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A Resilient Vision


                                 for Vancouver



                                                               GRAEME FOWLER (1999–2007)

               Each day presents us with opportunities to grow, love, explore, and learn. It is simply up
               to us to see them, embrace them and allow a new path to form in front of our feet.




                                                                                and courage. For example, last
                                                                                Christmas we held a fundraising
                                                                                event and one of our kids ran up
                                                                                to me with his bag, emptying
                                                                                it in front of me saying, ‘Mr. G.
                                                                                I want to donate!’” He pauses
                                                                                and continues. “It was $2.25…
                                                                                all he had. It brings me a lot
                                                                                of hope for the city and the
                                                                                country. We are in good hands
                                                                                in many ways.”
                                                                                 A key part of Promise
                                                                                Vancouver’s mission is to
                                                                                facilitate youth leadership skills
                                                                                in the communities they serve.
                                                                                Graeme admits that kids coming
                                                                                from vulnerable life situations
                                                                                possess a unique perspective
                                                                                when it comes to leadership as
                                                                                a whole, so the organization
               For Graeme Fowler (1999–         Outreach,  he  leapt  at  the   works  diligently  to  find  fitting
               2007),  a  service  trip  to     chance to make a difference.    activities and methodologies
               Honduras  in  Grade  11  resulted     Located  in  Vancouver’s     that reinforce the positive
               in a profound career change      infamous  downtown  eastside,   nature of these life skills. For
               with    Promise     Vancouver    Promise Vancouver engages       some, it means providing a
               years later. “While we were      with  and supports    roughly  20   little more responsibility, such
               in Copan, I fell in love with    families and children with      as helping kids read, leading
               Urban Promise International,”    afterschool programs, camps     group activities, and even
               explains Graeme. “It promotes    and mentorship programs year    help our staff strategize for
               sustainability and empowers      round. During the summer        future programs. “The more
               indigenous leadership in  the    months,  that  care  increases  to   we can provide appropriate
               community.” The organization     60 families.                    responsibility to youth, it tells
               is a global Christian ministry       Promise Vancouver’s powerful   them we trust them,” Graeme
               dedicated to fostering the       slogan—Changing  futures  to    explains. “If we can give them
               leadership potential in youth    transform the world—has served   the platform and structure now,
               around the world, especially in   as an inspiration for Graeme.   we  hope  they  will  become
               under-resourced communities.     “Part of the incredible nature   strong leaders. Tapping them
               Their   work    in  Honduras     of  working  with  young  people   on the shoulder to say we see
               resonated with Graeme, so        is that kids often bring hope   leadership potential in them
               when the country’s program       in  surprising  ways,”  he  shares.   could  change  the  course  of
               leader reached out to him about   “There have been a number of   their lives.”
               starting a branch in Vancouver   incidences  when  I  have been      When COVID-19 hit this year,
               as  Director  of  Programs  and   humbled by their resilience    Graeme  and  his  team  worked

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