About Tapestry 2030

Tapestry 2030 is a new OCIC podcast and illustration series focused on the future of international cooperation and global solidarity, and the partnerships needed for gender transformative, sustainable development.

Undertaken with support from podcaster Safa Shahkhalili and illustrator Amanda Schutz, this inaugural series will share stories from OCIC members Bhutan Canada Foundation, CAP Network, CMETrust, Heart-Links | Lazos de Corazón, Inter Pares, Partners in Health Canada, Rayjon Share Care of Sarnia Inc., the YMCA of Greater Toronto, and their respective international partners.

The Tapestry 2030 series is focused on the future of international cooperation and global solidarity, and the partnerships needed for gender transformative, sustainable development. Building on our award-winning Transformations photojournalism initiative, we are launching Tapestry 2030 as an opportunity for members to contribute stories anchored in the principles for Just Recovery within the context of the pandemic.

The Latest Episodes

Tapestry 2030 launched on February 8, 2021 in celebration of International Development Week 2021. Listen to all the latest episodes below, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 1: Building Sustainable Tourism in Bhutan

In our first episode we are in conversation with Dorji Dhradhul, the Director-General of the Tourism Council of Bhutan and Kent Schroeder, Stephen Couchman, and Catherine Smart from the Bhutan Canada Foundation. They reflect on their partnership and their shared work to restore the Trans Bhutan Trail (TBT). Find the episode transcript here.

Episode 2: Leadership in Action in Peru

In our second episode we are in conversation with Erla Hoyos Zuloeta from the Centro de Formación y Promoción Humana “Santa Ángela” in Peru and Ruth Taylor from Heart-Links Lazos de Corazón in Ontario. They reflect on their partnership and their commitment to develop and train community leaders in the district of Jose Leonardo Ortiz, Chiclayo, Peru. The episode transcript can be found here.

Episode 3: Championing Education in Kenya

In our third episode we are in conversation with Victoria Sheppard, Titus Kuria, Esther Njenga, Jecinta Akoth, Jesse Jacktone and Emmanuel Angwenyi from the Canada Mathare Education Trust. They reflect on their cross-cultural team’s commitment to providing educational scholarships and various educational programs and support for young people living in Mathare, the second largest informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. Find the episode transcript here.

Episode 4: Cultivating Relationships with the Land in Colombia

In our fourth episode we are in conversation with Nelson Buitrago Díaz and Diana Carolina Gallego Cortes from YMCA Risaralda in Colombia and Esperanza Monsalve from YMCA of Greater Toronto. They reflect on their partnership and their work on a multigenerational initiative to plant urban gardens and promote recycling in Risaralda, Colombia. Find the episode transcript here.

Episode 5: Nourishing Community in Guinea Bissau

In our fifth episode, we are in conversation with Rugui Balde from Tiniguena in Guinea Bissau and Eric Chaurette from Inter Pares in Ottawa. They reflect on their 30 year long partnership and their work to promote food sovereignty and women’s economic empowerment in Guinea Bissau. Find the episode transcript here.

Episode 6: Community Based Orphan Care in Kenya

In our sixth episode we are in conversation with Leonora Obara from Kijiji Cha Upendo in Kenya, Linda Levin from Village of Love Canada, and Claire Holloway Wadhwani from the Canada Africa Partnership (CAP) Network. They reflect on their decade long partnership and commitment to supporting community based orphan and vulnerable child care in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa. See the episode transcript here.

Episode 7: Haitian Women in the Lead

In our seventh episode we are in conversation with Elida Jeanty and Bénicie Pierre from the Haitian Women’s Federation of Haut de St. Marc, Renaud Thomas from Rayjon Share Care Haiti, and Heather Smith from Rayjon Share Care Canada. They reflect on their partnership and their shared work to establish a Breadfruit Processing Factory and Breadfruit Tree Nursery in the Haut de St. Marc community in Haiti. See the episode transcript here.

Episode 8: No Woman or Girl Left Behind in Malawi & Sierra Leone

In the last episode of our first series, we are in conversation with Isata Dumbuya from Partners In Health Sierra Leone, Basimenye Nhlema from Partners In Health Malawi, and Ian Pinnell from Partners In Health Canada. They reflect on the partnership model of their umbrella organization and their collaboration on a 5 year long Global Affairs Canada funded initiative entitled “No Woman or Girl Left Behind.” Listen to the episode transcript here.

Below is the complete publication schedule:

Monday, Feb. 8: Bhutan Canada Foundation, Building Sustainable Tourism in Bhutan
Thursday, Feb. 11: Heart-Links | Lazos de Corazon, Leadership in Action in Peru
Monday, Feb 15: CMETrust, Championing Education in Kenya
Thursday, Feb. 18: YMCA Greater Toronto, Cultivating Relationships with the Land in Colombia
Monday, Feb. 22: Inter Pares, Nourishing Community in Guinea Bissau
Thursday, Feb. 25: CAP Network, Community Based Orphan Care in Kenya
Monday, Mar. 1: Rayjon Share Care, Haitian Women in the Lead
Thursday, Mar. 4: Partners In Health, No Woman or Girl Left Behind in Malawi & Sierra Leone

Guiding Principles

The Tapestry 2030 Storytelling Initiative is guided by:

1. The Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness, which include:

Respect and promote human rights and social justice
Embody gender equality and equity while promoting women and girls’ rights
Focus on people’s empowerment, democratic ownership and participation
Promote environmental sustainability
Practice transparency and accountability
Pursue equitable partnerships and solidarity
Create and share knowledge and commit to mutual learning
Commit to realizing positive sustainable change

2. OCIC’s gender transformative approach, which emphasizes intersectionality and presents an opportunity to further our collective work towards and policies on women’s rights and gender equality, anti-oppression and public engagement

3. The Government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), feminist and integrated approach to development, which sees gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in a manner that is both targeted and cross-cutting

These principles will inform the development of partnership agreements between OCIC and participating members and their international partners as well as the multimedia artists involved, so that our mutual efforts are of significant value for all.

For questions related to the Tapestry 2030 initiative, please contact our Communications Specialist, Cari Siebrits.

Social Media

Tapestry 2030: Multimedia Storytelling Initiative