Student council members at École McIsaac School are hoping to help the world – one student at a time.
The student council is continuing a years-long program with Plan Canada to sponsor an impoverished student in a developing country. The program first started in the mid-1990s, when the school sponsored a child in Mali – a boy named Shaka. Shaka received support from McIsaac students until he turned 18 in 2011.
Today, École McIsaac is sponsoring another young student, a nine-year-old girl from Ghana named Sheila. The school has sponsored Sheila ever since Shaka graduated from the plan.
“She has a sister that is younger than her. We get a little information pamphlet on her that usually comes in the New Year,” said Rachel Wright, student council advisor at McIsaac.
The student council, which holds fundraisers for the sponsorship every year, pays for the program’s expenses. Through the program, funds raised by the students are sent to Plan Canada, which then uses the money to help provide clothing, school supplies and access to health care, water and sanitation.
“It helps with her going to school, access to clean water and to have a healthy life,” said Wright.
According to Wright, Ruth Betts also works with Plan Canada to sponsor a child.
Wright said the program helps make students aware of children in very different situations than their own, allowing them to clearly see things they may take for granted.
“They learn that what comes easy to them, like getting food or going to the grocery store, it’s not as easy. They see pictures and get to see the living conditions, to compare their houses to her house, how far she has to walk to school, the clothes she’s wearing – they always notice that,” said Wright.
“In our guidelines, you’re supposed to do something good for your world, good for your community and good for your school. This was part of that,” said Susanne Westhaver, a former student council advisor at McIsaac who oversaw the program in the past.
