One family’s story: the impact of upstream work
“They were the light in my life,” said Omar, describing the Rohingya Centre’s great impact on him after arriving in Waterloo Region. “I have freedom. I found family here. I’m earning my money. I can now feel that I am alive.”
Omar and his wife are one of many families supported by grassroots efforts to create a safe and well Waterloo Region for all. See the video below to hear more about Omar’s experience.
The Rohingya Centre is one of many local groups who’ve received support from the Region of Waterloo’s Upstream and Capacity Building Funds. These funds support different community-led initiatives, all working to create a Waterloo Region where everyone feels welcome and valued.
This fall, the Region announced another $2.89 million for upstream initiatives as dozens gathered at Regional headquarters to hear how the funding and the work has changed lives.
“The Rohingya Centre helped me stand on my feet,” said Omar, who left Bangladesh nearly a year ago to build a life here with his wife. The centre, a 2022 funding recipient, supported Omar in finding housing, learning English, and finding work in his field.
Many factors can improve one’s safety and wellbeing, including income, education, meeting cultural needs and feeling a sense of belonging. Upstream work creates opportunities in these areas for racialized and other marginalized communities. It helps grassroots groups and organizations, who often face barriers in accessing funding, to grow and become sustainable.
Since 2021, nearly $12 million in Regional funding has supported 116 initiatives focused on Reconciliation, land-based teaching, culturally safe programs and services, building skills for employment, youth leadership, and more.
The funding builds on the priorities the community identified in the Community Safety and Wellbeing plan.
A recent evaluation by Wilfrid Laurier University researchers found that the Region’s upstream funding model has made a difference for equity-deserving groups.
“[A] strength of the upstream model is its ability to challenge the status quo,” said the report. “It’s about empowering communities to become architects of their own future.”
To learn more about how the Region’s upstream funding supports grassroots groups and communities, visit the Upstream Yearbook.