World Renew’s Canadian Director Meets with Prime Minister
Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo
About 250 leaders and representatives of international development agencies met recently in Ottawa with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to discuss maternal, newborn, and child health in developing countries.
Among those gathered for the Feb. 25 meeting was Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, Canadian Director for World Renew, the relief and development agency of the Christian Reformed Church.
Because of work that World Renew is doing in developing countries, Kaastra-Mutoigo received an invitation to the event from Harper’s office.
“World Renew in Canada is one of the agencies that has received major contributions from the Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD),” said Kaastra-Mutoigo.
She noted that the agency has also submitted a proposal for further funding to support maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) programs that World Renew runs in Bangladesh, Nigeria, Malawi, and Tanzania.
After hearing commitments for future support of mother and child health around the world, and an interview between Harper, Gates, and Dr. Susan Johnson of the Canadian Red Cross, representatives were able to connect with DFATD staff to ask more specific questions.
This time was important, said Kaastra-Mutoigo, as it gave representatives an opportunity to strengthen relationships and better understand how each department and agency fits into the common vision for improved health and livelihoods.
World Renew’s approach has long been recognized in international development circles. “Essentially,” said Kaastra-Mutoigo, “World Renew works with our partners to improve health by strengthening the linkages between communities and the public health system.”
This can include encouraging community volunteers and leaders to meet regularly with health facility personnel, creating referral systems, and finding ways to provide access and transportation to help people get to health facilities.
But World Renew is about more than healthcare access. As Kaastra-Mutoigo pointed out, “The unique advantage that World Renew has working with church partners in their MNCH programs is that we can address the mindset and beliefs of people as it affects their health practices.”
