▁had ▁taken ▁part ▁in ▁over se as ▁activities . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁Canadian ▁Cross ro ads ▁International ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁char ter ▁as ▁a ▁char itable ▁organization , ▁separate ▁from ▁Operation ▁Cross ro ads ▁Africa , ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁began ▁working ▁in ▁countries ▁outside ▁the ▁African ▁continent . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁a ▁franc oph one ▁branch ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁Montreal , ▁which ▁managed ▁pla c ements ▁in ▁French - spe aking ▁African ▁countries . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁Cross ro ads ▁began ▁its ▁To - Can ada ▁program , ▁bringing ▁African ▁participants ▁to ▁Canada . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁Inter flow ▁program , ▁an ▁innov ative ▁South - S outh ▁exchange ▁program . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁organization ' s ▁current ▁name , ▁Cross ro ads ▁International , ▁was ▁officially ▁adopted ▁to ▁mark ▁the ▁truly ▁international ▁nature ▁of ▁its ▁work . ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁day ▁To ▁date , ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁volunte er ▁mand ates ▁have ▁been ▁organized ▁by ▁Cross ro ads ▁International . ▁Based ▁in ▁Toronto ▁and ▁Montr éal , ▁Cross ro ads ▁now ▁works ▁with ▁partners ▁in ▁West ▁Africa , ▁Southern ▁Africa ▁and ▁South ▁America ▁( B ol iv ia ). ▁Cross ro ads ▁International ▁is ▁present ▁in ▁eight ▁countries , ▁with ▁over ▁ 2 5 ▁projects ▁and ▁partners . ▁The ▁promotion ▁of ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁women ▁and ▁girls ▁and ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁pover ty ▁reduction ▁and ▁sust ain able ▁liv