End Poverty Now

Mandate

End Poverty Now is dedicated to the long-term struggle against abject poverty through the tri-pillars of education and information, lobbying, and grassroots development and redistribution. End Poverty Now is actively engaged in this struggle with the aim of alleviating and eliminating global poverty.

AbOUT

End Poverty Now is a non-partisan, non-political, non-religious, non-profit organization that is dedicated to the long-term battle against abject poverty. End Poverty Now represents a group of dedicated individuals, mainly students, who want to make a difference in the world by working to end abject poverty. End Poverty Now operates on a tri-pillar base: education and information, lobbying, and grassroots development initiatives.

Education Mandate

End Poverty Now organization works hard to educate every-day citizens about the realities of global poverty. The organization's website (www.endpovertynow.ca) serves as a portal of information about poverty-related issues. In addition, it provides organizational updates, information about membership opportunities, an electronic copy of the newsletters and academic journal, as well as media resources from across the world that address poverty as a Global Issue. EPN takes special pride in the multiple Educational Initiatives that have originated within our organization. Our academic journal, Means to an End, is published on an annual basis and relies on submissions from university students and professors from all over the country. Our newsletter, “EPN Monthly”, features an eclectic mix of informative articles, special pieces and reports, as well as a list of upcoming EPN events. Promoting education and raising awareness about the severity of abject poverty are essential if our organization is to succeed in encouraging action against the causes of poverty. Recently, End Poverty Now helped organize several concerts in the Montreal area to raise awareness about poverty. In March, our organization displayed a photo exhibition entitled “Poverty in our Backyard” in the McGill University McLennan-Redpath Library complex. In Fall of 2007, End Poverty Now will be releasing its own set of educational Podcasts, which will be available and free for streaming on iTunes. End Poverty Now also hosts a number of other educational events all across Canada. As such, it is no surprise that End Poverty Now has received significant media attention. Executive Director Nejeed Kassam has presented at several high schools and conferences, including St. George’s School in Vancouver and the Think Again Millennium Laureates Conference in Ottawa. In January 2007, Kassam was featured on CBC Radio One, and spotlight articles on End Poverty Now have been published in the McGill Tribune, the McGill Reporter and the Montreal Mirror.

Grassroots Project Mandate

Finally, one of the most important aspects of EPN is the organization's grassroots development and redistribution projects. In these direct initiatives, End Poverty Now works closely with and assist numerous organizations around the world in raising awareness, support, and funds. These projects provide access to resources that many of these organizations would otherwise be unable to receive. EPN is involved in short- and long-term initiatives, both at home and abroad. Working closer to home, End Poverty Now facilitates numerous local volunteer opportunities in Canada.

Current Projects

End Poverty Now and Rwanda Village Concept Project: Bringing Beekeeping to the Rwandan Widows’ Association

In the fall of 2007, End Poverty Now completed the final planning phases of a grassroots project in the Huye community of Rwanda. This venture, which includes the construction of thirty bee hives and the specialized training of fifty members of the Rwandan Widows’ Association, will act as a model microeconomic enterprise to be replicated in other parts of the region. The proceeds from the sale of all processed honey will go directly to widows of both the Rwandan [...] of 1994 and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, many of whom are currently living on less than $1 USD a day. In addition to its economic benefits, this venture aims to promote self-reliance and responsibility in the community through leadership training, supported project management, and exercises in proposal writing. Most of the population (98%) in the project’s target area has been resettled there since the 1994 [...], and the villages consist mainly of widows and orphans, which now represent the majority of the population. This demographic imbalance has had a huge economic impact on the country, and has significantly lowered the living standards and health conditions of the population. The bee keeping project will contribute to poverty alleviation in the Huye community, empower the beneficiaries, and provide pollination for the many cash crops which are grown in the surrounding area, including coffee, bananas, and sunflowers. As a sustainable development initiative, this project aims to become self-sustaining after the first two years of honey production, and will continue benefiting the community group while acting as a model for similar microeconomic enterprises in years to come.

Scholarship

As our organization was founded by students, we strive to foster leadership and to provide opportunities for young people to join in the fight against poverty. In this respect, all of our redistribution projects are coupled with short- and longer-term internships that allow End Poverty Now members to actively engage in grassroots work. Similarly, our organization offers a scholarship that provides financial assistance to students doing work in poverty-related fields. The scholarship is awarded annually and allows students to receive up to $5,000 for their dedication and efforts in combating global poverty.

Financial Policy

60% - Grassroots Development and Redistribution Initiatives 10% - Scholarship 10% - Lobbying 0% to 5% – Administrative 15% to 20% - Education, Events and Literature (subject to administrative costs)