Canadian Women's Foundation Annual Report 2023-2024 - Report - Page 34
COUNT ME IN FOR
ADVANCING GENDER
JUSTICE IN THE NORTH
The Foundation’s
Keetha Mercer,
Senior Director
of Community
Initiatives (left)
and Delma Autut,
Northern Strategy
Lead, in Iqaluit.
Your incredible support propels our Northern
Strategy forward.
Northern communities face unique challenges
– and spearhead unique but under-resourced
initiatives to address them. The Foundation
launched the Northern Strategy in 2018, guided
by a Northern Women and Girls’ Advisory
Committee based in the region.
We prioritize grants to programs grounded in
Indigenous culture and tradition and focused
on community-building, truth and reconciliation,
land-based healing, and reclamation.
Our staff members continue doing outreach and
building relationships in the region, gathering
insights and feedback through focus groups,
and learning more about the phenomenal work
organizations are doing amid the complex
challenges they face.
Singer-songwriter David Laronde with Messy
Book program participants in Igloolik.
Definity Insurance Foundation
makes powerful investment
A transformative $3.1 million investment from Definity
Insurance Foundation announced in October 2023
has enabled essential programs and resources
for diverse women, girls, Two Spirit, trans, and
nonbinary people in the North, as of spring 2024.
These funds will foster grants to entrepreneurship
and self-employment programs for up to five years,
boosting employment opportunities and workforce
participation.
“By supporting Northern communities’ selfdetermination and pursuit of entrepreneurial
opportunities, we can collectively create sustainable
change far into the future.”
- Arti Freeman, CEO, Definity Insurance Foundation
34
Recently funded Northern initiatives include:
▶
The Messy Book Program, Arctic Rose
Foundation, Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories: Children and teens in multiple
communities in the Northwest Territories
and Nunavut explore their potential through
arts projects in after-school programs led by
Inuit guest artists and students who act as
facilitators and mentors.
“There is so much more I want to teach these
youth. I want to pass on my knowledge as a
dancer and artist to those that have shown
a passion and love for the art form of dance.
My goal is to help these kids dream about
being a dancer but also giving them access
to networking, mentorship, and helping to
provide them with the tools to be able to
build a career as a dancer.”
– Dancer Simik Komaksiutiksak, Messy Book
Program Guest Artist Lead
