Mourning Desmond Tutu
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 1931-2021
We were saddened to hear of the passing of this great man, and give thanks for his lifelong purposeful leadership in the fight for human rights.
In 2005, when Martha Deacon took a group of Canadians to meet some of the micro-business owners we were supporting in Mdantsane, outside East London in South Africa, we encountered the Archbishop by chance in the airport. He met with us cheerfully, listening to our stories with graciousness and responding with wit. That meeting put an unexpected cap on the visit. He left us all feeling like the small actions we were taking to fight poverty in South Africa were nevertheless well worth taking.
Supporters of The Townships Project meet Archbishop Tutu in 2005. Credit: Rev. John Buttars.
Our Founding Chair and Director Emerita, Jocelyn Pritchard, told Archbishop Tutu of our work when he visited Vancouver in 2004. We were thrilled to receive the letter below in response.
Read more about the life and legacy of Desmond Tutu on The Guardian.
