International Women’s Day 2018 As General Manager of ICA Canada I get to work with colleagues in Canada and Kenya working to assert the rights of girls and women as a means of building greater, stronger, communities. This International Women’s Day, I am especially proud of the work of Josephine Ndirias in Il Ngwesi Kenya for leading a community towards positive social change for women. Courage Josephine! Courage ladies! David Buwalda – ICA CANADA

In memory of Dennis Devor This Fall we received a donation in memory of Dennis Devor from one of our longtime supporters. Dennis attended an RS1 course in the early 1970s. This was a course that was rooted in religious studies and was a precursor to our current (not religious) Courage to Lead studies. 1000’s of people around the world took this course. Dennis introduced his brother who met his wife at the course shortly after. We are glad to be reminded of how ICA was a catalyst in people’s lives decades ago and are encouraged to imagine who we might meet in years to come. We are an even older organization than we look; we were legally incorporated in 1976 but our history stretches back to the 1950s. Back then, the organization had a religious component. Over the decades, the trainers and course developers worked with data collected world wide to find and share course components that come from a diverse point of view. We also appreciate the donation. It helps us to offer the Courage to Lead and other ICA Courses to people in communities around the world, only now we are doing it online.

#endfgm Feb 6 2018 In these images the community of Il Ngwesi is together declaring their commitment to the protection of girls and women for now and for future generations. The ‘Bless the Curse’ event held in late November brought 700+ residents from the community and representatives from across the nation. Young girls and boys, old men and women, and everyone in between shared a community commitment to END FGM and raise the status of women. We are very proud at ICA CANADA of our partners in Il Ngwesi courage to take on an issue that has a very deep context. The linked article here is not about Il Ngwesi precisely but it is a nice description of a similar context.

Getting to the Bottom of ToP Interview with Jo Nelson ICA Canada GM David Buwalda interviews author/facilitator Jo Nelson on the publication of Getting to the Bottom of ToP. January 2018.

Lift the Curse – Il Ngwesi In the News Maasai elders lift ‘curse’ on girls who defied FGM Maa community elders lifted a “curse” they had pronounced upon girls who had declined circumcision in a ceremony held over the weekend in Laikipia. In a cleansing ceremony conducted by elders from Laikipia, Kajiado and Samburu, rituals intended to bless the girls who had defied the cut were performed. More than 200 girls who had … Continue reading

National Media attention on Il Ngwesi