Two local University of Alberta students are trying to collect funds to travel to Fiji to help a small village in need.
Eighteen-year-olds Maegan Robinson-Anagor and Kimberly Husbands are hoping to travel with Volunteer Eco-Students Abroad (VESA) this June to help a village in Fiji with some basic essentials.
VESA, a non-profit organization, works closely with Partners in Community Development Fiji to provide rainwater-catchment tanks for drinking water in different villages. The students, who will travel with VESA, will also help educate the locals on proper hygiene and teach young kids English.
After doing a week’s worth of work in the village, the two women will travel with other students from all over North America and Australia to learn more about Fijian life.
“I’ve always been really interested in volunteering and giving back to the community, and I just thought it would bring a different perspective volunteering abroad,” Robinson-Anagor said.
Husbands said that while the trip will be fun, it will also be an enlightening journey for when she returns.
“I think it’s an experience everyone should have. It will give us a fresh outlook,” Husbands said.
Even though both the students have never travelled to do volunteer work on this scale before, they both agree fundraising is the hardest part.
So far they have held fundraisers at local bars and a bottle drive, and they plan to hold a few more before they leave for two weeks this summer.
“We didn’t realize how big and hard work fundraising is, but we’ll do it,” Robinson-Anagor said.
To learn more about the VESA program, visit vesabroad.com. To donate to the two students’ cause, visit their Facebook group “Help Maegan and Kimberly Fundraise for Fiji!”
