DUCA Financial Services Credit Union donates $25,000 to help people in developing communities access electricity
Christian Children's Fund of Canada needs your vote to
pick which innovative solar project gets supported
TORONTO, April 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Thanks to a $25,000 donation from DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd. (DUCA) to Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC), a developing community will soon have access to electricity. For the fourth year in row, CCFC is holding an online contest where people from around the world can choose which project gets funded.
The contest allows people to pick their preferred innovative and sustainable solution to a problem in a developing community in Africa, Asia or Central or Latin America. Attracting votes from across Canada and as far away as India, past projects implemented by the DUCA-CCFC Innovation Fund have included a "family reading time" literacy program in Paraguay, tailoring training for women in rural India, and solar-powered lighting and clean water for a remote northern Ghana community.
You can cast your vote from Monday April 24 to Tuesday May 23, 2017 at www.ccfcanada.ca/innovation-fund. Voting closes at midnight on May 23 ET. The project with the most votes wins and will be implemented.
Solar powers a brighter future
Some 1.4 billion people around the world don't have any access to electricity, and a billion more have only intermittent access1. That's why this year's DUCA-CCFC project options focus on solar power innovations and improving access to electrical services. Beneficiaries of the winning project can look forward to better nutrition, health and overall quality of life.
"Solar-powered innovations offer life-changing improvements in medical, agricultural, educational and community safety applications," says Patrick Canagasingham, Chief Executive Officer, Christian Children's Fund of Canada. "Through access to electricity, an entire community can be transformed for the better."
Vote for one of these projects:
- Enhancing After-Dark Health Care Services, Wayan, Burkina Faso: Installation of a solar electricity system will provide reliable, inexpensive electricity to the Wayan Health Center. Access to emergency medical interventions and urgent care, especially for nighttime deliveries and pregnancy interventions, will be improved.
- Enhancing Health and Nutrition, Namonsa, Ghana: This community depends on agriculture as a primary source of income. Installation of a solar-powered water pump at the community dam will deliver water to crops, providing both income and nutrition to families.
- Improving After-Dark Safety, Thiruchuli, India: This community experiences frequent power interruptions and blackouts several times a week. Night-time activities are limited due to health and safety concerns; women and girls have increased vulnerability to violence in the dark streets. Solar-powered street lights will enhance safety during dark hours.
To learn more about the projects and to vote, visit ccfcanada.ca/innovation-fund.
"We are pleased to support the CCFC Innovation Fund in its fourth year," says Doug Conick, President and Chief Executive Officer, DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd. "We are proud of the impact the Innovation Fund projects have had in previous years and we know this year's project will continue the trend."
Suggested Tweets
- Vote today for a brighter future for children: www.ccfcanda.ca/innovation-fund @CCFCanada @DUCA #innovationfund2017
- Your vote directs $25K to an innovative project! Learn more: www.ccfcanada.ca/innovation-fund @CCFCanada @DUCA #innovationfund2017
- You be the judge! Which international project should receive $25,000 from DUCA? Vote at www.ccfcanada.ca/innovation-fund @CCFCanada @DUCA #innovationfund2017
About DUCA:
DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd (DUCA) is a member owned co-operative financial institution established in 1954. They have a mission and vision to provide financial security for all through their bonus share program and competitive rates. DUCA offers financial services and products that include chequing & savings accounts, loans, mortgages, insurance and small business products. DUCA Financial Services Credit Union services over 42,000 members and has 15 branches throughout Ontario.
About CCFC:
Christian Children's Fund of Canada (CCFC) is a child-focused international development organization and a member of ChildFund Alliance. For more than 55 years, CCFC has been helping children and families of all faiths move from poverty to self-reliance. CCFC supports children and communities in 12 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, and works to improve the lives of more than 700,000 people around the world.
About the Innovation Fund contest:
The Innovation Fund contest is an annual voting competition to select a project for a developing community. Since 2014, CCFC has received annual donations from DUCA to fund innovative projects. Now its fourth year, the Innovation Fund contest runs from April 24 to May 23, 2017. The project with the highest number of votes will be selected for implementation.
SOURCE Christian Children's Fund of Canada
For additional information, or to set up an interview, please contact: Bonar Bell, Communications Manager, CCFC | [email protected], (905) 754-1001 ext. 221; Keith Taylor, AVP Strategic Social Impact, DUCA | [email protected], (416) 223-8838 ext. 292
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