Art DeFehr flips through photos on his iPad—photos of time he spent in Somalia while working with the UN as high commissioner for refugees in the early 80s. He pauses and recalls a time in the camps when the military were forcibly recruiting refugees to fight their ongoing war. “They’d come into the camps with …
In homes around the world, women are the keystone. The health of the family—physically and financially— is strengthened when women are empowered to gain knowledge, make decisions and become leaders. In Ethiopia, through the Resilient Economy and Livelihoods (REAL) project, iDE is focused on helping women who are considered the poorest of the poor. These …
It was 1982. The end of summer. Gerry Dyck, 24, was working on a grain elevator, finishing up the painting season, when he got a phone call. Art DeFehr, a guest lecturer whom Gerry had met earlier that year at college, was inviting him to Somalia where Art had just been appointed UN high commissioner …
Each farmer’s path to success with the Innovation for Rural Prosperity program was slightly different. For Alalee Francis, it began with an experiment. On his small farm in Ghana, he installed a drip irrigation kit he purchased from iDE and used it to water part of his crop. Next to it was his control field …
It all began with a simple idea: create a global force for change based on the power of using business to solve poverty. This year, as iDE Canada celebrates thirty-five years of helping others, we’ll revisit the past but always with an eye to the future: How can we help more families with business solutions …
Improving farming practices and sanitation in the Wolayta Zone of Ethiopia Uefaysa Agebo, father of three, has been farming for over forty years. In those four decades, he has received emergency aid, such as seed, from non-governmental organizations but never ongoing support or advice that would help him with long-term planning. Last fall, Uefaysa was …
