We are a diverse group of Canadian volunteers who want to make a difference to world poverty.
We work in collaboration with communities around the world, creating projects that address their needs.
We have 21 projects in 13 countries in three sectors: health care, education and community support.

VISION STATEMENT

To build a global network of effective projects through knowledge sharing and continuous improvement,
to alleviate poverty and injustice.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

All of our Board members are volunteers and donate their time to Rose Charities.

Maggie Francis
Chair

As a social worker Maggie has over 30 years experience working in the counselling field in a variety of sectors including social services, health care, education and non profit. She recently retired from her position as the manager of the Counselling Program at FSGV, a non profit organization serving low income individuals, families and children. In addition to her role with Rose Charities she is a supervisor with Oak Counselling, and provides trauma counselling for Employee Assistance programs. She has worked in a number of disadvantaged communities in London,UK, Toronto and Vancouver.

William Grut
Executive Secretary

William has spent over 40 years working on development projects in Cambodia, Angola, Rwanda, Nepal and Sri Lanka. He spent many years in Cambodia developing basic health infrastructure including building eye clinics and sight restoration and rehabilitative surgical programs for the poor. William founded / co-founded IRIS (International Resources for the Improvement of Sight ), Rose Charities, and several other aid organizations some for AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) He has  has wide experience in disaster responses and long term assistance programs worldwide. William holds both MD and PhD degrees from UK Universities of London, Manchester and Surrey . William is current Executive Secretary both of the Canadian organization and the Rose Charities International Council.

Nicole Schouela
Vice Chair

Nicole has extensive small business experience as past owner-operator of restaurants in Toronto and San Francisco. She also has 27 years experience in the fitness industry as an instructor and director of Esscurve Fitness. She has a passion for the arts both as viewer and maker and has her Masters degree in Fine Art. In 2008 she spent five months in Uganda working with youth, which led her to the founding of Stand Tall Training Centre, a primary school in Kampala Uganda.

Josephine de Freitas
Honorary Executive Secretary

Josephine has spent 25 years in international development starting with a war widows cooperative in Zimbabwe in 1978. In 1994, she volunteered at the BC Children’s Hospital to create their International Health Programs and initiated projects in South Africa and Guyana. In 1996, she assisted UBC to develop the Centre for International Health and organized “Bridging the Pacific” APEC conference on distance education. In 2004, she managed the CIDA funded project in Guyana “Strengthening Public Health in Guyana” a 5 million dollar CIDA funded project on HIV/AIDS and TB. She has a BSc in Mining Engineering from Imperial College London.

Frank Tharakan
Treasurer

Frank brings Rose Charities his knowledge of the developing world combined with his financial and management skills.. Frank is highly experienced in business development and operations management. He has held multiple challenging positions in the financial services and technology industries. He earned his MBA from Sauder School of Business (UBC) and holds a Bachelors in Engineering (Computer Science). Frank has been active with non-profit, voluntary organizations in India and Canada and has been instrumental in leveraging this experience to articulate an organization wide strategy for Rose Charities Canada.