By Romina Acosta Bimbrera, Communications and Public Relations Advisor
On Saturday, February 17, over 170 people attended the webinar that launched our Share Lent 2024 campaign, Reaping our Rights. They virtually traveled to Bolivia and Nigeria in the company of two of our partners. The meeting began with a welcome from Carl Hétu, executive director of Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada. Reviewing the global situation, Hétu spoke of the Lenten season, which is a season of sharing. He reminded people of the importance of working to build a world of peace, a kingdom of love and sharing, that we can leave as a legacy for our children.
Brenda Arakaza, president of our national council, then spoke of the importance of prayer and fasting in showing our listening and our solidarity with sisters and brothers in different countries who are going through difficult times. She also set the table for discussing issues addressed by our campaign and how we wish to reap the rights and dignity of our partners.
Campaigns officer Mayalène Lavigne-Martel then gave an overview of the campaign and the resources available. Then, participants heard from two guests: Eva Colque, executive director of Fundación Nuna in Bolivia, and Nnimmo Bassey, director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in Nigeria.
Colque, an inspiring Indigenous woman, was trained as an agricultural engineer. She spoke about Bolivia, as a South American country brimming with natural wealth, that is unfortunately mismanaged by its leaders and face massive internal migration to its cities due to a lack of opportunities in rural areas. To preserve life and nature, Fundación Nuna (nuna means “conscience” in Quechua) works with peasant communities in three main areas: political and social; economic and productive; and research and development.
Bassey spoke of Nigeria, where HOMEF works to identify the roots of sociological problems. As an African social justice movement, HOMEF focusses on public policy and seeks to ascribe environmental rights to forests. It wants to protect them from oil companies that pollute the land and exacerbate the region’s food insecurity.
After a period of discussion and a few questions, Colque and Bassey invited Canadians to continue their solidarity; to amplify the voices of Bolivians and Nigerians in their communities; and to tell their stories. Their message highlighted that issues of the health of the Earth are a collective responsibility because everyone has only one planet to live on.
To watch the launch webinar, visit our YouTube channel or click on the link below.
Fundación Nuna, represented by Colque, and HOMEF, represented by Bassey, are two of the three featured partners for the Share Lent 2024 campaign. The third is PAYOPAYO in Indonesia, whose managing director, Karno Batiran, will shortly be touring western Canada as a solidarity visitor. Don’t miss the chance to meet him in person at an event or virtually during our webinar on February 29 at noon ET.
To learn about and share the campaign resources, including video testimonials from our three partners, visit devp.org/lent.
