the email newsletter of the The Kesho Trust

Meet New Director - Rob Cairns

We are pleased to welcome Rob Cairns as a new director of the Kesho Trust.  He was elected to the Board at our annual meeting in Victoria in March.  Rob has an extensive business background that he has combined with a love of the outdoors to great success.  His interest in organizations focused on social responsibility has led him to the Kesho Trust and we are very happy to have his expertise and energy being applied to the growth and strengthening of our programs. [read more about Rob Cairns]

Annual Report - 2008

Our first annual report was presented to the annual meeting in March.  The report captures the highlights of 2008 and the significant progress made in many of our program areas during the year.  The report is on our website at :  2008 annual report.  You can also get a printed copy in the mail by sending us a note: annual report request.

Peer Exchange Workshop

A Peer Exchange workshop  - Sustainable Tourism: Coastal Management and Climate Change - was held in Dares Salaam in February.  The event brought together key individuals from three cities in Africa [Dakar, Senegal; Durban, South Affrica; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania] who participate in the Plus Network established by the International Centre for Sustainable Cities.  The meeting explored the nature of sustainable tourism and the key elements for developing a tourism destination.  The group also focused on the role of coastal management as a necessary ingredient for successful tourism and the impacts and adaptations needed in the future related to climate change.

Bruce Downie, Director of the Kesho Trust, was invited to participate in the event.  A partnership between The International Centre for Sustainable Cities and the Kesho Trust is developing, bringng together our shared values.  Future issues of this newsletter will provide ongoing details of our collaboration.

Find out more about the Peer Exchange and the International Centre for Sustainable Cities.

Get Outside! Forum - A Great Success

The Nature Child Reunion initiative of the Kesho Trust has been hugely successful over the past three years! From the first idea to build on Richard Louv's book, we have continued to lead a significant effort in BC and Canada to re-engage children with nature. The Kesho Trust has most recently been a leader in both the organization of the recent Get Outside! Forum in Victoria [featuring Richard Louv - photo above] and the recent formation of the Child and Nature Alliance.  The Alliance brings together a significant energy and commitment from organizations and individuals that has been building and which will ensure the movement we have begun here in Canada will expand across the country.  For information on the new Alliance which includes a report from the Get Outside! Forum, see the new Child and Nature website.

Focusing on the importance of getting children and families back outside remains a strong element of the Kesho Trust's western Canada program. We will continue to promote the idea and are working towards incorporating youth programing into other intiatives of the Kesho Trust such as our Muskwa-Kechika initiative.

Also Bob Peart continues to represent the Kesho Trust and speak about this important issue at various gatherings throughout the region.