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‘They want to give back’: Montreal students fundraise to build school in Kenya

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Montreal students fundraise to build school in Kenya
WATCH: Three EMSB schools are learning the value of giving back. As Global's Phil Carpenter reports, students there have started a unique project to ensure Kenyan children have a chance at education – May 10, 2018

There is more to filling a mason jar with food than you might think.

For some students like 13-year-old Iman Abokor, a Grade 7 student at Rosemount High School, presentation is everything.

“So it’s orange — did you put a little bit of orange? Orange, and then green, and then orange,” she instructed a group of elementary school kids.

READ MORE: Highlighting your good deeds this #GreaterMontrealDay, #JournéeMTLensemble

Selling the jars comes easily for her, selling a dozen in just over a week for a good cause.

“In my heart, I just feel like, if everybody’s happy, we can be happy together because we’re all a community.”

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Abokor is one of several students from Rosemount High School who is packing and selling mason jars with food. Kids from two nearby elementary schools — Dalkeith and Nesbitt — are also helping out.

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They are raising money to help children halfway around the world by selling mason jars filled with a variety of grain mixes, salads, soups and desserts.

They partnered with the We organization, an NGO that does international development work.

The students chose to give Kenyan children a chance at having an education.

“We love the idea of giving to a place where education is sometimes a luxury,” explained Vince Lacroce, the spiritual community animator for the students and one of the teachers spearheading the project.

READ MORE: Mayor Valérie Plante inviting Montrealers to give back on Greater Montreal Day

They are trying to raise $10,000 in total. At $10 each, all 400 mason jars have been pre-sold since April.

Due to the success, the schools might purchase and pack even more jars. Teachers say they are amazed by their students’ commitment.

“You don’t even have to ask them,” said Pina Santino, head of daycare at Nesbitt Elementary.

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