When you go to change the world, the world changes you

Sharing defining experiences

When Craig Kielburger was 12, he took a trip that changed his life.

At the time, no one seemed to understand his need to go to South Asia. It seemed straightforward to him: to end child labour you’ve got to see it for yourself.

But he had to convince his parents. And he started saving every penny. “I earned money raking leaves, shovelling snow. I kept saving, and finally my mother said, ‘Listen, if you can raise half the money, and can prove that you will be safe, we can talk about it.’”

That small victory was the only opening he needed. With a family friend as chaperone, Craig was on his way.

Once there, he heard the incredible stories from child labourers of never having been to school. In the slums of Bangladesh, he met an aid worker and asked how he could help. The aid worker said that the most impactful thing Craig could do upon returning home was to share all the stories.

In sharing his stories, Craig inspired many youth to help their peers in the developing communities.

“This trip was one of the most important events in my life, helping to develop and shape who I would become,” says Craig. “Me to We’s goal is to provide every young person with a similar experience to what I had.”

With a record of safety spanning more than 10 years, Me to We, a social enterprise, now hosts volunteer trips in communities where Free The Children works. Half of Me to We’s profit is donated to its charitable partner Free The Children, and the other half is reinvested to expand the social enterprise and its mission. Learn more by visiting metowe. com/ trips, calling 416-964-8942 x 510 or emailing trips@metowe.com.

The Barban Family: Community Connections (pg 7) “We wanted our kids to see what’s beyond our backyard.”

-Krista Barban, mother The Cast of Degrassi: Meaningful Volunteerism (pg 7) “Every time you put your shovel in the ground, and every time you mix cement, you’re building a foundation for these kids.”

-Jacob Neayem, actor Renfrew Collegiate Institute: New Perspectives (pg 7) “They can’t go to social media and ask, ‘What should I be experiencing?’ They actually have to find out for themselves.”

-Michael Wright, educator Mitch Kurylowicz: Volunteer Travel (below) “All the joy of the kids in Kenya, and how the education system is working – I took it back to Ottawa.”

-Mitch Kurylowicz, youth