聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Last year, Gracie Schutz (now in grade 10), remembers sitting through a presentation at G.F. Kells High School regarding the Me to We program, which is associated with the non-profit group Free The Children. The program takes volunteers to sites around the world where they help build schools, medical centres, and more for people in need.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As the presenters spoke last year about the trips and about people in need around the world, Schutz began to think about what she could do to help. The idea of travelling, learning about a new culture, and most importantly helping people in need appealed to her. That very day she signed up to receive more information.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 signed up that day and received an email later about the program, so I talked it over with my mom [Shelley] and decided that it was something I really wanted to do,鈥� Schutz explained.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Getting there was no small task as the young woman used her grade nine year to host lunches at the school to raise money, sold items on Carlyle Garage Sale鈥檚 Facebook page, sold rafiki bracelets, and held a bottle drive. Family and friends, who were excited by Gracie鈥檚 eagerness to help others, also made donations to help her achieve her goal of aiding others in the world.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It was on Aug. 10 that Gracie left for India. Her travels took her to an area two hours away from the city of Udaipur in India where extremely hard work welcomed the group participating on the trip. The Me to We program was working on a Free The Children project of a medical clinic and school house.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎 previous group had laid the cement foundation and we had to fill it in,鈥� Schutz explained. 鈥淲e had pick axes, and were told to loosen a wall of dirt, which we then shoveled and carried to the foundation. Towards the end we also started knocking down one of the old school buildings, it was just a one classroom building, to make more room for the project.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A typical day for those with the Me to We trip varied slightly, although it focused heavily on the building site.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e鈥檇 wake up at about 6:45 a.m. and do yoga at 7, then have breakfast and head to the build site in the morning. We would work from 9 until 12, break for lunch, then either go back to build, tour some of the local area, or participate in leadership activities,鈥� Schutz said. 鈥淎fter supper we would discuss what we would be doing the next day.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The trip therefore focused on working at the build site of the medical clinic and school room facility, but also involved learning about the Indian culture and interacting with locals.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he build site was right next to a school, so at recess when the kids were out, we would talk to them,鈥� she said. Although a language divide meant communication was difficult, it was a great experience to be able to interact with those that they were helping.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 On the last day they were there closing ceremonies were held and together they said goodbye, the school children singing songs and offering pictures they made to those with the Me to We program while those with Me to We reciprocated with songs of their own.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 While in India, Gracie found there were a few stark contrasts to life there and life in Canada.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淣ot all of the kids there go to school,鈥� Schutz explained. 鈥淎 lot of the girls stay home and help their parents, whereas here in Canada everyone is expected to go to school.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪eeing women walking down the road to collect water in buckets they carried on their heads for long distances to get water that isn鈥檛 nearly as clean or good as what we have here. A lot of people don鈥檛 have shoes either because they can鈥檛 afford them. It鈥檚 very different than Canada.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Before travelling to India she read a lot and the vision of the country she had in her head was quite different than that of what she discovered upon arrival in India.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Feeling thankful for all she has, Gracie hopes to continue participating in programs like Me to We because, 鈥渢he best way for me to learn and to understand the world is to go see it for myself,鈥� she said. And the best way to help is to be where help is needed.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Experiencing the culture and helping build the foundations for a much needed facility in the area was a fantastic experience for her. When asked what the most important thing she took away from the trip, Gracie thought for a moment, and answered, 鈥淢y knowledge.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 If knowledge is power, then Gracie has brought home the ability to share these experiences and her knowledge, her power, with the students of G.F. Kells and her community. She has plans to further pursue such trips in the future to continue helping people in need, while expanding her knowledge of the world.
