by Cooperation Canada | May 8, 2024 | News, Resilence
Cooperation Canada is growing with the arrival of new team members, who bring diverse perspectives and skills to their work. We are delighted to welcome these colleagues who will bring new leadership in the areas of policy, advocacy, communications, event organization and member relations. Their experience and dedication to the organization’s mission will energize their efforts and strengthen ties within the Canadian international cooperation sector. Together, we are ready to launch impactful initiatives and make progress towards creating a safer, fairer and more sustainable world. Welcome aboard!
Aislynn Row, Senior Manager, Programs
Aislynn has taken on the role of Senior Manager, Programs since May 2024, and is excited to continue her career at Cooperation Canada. She has been with Cooperation Canada since 2019, starting as the HRN coordinator, then Digna Program Manager, and most recently the Executive Coordinator. Prior to Cooperation Canada, Aislynn worked for over 3 years at WUSC, following the completion of her Masters in International Development Management at the London School of Economics.
Alex Li, HR Administrative Assistant
Alex Li has extensive experience in the field of mechanical engineering. She also gained valuable experience in human resources and procurement management with a state-owned enterprise in China. Since arriving in Canada, her passion for the not-for-profit sector has blossomed, as she devotes much of her time to supporting young newcomer women.
Alex is currently an MBA candidate at the Telfer School of Management and is due to graduate in August 2024. Actively involved in her university community, she participates in various case study competitions and is a keen supporter of the MBA Student Association.
In her spare time, she enjoys hiking and swimming, and hopes to start cycling this summer.
Augusta Acquah, Director of Membership and Outreach
Augusta Acquah was recently the Manager of Sections at the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). She managed a team that supported 39 specialty groups or Sections that represent communities or substantive areas of the law. Augusta was with the CBA for almost 10 years in various roles, assisting volunteer members to implement engagement initiatives, develop tools and resources, organize professional development and outreach opportunities to bring value to the membership. Augusta has also held positions with non-profit organizations in Ottawa and Montreal serving members and community partners from diverse backgrounds.
Augusta has lived in Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom and various provinces in Canada. In 2005-2006, Augusta took part in the Canada World Youth (CWY) intercultural exchange program between youth from Canada, Botswana and South Africa and served on the organization’s board of directors, an experience that had a profound impact on her life and career aspirations. Outside of work, Augusta enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors.
Augusta holds a Master of Arts in Globalization and International Development from the University of Ottawa.
Emma Proux, Manager of Events and Community Development
Emma moved to Canada three years ago and has since been actively involved in event planning and community development. Prior to joining Cooperation Canada, she successfully led major events for the Association for Canadian Studies / Metropolis Institute such as the Metropolis Canada conference, handling everything from logistics to partner relations. Before her current engagements, she worked in London (United Kingdom) as an independent consultant program evaluator with Minority Rights Group international (MRG), focusing on international projects that advocated for minority rights and promoted inclusive dialogues. Emma also contributed to advocacy efforts at the Welsh Refugee Council.
Emma holds dual Master’s degrees in International Development and International Relations from Université Laval and Sciences Po Bordeaux (France). She has been actively involved in migration studies, notably her Master’s thesis exploring the intersection of migration paths and cultural geographies at the US-Mexico border. Her insights are enriched by her bicultural British and French upbringing, which has deeply influenced her approach to international relations and cultural studies.
Paul Farran, Director of Policy and Advocacy
Paul joins Cooperation Canada with 18 years of experience working with the United Nations and other internationally focused organizations. He has worked in crisis, conflict, and development contexts, including Vietnam and Zimbabwe, where he served as Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, as well as under other functions at UN Headquarters and in the Comoros, Afghanistan and Rwanda. Paul also had the opportunity to work as team lead for Global Affairs & Strategic Partnerships with the Climateworks Centre in Australia.
Paul is fluent in English and French and holds a Master’s degree in International Studies from the Université de Montreal as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Legal Studies from Concordia University.
Samantha Searle, Communications Assistant
Samantha recently graduated from the University of Ottawa with her Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in International Development with a minor in Feminist and Gender Studies. With an interest in communications and content creation, Samantha has acquired experience across various communications positions, and she is excited to bridge her educational knowledge with her skills to her role as Communications Assistant. Passionate about intersectional feminism, minority rights and accessibility, Samantha hopes to bring unique and creative new perspectives to the team. She is thrilled to be coming home to Cooperation Canada, after briefly working with us as a co-op student in 2021.
by Cooperation Canada | Jan 18, 2024 | Membership, News, Resilence
In 2023, the inequalities and injustices that many of us work hard to alleviate escalated in many parts of the world. Conflict, deepening food insecurity, global economic instability, the devastating effects of the climate crisis, and attacks on women’s rights, human rights, civic space and democracy were some of the critical issues that Cooperation Canada’s members, working alongside their partners, worked hard to address.
Supporting our members in these efforts is at the heart of what we do at Cooperation Canada. In 2023, we were thrilled to pass the 100-member mark, welcoming several new members to our network!
I am very grateful to Cooperation Canada’s Board of Directors, for their dedication and guidance over the last year. I am also deeply inspired by the work of the Cooperation Canada team, who continue their important work collaborating, convening, advocating and supporting our members and partners to contribute to a fairer, safer and more sustainable world.
As we look to 2024, I am pleased to share some of Cooperation Canada’s priorities for the year ahead. We want to see Canada step up to this moment of global instability and uncertainty and do its part to support peace, prosperity and justice. We also know that this is a time of reckoning for those of us working in international cooperation – and that we must take action to address long-standing power imbalances in the international cooperation system. We believe deeply in the important role that civil society – and Canadian organizations – play in making the world a better place and want to support innovation and change to enhance our collective impact. And we stand ready to support Cooperation Canada members to do the hard organizational work to be resilient and relevant now and into the future.
Pushing for bold Canadian global leadership
In 2024, we will continue to engage with Canadian parliamentarians, and the Canadian government, to push for bold Canadian global leadership on international cooperation. We’re looking forward to engaging with many parliamentarians about the life-saving and life-changing work of Canadian international cooperation at our International Development Week Hill Day in February 2024. We are pushing for the Canadian government to respond to immense global needs, and leverage Canadian expertise in international assistance, through new and additional commitments in the 2024 federal budget.
We have started strategizing on influencing Canada’s G7 Presidency in 2025 and are working actively to be well-prepared for the next federal election. We will continue to work with Global Affairs Canada to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their partnerships with civil society, including through the important Grants and Contributions Transformation process. And we will keep up the important work of tracking and analyzing key trends in Canadian international assistance and global humanitarian action.
Shifting power in international cooperation
At Cooperation Canada, we are committed to shifting power in international cooperation. This means taking action ourselves as an organization, including through the implementation of our new Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2026), and supporting our members to do the same. The important work of the Anti-Racist Cooperation (ARC) Hub will continue in 2024 – keep an eye out for ways to engage during Black History Month in February and take a look at the ARC Hub’s most recent annual report. We are also working with our members to make real progress on operationalizing our collective efforts on localization, including through engaging with and influencing Global Affairs Canada and global coalitions focused on shifting power. The need to respond to the historic and ongoing implications of Canada’s colonial history remains top of mind for us. We will be doing more work as a Cooperation Canada team, and with our members, to take meaningful action on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Championing civil society innovation and impact
Our exciting strategic foresight work, delivered through our Futures Initiative, is in full flight, and will help us look ahead to anticipate and address emerging trends that will shape international cooperation. The Humanitarian Response Network has an important strategic year ahead and will continue to work hard to bolster the impact of Canadian humanitarian action. Our newly energized Innovative Finance Working Group is connecting, sharing and learning on how to best leverage innovative finance in international cooperation. And we are excited to see what the year will hold for Resilient Societies, the newly launched hub for civil society activists in exile that we are incubating at Cooperation Canada.
Supporting organizational resilience
Cooperation Canada will continue to support our members to improve their organizational resilience and impact. We’re encouraged to see the Cooperation Canada Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Working Group and Human Resource Working Group go from strength to strength, and that people playing these important roles in our membership have opportunities to learn from and support each other. We are excited to launch Digna’s PSEA Organizational Assessment Tool for the third year in a row, working with members and partners to maintain momentum on our collective efforts on safeguarding in international cooperation.
We will work with others across the Canadian charitable sector to shine a light on the immense impact of Canadian charities, and advocate for a supportive enabling environment for us. We know that funding diversification is a key priority for our members, and we will seek to support creative and innovative efforts to diversify revenue sources for our members, including by enhancing our connections with the Canadian philanthropic sector.
At Cooperation Canada, we truly believe that we are stronger when we work together. Stay tuned – through our newsletter, LinkedIn and X – to keep up to date on opportunities for collaborating with us in 2024. A key moment will be our second International Cooperation Futures Festival, which will take place from 8-10 October 2024 at the National Art Centre in Ottawa. We hope you will join us!
There is no doubt that the world feels more insecure and complex than it did a decade ago, and that we’re looking towards a period of instability for the world – and the for the Canadian international cooperation organizations that operate within it. This will bring challenges. But it will also opportunities. And it should drive us to embrace innovation and change.
I’m optimistic about what we can achieve working together. I look forward to collaborating with our members and partners in the year ahead!
