In this edition of Spotlight on our Members, we met with Gerardo Almaguer who has recently been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Développement international Desjardins (DID).

He spoke to us about his plans as he embarks in his new role. He also shared his thoughts on the importance of innovation and the private sector in international development.

CCIC: What are you most looking forward to working on in your new role as President/Chief Executive Officer of Développement International Desjardins?

Gerado Almaguer (GA): At DID we have adopted a rather ambitious strategic plan that will guide our work until 2021: this plan presents great challenges and opportunities for myself as the new CEO of DID!

One of the ambitions that I am particularly interested in is to increase our capacity and commitment to investment. DID has been actively involved in this field for more than 20 years now, and we would now like to go even further to strengthen our impact and better contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. From experience we have seen that our investment initiatives are also a lever for governance, financial and risk management activities, all of which are very important to the inclusive finance sector.

I am also very excited about our ambition to be recognized as a leader in building the capacity of agricultural and commercial entrepreneurs and the environments in which they operate. I, myself, managed the Financial Centre for Entrepreneurs set up by DID in Panama as well as the PASAC project (Support for the agricultural finance system in Columbia) that we are carrying out in Colombia, one of the objectives of which is to support the development of agricultural businesses. Through these types of initiatives, we can have a concrete and direct impact on the economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities, and women in particular.

Finally, strengthening and formalizing our culture of innovation is at the heart of our strategic ambitions – how can we not be motivated by such a goal!

CCIC: What is the role of innovation in your work?  Can you share a concrete example of a project that demonstrates the positive impacts of new ways of working?

GA: Innovation is everywhere, both in our internal processes and in our efforts to contribute to financial inclusion and poverty reduction in the countries we work in. Innovation is an engine of development and we need to continue to learn how we can best incorporate it into our work to maximize our impact.

Last April, DID concluded a project that aimed to show that by improving access to financing we can facilitate innovation and accelerate the use of these innovations by agricultural producers.  We carried out this project with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and in collaboration with the Institut de l’environnement et des recherches agricoles (INERA), the Réseau des Caisses Populaires du Burkina (RCPB) and Université Laval.

After 3 years of activity, the project has demonstrated the expected results! By establishing a dialogue between the various actors in the agricultural sector (farmers, input suppliers, financial institutions and research centres), this initiative has produced the following concrete and positive results:

• farmers have adopted more innovative, productive and environmentally friendly practices,
• the area used for agriculture has increased, and
• affected families have seen their living conditions and food security improve.

CCIC: What do you see as the role of the private sector in working to support development objectives?

GA: Several analyses show that without the contribution of the private sector, the public sector alone will not be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. As a result, we must find new ways to maximize our contributions to achieve these objectives, both in terms of technical assistance and development financing.

This is a consideration that directly concerns DID and we intend to respond to it with, among other things, an increased commitment to investment. With this in mind, we have made the strategic choice to expand our role. In addition to acting as an implementing organization, we will now function as a development investor. In doing so, we are setting up a new investment fund that will support innovation among our partners.

CCIC: Développement international Desjardins (DID) is a valued member of CCIC. Could you please comment on what your CCIC membership has meant to DID and identify how you would like to see this relationship grow and improve in the future?

We see many benefits from our membership with CCIC! Our membership has allowed us to get closer to NGOs that share our concerns and with whom we see many interesting opportunities for collaboration. CCIC is also a valuable source of information and analysis, and an effective voice to donors and other stakeholders associated with the international aid sector.

I hope that in return, DID will contribute to enriching CCIC’s background and discussions based on our experience and most recent innovations.

Photo: Glenn Mifflin, CEO of Cuso International with Eyibio Magdalene Effiom, a beneficiary in the cassava value chain from Odukpani Local government Area of Cross River State. Eyibio completed her Entrepreneurship Development Training, and started her cassava farm after completing her training in July, 2017. She got a grant from Cuso International to implement her business idea and she currently produces and processes cassava.

 

Cuso International was first founded in 1961 by a group of university graduates and has since become an established volunteer coordinating agency. Looking to the future, are there any inspiring, innovative or exciting initiatives that Cuso International would like to share with our readers

Ian Smillie, in his book The Land of Lost Content, A History of Cuso recounted that Cuso was formed in 1961 out of the idealism of internationally-minded Canadians and the need to co-ordinate the pioneer initiatives of volunteer aid groups. The organization had humble beginnings but with high aspirations – driven by Canadians who believed they could change the world. Today, 58 years later, Cuso International is a well-established international development organization that is currently working in 20 countries, including with Indigenous groups in Canada.

Although volunteer placement is part of our legacy, our DNA, we are more than just a volunteer-for-development (V4D) organization, we are working differently today, partly because of how the world has changed, partly because the requirements of our partners have changed, partly because of donor and funder requirements, and partly because there are different opportunities and needs that did not exist before.

Among our unique attributes, Cuso International is truly a Canadian development organization that has built strong program credentials in: gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment; maternal and newborn health; and youth economic empowerment. So, in addition to placing more than 2,000 Canadian volunteers in the past five years, we have worked with poor and marginalized women and men from conflicted areas of Colombia to create lasting jobs, helped young entrepreneurs establish businesses in Nigeria boosting economic independence, supported and strengthened SME’s, mainly led by women in Tanzania, and improved health outcomes for mothers and babies through midwifery training.

We have included Innovation Funds in our projects that have allowed local partners to create and implement new development models for local communities, particularly for the benefit of women and youth. And, under the current VOICE program, we have engaged over 600 e-volunteers in 17 countries as of February.

Glenn, you joined Cuso International first as a board member and now as the CEO, but your professional background is in the private sector. What motivated you to take on leadership roles in the international development sector?

Yes, I built a strong career in the private sector before I joined Cuso International, first as a Chartered Accountant with Clarkson Gordon (now Ernst Young), for over a decade and a further 25 years with a mid-stream energy company. However, both my wife and I have a long history of volunteer service, so I was so pleased when presented with the opportunity to serve on the Board of Cuso International. This was a real opportunity to be involved with an organization that makes a real and lasting difference in the lives of so many people around the world. An opportunity based on real and sustainable outcomes.

As you can appreciate, initially, my primary Board responsibilities was with the Board’s Finance and Audit Committee. This posting gave me good insight into both the financial details of the organization’s programing and the details of the tremendous outcomes of the programs themselves. When the CEO role became vacant, the opportunity to continue to make a real difference was important for me to fulfill.

Cuso International has had its ups and downs like many international development organizations in Canada. What words of wisdom might you share with other organizations and leaders in the sector who are facing challenging times?

I would not presume to offer words of wisdom to other leaders or other organizations in the sector. If anything, I have benefited more from the skills, ability and thoughtfulness of the sector than I have given back.

And, I was not part of the great history of contributions that Cuso International has made around the world. I can say however, that I am proud of being a little part of that history – a history that can boast over 16,000 placements in over 100 countries. In my meetings and discussions with our returned volunteers and with several of our friends and beneficiaries, I can say that the most common description of the experience is that it is truly transformational.

I will also say that the sector benefits greatly from the support of the Canadian government.  We need to remind our elected officials of the importance of our work, that Canada is committed to international development, and the difference we make in the world is an important reflection of our Canadian values.

Glenn, is there a single motto or phrase that informs your work at Cuso International?

Skills to share, futures to build.

Cuso International is a valued member of CCIC. Could you let us know why Cuso chooses to be part of this dynamic community of members?

Staying connected to our sector through CCIC supports our mission. We are stronger and more effective when we work with like-minded organizations to support the greater good.

 

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo is the Executive Director of World Renew.

CCIC:  World Renew has been successfully working since 1962.  Reflecting on your organization’s nearly 60 years of experience, what would you consider as World Renew’s greatest success and how could others in the Canadian international development sector emulate this success?

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo: If I compare our work with other international development agencies, I would say we have significant expertise in the area of building the capacity of local partners, especially in their ability to sustain their work in communities with quality programs in disaster response, agriculture, food security, MNCH (maternal newborn child health), village savings and loans, peacebuilding and gender justice.  We have been doing the partnering model since the 1970s.

We have also developed an effective global volunteer and partnership programs that links volunteers, volunteer groups and/or churches with our partners and communities they work with in the Global South.  For an organization of our size, I think it is quite phenomenal that last year and together with our US office base, we placed 468 volunteers overseas, engaged 3,268 volunteers for serving over 279,000 hours and engaged 256 churches from North America in partnerships with communities in the Global South.

CCIC: In December 2018, World Renew published a blog post titled “Where Partnerships Transcends Religious Divides”.  In this blog post, you speak to a World Renew partnership that delivers school programs in Senegal that serve both Christian and Muslim populations.  What do you view as the advantages and disadvantages of being a Canadian faith-based organization working in international development?

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo: The most significant advantage of being a faith-based international development agency is that this enables us to be more sensitive to and foster programs that are more effective in integrating people’s faith, worldviews and values for change and development.  This is why we find it quite easy and effective to work in multi-faith environments that encourage inclusivity of every faith group in the community development work and humanitarian assistance work we do.  Working largely in partnership with faith-based that are local to the contexts in the Global South has the additional advantage of ensuring sustainability in community development programs long after the outside international development agencies has left or ended their contributions.

In every culture, tradition and faith there are beliefs or perspectives that hinder people’s ability to flourish.  If these mindsets and foundational barriers are not addressed, even the best programs in humanitarian assistance, health, agriculture or food security, technology, economic development will only go so far or end up failing.  I could give numerous examples from living and working in the Global South about how development efforts are either fostered or impeded depending on people’s views on gender roles, their assumptions about other ethnic groups and their own perceptions about their power to overcome forces of injustice and poverty.

The biggest disadvantage of being a faith-based agency is that people and donors, especially institutional donors, may at times misunderstand our purpose and motivations.  Sometimes it seems there is skepticism about faith-based organizations with misperceptions that their programs may be more exclusive or coercive than non-faith agencies.  There are also misperceptions that faith-based agencies have lower quality in programs or organizational management.   This is most unfortunate since funding decisions by donors then become discriminatory and huge opportunities for making an impact get missed.  Thankfully, some independent assessments are being done that inform the public that faith-based international development agencies can be just as effective if not moreso at times than non-faith agencies.  Of particular note is the recent article from MoneySense where at least three faith-based international organizations, including World Renew, were listed in the top ten international charities for 2019.

CCIC:  In 2012, World Renew rebranded from its previous name, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC).  Could you please share with us something that World Renew is currently working to improve, and describe how you envision this improving the organization’s ability to accomplish your mandate?

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo: One of the things we are seeking to improve is our marketing and fundraising.  One of the reasons for changing our name is to acknowledge that an increasing level of our donations, often half of our budget or more, is given by sources beyond our faith community.  Thus, we have invested more efforts and staffing in this aspect of our work.  As donors start to connect more closely with our work, they often remark that the high quality of our programs and the way we work with local partners is something they appreciate and yet seems hidden as an opportunity for others to also join.  Essentially, we are trying to get better at telling our story even as we continue to be known for and keep improving the quality of changing the story with communities.  We are also moving forward well in becoming certified in our CHS (Core Humanitarian Standards).

CCIC: Ida, you have been employed at World Renew for several years, and are now the Canadian Director.  As a woman leader in our sector, would you have any words of wisdom to share with aspiring young professionals who wish to someday wear a leadership hat?

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo: In short, I would say “go where the energy is”.  Leadership is about managing one’s own energy first and then identifying ways to guide others to use their energy in ways that flourish their lives.  Remember, the only person a leader can really control is themselves and all other power is largely superficial or temporary.  I get my high level of energy only by God’s grace and wisdom to serve over 30 years in this sector of international development and now 12 years as Canadian Director with World Renew.  I have discovered what sustains and grows my energy so I do not waste time on things, including fears, that diminish it.  I pursue whatever learning opportunities can continue to develop my skills, direct my energies to priorities and passions that I have prayerfully considered and never assume that I have become the best I can be.  God is not finished with me yet and neither is he finished with anyone else I may be connected to.  Thus, it is important to extend grace to everyone else as well, always searching to understand and respect them as valuable gifts from God.  My greatest joy is to encourage anyone in my circle of relationships, whether they are staff, partners or communities; in their efforts and journey to discover and become all that God created them to be.

CCIC: World Renew is a valued member of CCIC.  Could you please comment on what your CCIC membership has meant to World Renew, and identify how you would like to see this relationship grow and improve in the future?

Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo: Our membership in CCIC is valuable because it is a collaboration focused on learning and advocacy with the Canadian government.  I have gained a lot of expertise for our work and my leadership role through conversations and events that are organized by CCIC.  For example, when there was increased pressure for protecting children and others who are at high risk in our development programs, I learned from other members of CCIC what they were doing and what we could also use in terms of policies and practices to promote this.  The relationship that CCIC has with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has also been instrumental in addressing common issues or challenges that international development agencies face in their partnering or use of GAC contributions.

In terms of how this relationship could grow or improve, I would suggest that CCIC keeps listening to its membership on what the most important issues and opportunities are when designing events or organizing meetings to strengthen collaborative relationships with GAC.  So far, the topics have been very relevant to World Renew’s work in international development and we greatly appreciate CCIC’s role in arranging, pursuing and managing these collaborative opportunities when we do not have the resources within our own agency to do this on our own.