News Briefs: July 6, 2006
Supplying books to the University of Belize
Belmopan, BELIZE – In 2002, when Canadian Larry Wolfe was teaching at the University of Belize, he was dismayed at the lack of current, quality books in the library. So next time Wolfe and his wife flew from Canada to Belize, they packed along some surplus textbooks they owned. The couple was taken aback by the response they received.
“We were met by not only the university’s librarian, but also the provost and the university president, Dr. Corinth Morter-Lewis,” says Wolfe. The encounter made an impact on him. “Every year, [Canadian university] faculty members get samples of textbooks from publishers. After a while, we get too many. Here they become pure surplus,” says Wolfe. The University of Belize, on the other hand, desperately needs current books on all topics ranging from criminology to medicine, ecology, psychology and information technology (IT).
Now as president of the Galiano Institute, a non-profit academic service society, Wolfe is preparing to send even more books to Belize. With the financial support of CLWR, Wolfe plans to ship about 500 books this year to the University of Belize, collected mainly from students and faculty at Malaspina University College in Nanaimo, BC, where he’s an instructor. The value of the books is estimated at $80,000. Wolfe says that book donations have been strong, with material being dropped off anonymously right on his doorstep. It’s the logistics and cost of moving the valuable texts that is most difficult.
The University of Belize is a national, autonomous institution focused on higher education, research and service for national development. “Belizeans are very proud of their country and its accomplishments,” says Wolfe. “They look at the university as a key building block for the future, with the motto ‘Education Empowers a Nation’.”
The shipment will be sent as soon as sufficient funds for transportation are secured. Cash donations to support this project can be directed to CLWR.
CLWR News Service
Bolivian election results are good news to indigenous people
Chiquitania, BOLIVIA – Nelida Chuvé Faldín, an indigenous woman representing the Chiquitania political riding, won in Sunday’s election for her country’s Constituent Assembly. President Evo Morales had called the election in March, with the intent to rewrite Bolivia’s constitution under the new assembly. Both Morales and Faldín belong to indigenous groups, and it’s expected the new constitution will provide a greater voice for Bolivia’s indigenous people. The assembly will meet in August and over the next year will form a new constitution, to be put to a national vote.
Faldín represents a riding with a population of 80,000. She is one of the indigenous Bolivians that CLWR provided with leadership training. The CLWR program in Bolivia focuses on education of human rights, specifically in the environmental, gender, cultural, economic and socio-political arenas. The work is focused in Santa Cruz and Potosi, and is delivered in partnership with Organización Indígena Chiquitana (OICH).
Morales’ party appears to have won with 133 of 255 seats, short of the two-thirds majority needed for full control. Final results are expected after July 27. This election is part of a changing tide moving in favour of indigenous peasant communities. In office since December, 2005, Morales gave more than 30,000 sq km of state-owned land back to peasant communities last month. CLWR supports these communities by educating and assisting them with the process of acquiring an identity card. The card is necessary to vote in elections and is proof of citizenship, yet many people do not have one. Since 2004, about 1,545 Chiquitano have received a card and were able to vote in elections.
CLWR News Service and BBC News
Influx of soap donations bound for Africa
Robert Granke, Executive Director of CLWR, came clean on a local Winnipeg radio station in June when he said soap supplies were running low at the agency. CLWR collects new, opened and broken soap bars for distribution in Africa. The soap is an essential need at hospitals and refugee camps, where hygiene supplies are scarce.
Thanks to the generosity of listeners to CJOB radio and appeals to the CLWR constituency, CLWR began receiving the much needed soap. “The response has been positive, and stocks are starting to build” says Dennis Coughlan, Warehouse Coordinator. “Our next shipment is bound for Sierra Leone on July 11.” Civil war destroyed much of Sierra Leone’s economy starting in the 1990s, and the country has been in recovery since hostilities ceased in 2002.
Sorted at CLWR, soap that is unopened is sent to hospitals, while all other soap, including open, broken or used bars, is sent to refugee camps. Donations of soap are accepted at the CLWR head office in Winnipeg on an ongoing basis. For information on packing and shipping soap, visit www.clwr.org or phone 1.800.661.2597.
CLWR News Service
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