Faces we

Cover Story
Cover Story
we celebrate
the advocates
we love most
Interviews by Stefania Seccia
As it’s the month of celebrating love, we decided to
take that opportunity here at Megaphone to recognize
five people and groups who really stood out in the
past year for, essentially, making the world a better
place for all. Won’t you fall in love with them with us?
“Love is the key we must turn /
Truth is the flame we must burn /
Freedom the lesson we must learn”
– David Bowie, Love Song
Don Evans
Our Place Society executive director
Our Place Society serves the most vulnerable
in Greater Victoria, from the working poor,
impoverished seniors to the mentally and
physically challenged. It notably helped open
the indoor tent city for 40 local campers in
January—until April—allowing pets, buying
them new tents, sleeping bags, mats, rubber
totes, and lights. Don Evans, executive
director, says opening up the society’s first
shelter and getting another 58 people off the
street, helping people from the camp into the
transitional home, and connecting with people
who are often off the grid has made the last
year rewarding. “Seeing how the staff at Our
Place have all come together and work together
as teams, with the expansion of our hours,
opening of a new facility, we’ve developed so
many new programs this past year—everybody
pulls together and makes it happen,” he says.
“I have my own history of challenges. I know
what addiction is and that connects me with
the people in this field. It’s really about trying to
make a difference through my own challenges.”
Mohamed Fahmy
The whole world was watching when the
award-winning journalist was finally released
from Egyptian prison. The government tried
to make an example of him for his in-depth
political reporting for Al Jazeera English at
the time. Fahmy was the international bureau
chief. He spent nearly two years in prison
after being wrongfully accused of conspiring
with a terrorist group and fabricating news
that Egypt was in a state of civil war. After
his release, the Egyptian-Canadian moved
to Vancouver with his wife this past fall. The
Fahmy Foundation (fahmyfoundation.org),
based in the city, was launched during his
incarceration. With it, he hopes to financially
support 10 journalists a year in distress,
for legal fees or a plane ticket home.
m Photo by Jackie Dives.
o Photo submitted.
“This is my dedication to advocate
[for] helping others because I know
what happens in those dingy cells.
I know raising huge awareness
for someone could mean that the
guards guarding him think 10
times before torturing him, giving
him treatment, giving him more
food or a bed so he doesn’t die.”
16 Change that Works
MegaphoneMagazine.com
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