"Bridges"- Social Development Program for Women in the Middle East and Saharan Africa January 2003 Sana’a, Yemen As the sun begins to rise in this ancient city, calls to prayer echo through streets, drawing Yemenis from their homes and into local mosques. It also signals the start of another day for Bridges founder Donna Kennedy-Glans and the Canadian Medical Delegation. The mortality rate for children in Yemen, under the age of five, is greater than 17 percent. The Canadian Medical Team, supported by "Bridges" wants to help change that by providing the Doctors of Yemen with techniques, guidance and books that will improve the care available to mothers and their babies. Over the three weeks of their mission, the team will lecture on Neurology, Cancer Treatment, Obstetrical surgery and Hematology. During her years of work in the overseas oil industry,Kennedy-Glans, a Calgary lawyer has developed a passion for helping children and women. She also has a passion for guiding big business to do “work with integrity” in the countries where they work . Nexen Energy, her former employer, has sponsored the delegations work in Yemen and with her guidance the company also provides scholarships to Canadian Universities for high achieving Yemeni students. Bridges is a remarkable organization that continues to grow and to support women and children in the Middle East and Saharan Africa. www.canadabridges.org "Bridges" was broadcast in April of 2003. DVD copies of the program are available through Cielo Pictures Inc or Bridges. |
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| "Light The Way Home" This 30 minute documentary explored the work of investigators with the Missing Children Society Of Canada. Over a period of one year, Cielo Pictures camera's followed investigators, throughout Canada and the United States as they searched for missing and abducted children. It was broadcast on May 25th, 2004 - International Missing Children's Day. "Light The Way Home" was chosen as a title because the society encourages people to "leave their porch lights on" on May 25th as a symbol that tens of thousands of children are still "not home"> "Happy Endings"
up on cases that had been investigated. Three of the four key investigations that we documented in 2004 came to successful conclusions. The children were found and returned to their homes. www.mcsc.ca |
"Poipet.... Hope in Hell" Located on a narrow strip of land after you leave Thailand and before you officially enter Cambodia you will find a strip of glitzy casinos. Inside the Vegas style, air conditioned buildings are wealthy Thai's and Asian tourists, gambling. One the other side of the walls. Inside "Official Cambodia" are some of the worst slums you will find anywhere in the world. In a roadside shack. , people are dying of HIV/AIDS... along the dusty streets children pick through garbage while some of their mothers are behind tin walls and rag curtains, working in the brothels. Once, just a tiny border town, Poipet is now a small city that has been described by the Cambodian Daily as "The Mecca Of Misery". From across Cambodia people are drawn by the tales of "instant wealth" and plentiful jobs. When they get here, they usually find a life of poverty...far worse than what they left behind. It is this human suffering that has kept Calgarian Brandon McCaffrey in the slums of Poipet for more than 5 years. This, 30 minute, documentary tells story of the heroic and volunteer work of this Canadian man as he brings schools, vocational training programs and shelter to the thousands of Cambodians that have found themselves here...on the border... with nowhere else to go. "Poipet... Hope In Hell" was broadcast on New Years Day 2005. |
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"A Red Leaf and a Blue Beret" This Calgary 7 Television documentary examined the work of Canadian Peace Keeping soldiers deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Producer Rick Castiglione, and his television crew traveled, for three weeks, through the "Zone Of Separation" dividing the combatants in this civil war. This one-hour documentary detailed how Canadian peace-keepers worked toward a peaceful resolution of the hostilities and how they, as soldiers, dealt with the long separation with their families. |
Proyecto Coyera
On the streets of Cochabamba, Bolivia there are more than 600 children identified as “street children”. Their poverty
is extreme. They help each other steal to buy food, drugs and glue to sniff. It’s makes them numb to the cold and to
the pain they feel.
Proyecto Coyera is the story of two Canadian women and their passionate commitment to help the street children of
Cochabamba.
Together they have helped to create and support Estrellas en la Calle (Stars in the Streets) and Proyecto Coyera
(Project Coyera). From a converted house they have set up a resource centre for street kids. It’s a place where
homeless children and teenagers can get medicine, clothing, showers, hygienic supplies and an open door to start the
process of getting away from street life.
The Children:
In Bolivia today, it is not unusual that children have to help secure the survival of their families. Instead of attending
school they are forced to shine shoes, sell candy or wash cars. If they are not earning enough money, they are often
abused or neglected at home as a consequence.
Many of these unprotected children are eventually abandoned by their families. They are forced to live on the streets
where they meet children who are facing identical problems.. In order to dispel the burning hunger that plagues them,
they are soon introduced to the use of drugs like "Clefa" or glue sniffing. Many begin stealing; whether to simply buy
something to eat, or to pay for their drugs.
It doesn't take long for these children on the streets to grow accustomed to a life without rules. School and homework
don't exist for them and they enjoy the lack of an adult presence. The street signifies, for them, a place without
responsibilities. They do not care what they wear, or even if they are clean. Any sense of shame escapes them and so
begging becomes a common activity amongst them as does robbery, and physical and sexual violence.
They also find themselves turned away from hospitals and other aid centers due to their unkempt appearances and
many, sadly, end up facing their death on the streets in extremely inhumane conditions.
“With project ¨Coyera¨ we would like to give to the street children, who have for the most part been abandoned, the
possibility to discover the dignity which exists inside of each one of them.
Through the project we are helping them to see that they have a mission in life, and that they are important, and that
they possess talents and capabilities. We want to give these children, adolescents, and young people who live in the
streets, the possibility to discover themselves as individuals who can develop their own abilities and take their lives
into their own hands.” - Crystal Rainbird
Proyecto Coyera was broadcast on CTV Calgary on April 6, 2007 at 5:30 PM
Produced with the generous support of:
Don Richards - Philanthropist
To email Proyecto Coyera: proyectocoyera@shaw.ca
On the streets of Cochabamba, Bolivia there are more than 600 children identified as “street children”. Their poverty
is extreme. They help each other steal to buy food, drugs and glue to sniff. It’s makes them numb to the cold and to
the pain they feel.
Proyecto Coyera is the story of two Canadian women and their passionate commitment to help the street children of
Cochabamba.
Together they have helped to create and support Estrellas en la Calle (Stars in the Streets) and Proyecto Coyera
(Project Coyera). From a converted house they have set up a resource centre for street kids. It’s a place where
homeless children and teenagers can get medicine, clothing, showers, hygienic supplies and an open door to start the
process of getting away from street life.
The Children:
In Bolivia today, it is not unusual that children have to help secure the survival of their families. Instead of attending
school they are forced to shine shoes, sell candy or wash cars. If they are not earning enough money, they are often
abused or neglected at home as a consequence.
Many of these unprotected children are eventually abandoned by their families. They are forced to live on the streets
where they meet children who are facing identical problems.. In order to dispel the burning hunger that plagues them,
they are soon introduced to the use of drugs like "Clefa" or glue sniffing. Many begin stealing; whether to simply buy
something to eat, or to pay for their drugs.
It doesn't take long for these children on the streets to grow accustomed to a life without rules. School and homework
don't exist for them and they enjoy the lack of an adult presence. The street signifies, for them, a place without
responsibilities. They do not care what they wear, or even if they are clean. Any sense of shame escapes them and so
begging becomes a common activity amongst them as does robbery, and physical and sexual violence.
They also find themselves turned away from hospitals and other aid centers due to their unkempt appearances and
many, sadly, end up facing their death on the streets in extremely inhumane conditions.
“With project ¨Coyera¨ we would like to give to the street children, who have for the most part been abandoned, the
possibility to discover the dignity which exists inside of each one of them.
Through the project we are helping them to see that they have a mission in life, and that they are important, and that
they possess talents and capabilities. We want to give these children, adolescents, and young people who live in the
streets, the possibility to discover themselves as individuals who can develop their own abilities and take their lives
into their own hands.” - Crystal Rainbird
Proyecto Coyera was broadcast on CTV Calgary on April 6, 2007 at 5:30 PM
Produced with the generous support of:
Don Richards - Philanthropist
To email Proyecto Coyera: proyectocoyera@shaw.ca
