Donor Story: A retired B.C. nurse brings her expertise and generosity to the global stage

Our latest Donor Story explores the philanthropic efforts of retired nurse Clare Pinette. The British Columbia resident knew that she wanted to give back after leaving the workforce, but she soon discovered the potential to make a measurable impact with her time, expertise and charitable funding. With the help of the Canada Gives team, Pinette established a Foundation account and has since worked to deliver support to developing countries in Africa and Asia. In this article she shares her story to inspire other aspiring philanthropists aiming to change lives on the global stage with their generosity.  

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Clare Pinette’s professional life was built around caring for others. The retired registered nurse from southeastern British Columbia knew that when her career ended, the drive to give back wouldn’t disappear. In fact, it became stronger than ever as she embraced the opportunity to become more philanthropic, contributing funding and expertise to the causes that mattered most to her and her family.

One is Baraka Community Partnerships Canada, a Canadian registered charity that funds and manages projects such as school construction, sanitation infrastructure, youth education and the promotion of healthcare best practices in countries such as Zambia and Laos. The organization was founded in 2007 by two Canadians and a friend from the United Kingdom, with its African operations having since grown and transitioned to local management in Zambia.

Pinette’s first trip to that central African country was in 2013, when she accompanied a team of doctors, nurses and other volunteers to work at a local hospital. They also offered medical assistance at local health clinics. The trip sparked a new passion for creating international impact with her philanthropy.

“For me it started with an interest in Africa and the idea of doing medical outreach work for developing countries,” she recalls.

Time passed and it wasn’t until 2023 that Pinette had the opportunity to return to Zambia with the medical team. At that point she met with the charity’s leadership and learned more about the organization’s recent local work. She saw the impact the Baraka was having on the ground and immediately wanted to do more to help enhance its services.

“They wanted to do other projects, and I thought it was a great opportunity to put some funding into what they were working on,” she says. “At the time they needed a bus for transport, which has made a difference in how they provide services to outlying communities.”

Around the same time, Pinette and her husband worked with the Client Services team at Canada Gives to establish the Elk Valley Reach Foundation. The name of the Donor Advised Fund is a nod to B.C.’s Elk Valley, a mineral and resource extraction hub where Pinette’s husband built a career in mining. At that point, her giving became more structured and deliberate.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Pinette’s story is the example she sets for other aspiring philanthropists. While donating to a favoured cause is an act of generosity embraced by many charitable Canadians, a growing cohort of talented donors also aim to enhance that impact by committing their time and professional skills. Some endeavour to focus those efforts on foreign charitable activities, as Pinette did, after embarking on a transformative journey to developing countries or regions with acute economic, social or public health challenges.

“It’s so much more fulfilling if you can see with your own eyes what your money is being used for,” Pinette states. So, how can other like-minded givers emulate Pinette’s work?

She feels that the first step is to identify the charity you’re interested in supporting, learn about what they do and how they operate, and work to ensure there is alignment in both expectations and charitable objectives.

As Pinette prepares to return to Zambia to lend her expertise, she recalls watching a charity-produced video before her previous visit that brought the organization’s accomplishments to life. She was astonished at how relatively little funding could make such a major difference in parts of rural Africa. In her view, the video also underscored the importance of supporting smaller, grassroots charities. As an example, she mentions a safe house for girls that was designed to ensure that female students in rural Zambia have access to education. Room, board and ongoing schooling for one student can be funded for a little as $1,000 per year.

“With smaller charities you can make a difference in outlying areas, and you’re helping to educate and make life better for people,” she explains. “If you educate one person in a family, it can have a ripple effect across the family.”

In addition to Baraka Community Partnerships Canada, Pinette also supports other charities—to add a broader dimension to her international philanthropy—as well as domestic charities closer to home.

Along with Zambia, Pinette’s philanthropic travels will take her to Laos later in the year. While her time and financial commitment to local causes are substantial, the personal rewards in giving her time and talents to international causes is limitless.

“They’re so poor in these rural areas,” she says. “On the last trip I went to the learning centre by myself, stayed for an extra week and taught the kids health-related things. I helped paint houses. You really see how [these charities] are run, the number of kids that are coming for help and the amount of effort put into it by the African people. It’s really inspiring.”

The Canada Gives Team

To explore how a DAF might help you build a legacy that reflects your charitable values, consider opening a Foundation account with Canada Gives. Our team is here to help guide your charitable giving with flexibility and foresight. To learn more, contact a member of our team.