Our Story
WHEN It all started …
People to People Aid Organization, Canada, Inc (P2P). was established in 1999 by a group of individuals of diverse background to contribute to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and its adverse consequences - including providing critical support for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Over the years, thanks to its strong community base, P2P has provided critical support to hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia, including food, shelter, and medical care that helps children survive and succeed in school. P2P also sponsors cultural events that support the children’s positive spirit. P2P also supported the provision of additional educational services that have reached over two thousand children.
During the height of the hiv/aids crisis, P2P carried out a number of grass roots educational activities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to raise awareness amongst youth and vulnerable groups. P2P also partnered with several organizations and played an active role in the effort to break the silence about hiv/aids, combat the stigma and discrimination associated with it. P2P is honored to have played a meaningful role in the overall effort in Canada to combat the scourge of hiv/aids during the height of the epidemic.
Post that period, P2P conducted thorough reviews of its mandate internally, at our Annual General Meetings and with community partners that resulted in the formal expansion of its mandate - while also maintaining its core Orphan Sponsorship Program in Ethiopia. (P2P partners with our program delivery partners to do focused surveys and leverages the annual UNICEF country data to determine the scope of orphans and vulnerable children who need support like P2P’s OSP. The most recent reviews have reconfirmed that even with the significant decline in hiv related deaths, there are still thousands of orphans and vulnerable children who do not receive the kind of support provided by the P2P OSP, and therefore the need to continue and expand our program to benefit more children. Each child whose future is brightened by our sponsorship program cascades into the betterment of life in the overall community).
P2P’s expanded mandate includes the commitment to play an active role on issues related to mental health and other determinants of health among members of the Ethiopian-Canadian community as well as other vulnerable communities.
P2P also aims to support the development and implementation of preventive health care programs and services in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Ethiopia.
In carrying out its activities, P2P has fostered partnerships with faith-based organizations, community organizations, youth/student groups and community media.
As an organization largely run by volunteers, P2P has registered significant accomplishments thanks to the scores of volunteers who, every year, sacrifice countless hours of volunteer work to make all its activities and events a success.
