Canadian Support of Rural African Initiatives (CSRAI) enables communities and families in East Africa to address the impacts of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We are a non-governmental organization and registered charity that is 100% volunteer-run.

CSRAI would like to introduce our CIDA Intern Yeleka Barrett.  Yeleka will be in Tanzania until March 2009, working with our partners to ensure the sustainability of the projects we support.  Yeleka brings her previous experience in Tanzania, her energy, knowledge and motivation to the role.  With a BASc in Public Health from Ryerson in addition to a BA Honors in Kinesiology from Western, she is well equipped to share her skills with others.  In 2007 Yeleka was recognized as Volunteer of the Year for Youth Challenge International after she spent 10 weeks as a volunteer in Tanzania working with communities affected by HIV/AIDS.  In addition to her volunteer experience she has maintained Dean’s List at Ryerson and recently received the Environmental Health Foundation of Canada's Outstanding fourth-year thesis award for her paper entitled A Qualitative Review of Attitudes, Myths, and Beliefs of Zanzibar Youth with Regard to HIV/AIDS and Gender: Implications for an Educational Manual.  Yeleka is now back in Tanzania, brushing up on her Swahili and spending her time getting to know our local partners and their needs.