The Charity That Ended Itself: Triadventure Finale!
20 Jul 2019.  -

“It creates a huge sense of fulfilment to realize that we will have spent 15 years doing intense volunteer work to create a community of strong, community-minded, socially accountable adults who will make their own change in the world.” Cate Creede, Nikibasika/TriAdventure

The 1980s and early 1990s were a devastating time for Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, with millions of adults who died during the AIDS epidemic, the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and the sporadic violence that followed. Thousands of children were left without family or state support. In 2005, a group of Canadians came across 52 orphaned and vulnerable children who were being badly looked after, and created The Nikibasika Development Project. From the onset, the project was structured on a family model, intended to be for this specific group of kids and not the creation of a never-ending institution. Over the next few years, the charity will be closing their doors, something they’ve been working towards since its inception. The project was started in response to the situation at the time and so the focus enabled them to create a completely unique model, going beyond providing basic food and education and creating development, that included community leadership, global awareness of human rights, and support for post-secondary school. 

Anyone who is a parent knows that kids are a lot of work and can cost a small fortune, but caring for fifty-two kids in another country takes things to an entirely new level. To meet the financial obligations of this project the Triadventure was created, a small, non-competitive fundraising event offering cycling, running, canoeing and swimming. Participants pick the sports that interest them the most and enjoy a weekend of camping and friendships while being supported by a crew of volunteers who also fundraise. The number of athletes and crew is roughly one for one, meaning every person on the trip gets a letter from their assigned child and an updated photo. On a Saturday morning, participants take time out to speak on the phone with the kids which is possibly the most potent reminder of how much of an impact this brings to these children. In a world that can sometimes feel like we’re powerless over, this event is proof otherwise. 

Every secondary school student at Nikibasika belongs to a team that creates and performs a community improvement project with an emphasis on helping the elderly, volunteering in local hospitals, supporting street kids and teaching the children of local villages basic skills. The projects are initiated and led by the students, and as a result, they learn goal setting, teamwork and project management. With only a handful of students left to graduate Nikibasika will soon have fulfilled its mission and vision statements and the impact is a strong, vibrant community with an abundance of skills, hope and potential. All of the youth have created volunteer projects of their own. For example, 21-year-old Nicholas recently completed welding school and is starting his own business making gates, furniture, window frames and other essentials in a non-manufacturing society. While he was in school, he also recognized that a lot of people in his community had food insecurity, and he founded a co-op for people to grow and share food collectively.  

For our final year, Triadventure participants will get to meet two of our recent graduates, Phionnah and Smith, who are coming to Canada to bring first-hand thanks and messages from the 52 young adults of Nikibasika community. They will be with us throughout the weekend sharing their stories and meeting the community of supporters who have taken a stand to support them. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to celebrate together with a community of like-minded friends!