Two Villages Share a Common Path
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Engaging Canadians in our Overseas Programs
October 2006
Clarenville sits on the east coast of Newfoundland, about 2 hours from St. John’s. It serves as a micro-urban centre for many surrounding smaller communities – so throughout the day it’s a bustling hub of activity. Most of the 8,000 residents earn a decent living and are happy to help when they see a need, but the issues surrounding global development don’t tend to make the local headlines.
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Krista and Troy get help from Clarenville residents like Morgan and Sophia
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Like the other residents of Clarenville, Troy Mitchell, a social worker, and Krista Percy, who works for a local health organization, are no strangers to helping those in need. But while both are involved in local activities, they have also turned their eyes to the rest of the world.
A Natural Fit
Mitchell says, “I grew up hearing Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova on radio and TV, and having ‘56 Sparks Street, Ottawa’ burned in my head.” For him, working with USC was natural, and together they identified a program they felt was a good fit for Clarenville – The People’s Empowerment Program (PEP) in Sindhuli, Nepal. Two Villages would work with the residents of Clarenville to raise funds for the people of Sindhuli.
“the project has been an ideal fit for our community
and people have embraced it.”
The nearest edge of Sindhuli District is a full day drive from Kathmandu. Once you get to the District headquarters in Sindhulimadi, the villages where USC Nepal works are still remote. It can take two days just to reach the first village. For years, PEP has addressed the many community needs, like food, health care, and clean water.
This year, the people of Sindhuli are building a new school for children in the area. They work in committee to decide the best way to build the school and how to manage classes. With the help of USC Nepal, they developed a detailed plan of action. This way, community members feel a sense of ownership for the project.
Community Ownership
The goal of Two Villages is much the same – to build a sense of community ownership, finding supporters in Clarenville to ensure the people of Sindhuli can finish their school. Mitchell says, “We knew a challenge lay before us, but because building a school is such a tangible thing, the project has been an ideal fit for our community and people have embraced it.”
For its part, USC Canada is glad to have the support of Two Villages and the people of Clarenville. “While the entire community is engaged, I’ve been most encouraged by the interest of schoolchildren. They have really taken to the idea of one village helping another,” says Lois Graveline, Fundraising Manager of USC Canada.
“We feel there’s a real connection between
people in Clarenville and Sindhuli.”
In April, all four schools in Clarenville took part in Dal-Bhat-Tarkari Day (Lentils-Rice-Vegetables), exchanging a portion of their lunch money for rice. This event raised about $2,300 – nearly 1/4 of the overall goal. And the kids continued to raise funds. In May, middle school students put on a talent show for parents, neighbours, and friends. It was clear that the message was getting around. Another group of teens from the middle school began making and selling jewellery to raise money for Two Villages.
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Volunteers serve up rice and lentils during Dal-Bhat-Tarkari Day at Clarenville Middle School
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Involving the Entire Community
But it’s not just children helping. At Percy’s own high school reunion, a former schoolteacher announced the project and called for donations. By the end of the night they had collected nearly $500. Word of mouth has been spreading, and dozens of local businesses and individuals have now contributed, with the result that construction has started on the school in Sindhuli.
With an aim to bring their funding over $10,000, Percy is encouraged by their results so far. She says, “Today we’ve funded the building of a school, and we feel there’s a real connection between people in Clarenville and Sindhuli.”
She adds, “Having no previous experience with fundraising for international aid, we found support and encouragement at USC. The experience has been incredible.”
With an aim to bring their total contribution to more than $10,000, Two Villages put together a benefit concert on October 12th. The concert, which featured a variety of local performers, was a resounding success, raising more than $3,500 and bringing the grand total of their finding above $12,000.
It’s a perfect demonstration of how, with a little effort, we can each have an impact on the lives of our global neighbours. It’s also a wonderful gift from the people of Clarenville to their friends in Sindhuli: two villages, separated by thousands of miles, but connected by understanding and compassion.
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