IDW 2025

International Development Week 2025

International Development Week (IDW) 2025 is an opportunity to recognize Canada’s role in global development and celebrate the power of international cooperation in driving meaningful, sustainable change. IDW 2025 provides Canada’s international organizations, charities, educational institutions, and development partners with a platform to showcase innovative solutions to global challenges, highlighting the ways Canadians are making a difference worldwide. It is a time to reflect on collective progress, amplify successful initiatives, and inspire individuals and organizations to take action in building a more just, sustainable, and equitable world.

At CDF Canada, we are committed to advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by fostering economic resilience, gender equality, and environmental sustainability through cooperative development. By leveraging the co-operative model, CDF Canada is uniquely positioned in Canada to harness the transformative power of credit unions and co-operatives, ensuring that development efforts create long-term, generational impact. Our work empowers communities by strengthening financial inclusion, supporting sustainable livelihoods, and championing climate-smart solutions. Through partnerships, collaboration, and the co-operative values of mutual support and shared prosperity, we drive change that is both locally rooted and globally connected.

Volunteering with CDF Canada: Connecting Communities, Creating Change

The VOICE for Women & Girls Project thrives on the power of co-operative collaboration—driving gender equity, economic resilience, and sustainable growth across rural communities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Malawi. At the heart of this transformation are CDF Canada’s volunteers, whose expertise strengthens local co-operatives, empowers women entrepreneurs, and fosters long-term community-driven solutions. Through mentorship, capacity building, and hands-on coaching, volunteers bridge global knowledge with local innovation, ensuring that co-operative businesses remain resilient and inclusive. Their contributions don’t just create change—they sustain it for generations to come.

Volunteer Spotlight: Dirshaye Beyene’s Impact in Ethiopia

With three volunteer mandates under CDF Canada’s VOICE for Women & Girls Project, Dirshaye Beyene has been instrumental in strengthening co-operative leadership and gender-inclusive business practices in Ethiopia. As a Resource Mobilization, Communication, and Organizational Development Advisor, he has helped build financial literacy, enhance strategic planning, and improve governance structures within rural co-operatives.

Dirshaye developed a 5-Year Resource Mobilization Strategy, equipping co-operatives with tools for securing funding, engaging donors, and strengthening financial planning. He also led Training-of-Trainers (TOT) sessions, empowering 68 cooperative leaders (72% women) with skills in loan management and business planning. Through focus groups and direct mentorship, he worked with Gender Model Families, amplifying women’s leadership in co-operative decision-making.

As a Communication Advisor, he transformed how Ethiopian co-operatives share their impact, developing a 3-Year Communication Strategy and training teams to improve storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and visibility. Now, in his Organizational Development mandate, he is working directly with co-operatives to enhance governance, sustainability, and inclusivity, ensuring long-term success.

Dirshaye’s work exemplifies the power of skilled volunteering—bridging expertise from Canada and Ethiopia to create lasting, community-driven change.

Gender Equality: The Cornerstone of Sustainable Development

At CDF Canada, we believe that gender equality is essential to sustainable development. When women have access to education, leadership opportunities, and essential healthcare, entire communities thrive—economies grow, families become more resilient, and cycles of poverty are broken. But achieving real, lasting equality requires collaboration across borders and a commitment to co-operative values that empower women at every stage of their journey.

By connecting women in Canada with women around the world, we strengthen co-operative networks that drive leadership, financial independence, and long-term resilience. These cross-border partnerships don’t just build skills—they reshape financial institutions, strengthen community infrastructure, and create space for women to lead. When women support one another—whether as mentors, advocates, or co-operative leaders—they amplify their collective impact, turning gender equality from an aspiration into a tangible, community-driven reality.

This co-operative approach extends beyond financial inclusion. By removing barriers to healthcare, economic resources, and decision-making spaces, we ensure that women have the tools to take control of their financial futures, improve maternal and family health, and contribute fully to their communities. When women are empowered, entire communities grow stronger—not just for today, but for generations to come.

At CDF Canada, we don’t just see gender equality as a goal. It’s a shared responsibility, a strategic investment, and the foundation of sustainable change.

Building a Future Through Cooperation

As we celebrate International Development Week 2025, CDF Canada reaffirms its commitment to empowering communities, fostering gender equality, and driving sustainable economic development through co-operative values. Co-operation is more than a principle—it’s a proven strategy for building resilient communities and a sustainable future. Whether through mentorship, financial inclusion, or community-driven solutions, we continue to create lasting, locally led change that strengthens co-operatives worldwide.

This commitment extends beyond IDW 2025 as we look ahead to the United Nations’ International Year of the Co-operative in 2025. As a leader in co-operative-driven international development, CDF Canada is proud to be at the forefront of this global moment. We are working to celebrate and elevate the role of co-operatives in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. From launching the International Contribution Award to expanding partnerships and fundraising initiatives, we are ensuring that 2025 is a year of action, collaboration, and impact.

The Future of Sustainable Development is Co-op!

Stay tuned for an exciting year of IYC programming at CDF Canada!

Join us as we recognize the power of co-operation in creating a better world—this year, next year, and beyond.

 

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