International Development Grant

Uniterra - CECI & WUSC - Volunteer Sending 2015-2020

Project Number: CA-3-D001073001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Bolivia 6.57%
Malawi 7.98%
Guatemala 6.54%
Nepal 8.83%
Mali 4.02%
Ghana 8.12%
Senegal 10.52%
Sri Lanka 4.87%
Tanzania 3.18%
Burkina Faso 10.51%
Peru 6.57%
Haiti 7.27%
Mongolia 3.18%
Vietnam 8.85%
Canada 2.99%

Maximum Contribution: $73,936,900.00

Start Date: April 20, 2015

End Date: May 31, 2020

Duration: 5.1 years

Project Description

This Volunteer Cooperation Program supports approximately 2 500 volunteer assignments. The Program aims to: (1) improve the skills knowledge and networks of core and supporting economic market actors (i.e. small and medium-sized enterprises large private production trade and processing firms training centres and financial business services) that contribute to sustainable women and youth inclusive markets; (2) increase the participation of economic market and government actors in multi-stakeholder networks; (3) enhance Canadians’ awareness and knowledge of sustainable economic development efforts and best practices in developing countries; and (4) increase collaboration between Canadian and developing country partners that contribute to economic markets that are inclusive of women and youth.

Expected Results

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased capacity of developing country partners to deliver sustainable development results in response to local needs by making use of the skills and expertise of qualified Canadian volunteers; and (2) enhanced participation of Canadians in Canada’s sustainable development efforts.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved as of March 2020 include: (1) 2 511 volunteer mandates have been carried out in 14 developing countries; (2) 81.71% of volunteers perceive their contributions to the capacity development goals of local organizations as moderate or significant; (3) a total of 4479 tools were created or adapted according to the needs of partners in developing countries (manuals strategic plans websites training content datasets etc.); (4) over 119 220 person-days of training were offered by volunteers to staff and members of partner organizations; (5) 89% of people among local market actors were trained by volunteers declaring improved skillsand knowledge or networks contributing to women and youth inclusive market systems; (6) the percentage of partners with a gender equality strategy approved by their Board or leadership increased from 47% to 67.4% and the percentage of partner organizations with a dedicated budget for gender equality increased from 46% to 76 8%; (7) 355 010 Canadians undertook an action in support of Canada’s international development efforts as a result of public awareness activities. These results have contributed to the increased capacity of project country partners to achieve sustainable development results that meet local needs. For example In Malawi Uniterra volunteers worked with member tea companies establishing committees to promote the Gender Equality Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Policy on their tea estates and informed workers of guidelines for reporting incidences of harassment and discrimination. In total 291 Gender Committees were formed on private tea estates and 433 trainers were trained on the new Gender Policy. Tea workers have reported that they feel empowered in their ability to speak up about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
Consortium WUSC - World University Service of Canada / CECI - Center for International Studies and Cooperation

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Business support services and institutions 15%
Food crop production 44.06%
Industrial crops/export crops 10%
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) development 15%
Agro-industries 10%
Promotion of development awareness 5.94%

Aid Type: Donor country personnel

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Call for Proposals

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Level 2 Trade development
Level 1 Youth Issues
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2017-04-01 to 2018-03-31 $73,936,900 CAD
Geographic Information
236
Reference ID: 868