Students Rise to the Rotary Challenge

Young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow, they  are effecting positive change right now! We are constantly impressed by the children and youth that support local causes, including The One Person Project. 

Brenda Lowe thanks the students for raising funds and awareness for orphans in Kahama, Tanzania.

The $100 Challenge is a Summerland Rotary Club initiative for Summerland Secondary School Leadership class students. Each group of students was given $100, and worked with a Rotary mentor to grow the funds and donate them to a charity of their choosing. Brenda and other organization recipients were invited to a thank you dinner that Summerland Rotary put on for the student groups. Each organization had the opportunity to outline their activities to the audience. 

Rotary Mentor Mirjana Komljenovic with
(L to R) Lovlesh Anand, Jacob Acheson, Carter Tower,
Andrew Park, Dylan Kole and Gurshan Saran.

The team of six decided on a Samosa fundraiser, which proved to be very popular - raising an amazing $1,447.00.  

The funds will be used to enrich the lives of children 

at the Muvuma Orphanage in Kahama, Tanzania. 

 The team and volunteers made over 30 dozen samosas 

 Gurshan and his mom, Balbir Saran brought their skills, 
and delicious family recipe. 

 Gurshan was an incredibly patient tutor!

A sincere thank you to the six young men who worked long hours in a hot kitchen, to Balbir, and to the committee members who helped out. 

And a huge thank you to Mirjana and the Summerland Rotary Club for providing youth with the tools to be agents of change in our community.   

You can find out more about young people making a difference for Kahama in these previous posts. 

Visit our facebook page for more photos and stories.

Contact us to find out how to sponsor the orphanage, volunteer or to make a donation. You can also donate online. 

Asante Sana - Thank You! 

www.theonepersonproject.org 

Okanagan Youth Step Up Again

Thank you to the young people who volunteered at our 

8th Annual Fundraising Gala

Some have been involved in many of the events and some are exchange students from around the world! Many have formed the next generation of Junior TOPP and work to raise funds and awareness for the children of Kahama. 

From setting up the room in Penticton's Shatford Centre 

to helping to dish up the delicious food provided 

by The Breakfast Club

The servers receive training...

And have fun too! 

Thank you to everyone involved and a special Asante Sana to the The Breakfast Club for donating their time and skills preparing and cooking the delicious meal. 

UPDATE: The evening raised $6,000

Young People Today Just Want to Help

www.theonepersonproject.org

Young people throughout history have stepped forward to make a difference, but as a whole, the youth of today are certainly more globally aware, socially conscious, and environmentally friendly than any preceding generation!

Case in point, at 20 years old Chelsea H. has a summer-job and is studying to be a financial analyst; in the last few months she has started to make monthly payments to sponsor the Muvuma Orphanage. Not satisfied with that, she purchases Nesters Market shopping cards from us (Nesters donates 10% of the purchase price to One Person) and encourages her family to do the same.  On discovering the importance of sports in schools in Tanzania , Chelsea used facebook to ask friends and groups to donate soccer shirts, cleats and balls.

Thanks Chelsea!

As a youth Chelsea knows the value of recycling and was delighted to discover that we use bottle depot funds to feed children with HIV/Aids at the Kahama Hospital’s Care & Treatment Centre.  You guessed it – our recycle donations have gone up!

Kids these days -  hey?

Check out the previous youth blogs to read about the Okanagan children and youth who understand how interconnected we are with other cultures and are determined to make a difference. 

For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation contact me , mail to The One Person Project, 10108 Julia Street, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z5  donate on-line or make a payment into our account at the Summerland Credit Union (Summerland, British Columbia).  

           

Asante Sana!

Thank you!

Like us on facebook to see all the latest pictures 

Strenghten your own community: Children & Youth

www.theonepersonproject.org

Some people and businesses tell us that they prefer to support organizations that affect their own community – which we love to hear because One Person provides life-changing opportunities for communities in the Okanagan and in the whole of B.C. (And beyond!)

Since our inception in 2006 our President Brenda Lowe has held presentations in schools, church halls, healthcare facilities, in offices, in community centres and in her own home.  Brownies, Guides, Scouts, school children, school teachers, medical professionals, families, service groups, store/office staff and clergy and congregations have seen our presentations and took part in our Q & A’s.

Local children and youth especially are benefiting from the role that One Person plays. We provide an avenue to help children to become socially aware and to be able to give to a community. Parents understand that it is not just the designated charity that is benefitting from a family’s involvement; children are also learning to be empathetic, compassionate and caring.

Lemonade Stand: Caitlin, Krista, Gabrielle&  Katelyn.  Devyn in the front

A 2013 study by the United Nations found that 88 percent of  (American) children donate to charities – that’s 7 out of 8 children aged 8 to 19!  Interestingly the study showed that role-modelling alone does not affect children’s giving-behaviour.

“Parents’ giving to charity is not enough to teach children to be charitable,” the report states, “Focused, intentional teaching by talking to children about charity is what works. This is true for children in families at all income levels and across gender, race, and age.” 

Children of all ages have talked with us and contributed to our programs in Kahama, Tanzania and Muhanga, Rwanda. Children and youth donate school and soccer resources, they help to collect, sort and pack donated items into our shipping containers – they even help paint our shipping containers and then they help raise funds to ship the containers! From donating birthday money, to recycling bottles, from holding lemonade stands, bake sales and book drop-off points to helping at our fundraising events. 

The children and youth in this community get to see photographs and hear stories of the children and youth they are helping to become self-sufficient in our sponsor-communities in East Africa. The children here learn new skills, feel empowered and know that the actions of one person can make a difference in the life of a child, a family, a community – whether it be on their own doorstep or on another continent.


Go to www.theonepersonproject.org  for more information and to volunteer/donate

Young People Making a Difference

www.theonepersonproject.org

Canadian and international statistics show that youth volunteerism continues to rise. We at The One Person Project have certainly witnessed young people becoming actively involved in changing lives!

Future Leaders
Matthew, Becca, Jackson and Nathan have been volunteering since 2006! Ethan is a dedicated newcomer!

Katimavik volunteer service program.
Painting one of our shipping containers

This brother and sister asked family and friends to donate to
One Person rather than buy birthday presents

110 Clean Birth kits for the Kahama District Hospital

One Person received a donation for cleaning up at
the Iron Man Expo


'Crate Day' Support

This is just a small selection of the amazing children and youth who 

have given their time and energy towards building a better future for children in our sponsor communities.