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News from the Professional Programs
Banking Student Brought Electricity to a Remote Chinese Village
Our students at EMCN bring with them a wealth of valuable work and life experiences. One good example is Wenmin Zhong who is one of the students enrolled in the Banking program at the Wentworth Builging. The following is a seven minute individual presentation presented by Wenmin Zhong as a requirement of a public speaking assignment. The assignment required students to write an outline and complete a presentation about an aspect of an employment experience that made a difference at a previous workplace. Wenmin gave a moving presentation supported by an effective PowerPoint presentation about her role as a manager of an international project that helped bring electricity to 32 remote villages in Ba Zhou and Ha Mi at Xinjiang Uygur, an autonomous region (a province) in China.
The following is an excerpt from Wenmin’s presentation: “I come from a beautiful place. However, natural beauty does not always bring happiness. For instance, can you image what kind of life it is without electricity? I would like to tell you a true story that happened to me at my workplace in China. The project that I was in charge of was called the Solar Energy Project. … “No Pain, No Gain”... We worked day and night for 5 years to complete all the solar energy stations in 32 villages. You can imagine how many challenges we faced building these stations in those remote areas… Now, even in winter we can use electricity to warm the greenhouse to plant vegetables, to warm our villagers to live comfortably, to run machines, and to continue production indoors, just to name a few.”
Pictures of Xinjiang Uygur brought to life by solar energy
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Microsoft Outlook Computer Training Session
Yohana Rihana is going to be holding a training session on Microsoft Outlook for all interested staff.
It will be held on May 23rd and June 6, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. in room #2-1.
If you are interested in attending, please e-mail kpaufler@emcn.ab.ca
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Room to Read
At the LAA conference last month, John Wood, of the organization Room To Read gave the keynote presentation. John is the founder and CEO of an organization Room to Read, www.roomtoread.org Room to Read initially started through John Wood visiting a school in Nepal and being dismayed that the only books in the school library, which were carefully locked up for safekeeping, were mountain climber discards (Danielle Steel, Herman Hesse, etc.). He quit his job with Microsoft and is now devoting his life to building libraries and schools in third world countries. They are not only building schools and libraries but also publishing books for children in the mother tongues of the countries written by local authors.
The story of how Room to Read came to be is documented in John Wood’s book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World. I read the book when it first came out and was impressed and inspired by the work he has done.
In his presentation at Jasper Mr. Wood expressed interest in getting an Edmonton Chapter of the organization started.
I have volunteered to try to get a chapter started in Edmonton. If you are interested in more information or in getting involved in this project please let me know.
Patricia Nelson,
Manager, Mill Woods Branch
Edmonton Public Library
601 Mill Woods Town Centre
2331-66 St.
Edmonton, AB. T6K 4B5
Ph: 780-496-7077 Fax: 780-496-1450
www.epl.ca
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4REAL - Edmonton
Tuesday, May 13
8:00 pm
Starlight/Velvet Underground (10030-102nd Street)
This event centers around a television series created by two Canadians traveling around the "recovering" world and showcasing the work that amazing young people are doing under difficult circumstances. Sol Guy and Josh Thome, who have recently presented at the United Nations in New York (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/show/CTVShows/20080429/ctv_release2_20080429/20080429), and were just named Emerging Explorers by National Geographic, in Washington, DC (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/field/explorers/guy-thome.html, & http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nglive/washingtondc/s2008/concerts/mvbill.html), will be here in Edmonton as part of a cross Canada tour. Sol and Josh will be screening an episode of their show and will be available for a Q & A. By focusing on culture (and everything this entails, like hip hop, music, diversity), and by playing on the concept of celebrity, 4REAL has carved out an important niche in the world of social entrepreneurship. Please check out their website (www.4real.com) to get a better idea of the overall project.
If you are interested in mechanisms of social change, you should definitely come to this event. Proceeds (admission fee [$5 - 10 donation], and/or percentage from bar revenue, merchandise sold) are donated to the project featured in the episode screened that night.
The 4REAL Team
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12832107369
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Big Bin Events
The City of Edmonton is hosting Big Bin events for household items that can’t be set out for regular waste collection. Twelve weekend events will be held in various locations throughout the City.
City residents will be able to drop off items such as old couches, chairs, mattresses, and appliances free of charge.
Computers and other electronics will also be accepted for recycling.
Please see attachment for more information.
Angeline Tymchuk
ECO-Technica
Project Manager
780.440.0400 ext 1024
angeline.tymchuk@eco-technica.com
Big Bin Event Schedule
Thank You Mothers
Mother's Day is a special time to say "thank you" to mothers everywhere.
It's also a moment to reflect on the tremendous void that mothers leave behind when they die while giving life.
Universal access to health care would save the lives of 1,400 women every day. This is how many women will die today, from complications associated with pregnancy or childbirth.
Maternal health is being discussed at this year?s G8 meeting in Japan.
Canada is at the table.
Help Oxfam demand maternal health for all
Sign our for all petition
Your signature will help us send a strong message to Prime Minister
Harper:
Canada needs to support a strong public health system that is accessible for all.Canada must increase its aid in support of basic public services.
Read Oxfam?s press release on the perils of giving birth
Mothers are most often the ones who feed and raise children. But what happens when the mother loses her life as a result of pregnancy or child birth complications?
Read stories of missing mothers and the families left behind in Sierra Leone.
Sincerely,
Bill Hynd, Campaigns Coordinator
Oxfam Canada
Please forward this email to friends and family.
Together, we can make change happen
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Building a Community Development Tool Kit
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YOUCAN Prevent Youth Violence Action Plan Project Un-Gala
