Thuo’s second chance at school

Defying norms in Vietnam

Annually, 12 million girls around the world are married before the age of 18, which is equal to more than 32,000 girls per day. By promoting the importance of child rights and education, Plan International Canada is working with communities in Vietnam to protect girls from child marriage, which often robs them of their dreams and hopes for the future.

Girls like 15-year-old Sen are striving to continue their studies and are harnessing their potential to change what’s considered a normal practice.

Through Plan International Canada’s work, with the support of donors in Canada, we saw tremendous change in the communities we work with in Vietnam last year, including:

• 98% of girls were enrolled in secondary school.
• 420 teachers were trained on child protection, child trafficking, positive discipline and gender sensitivity.
• 18 schools were equipped with girl-friendly latrines and handwashing stations.
• Parenting clubs and girls’ clubs were created to encourage support for girls’ rights through gender equality training, and 67 villages acknowledged a girls’ right to education.
• 90% of girls reported self-confidence and a desire to remain in school.

A ray of hope in Kenya

Last year, to help improve access to quality drinking water in Kenya’s Marsabit County, Plan International Canada ran a project in partnership with Solvatten to equip communities in the region with water purification kits. By leveraging the power of the sun, the kit eliminates harmful bacteria found in polluted water, helping more people access their right to safe drinking water.

Naleru, a community member from Marsabit County, recalls how the project has helped her family: “There is improved health among my children and my grandchildren who often stay with me when their parents have gone to work,” she says.

A total of 419 kits have been distributed to individual families, health facilities and schools, directly benefitting more than 25,000 people.

Reeling in change in Volta, Ghana

Through sustainable fish farming projects and training, Plan International Canada is helping community members in Volta, Ghana develop the tools and skills they need to rebuild the fish trade. In partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and through the support of donors in Canada, last year, we:

• Trained 65 youth in entrepreneurship, product development, pricing and recordkeeping.
• Provided community groups with start-up materials like compartment cages that were constructed, installed and stocked with more than 5,000 baby fish.
• Trained more than 50 community members on proper fish farming practices for better cage management and sustainability.
• Offered technical support like coaching, guidance and monitoring for up to six months following the project launch to help ensure long-term success.

By expanding fish farming projects, community members were able to catch more than 15,000 mature Tilapia fish in just six months!

Thriving in the midst of crisis

When the conflict between two major religious groups escalated in Rakhine State in Myanmar in 2012, more than 139,000 people were forced to flee their homes in search of safety.

Today, temporary camps are home to even more internally displaced people (IDPs) who have been impacted by violence. Yet, a lack of critical resources such as food and proper nutrition still pose a major threat to their safety and well-being.

In 2018, Plan International Canada in partnership with the World Food Programme, launched a food distribution project in six camps in Rakhine State. In total, 6,500 tonnes of food have been distributed to more than 45,000 IDPs living in the region.

The project not only focused on providing nutrition to children, women, and people with special needs – the population groups most negatively impacted by conflict – but also on raising awareness about gender equality and promoting the rights of everyone living in the camps. As a result, more women have become active participants in the project’s initiatives, defying traditional norms and beliefs that hold them back from making meaningful contributions to their community.

Building confidence, breaking barriers

Stigma and a lack of resources can prevent many people living with HIV from receiving the treatment they need. Angelito, a 24-year-old man from El Salvador, knows this truth all too well.

After falling seriously ill, Angelito was approached by a member from a community organization who spoke to him about HIV testing and sexuality. After being tested at a mobile health unit, Angelito discovered that he was HIV-positive and also had tuberculosis. He began treatment, but a lack of financial resources and being stigmatized for his sexual orientation by clinic staff made Angelito apprehensive about going back.

In 2018, through a partnership with The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Plan International Canada implemented an entrepreneurship program aimed at helping people like Angelito. This initiative was designed to help participants gain employment and access to quality health services centred around human rights and providing respectful care. Today, 48 business ideas have been developed through the program, giving participants the hope, confidence and financial resources they need to overcome barriers and lead a healthy life.

Children embrace the art of life

Plan International Canada is using art to help children in Hatibandha, Bangladesh discover and express their unique voices.

Through the support of Canadian community sponsors, 150 primary school-aged children who live in some of the most remote corners of Bangladesh have received new school supplies and access to innovative art classes.

This has resulted in new and creative activities such as “wall magazines” where students and teachers curate and create editorial storyboards.

Essay and art competitions facilitated through Plan International Canada have also been made possible, showcasing the children’s creative talents and nurturing their confidence.

By exercising their right to expression, children in Hatibandha are not only painting pictures of a community they’d like to see in the future – they are developing the tools they need to make their dreams a reality today.