 541 University Centre
Fri.
Tony Rogge, Director of ICS & CPAR Chapter Chair
10th.
Critiquing Participation in Development Projects”
February
“When Elephants Fight the Grass Suffers:
1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in the ICS Lounge, 541 University Centre
World W.I.S.E newsletter
Vol.4
Issue 2, 2006
7
Con’td from page 5
Movin’ Their Worlds!
Student & Alumni Profiles
Prateep Kumar Nayak
Masters Candidate
Natural Resources Institute
Destination: India
I came to the University of Manitoba after having
spent nine years working with community-based resource management institutions in India. Studies at
NRI have not only sharpened my intellectual and
analytical skills have also provided me a muchrequired environment to distill and conceptualize my
understanding and to connect it to the current body
of knowledge.
Recently, I completed my Masters research which
examined the impact of government co-management
policy on an area with a five decades-old community
forest management system in India. My international
experience has no doubt broadened my intellectual
horizons and encouraged me to make more sustained
efforts in linking practice to academics for better
conceptualization of field realities. I am sure that it
would continue to guide my future work with academic and research institutions that can offer a balanced combination of intellectual challenge and the
satisfaction of doing socially relevant professional
work that deals with contemporary problems. Œ
Prateep leads a meeting
Photo: J. Ward
Jaclyn Ward
Masters Candidate, History
Destination: India
The first time that I graduated from the UofM, I was
ready to leave the scholastic bubble and go out into
the world. I accepted an internship with World Vision and CIDA and after a brief training period, I
headed to Bangalore. I was there to write for a web
magazine, teaching Canadians about development
and what World Vision was doing. With the help of
my multilingual colleagues, I interviewed and got to
know people who are directly affected by poverty.
With two elementary schoolgirls taking on the role
of translator and cultural instructor (“No, auntie, take
it with your right hand!”) I was welcomed into a
community as I had never been before. While I was
there , I learned far more than I would ever be able to
communicate as I watched communities working together to get access to clean water, health care and
opportunities to pursue work beyond meager subsistence. I came back to university in the hopes that I
will be able to be a better partner – to be more useful
to people who are working their way out of poverty.
Œ
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World W.IS.E newsletter
Vol.4
Issue 2, 2006
Jane Iredale
BA 1993, UofM
Geography Major, Sociology Minor
MSc Development Economics, 2000
Wye College
TravelWISE
By Dr. Wade Glew
Greetings from Sri Lanka,
My name is Jane Iredale and I am currently in Sri
Lanka working with CARE as a consultant to a posttsunami livelihood recovery programme. One year
on has brought with it some major achievements in
terms of the replacement of lost assets, the provision
of transitional and permanent shelter and the provision of water and sanitation. It has been challenging
to implement such a programme in areas long affected by conflict and presently experiencing escalating violence. The eastern coast of Sri Lanka was
poor and war-torn before the tsunami struck, and suffered greater devastation when it did. A programme
strategy for conflict-affected areas is being formulated for the next 3-5 years with the aim of integrating existing projects in order to enhance livelihood
opportunities and improve quality of life beyond pretsunami conditions.
My role here as a consultant is to work alongside
partners and communities to further evaluate the
needs and to help refine the strategies for achieving
long-term improvements to people’s lives. Œ
Jane is an independent consultant to NGOs around
the world. She has lived and worked in Asia, the
middle east and in southern and western Africa.
A community mapping exercise in Sri Lanka
Not all pharmacies around the world are as
well stocked as the one in Campo
Medical Guide to Safety and Health
While Traveling Abroad
It is very important that you do everything possible before you leave Canada to both ensure and maintain your
good health. This brief checklist will provide an outline
of what you will need to consider prior to travel.
Travel Clinics/Physician:
Though the cost of a pre-travel consultation in a travel
health clinic is often not covered by health plans, it is
well worth the cost to obtain the latest information on:
• health issues in the region you plan to visit.
• immunizations required and recommended.
• avoiding illness and how to managing minor illness
while traveling.
• medication, both prescription and over the counter,
to take with you.
Other Things to Consider:
• purchase health insurance.
• don’t forget to visit the dentist before you go!
• eyeglasses, contacts, sunglasses, eyeglass Rx.
• take some first aid supplies.
• have a medic alert bracelet (for allergies or significant medical illness).
• sunscreen, insect repellant, condoms, tampons.
• know how to say your allergies or medical problems in the language required.
• know the political climate of the country you plan
to visit.
Don’t Forget! - A safe journey starts with preparation
before you leave.
World W.I.S.E newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
9
STUDENT GROUP NEWS
the WUSC INTERNSHIP to
PERU
WUSC's Strengthening Municipal Capacity in Water and Sanitation Services Project
is designed to reinforce the ability of selected Peruvian communities to better manage
their water and sanitation responsibilities. Placement with a municipality or water
company in Peru will provide the student intern with practical work experience in design improvements, evaluation of water and sewage systems, community development
and basic project management techniques.
Working Language: Spanish
Application Deadline: April 30, 2006 for the period of September to December 06.
Duration: 12 weeks
Eligibility: Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; good Spanish skills; have at
least three months experience overseas; have a decent academic record; have course
work in areas such as: civil engineering, community development, environmental
studies, public health or the design of water and waste systems; intend to return to
school in 06/07. Of course, your chances to getting selected always improve if you
get involved with the UofM Local Committee right here on campus!
For more details check-out: www.WUSC.ca
or contact the WUSC UofM Local Committee through [email protected]
NEWS FROM THE U.M. WORLD VISION CLUB
During the last few weeks of September you may have noticed that University Center was teeming with various clubs all looking for new members during clubs week. Most of these clubs have been around for years,
but new to the student group scene was the University of Manitoba World Vision Club.
As a club in its first year, our goal was to find members with similar interests in poverty issues around our
world. The first endeavour came on December 1st for World AIDS Day with the goal of spreading awareness
about the current AIDS crisis and gaining support around campus by handing out red ribbons for donation.
Through the overwhelming support of many people, we, the students of University of Manitoba were able to
collectively raise enough money to sponsor a child living with AIDS for a full year! The next upcoming event
is a silent auction for student art work in early March with the goal of providing as many children as possible
with vaccinations for various diseases and a multi-student group social with the proceeds going towards the
World Vision 30 Hour Famine Campaign.
To find more about these upcoming events, or about joining the club, finding volunteer work, or just meeting
friends with the same ambitions please drop us an e-mail at:
[email protected]
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World W.IS.E newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
Brought to you by:
The World W.I.S.E
Resource Centre
The International Centre
for Students,
The Office for International
Relations,
and Housing and Student Life
Thinking about an
International Career?
Co-sponsored by:
The Student Counselling and
Career Centre,
and The Career Services
Centre at the
Asper School of Business
Tuesday
February
Jean-Marc Hachey
7th
The Big Guide to
Working and Living Overseas
For more information contact:
The International Centre for
Students
541 University Centre
474 8501
Mr. Hachey’s book will be
offered at a $24 saving for $40
(includes gst) during the
seminar.
Author of the bestseller
Two Free Seminars on how to find work Overseas!
First session @ 12:00 — 2:00 p.m.
Second session @ 4:00 — 6:00 p.m.
At the Canadian Pacific Ltd. Conference Theatre
Room 343, Asper School of Business
These seminars are a must-do for anyone who is contemplating a career
with international dimensions! If you are interested in studying abroad,
working overseas for a short or extended period of time, pursuing
internships with organizations based around the world or building the kind
of resume that leads to a career with international travel on the agenda,
Mr. Hachey’s experience, insights, contacts and practical tips are for you!
World W.I.S.E newsletter
Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
11
UPCOMING EVENTS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Winnipeg Chapter of
CPAR (www.cpar.ca) and
World W.I.S.E is offering a
subsidized & reserved spot
on CPAR’s 2006
Vs.
ICS and the Bisons Invites International
and Canadian Students to:
Hockey Night at
the UofM
A Celebration of Hockey and its Place
in Canadian Culture
Friday, February 10th
The fun starts at 5 p.m.
at the ICS Lounge (541 UC) with
Hockey 101: An Introduction
Followed by Prizes and then Free Tickets to that night’s
game between the Bisons and the REgina Cougars,
please bring a non-perishable food item for the food
bank and exchange them for raffle tickets
CONTACT ROsA Di NOTO AT ICS at 541 UC
TO RESERVE YOUR FREE TCIKETS
ICS Ski Trip
2006
Study Tour
to Tanzania
If you are a Canadian
Citizen and a returning
student in 2006/07 (UofM)
and would like to spend a
month learning about CPAR’s
development projects in
northern Tanzania, contact
Tony Rogge at ICS, to find
out more about how you can
make this happen!
Contest details will be
announced on Wednesday,
February 8th at the
Leadership, Action and
Change Night, 5:30 to 7:30
In the Main Floor Lounge of
the Arthur V. Mauro
Residence. This event is cosponsored by PRAXIS.
Tuesday, Feb. 14th
Holiday Mtn. Ski Resort
Basic ski package—$55
Snowboarders—$65
Register in Person
at ICS, 541 UC
The World W.I.S.E newsletter is published by the International Centre for Students
about 4 times a year. Contributions are always welcome! If you’d like to volunteer
please contact Lois, Rhonda or Tony by email or in person.
International and Canadian students are both welcome!
World W.I.S.E
newsletter Vol.4 Issue 2, 2006
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