Solidarity Across Borders: HSA Members Join CoDev Delegation to Central America

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For social worker Arby Yeo and crisis intervention support worker Anne Wichmann, joining the multi-union CoDevelopment Canada (CoDev) delegation to El Salvador and Honduras was a chance to witness firsthand the power of international solidarity and the resilience of workers and women in Central America.

CoDev, a Canadian organization that partners with grassroots groups in Latin America, has partnered with HSA since 1989 to support initiatives that strengthen labour rights, gender equity, and social justice. The delegation, which travelled to Central America from November 17 to 22, primarily aimed to strengthen the solidarity links between Canadian unionized workers and working people in Latin America.

For both Arby and Anne, the opportunity aligned closely with their professional work and personal values. Arby, a social worker with over 13 years of experience, was drawn to the delegation because of her deep-rooted commitment to human rights.

“It was really a way to learn about what was going on in Central America”, she shared.

Her interest in advocacy and patient rights in Canada naturally extended to the broader fight for workers’ rights and gender equity internationally. She explained that through her work in social services, she regularly advocates for patients and their families. “A lot of my work is guiding people through systems, helping them understand how to navigate them,” she said.

For Anne, who has spent over 25 years working in women’s shelters and supporting marginalized communities, the opportunity felt like the culmination of a lifelong passion.

“I’ve always felt a passion for culture and the impacts of colonialism,” she said, reflecting on her family’s history as Estonian-Canadian immigrants. Her work in the Yukon with Indigenous women reinforced her understanding of systemic oppression and the fight for justice.

“When I saw the opportunity to go to Central America, where our union has been partnering with groups down there that address food insecurity, health insecurity, and gender violence, I thought it was a dream come true. All my career, I’ve been wanting to do this.”

With the support from HSA in form of a bursary and the Madden Memorial education fund, Arby and Anne took part in the CoDevelopment Canada Multi-Union Delegation to Latin America and were profoundly moved by what they witnessed.

Over five intensive days, the delegation met with 14 different organizations, ranging from labour unions to women’s cooperatives. They spoke with health care workers, garment factor employees, and agricultural workers who face significant challenges in their fight for fair wages, safe conditions, and basic human rights.

One of the most powerful moments for Arby was meeting the members of the Association for Social Development in Santa Marta, whose members were unjustly imprisoned for opposing mining projects that threaten local water sources.

“Their talk around their experiences was incredible,” Arby said. “It really brought their issues alive for me… I have a lot of admiration for how well they are able to organize, and how consistent their efforts are over years.”

She was equally struck by the sustainable farming initiatives she saw in rural areas. “The efforts they’re making in terms of educating themselves and learning new ways of harnessing land in a way that is sustainable, both for the environment and for their community, is inspiring,” she said.

Anne also saw the powerful impact of HSA and CoDev’s partnerships. “I saw firsthand that HSA’s CESA (Committee on Equity and Social Action) fund, which goes toward supporting these organizations, is not just charity,” she shared. “It’s lifting people up and giving them dignity.”

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CESA administers the Equity and Social Action Fund, which was established by HSA members in 1989 for the promotion of social and economic justice, labour solidarity, protection of human rights, a health environment, and universal health care. The funding award by CESA to CoDev supports the Honduran Women's Collective, Salvadorian Association for Inter-community Health and Social Services, and the Central American Network of Women's Organizations in Solidarity with Maquila Workers, which are organizations that Arby and Anne connected with while in Central America.

A core focus of the delegation was understanding the barriers that women in Central America face, both in and out of the workplace. Arby described how deeply entrenched sexism impacts women’s lives:

“For women, there’s a huge history of intimate partner violence in all forms: financial, physical and emotional. And there’s also this idea that women are expected to fulfill certain roles. That spills over into all arenas — not just the home, but the workplace as well.”

The delegation met with maquila (garment factory) workers, who detailed the harassment and exploitation they face daily. “People are just expected to sort of put up with it,” Arby said. “Women, in particular, face lots of challenges in the workplace.”

Anne highlighted how systemic poverty exacerbates these struggles. “The food there costs the same as Canada, but the daily minimum wage is $10 USD,” she explained. “Electricity can cost $150 a month, so a lot of people go home and as soon as it’s dark, they go to bed.”

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Both Arby and Anne returned home with a renewed appreciation for the importance of labour unions and international solidarity.

“No one is safe,” Arby warned, noting how the erosion of labour rights is a global issue. “Sometimes you think, ‘We’re in Canada, we’re okay’, but we see that same right-wing ideology creeping in. We have to be vigilant.”

To learn more about Arby and Anne’s experiences in El Salvador and Honduras, read CoDev’s blog about the delegation.