Non Governamental Organisations - Canada Cuba Associations
by CubaAbsolutely Team
Canadian NGO agencies involved with Cuba Canada and Cuba have enjoyed a strong political relationship and its respective public and non-profit agencies are involved in a large variety of human development, environmental and cultural projects. These include:
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) The Canadian International Development Agency is a Canadian government agency that administers foreign aid programs in developing countries. CIDA operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in public, private and non-profit organizations. Its mandate is to "support sustainable development in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world."
The Cuba Cooperative Program, managed by CIDA, is a key component of Canada's engagement in Cuba, conducted through aid, trade and political and cultural programs. Through CIDA, Canada provides ongoing support to Cuba by shipping medical supplies and hospital equipment. CIDA supports development partnerships between Canadians and Cubans through university exchange programs, non-governmental organization projects and youth internships. One such project is the Bicycles Crossing Borders workshop. This project provides tools and used bicycles to Cuba and trains men and women as bicycle mechanics, who, in turn, earn a living by renting bicycles to tourists or by selling them to other Cubans.
The Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association (CFTA)
The Canadian-Cuban Friendship Association is based in Toronto. The CFFA promotes "friendship, co-operation and solidarity between Canadians and Cubans." The CCFA also organizes forums and events about Cuba in areas such as culture, health, education, science, sports. CCFA facilitates efforts to send aid to Cuba. There are several local chapters of Canadian-Cuban Friendship Associations throughout Canada. http://www.ccfatoronto.ca.
Evergreen The Cuba-Canada Environmental Education Program (2005-108) is a three-year partnership initiative between Evergreen and the Havana-based Foundation for Nature and Humanity.
This program builds on the success of an earlier project the Cuba-Canada Environmental Restoration Partnership Project (1998-2001). Both phases were made possible with funding from the Environment and Sustainable Development Program of the Canadian Partnership Branch of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). http://www.evergreen.ca/en/lg/cuba.html
Annual Terry Fox Run Second only to Canada's national participation, is Cuba's Annual Terry Fox Run. In 2004, cancer patients, sports heroes, cultural personalities, Cuba's foreign minister and Canadian tourists were among the thousands of runners who raised $40,000.00 for cancer research in Cuba.
The View Foundation The View Foundation was founded in 1995 and is a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization.
Its mission is to provide assistance to developing communities through education and environmental initiatives. The Foundation has conducted work in South America, Africa and on the Antarctic Continent. In 1999, the Foundation won the Conde Nast Award of Merit for its ecological work in the Antarctic. Blyth Education provides administrative support to the Foundation on a not-for-profit basis, thus ensuring all monies flow into projects and their volunteers’ costs.
Project Cuba Summer 2008 This project involves collaborating with local residents in reconstruction work at the CUJAE University, Havana. In past years, volunteers have done extensive work in urban rehabilitation, including the painting of murals alongside some of the city’s artists and work in a local hospital and a school. In 2006, volunteers started a photo project in which cameras were distributed to a dozen inner city children and a dozen local artists. Together they compiled a photographic essay of the city and its people. The exhibition opened in Havana and will travel to Toronto and Montreal.
Cuba March Break 2008 The Foundation’s 2008 March Break project is centred at the CUJAE University and involves work, painting, gardening, cleaning and working with local school children at an elementary school. Weekends and evenings are filled exploring Havana and absorbing Cuba's vibrant culture. http://www.viewfoundation.com
CoDevelopment Canada (CoDev) CoDev is a BC-based non-profit agency that works for social change and global education in the Americas. CoDev was founded in 1985 by a group of activists who wanted to go beyond simply sending financial aid to Latin American countries and believe that partnerships between like-minded organizations, in Canada and Latin America can be vehicles for learning, social change, and personal empowerment.
CoDev’s partners in Cuba include the National Union of Education, Science and Sports Workers, the National Union of Health Workers and the National Union of Public Sector Workers. http://www.codev.org
Cuba Study Abroad Program – Dalhousie University, Halifax Nova Scotia Offered every April, the Cuba Intensive Program lasts six weeks — four weeks in Halifax and two weeks in Cuba (last full week of April until the end of the first week in May) with Facultad Latinoame-ricana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) at the University of Havana. In Cuba, students learn about Cuban culture and society by attending daily lectures (translated into English) and visiting sites in and around Havana. Students are required to keep a daily journal, conduct an interview with a Cuban citizen and prepare a research paper on an approved topic related to Cuban development. The program provides Dalhousie students the opportunity to travel to Cuba for intensive language classes, attend lectures on Cuba’s approach to development, take part in a month of fieldwork outside Havana with a Cuban faculty member, and live with a Cuban family.
Canada Cuba Farmer to Farmer Project The purpose of the project is to foster cooperative, farmer-led capacity building.
The first project, Enhancing Sustainable Dairy Production Capacity in Cuba, began in December, 2004 with financial support from Vancouver-based Sustainable Cities and CIDA.
Canada-Cuba: 1945-2005 – Government of Canada Canada-Cuba relations can be traced back to the 18th century, when vessels from the Atlantic provinces of Canada traded codfish and beer for rum and sugar. Cuba was the first country in the Caribbean selected by Canada for a diplomatic mission.
Cubasource - Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) Cubasource is a web information system on Cuba produced by the Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL). Available in English and Spanish, it was created to facilitate the exchange of information related to Cuba's international relations and the political, social and economic trends and challenges facing the island, and to stimulate and facilitate constructive and informed research and discussion of these issues within Canada and internationally. It is targeted at government officials, researchers, non-governmental organizations, the business community and the media.
Cubasource serves as an information clearinghouse on Cuba, classifying and annotating the vast and assorted information on the web related to the island, from all key relevant perspectives, and focusing these into a useable knowledge base. This annotated directory includes research resources, key documents, news sources and a comprehensive database of pertinent organizations inside and outside Cuba. Cubasource also includes content about the island produced by FOCAL, such as: a Background Briefing paper series, short analytical articles, Chronicle on Cuba (a monthly summary of key news items and related web links), and Spotlight on Cuba (a periodic electronic bulletin designed to raise awareness and clarify developments on key topics related to the island as these unfold). FOCAL makes available an electronic mailing list where subscribers can automatically receive all materials on Cuba produced by FOCAL. http://www.cubasource.org/index_e.asp
Canada Cuba Literary Alliance In cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Cuba, the Canada Cuba Literary Alliance
collects Canadian-published books by Canadian authors for the "Canadian Literature Library Initiative." Poetry, prose, photography and art books are welcome. Five collections of Canadian literature will be donated as permanent collections to five different UNEAC (Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba) offices across Cuba. These collections will be available to Cubans as a window to past and present Canadian literature. http://www.canadacubaliteraryalliance.org/CCLAclli.html
ESL Cuba Volunteer ESL Cuba Volunteer was established in March 2005 by Cuban and Canadian educators for retired teachers and ESL pros prepared to donate their time and skills to teach Cuban youth English. Volunteers cover their own costs while on the island for three weeks. Spouses and partners of ESL Volunteers are welcomed to travel with the group (or in some cases, volunteer to teach English). http://www.cubavolunteer.com/
