CALGARY — (CANADIAN CHRISTIAN NEWS SERVICE) — Dr. Brian Fikkert, poverty expert and co-author of the best-selling book When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Ourselves, is coming to Calgary on May 23, 2015 for the one day conference, Helping Without Hurting.
Dr. Fikkert is the founder and President of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College. He earned a Ph.D in economics from Yale University specializing in international economics and economic development. Dr. Fikkert has consulted for the World Bank and continues to author influential articles in both academic and popular journals.
Dr. Fikkert will be the key-note speaker at the Food for the Hungry (FH) Canada sponsored conference Helping Without Hurting. This will be his ONLY appearance in Canada for 2015. In this one-day event, Dr. Fikkert will challenge common definitions of poverty and invite participants to wrestle through a new paradigm with which they can reframe issues of poverty, both locally and globally. His quick wit and robust sense of humour brings a breath of fresh air into what can often be a grave discussion.
Participants will walk away from this one-day conference encouraged, with deeper insights and a fresh perspectives on how to genuinely help the poor. According to one Helping Without Hurting attendee, the conference was, “Inspiring, motivating, and challenging in dealing with poverty on ALL levels. I’m excited to implement additional changes in my own life and in our church community based on Brian’s presentation.” This opportunity is an ideal forum for those those serving as volunteer outreach workers, mission trip participants, urban ministry workers, church leaders, NGO workers, students, and anyone grappling with issues surrounding poverty.
People wanting to learn more about the conference can visit www.fhcanada.org/HWH, call FH Canada at 1-800-667-0605, or email Education@fhcanada.org.
Food for the Hungry (FH) Canada is a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to ending poverty worldwide. Our values and method line up with Dr. Fikkert’s assessment of poverty in his book, When Helping Hurts.
“We wanted to give back and provide a resource for people,” says Melissa Giles, Training Manager at FH Canada. “This issue of addressing poverty in a helpful way is something that needs more attention.”
FH walks alongside vulnerable communities throughout the developing world as they strive toward sustainability. Recognizing that each community faces unique challenges as well as advantages, FH is committed to an integrated, holistic approach to development including priorities such as health, education, livelihoods, and disaster risk reduction.
FH believes in creating innovative, long term solutions and providing everyone an opportunity to join in the pursuit of a poverty-free world. In this vein, we invite everyone interested in issues of local and global poverty to join us in hearing Dr. Brian Fikkert in Calgary, AB for the one day event, Helping Without Hurting, on May 23.
Date & Time: May 23, 2015, 8:00AM – 4:30PM
Location: Foothills Alliance Church, 333 Edgepark Boulevard Northwest, Calgary, AB T3A 4K4
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For more information:
Melissa Giles, Training Manager, FH Canada
Email: Education@fhcanada.org
Phone: 1-800-667-0605
Web: www.fhcanada.org/HWH