Free the Children

I haven't been posting much on my blog lately, but it hasn't been because I haven't been busy. Life has been quite crazy in the past 2 weeks! I got a new job and moved to Toronto! It is a pretty incredible job and I am really excited about it. I probably won't post too much about it on my blog, because I want to keep the blog more about my volunteer work, but I do want to write a post about what I will be doing, because I am pretty excited about the opportunity. We have a big event coming up on September 30th (We Day) so I will likely post about that a bit later, as it is going to be incredible.

As many people who have worked abroad with me know, I am picky when it comes to NGOs. There are a few things that I am very passionate about, and a few aspects of a charity that I find crucial. Education is most important. Sustainability is at the top as well. I am quite critical of the NGOs I work with; not because I think they are doing a bad job, but because I always want to take every opportunity to improve. With that being said, I am working for Free the Children and I have never been so impressed with a charitable organization... and that is saying a LOT. Some organizations I have worked with have been very resistant to hearing any type of criticism or making any changes, which is a big sign that that particular NGO is not the one for me. Free the Children is full of vision and passion and dedication. We are a bunch of people with BIG dreams and every route and possible improvement is taken into consideration and implemented.

Free the Children is the largest network of children helping children through education. It is run by brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger and was started when Craig was only 12. I was able to talk to Marc at a staff retreat and was so inspired after hearing him speak. My role is as a Youth Programming Coordinator, so I support kids at schools who are fundraising for the Adopt a Village program (my favourite part of FTC!) and doing awareness raisers. This model is so incredible... It focuses on education by building schools, but also goes on to support those schools in a sustainable way; supporting clean water, healthcare, and alternative income initiatives.

Me to We is the sister program of FTC that sells ethically made shirts, runs humanitarian trips, etc. Check it out! I am possibly going to Kenya this December on the staff trip (still trying to decide for sure). I am so excited about this job. Already, only a week in, I have learned SO much. So like I said, I won't be posting a lot about my job on my blog. I try to keep my personal life off the blog and I focus on my volunteer work abroad and my child sponsorship, and grassroots organizations I support. It will come up once in awhile though, so thought I would introduce the organizations to those who read. I am really, really excited about this opportunity. I somehow doubted that I would be able to pull together my passion for humanitarian aid into a paid job, but it happened! I am loving living in Toronto and am feeling really happy and excited about all that is happening! I have worked with many NGOs and have never come across any like FTC; they (we!) are changing the world in a unique and powerful way.

Go check out Free the Children and Me to We!