Living, Working and Volunteering Abroad: Danielle Lafond Remortgages Her Condo
By Susanne Pacher

Some time in July I was watching our local TV station, CityTV, and I caught a part of a report about a Toronto couple that had remortgaged their home to start a non-profit community development organization in a small town on the Pacific Coast in Peru. I didn't catch their name or their contact information, only the website: www.paraelmundo.org. I used the contact email on the website to try to locate this couple and to ask them for an interview.

I got a response back and met Danielle Lafond, the female member of the couple and co-creator of the project, in a restaurant in Toronto's Greektown and was struck by her youthful energy, idealism and commitment to improving this world. The decision to put their own finances at risk and invest at least a year of their lives in this Peruvian community had a strong impact on me and I am delighted to be able to introduce to you this delightful young woman: Danielle Lafond.

1. Please tell us about yourself. Where are you from, what is your educational background?

I am in my mid twenties, and I just completed a 4 year social work degree at Ryerson University. Before that, I studied music and also worked and traveled for several years as a tour guide in Canada.

2. You have a very strong social conscience. What life experiences have shaped your belief system?

As a woman of color, I've always been conscious of issues relating to racism and sexism, but I became more politically active after moving to Toronto and connecting with others who had similar experiences. I also had many personal struggles in my teens which influenced my desire to help others.

3. When you were young you hitch-hiked across Canada. Please tell us about that trip and what you learned from it.

I left high school to travel when I was 16. My trip took me across most of the country, and I met many interesting people who were leading very interesting lives, making their living in non-traditional ways. It inspired me to follow my dream of making a life, not just making a living. Also, my faith in humanity, in people, was completely restored. I met many people from many walks of life, and almost everyone was willing to share, laugh, talk and open their hearts and homes to me. The experience left me with a sense that all people share an essential goodness.