Youth Ambassadors in Action:  Change Starts One Person at a Time

MF: What are some of the ways you've been involved with Mona as a youth ambassador?

Samira: So, the main focus this year was to spread awareness about the prevalence of this issue [lack of access to education] and the fact that there are people our own age who don't have access to education. I think people either forget or don't realize how truly privileged we are, that education is the center of our lives right now and sometimes we take it for granted. This year my Service club was able to have a booth at our school’s club fair where we shared our mission and ongoing activities. We hosted a bracelet making event, with 10-15 people joining us, leveraging the opportunity to share what the Mona Foundation is and why the work is so significant. This event got people excited about the idea of service and encouraged them to follow the Mona on social media platforms to stay updated on their inspiring work. By sharing Mona’s stories of impact, others got so inspired it created almost like a yearning to contribute to the solution.

MF:  You were one of a few Youth Ambassadors last year who helped pilot and co-create our new Think Globally, Act Locally learnshop. What was this experience like for you?

Samira: It was such an enjoyable experience, and I'm so honored to be part of the pilot group that was able to test this. For me, I live in Toronto and the community need that resonated with me most was developing a social interaction initiative to reduce isolation. I did consider other options and explored ideas that our mentors encouraged us to research, but ultimately decided to go with the isolation project as it is something I had already been thinking about and knew it would make a meaningful difference in my community. 

The service project itself is an ongoing social interaction program held at our local library on a biweekly basis for young families. It consists of a reading hour where young families come together, interact with stories, and work on collaborative activities based on the books just read. The program is run by a group of students from our local high school, with the goal to create a sense of community amongst these kids outside of the school environment, while still promoting academic enrichment, bringing families closer together and giving them somewhere to go after school and work.

MF: Let's discuss your Move4Mona 5K Walk/Run campaign, where you rallied your network to raise funds for children worldwide to access education. What was it like putting this peer-to-peer initiative together?

Samira: If I were to summarize the whole experience in one word it would be ‘empowering’. This was my first time organizing such a walkathon and I really enjoyed the experience. I was lucky enough to have my friends and family join me and I encouraged them all to register and order a T-shirt. The initial goal that I had for fundraising was $1,000, and thanks to the generosity of my circle we surpassed the goal in just two days! I then increased the goal to $3,000 and by the time the event came around we had surpassed this goal too. I am so incredibly grateful for the generosity of those who gave and the support that I received throughout the entire process from both my mentor at the Mona Foundation and members of my community. There were definitely setbacks along the way, but once everyone started walking, there was such a sense of joy and pride that their contributions sent 25 kids to school for an entire year. It was also a very eye-opening experience for some of my friends’ younger siblings as they weren't aware that people their own ages, in different areas of the world, don't get to go to school. So overall, the experience was so full of love and joy, and I can't wait to do more events with these people in my area.

MF: What was your biggest takeaway this past year with all the exciting activities that you participated in as a Mona Youth Ambassador?

Samira: That one’s really hard for me because I really did learn a lot on my journey this past year. I think the one thing that stuck out for me most and I was reminded of time after time, is the notion that it really takes one person to truly be passionate enough about something to spark change. I think a barrier for some people is the mindset that, ‘well, I'm one person realistically, how am I going to create significant change?’ I think the keyword there is significant because you don't necessarily have to raise thousands of dollars to be considered an activist. Or host an awareness campaign with hundreds of participants. While those are amazing accomplishments, I've come to realize that through the process, if I inspire one person, I've already succeeded. And with that in mind, if we think back to the beginning of the year when I had that school club fair, I had two other people with me at the time and it was a little bit disheartening. Thinking, ‘well, I reached out to friends and only two were interested in helping me out’ but looking back those two people were already so inspired early on and wanted to be of service. So, I think the biggest takeaway for me was definitely the fact that you don't necessarily need a large group of people rallying behind you in the beginning. Change starts one person at a time.

MF: What does living a life of service mean to you?

Samira: To me, living a life of service isn't confined to hosting one big event per year, and I use myself as an example with the Move4Mona walkathon. Leading that one event doesn't necessarily mean living a life of service. To me, it's about what's in your heart and what you are striving to do on a daily basis. At this point, I'm trying to shape my life to become one dedicated to service, even with the small things. For example, I've tried to stop viewing work around the house as chores, but as service to my family. I also think it's about having a realistic grasp of who you are, what your capacity is and what you can be doing on a regular basis to contribute to your local community and your global community.

MF: What would you say to inspire others to join Mona's Youth Ambassador program?

Samira: I know starting something new takes a lot of courage at first, but the virtual network of youth ambassadors and representatives at the Mona Foundation are some of the most supportive and genuinely caring people I've met and made me feel so welcomed instantly. In our daily lives, we can often see the social ills all around us, which can potentially be disheartening, but the Mona Youth Ambassador program is a space where it's almost as if you could take a breath of fresh air and you can see the unity and hope for the future in people, even across the online screen. I would encourage everyone to join Mona’s Youth Ambassador program. You can make a real difference in the world.

If you are searching for more ways to get involved and make a difference, and are between the ages of 14-25, Mona's Youth Ambassador program could be a great fit for you!  Sign up today.