Dave Toycen knows the power of generosity. He knows first-hand how love, compassion and dedication can create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty.
Before retiring more than a year ago, Toycen was president and CEO of World Vision Canada – Canada’s largest humanitarian and Christian relief, development and advocacy organization – for almost 20 years.
“I really felt a calling,” Toycen said.
“That there was a sense of mission so that this came out of my deepest values, faith and so I just – I really have never looked back.”
His career with World Vision internationally has spanned more than four decades and has changed many lives along the way.
“I think I have grown and learned so much in working with people that are so marginalized in so many places in the world,” he said.
“Honestly, I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I hadn’t had this experience – if this hadn’t been my life.”
Toycen has also had his fair share of standout moments.
“I’ll never forget there was this little boy. He was eight years old. He was HIV-positive – both his parents were gone, he was living with his grandparents. His name was John,” Toycen said.
“I talked to the grandparents and they said, ‘Oh we haven’t told him he has AIDS because we think it will discourage him.’ And I thought to myself, this little boy knows exactly what’s wrong with him and he sat next to me and he rubbed my arm. He was gone three months later.”
Aside from all of Toycen’s accolades over the years, he has also provided critical on-site support during almost every major humanitarian disaster in the last 20 years.
Under his leadership, the organization raised more than $4 billion in aid and development for the poor. Even after all of these accomplishments under his belt, Toycen still feels like he has more to say.
“I want to see more change before I die, especially in poorer parts of the world. To see the mothers, the girls in situations where they’re so abused and so badly treated and as a man I walk through that stuff and I just feel ashamed of my gender,” he said.
Toycen may have stepped down from World Vision Canada, but he said you can’t really retire from a calling.
“I still have that sense – that’s part of who I am,” Toycen said.
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