A Passion for Transformative Social Change

I believe the single biggest obstacle to girls’ rights is the disruption to education. Education is often the first thing to go in a crisis or conflict, and when it does, girls face an increased risk of violence, early marriage and exploitation. Beyond compromising their immediate safety, a lack of access to education traps them in a cycle of poverty and disempowerment that persists for years, if not generations.

That’s why Plan International has championed several innovative approaches that help girls continue to learn even in the most challenging environments. One of our key initiatives has been the establishment of accelerated learning programs, such as speed schools, tailored for out-of-school children in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. These programs provide a safe and inclusive space for girls, adolescents, even young mothers to catch up on their education and reintegrate into formal schooling.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we adapted our strategies to leverage technology for remote learning. We distributed solar radios in various countries, so children could access educational content even when schools were closed.

Plan has also been investing in skills-building programs for young women who have missed out on formal education. I’m thinking of Ayisha from Ghana, who is featured in our 2023 Annual Report. After receiving training as a tile worker in the male-dominated construction sector, Ayisha broke gender norms and now runs her own business, employing and training young women who never attended school but are thriving under her leadership.

Whatever form education takes, it is crucial for connecting girls to their rights and a bigger, brighter future. When girls are educated, communities are healthier and more resilient, just and peaceful.

I believe that the term “non-profit” is fundamentally outdated and misleading – it’s a tax status, not a business model. It defines the sector by what it is not, versus the strategic, innovative and high-impact sector that it is.

Plan runs a sophisticated business delivering social returns. Our organization has the clout to attract top-tier talent, a top-notch board of directors, and engages large institutional donors and social investors looking for scalable impact. Our financial management, performance tracking and evaluation is as rigorous as any blue-chip corporation. It has earned us the confidence of partners like Global Affairs Canada, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the UN World Food Programme – not to mention hundreds of thousands of individual Canadian donors – who look to us to implement large-scale, multimillion-dollar programs in complex regions, often under uniquely challenging circumstances.

I’d like to see the term “non-profit sector” disappear and be replaced by “social impact sector” – a much more accurate framing that reflects how our work provides measurable benefits to society and is central to building a better world.

In one word: collaboration. In situations where all of us in the international development and humanitarian sector are working toward the same goals, there is opportunity in partnering and sharing resources and expertise. Canada’s Humanitarian Coalition is a great example of the power of collaboration. In the past, when a conflict or crisis struck, every NGO would launch a separate fundraising campaign. Donors were confused by which charity to support, and the government would have to decide which appeal it would help fund – which was a massive amount of work for all of us. Now, when an emergency strikes, 12 leading Canadian international aid agencies, of which Plan is one, join forces and launch one mass appeal. The Lebanon emergency appeal is a recent example. This way, donors don’t have to weigh or second-guess their options, and the government can confidently direct its support to one effort. Together, our coalition has a combined presence in 140 countries, which means we are well placed to respond quickly to large-scale or smaller emergencies.

Thinking about collaboration, another example that springs to mind is Plan’s Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (COSME) project in Kenya. Funded by Global Affairs Canada, Plan International is collaborating with the Jane Goodall Institute, Cascadia Seaweed Corporation (a Canadian agricultural-technology company dedicated to addressing climate change and food security) and local environmental and women’s groups to build climate-resilient, equitable economies for over 49,900 direct participants. Partnering with these diverse groups has enabled a multi-dimensional approach – from fostering educational awareness in schools to advancing nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration, sustainable seaweed farming and community-led forestry management. By layering in a gender-responsive approach, we’re not only addressing environmental challenges but also promoting social equity, economic empowerment and improved governance. COSME’s aim is to benefit more than 322,000 community members and foster resilience in regions vulnerable to climate crisis. It’s just one more example of the outsized impact of collaboration.

Ice is melting, hunger is reaching catastrophic levels, and we are seeing historic levels of displacement due to conflict and violence. We are being exposed to a 24/7 cycle of bad news in every corner of the world. It is hard not to feel helpless and not to feel compassion fatigue. As a sector, we need to be sensitive to this malaise. We don’t want devastating story after devastating story to become the norm. Meaningful public engagement needs to include optimism and human stories of transformation and impact as well as solution-focused stories that inspire hope for a better future.

At Plan, I am so excited about our Embedded Storytellers program that puts cameras in the hands of local journalists, photographers, videographers – and, notably, children themselves – so they can tell their stories, their way. In addition to providing a treasure trove of video footage, photos and behind-the-scenes content that we share with Canadians and donors throughout the year, these short films open the door to incredible conversations about the people and issues featured in the films. It is a wonderful way to draw attention to the organization without having to talk about our projects in a boilerplate or canned way. In October, one of our mini-documentaries, Salma, was selected for the Imagine This Women’s Film Festival in New York, and the response has been incredible, sparking conversations with festival-goers about the work we do and why it matters.

The environment in which social impact organizations operate is demanding. There are high expectations to deliver big, transformative results, with increased pressures to find sustainable funding for international development. While I do not think it is entirely radical, I believe that we need to embrace new innovative financial instruments, models and approaches.

One innovative financing model our organization has put into action is linking funding to measurable outcomes. This means that instead of receiving a more traditional upfront grant or donation, projects are funded in increments, based on performance and delivery of results. A great example is our Ghana Education Outcomes Project, which supports children in accessing quality education and improving learning outcomes. It is Plan Canada’s first project to be financed through a results-based approach, and it was recently awarded the prestigious GovTech Prize for Education Services at the World Government Summit.

We’ve also created Plan-Catalyst, a subsidiary of Plan International Canada that provides specialized consultancy services in international development and corporate sustainability. Leveraging Plan International’s integrated expertise, global reach and measurement and management tools, Plan-Catalyst exists to help companies and organizations maximize the impact of their social investments and initiatives.

For me, power means having the ability to influence, and knowing that every action, no matter how small, can make a difference. It’s about responsibility: the responsibility to create a vision that motivates people, the courage to lead by example, and the humility to listen and learn from those around you. Being a powerful CEO means recognizing that your actions set the tone for the entire organization. It’s also about sharing that power. As leaders, we have a responsibility to create space for the next generation of leaders and use our platform to amplify their voices and to champion their ideas.

This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to the entire team at Plan International Canada, including hundreds of thousands of individual donors across Canada, who work tirelessly to create an equal and just world for girls and children. Receiving this award strengthens my belief that when we unite our passions and efforts, we are indeed very powerful.