Millennium Development Challenge 2012

What is the MDC?  

                                                   
Each year in early spring, Kelowna celebrates Global Citizenship Week. This event is organized by a variety of international development agencies based in Kelowna, who collectively seek to raise awareness about issues like global poverty, literacy, environmental sustainability, and the spread of Aids and Malaria. The MDC was organized to bring awareness of these issues among Kelowna’s youth and to help them get involved in addressing these urgent needs. In order to focus on the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals. The development targets indicated by these eight goals were set by 189 world leaders in the year 2000. They were set to be manageable targets which could be achieved by the year 2015 if these 189 nations would prioritize the goals and work collectively for their fulfillment. The 8 Millennium Development Goals are as follows:
•    Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
•    Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
•    Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
•    Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
•    Goal 5: Improve maternal health
•    Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
•    Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
•    Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development
(see www.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml for more information)

How does the MDC work?

The challenge students face in the MDC is to demonstrate how they could help one community in one developing country make significant progress toward one of the Millennium Development Goals by spending just $5,000. This is no easy task, and that’s where the “scholarship” part comes in. For starters, students need to implement their plan for spending the $5,000, and must account for each and demonstrate that they have a realistic plan for spending the $5,000, and must account for each and every dollar. Finally, they must demonstrate to the panel of judges made up of NGO and the business leaders that their plan is sustainable: in other words, their plan must demonstrate a deeper, wider, and longer impact on the Millennium Development Goals than the plan of any other group.

1. The group that convinces the panel of judges that they can get the most “bang for their bucks” will actually receive a $5,000 cheque from Global Citizen Kelowna to contribute to an international development agency of their choosing.
2. 2nd place students get $2,000 for the international agency of their choice, and the
3. 3rd, 4th, and 5th place students get $1,000 each for agencies of their choice. Past winners of the MDC told us that they received an incredible sense of empowerment by making a concrete contribution to these urgent social issues in developing countries. And indeed, that’s the goal of MDC organizers: that students would not only become aware of these development issues, but also realized that it is within their ability as young people to have a significant impact in the lives of our global neighbors in developing countries.

Who can participate in the MDC?

The MDC is open to youth in the Kelowna and surrounding area who are in Grade  9, 10, 11, and 12. Students may participate in groups of  2 to 5 members. Each group will be assigned a mentor to help students ensure the presentations meet contest guidelines.

Where and When is the MDC?

The sixth annual MDC will be held in  February 2012.  The top 12 presentations will be viewed by a panel of judges. To win one of these 12 spots, students must fill-out in detail the APPLICATION TO ENTER that is included in this package that can be printed from the website at www.globalcitizenkelowna.org.   The final date for submission of the abstract by e-mail or fax is January 31, 2012.  It may, however, be submitted before this date. This abstract is used to judge which of the many entries to the MDC are deemed to have the most potential to have an impact on the Millennium Development Goals.  You must demonstrate in your abstract that you understand the MDG’s, the country and community in which you intend to work, and that you have a sustainable plan for spending your $5000. 

Why take the Millennium Development Challenge?

How to students benefit from being involved with the challenge?

• Students will leave the MDC enlightened about global issues and empowered about how each of us can make a difference in global-sized problems.

• Students will be encouraged by meeting hundreds of like-minded youth and adults who are eager to take on the challenge of meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

• The MDC makes a great addition to Socials Studies 11 and Social Justice 12 courses.  Students at some schools may receive 2 credits of Honours Socials 11 upon completion of the MDC.

• Students learn to write grant proposals, and hone their oral presentation skills – very useful skills in the world of post-secondary education.

• Grade 12 students can use their MDC experience to support their application for the Global Citizen Kelowna Youth Award as well as many other service awards, scholarships, and bursaries.