Students buy goats for Africa
Group raises $1,200 for Save the Children through raffle tickets
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, June 1, 2015
TALOYOAK/SPENCE BAY
From the North with love. Netsilik School students raised $1,200 to buy goats, a donkey and more for less-fortunate people in Third World countries.
''Me and my group were selling raffle tickets in my community,'' said Grade 11 student Phoebe Neeveacheak. ''We told them about helping Africa and how they were low on water and malnourished. We hear that a lot so we thought we could do something.''
She and her classmates spent hours selling raffle tickets to community members and donated the money to Save the Children, an international charitable organization.
The money enabled students to gift two small business loans, a bunch of chicks, six goats, a sheep, seed and tools for farming, a livestock business, a donkey, two commercial beehives for honey making and a cow. It was part of the high school's Aulajaaqtut course, which involves students in community service.
''The kids were pretty excited about it,'' said teacher George Hill. ''They were happy.''
The way he looks at it, everyone is a global citizen.
''It teaches them the true meaning of volunteerism,'' said Hill. ''It's teaching them citizenship, being responsible, being involved and it's one step toward, who knows, possibly one of these students might end up sitting in the Iqaluit legislature. One of these students might end up sitting in the House of Commons because of becoming involved as a citizen.''
Tammy Pauloosie, a Grade 11 student, said she is proud of the work she and her classmates did.
''We raised a little over $1,000,'' she said. ''That bought a lot of stuff in Africa to help them live.''
Hill said this kind of project opens up students' eyes.
''It gives them more opportunities and helps build esteem,'' he said.
''This is something they get to look at and say, 'That's what we did.'''
He said they were amazed at the amount of money they raised.
''Now they're already talking to me about wanting to start earlier with their fundraising next year,'' Hill said. ''They want to step it up, to take it to another level.
''They're a great bunch of kids and I enjoyed working with them this year.''
