CANADIAN HUMANITARIAN, now REAL HUMANITARIAN: REAL RESULTS, REAL DEDICATION, REAL PASSION
“Changing lives in a changing world”.
Development practitioners would revel in the story of Canadian Humanitarian, now Real Humanitarian. Why? Because this is not an organization that goes in for dependence-creating and maintaining handouts. It is a non-profit that believes in and does hands-up work.
Here’s a very brief summary of the story, as presented by Co-Executive Director Deborah Northcott.
Canadian Humanitarian was ‘born’ in September 1994, when Dick and Deborah Northcott adopted two Ethiopian children. Their thinking shifted from “Someone needs to do something” about the lives and living conditions of children in Ethiopia, to “What can I/we do?”.
Deborah described the dire living conditions of families, both urban and rural, as well as the under-resourced school contexts. Ethiopian education statistics reveal that 68.1% of students leave school before completing high school, 35% enter post-secondary studies, with a 8% graduation from tertiary education.
In 2003, Dick discussed with the Ethiopian ministries responsible for children, the kind of assistance what would be best to lift children and their families out of extreme poverty. There was consensus that moving children out of the workforce into school and helping them to complete their high school education – or at least some level of education - would likely have the most impact on their personal economic status, as well as the country’s future.
Deborah then presented the United Nations 2030 Social Development Goals to Club members, pointing out that the primary focus of Real Humanitarian, is Goal #4: Education, under which they address, inter alia, poverty, gender equality, health and well-being, and hunger.
Unpacking and outlining the services and support of Real Humanitarian in Ethiopia, Deborah described what is offered in the school context, the involvement and participation of the families of the children with whom they work, and the role of local government.
There are eight afterschool projects, established, run and maintained by Real Humanitarian. There is also a vocational training campus, and three scholarship programs. All these services are staffed by 92 Ethiopian staff.
Deborah showed photos and shared the phenomenal stories of a number of the alumni of the Real Humanitarian program.
Real Humanitarian aims to help the children with whom they work to:
- Develop life skills
- Live independent lives
- Become active, contributing citizens and community members
Over the two decades of development work carried out in Ethiopia, raising over $11.8m, Real Humanitarian offers the following impressive statistics related to the children who have been involved in their programs:
- Average number of years in school: 9
- Depart from program: 10% (7% move away and 3% decide to leave education)
- Pass grade annually: 92%
- Go on to post-secondary education: 91%
- Complete post-secondary education: 93%
- Employed after graduation: 72%
- Number of teen or unplanned pregnancies during education and child marriages: 0%
This is evidence of a meaningful impact on the lives of the children with whom Real Humanitarian works – a hand up and not a hand out.
We salute you, Deborah and Dick Northcott, and all the staff and volunteers involved in the life-changing development work done by Real Humanitarian.
Thank you for the significant contribution your organization is making to the achievement of the 2030 Social Development Goals of the United Nations.
Medicine Hat, AB T1B 3T8
Canada