INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL - OCTOBER 11, 2013
A few years ago the Issues Group proposed that the club fundraise for school girls in Afghanistan under the auspices of the organization, Women for Women in Afghanistan. We held successful luncheon and dinner pot lucks in two separate years to assist Afghan girls get an education in spite of the repressive conditions in their country. Last year the United Nations declared the "International Day of the Girl," and Status of Women Canada selected Alaina Podmorow as our UN Honourary Youth Ambassador. This year, when CFUW National drew our attention to the great need to fight violence against women, and to select dates of special interest for our club, we selected October 11 because of Alaina. Her personal commitment to the girls of Afghanistan at such a young age is truly inspiring. Please look at her story.
At just 15 years of age, Alaina Podmorow is living proof that a little inspiration can lead to great things! Journalist and human rights activist Sally Armstrong's 2006 speech on the plight of Afghan girls and women so inspired Alaina that she founded Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan. She was only nine years old at the time! The organization supports education projects in Afghanistan.
Alaina dedicates herself to the organization, which has raised close to $400,000, and now has 10 chapters in Canada and the United States. Alaina speaks to audiences across Canada, sharing information about the importance of education as a key tool in peace-building.
For her efforts, Alaina has received several awards, including the Huggable Heroes Award (2010). In 2011, she was named Top Teen Philanthropist in Canada. In 2012, Alaina received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation Global Citizen's Initiative Award. Now the 2012 Honourary Youth Ambassador for Canada's first-ever International Day of the Girl, Alaina is a grade ten student at Aberdeen Hall Preparatory in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Alaina Podmorow – a history-making Canadian girl and a future great Canadian woman!
Alaina dedicates herself to the organization, which has raised close to $400,000, and now has 10 chapters in Canada and the United States. Alaina speaks to audiences across Canada, sharing information about the importance of education as a key tool in peace-building.
For her efforts, Alaina has received several awards, including the Huggable Heroes Award (2010). In 2011, she was named Top Teen Philanthropist in Canada. In 2012, Alaina received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal and the British Columbia Council for International Cooperation Global Citizen's Initiative Award. Now the 2012 Honourary Youth Ambassador for Canada's first-ever International Day of the Girl, Alaina is a grade ten student at Aberdeen Hall Preparatory in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Alaina Podmorow – a history-making Canadian girl and a future great Canadian woman!
