WINNIPEG — In less than 24 hours the MTS Centre will be over run with thousands of students and teachers inspiring each other to make the world a better place during this year’s We Day event.
We Day is hosted by Free the Children, a global charity that aims to encourage youth to change their communities and world. It was founded in 1995 by Canadian brothers Craig and Mark Kielburger, when Craig was 12 years old.
Monday’s event is expected to draw around 16,000 students and teachers from 450 schools across Manitoba.
The event is unique in that students are not able to purchase a ticket. Instead, they have to earn their way through the WE Schools program, by participating in one local and one global cause of choice.
Students from Charleswood School will be in attendance and have proven they are passionate about empowerment and education. The school held a fundraising competition among their classes raising more than $900 to purchase goats for women and families in Free The Children communities overseas, providing a source of nutritional milk and sustainable income. The group also participated in WE Are Rafikis and held school dances where ticket sales when to support education for Eor Ewasu, a community in Kenya.
Since 2007, youth involved in WE Schools have raised more than $62 million for local and global organizations. They have also volunteered 19.9 million hours of work for these causes. 7.6 million pounds of food has also been collected.
Motivational speaker Spencer West is one of the co-hosts of the event.
West lost his legs from the pelvis down at the age of five due to a genetic disorder. He candidly opens up about his personal struggles and how he has been able to overcome obstacles throughout his life. In 2012, West took on an incredible and daunting task. The Toronto-native set out with a group of friends to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in his wheelchair and on his hands. He managed to raise more than $500,000 to create clean water programs in Kenya.
On Monday, the Kenyan Boys Choir will be performing. The group has traveled around the world and even performed during Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration.
Last year, WE Day Manitoba brought together renowned speakers and chart-topping musical artists including Kweku Mandela, Hedley, President Mary Robinson, Severn Suzuki, Kardinal Offishall and Shawn Desman
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