It is often said that you have to become the change you want to see in the world. Many do not act on changing the world for a better place, yet a grade eleven student from Lampman, Carley Greening, took this challenge to heart.
Many organizations focus on travelling to countries around the world where they help to create hospitals, schools, and houses.
Greening remembers her friend, Taylor Roy, speaking of the trips she participated in with Live Different. Wanting to know these experiences first hand Greening applied for a trip with Free the Children, an organization associated with We Day, which many schools in the area participated in last year.
"I wanted to be able to understand why people go on trips like that and I wanted to know why Taylor has such a strong passion for them I wanted to feel that too," Greening said. "And I could tell that they changed when they came back."
Though inspired by the stories of others, Greening was determined to create her own experience.
"I just wanted to have an open mind and experience everything I could," Greening explained. "I just wanted to like know their culture as best as I could, I wanted to be able to do something by myself."
Experiences Greening had varied from dealing with tarantulas to eating grubs and guinea pig to spending time with the children of the village.
The latter being some of the most important interactions she had while in Ecuador.
In addition to helping the Â鶹ÊÓƵ American community, Free the Children helped teach its volunteers more about themselves as well.
"Well teenagers now adays don't really want to get along or open up to each other, so they get you comfortable with that kind of stuff," Greening said. "So, you get closer to these people you just met than the ones you know from home. They help you a lot with, what you want to do in the world. It's almost like a leadership program too."
After spending 16 days in Ecuador the school was nearly completed and it was a triumph for those involved to watch the foreman's toddler, from the village, take the first steps on the school's floor.
"The last day when we had some of the floor down we let Stephanie walk on the floor, which was nice because then we could see the first steps of kids in the school," Greening explained.
Through her experiences, Greening discovered upon returning home that the change she had once seen in others had taken hold of her as well.
"It lets you see what actually matters and what really doesn't," Greening said. "Teenagers think a lot of things are the end of the world, like it's said 'First world problems,' you know. So, you see how much you have and to not complain about what you don't have."
Greening will continue to be involved with Free the Children having been asked to participate in another trip, this time to Kenya. Next summer she will spend 21 days helping to build infrastructure in a community. On this second trip Greening will meet Free the Children founder Craig Kielburger who will mentor those chosen to attend the alumni trip.
In addition to this Greening has been asked to volunteer with We Day in Saskatoon next year as well.
Greening hopes to continue working towards a better tomorrow for her community and for others around the world.
