As interim CEO, I’m honoured to carry forward the legacy Children Believe (formerly Christian Children’s Fund of Canada) established in the past 60 years.
While being in the role of interim CEO may be new, I’m fortunate to have held many senior municipal roles prior to joining Children Believe as V.P. of people and culture. And, I’m thankful for a committed team around me helping lead our organization through this period of transition.
It is a privilege to work at Children Believe with support from deep-rooted partnerships, such as the one we have as members of the ChildFund Alliance — a global group of 11 child-focused development organizations creating opportunities for kids around the world.
Together with our partners, we address important issues such as providing access to education and ending violence against children. It’s incredible to see the impact children can have in their communities and hear directly from the kids we help.
There’s still a lot of work to do, but I’m thankful to see the progress we’re making. In fact, thanks to supporters, many vulnerable children and youth in India are learning their rights and understanding the country’s laws and policies so they can apply that knowledge to advocate for their safety and protection.
Of course, our team around the world makes this progress possible, and they have also been busy preparing to launch our new brand. Last week, our India office was the first outside of Canada to celebrate this refresh after nearly 50 years of helping kids dream big as the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada. You can learn more about the great work being done in India on their new Children Believe website.
Meanwhile, here in Canada, we’re excited to premiere a new brand video following a former sponsored child living in Ghana on her long walk to school. The video shows how sponsor support inspires her forward in her goal to get an education and reach her childhood dreams. (Check it out here, and listen for the voices of real donors singing the anthem of support.)
Speaking of childhood dreams, we’re inviting residents of Canada to share theirs at Toronto’s Eaton Centre during an event this week (followed by others in Calgary and Halifax next month), or at childrenbelieve.ca. They’ll have the chance to win a trip to see our work and meet children being supported to reach their goals by accessing quality education. I can assure you this trip will be an amazing and fulfilling experience.
We’ll continue to keep you in the loop as our other offices — in Ghana, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Nicaragua and Paraguay — make the transition to our new brand during the next couple of months.