We met with the Executive Director of War Child Canada (Studio 204) Dr. Samantha Nutt in July, shortly after her return from the Congo, where she spent two weeks with her husband, War Child President Dr. Eric Hoskins, and members of the band Sum 41. They were there to film a documentary on the challenges affecting children and youth in that country but were forced to evacuate when the area suddenly erupted in gunfire and the group had to be evacuated. “There were about 100,000 rounds that went off in about 48 hours,” says Dr. Nutt, no stranger to unrest. “I was in Iraq two days after the fall of Suddam’s statue where there was gunfire, explosions, etc., and where an explosion hit one of the hotels nearby. I’ve been in those sorts of situations - but I’ve never had to be evacuated before." In fact, they chose the location (the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo) specifically because it wasn’t an active war zone – making this situation a perfect example of the unpredictability of violence that people are forced to navigate every day all over the world. It is this violence that War Child Canada strives to eradicate.
The documentary, set for release in fall 2004, seeks to educate and promote awareness of the repercussions of war to a North American public, a group who often feels that war does not affect them. The organization was founded on these goals, and it is these principles that they still focus on as they head into their sixth year.
Dr. Nutt is a medical doctor who specialized in public health, hygiene and tropical medicine with a background in international development. For her masters thesis she did fieldwork with UNICEF in Somalia. “It was during a very difficult time in that country’s history. They were experiencing a second wave of famine, troops had just withdrawn after Operation Restore Hope and it was my first real exposure to a war zone. Obviously that had a profound impact on me.” Dr. Nutt continued to work with UNICEF as well as other aid agencies and academic groups in war affected areas. A result of this experience was a growing awareness of some of the shortcomings of aid agency operations and a desire to devise an innovative approach.
“I started to see that there was a very important area that wasn’t being addressed. You could do really meaningful field-work - there were always great local partners and local people - but they weren’t necessarily being empowered in their own communities. I wanted to figure out mechanisms through which that could happen, but also try to raise awareness in Canada as well. There was a need to do really tangible programming that empowers local people, keeping in mind that back at home, few people felt that war actually concerned them – that many felt that it was not their problem, or that they weren’t connected to people affected by war. “
Dr. Nutt also looked at the funding process for aid agencies which traditionally followed a model wherein the public was asked to donate money to alleviate an identified crisis. Although the aid was clearly beneficial, it lacked the kind of sustainability Dr. Nutt felt was necessary to make lasting transformations. “People around the world were becoming increasingly despondent. Because they thought, sure if we’re starving in the streets you’re helping us but none of you are helping us prevent the starvation in the first place. How do you create that kind of sustainability? It comes from an acknowledgement that we have a responsibility to act. All the time, not just when its right in our faces, not just when it’s the Ethiopian famine – it has to be bigger than that to affect real change.”
Dr. Nutt spent a lot of time talking with peers, including Dr. James Orbinski, the founder of the Canadian faction of Doctors Without Borders (now the Chairman of the Board for War Child Canada) and in 1999 used this new approach to co-found the organization. From the very beginning, Dr. Nutt was aware of how important youth programming and education was to a project that aimed to change the philosophies and ideals of people who were not used to thinking about war as a relevant social issue. “You can start with newer generations and, in the same way that our generation grew up to be more culturally and socially aware of the importance of environmental protection, you can help younger people be more aware of the importance of promoting an end to war.”
War Child Canada’s message has been helped in no small part by its connection to the Canadian music industry, which teams the organization up with such artists as The Tragically Hip, who held a benefit concert in Winnipeg in 2000, and ongoing, dedicated supporters like Chantal Kreviazuk and her husband, Our Lady Peace frontman Raine Maida, as well as Avril Lavigne, David Usher, and others. The music connection seemed like a natural fit to Dr. Nutt. “When you think about music and activism, it’s about creating a kind of consciousness that has a revolutionary momentum.”
War Child Canada is thriving in its expanded home at 401 Richmond. The organization’s ongoing efforts were rewarded recently by a two million dollar donation from Music World founders Eva & Kroum Pindoff (see summer 2004 Update Hats Off). In addition to ongoing programs in development both domestically and internationally, plans for a new benefit CD and concert are in place for later this year, as well as the release of Sum 41 documentary.
The work being done at War Child Canada is vital. The energy and social innovation that fuels the organization spills over into the culture and community of the building, effecting change with every drop and improving conditions on both a macro and micro level.
Left: (clockwise from left) Dr. Samantha Nutt (Executive Director) with Moose (office canine mascot), Victoria Long, Vanessa Currie, Alice Tien, Anne-Marie Kamanye, Naomi Johnson, Priya Ranger, Christine McKenna, Michaela Hudson (centre), Adele Cassola, Krista Riley, (missing, Dr. Eric Hoskins, President).
