A young woman of influence
Ambitious Manawatu¯ teenager Maddie Mcqueen-davies has a wide-reaching influence.
The 16-year-old’s community work with Share a Pair was recognised when she won the young leader award at the Women of Influence Awards in Auckland last week.
Share a Pair gives donated second-hand school shoes to children in need.
Since she started it last year she has collected more than 900 shoes and given away more than 500.
But the Palmerston North Girls’ High School student said she was shocked and excited at the award win, but also grateful because the other candidates had done amazing things.
‘‘Everyone else had left school. ‘‘The age goes right up to 24 and the next youngest was 19.
‘‘Most of them had started businesses or social enterprises or were getting degrees in either this, that or the other thing.’’
Maddie is chairwoman of the Palmerston North Youth Council and is involved in a lot of things at school, including national speech competition and science.
‘‘On the night they said there was a real emphasis on grassroots change.
‘‘People going out there getting their hands dirty.’’
She said it was cool to see what the other award winners had done, including overall winner Jackie Clark, who founded The Aunties charity, an organisation that supports women who are survivors of domestic violence.
‘‘It was awesome to see how she had grown that from something really small and doing herself, to something a whole lot bigger,’’ Maddie said.
‘‘That would be similar to Share a Pair.’’
Her mother is also involved, collecting toiletries for young people from low socioeconomic areas.
‘‘I’ve been out with mum collecting everything from bras and undies.’’
Maddie has another year left at high school, but once she finishes, she hopes to study law, political science and international relations. She also hopes to get into politics and becoming prime minister is an idea too.
Current Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is an inspiration for Maddie, as well as Kate Sheppard, a pioneer in getting women the right to vote in New Zealand.
Maddie said Sheppard went out and made change, starting from something small and having it catch on.
She also wants to continue Share a Pair and take it other high schools and communities around the country.