You too can be a champion of social change
When was the last time you thought about making a positive social change in the world?
Last year, I asked that question of myself over and over again. As a mechanical engineer, I am wired to need to learn about new ways of doing things and to want to see the positive changes my career can have, but I wanted to have a greater impact through my work. My search for a place to have that impact ended when I discovered the Fellowship Program at Engineers Without Borders and was selected to join one of its impact investing ventures, Viamo, as a fundraising consultant.
During my time there, I was able to put my skills into action and exchange knowledge with my colleagues in Accra, Ghana. I saw first hand how my actions made a huge difference.
The EWB Fellowship Program creates opportunities for Canadians and sub-Saharan Africans by making life-changing information accessible to those living in poverty. By pairing local partners with Canadian fellows like me, the EWB Fellowship Program unlocks human potential and promotes systemic change through establishing a platform for collaboration where different trainings, upbringings, and experiences can converge and move inventive strategies into action.
With the support of donors like you,
EWB invests in people like me, and in ventures like Viamo,
to bolster new ideas that work to empower and foster opportunity
in both Canada and sub-Saharan Africa.
EWB opens possibilities through its ventures, one of which is Viamo. Ventures are selected through a methodical process — EWB chooses social enterprises that focus on improving access to products or services while pursuing radical business models. This approach sparks changes that address the root causes of poverty and inequity and will contribute to building an equitable and sustainable world.
Viamo is a mobile communications company that disseminates information to even the most remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa through mobile phones. The application is widespread—a mother can receive maternal health information from a local clinic or a policy-maker can study the supply chain and efficacy of vaccinations! You can read more about EWB’s relationship with the Viamo venture here.
Your support of future fellows drives transformational impact and sparks real differences in Canada and sub-Saharan Africa—will you continue to champion this cause?
It’s the support from donors and EWB’s Fellowship Program that created the opportunity for me to contribute in social change by building Viamo’s network and growing the company—it now operates in over 50 countries. And I am happy to say that I have since been offered a full-time position as the director of strategic partnerships with Viamo!
Thank you for your support,
P.S. Viamo has been able to change the lives of so many people thanks to the contribution from donors like you and its partnership with EWB. With investment from you, Viamo was able to deliver accessible life-altering information to even the most remote households in Ghana. Viamo’s impact has changed lives because of your generous donation and because of its partnership with EWB.
