As we enter 2022, we wanted to highlight a few of our lawyers who volunteer their time and efforts to inspire creativity, share skills, and strengthen communities. Through our discussions, we learned that their efforts to help others has not been interrupted by the pandemic.

Supporting Communities in Africa

We sat down with Blair Bowen, who serves on the Board of the Canada Africa Partnership (CAP) Network, to hear about his experience volunteering with an organization that for almost 20 years, has helped facilitate partnerships between communities in Canada and Africa to provide capacity building and resources to advance local community development efforts.

Blair, tell us how you got involved with CAP Network?

I was first introduced to the organization 15 years ago by a neighbour who worked in international development. He was raising funds to support a cycling tour of Africa. In addition tour raised money for HIV/AIDS workers to purchase bicycles so that they could travel to various villages to attend to people who were sick or in need of medicine. The organization was known as the Canada Africa Partnership on AIDS (CAP Aids) and was a direct response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. I started out as a volunteer to help raise money for the cycling fundraiser. Like many who volunteer, it all started with a contact who was looking for help.

As the organization grew I became a board member, and as a lawyer, I was able to help with getting the organization recognized as a charitable foundation and with funding. When the Government of Canada changed funding rules, we had to re-invent ourselves as an organization. So in 2014, we changed our name to CAP Network to reflect the growing diversity of projects and community priorities supported through the Network. We also transitioned to a shared platform model where we have a three-way partnerships between the Canadian community operating under the CAP Network umbrella, the African partner project and the Network. At that time the original founder's term had completed and I decided to take on the role of Chair of the Board to provide continuity to organization and more importantly, it was fun.

In your opinion, what is the most important work that the CAP Network does?

Today, the organization is no longer HIV/AIDS specific in its outreach. We now focus on helping to advance education, health, eradicating poverty, food sustainability and climate change. The CAP Network, with the support from its affiliate communities in Canada, is involved in some really great initiatives and because of our structure, most of the funds raised go directly to the causes in Africa. For example, in Uganda, we have established the Home of Hope, which offer a transitional life centre for vulnerable young women and children. Here they can access health care and, most importantly, develop skills for sustainable livelihoods. In Kenya, through our work with Kijiji Cha Upendo and the Village of Love affiliate community in Canada, we are currently supporting 30 families caring for 140 children, orphaned and biological. We also have an affiliate partner called Rainmaker that is focused on food sustainability in South Soudan's war torn areas, where we are bringing solar-powered irrigation to help revitalize agricultural land and clean water to communities dealing with the impacts of climate change and water scarcity.

What advice would you give to a new lawyer who is looking for an opportunity to give back to their own community?

Because so much of being a young lawyer focuses on billable hours and the work, you sometimes leave behind the hobbies and activities that made you interesting. I think people need to remember that the skills you use in a volunteer capacity are complimentary to the skill set that you are developing as a lawyer. If you have an interest in a particular area, whether you are a history buff or have an interest in international development, then go out and find an organization that piques that interest. Frankly, all organizations like lawyers on their team and are looking for volunteers. Everybody's got critical thinking skills, organizational skills, and leadership skills that are underutilized. Charitable organizations are looking for leaders. Even though you're young, you'd be surprised how many people are looking for somebody to step-up and be on the board, and doing so helps develop your skills as a lawyer too.

To learn more about the CAP Network visit: https://www.capnetwork.ca/