In 1965, Burris Devanney and his wife, Louanne, began working in Africa as part of Canada’s new development assistance program. They witnessed several significant events in Africa’s turbulent history, including Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI), Nigeria’s first two coups, Biafra’s secession, Gambia’s 1994 coup, and Sierra Leone’s post-war recovery.
Burris taught at Government College in Nigeria and helped establish Gambia’s first technical institute, known as the Gambia Technical Institute (GTTI). He developed and managed Gambia’s first university extension program and founded an NGO in Gambia and Sierra Leone called the Peer Health Education Program. This innovative nationwide initiative focused on HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria awareness, life skills education, and addressing drug and alcohol abuse. Additionally, he worked as a UNESCO consultant in Malawi and contributed to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation’s educational partnership program in Ghana.
Burris received several prestigious awards for his international development work, including the Order of The Gambia and an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Saint Mary’s University. He also held degrees from Dalhousie University and the University of Ottawa and was a well-known high school teacher and principal in Halifax.
Through his development partners in Canada, Burris established scholarship programs for many Gambians pursuing higher education and provided financial aid to countless students. He also created job opportunities for Gambians in the education sector. To this day, the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association operates in Gambia, offering education and life skills training to communities across the country.
Burris Devanney passed away on January 13 in Canada and will be laid to rest on January 25 in his native country. He died at the age of 86.
The Devanneys lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and they had two children and one grandchild.
