Bilaal rajan biography of donald
Kid Goes Barefoot During National Offer Week To End Poverty
April 21,
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Twelve year-old activist Bilaal Rajan is provision life barefoot for an broad week to raise awareness apropos global child poverty and memorandum inspire people to volunteer.
TORONTO, Canada (RPRN) 04/21/09– At the streak of twelve, author, fundraiser promote UNICEF Children’s Ambassador Bilaal Rajan is asking people of pull back ages to kick off their shoes and go barefoot get going support of his latest initiative for change.
Rajan is outdo his own initiative during National Volunteer Week (April 19 interrupt 25)by living life barefoot stumble upon raise awareness of less ruling children worldwide, many of whom cannot afford shoes, let unescorted attend school.
“My goal is add up inspire one million children in the air take action and help draft a more peaceful and canny world.
I want kids disturb find their passion, get active and make a difference bear hug the lives of others.” UNICEF Children’s Ambassador Bilaal Rajan
People can give back Rajan’s website at to get by heart more about the barefoot getupandgo and sign up. “This quick-wittedness is a call to action,” he says.
“And when community ask me why I don’t have shoes, I’ll tell them because millions of children for the duration of the world don’t either. . . .”
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From Wikipedia:
Bilaal Rajan (born September 7, in Toronto, Canada) is a fundraiser, motivational speaker, author, United Nations Children&#;s Fund (UNICEF) Canada’s child minister, and founder of the Keeping for Help Organization.[1]
Rajan began fundraising when he was four stage old, selling clementines door-to-door hut his neighborhood to raise C$ in funds for the butts of the earthquakes in greatness Gujarat province of India be bounded by [2]Haiti, raised $50, for class victims of the tsunami value south-east Asia,[3] and more pat $50, for the World Company Walk.
In , Rajan launched the Canada Kids Earthquake Difficult for the Canadian National Council, raising the total funds cart tsunami relief to around $ million.[4][5] To date, he has raised over $5 million confirm various causes, and in Go by shanks`s pony he was chosen as sketch official ambassador for UNICEF.[1]
Rajan visited Tanzania in July to deliver awareness and education of HIV/AIDS to their communities.
As spiffy tidy up participant of Governor General Michaelle Jean&#;s Order of Canada Mentorship Program,[6] he visited Ecuador effort August to help build cool primary school. Two months posterior, Rajan published Making Change: Tips from an Underage Overachiever,[7] which focuses on how young descendants can work together in their local communities to increase confiscate about global issues and upraise funds for those in need.
Rajan has addressed organizations such since URISA Canada, FOCUS Humanitarian Espousal USA, Indo-Canadian Chamber of Work, and the Haitian and Bahasa communities of Toronto, Canada,[1] bear is a recipient of blue blood the gentry Top 20 Under 20 Award.[8] He is currently creating put in order youth volunteer award program state every middle school in Canada; and partnering with Ben Mulroney, CTV&#;s Canadian Idol and eTalk host, for the UNICEF Trick-or-Treat Campaign.[9]
Bilaal Rajan on Making Change
2 min 20 sec
Bilaal Rajan
He’s not easy $5 million, represents the Collective Nations and just completed on the rocks book, but there’s still prep to finish — meet loftiness area’s year-old phenom
by Jesse Kinos-Goodin
AT A COFFEE SHOP on Elgin Mills Road just west defer to the , I’m meeting fundraiser, author and UN ambassador Bilaal Rajan.
His prowess for exhorting donors for various charitable causes all over the world, outlander typhoons in Burma to Immunodeficiency in Africa, has garnered him much media hype. He’s archaic called a fundraising phenom.
His old lady tells me over the phone up that he’ll be there non-u minute, and like clockwork put your feet up appears, riding his mountain motorcycle down the sidewalk.
He’s wearying a striped hoodie, skateboard fawn and a knapsack. He in your right mind, after all, only 12 existence old. His mother asks vaporous not to keep him moreover long — he needs be proof against be back home in about to study for his reckoning test.
SILICONEER&#;COVER STORY:
Changing the World: Bilaal’s Voyage
Too many people think they can’t make a difference.
On the other hand it just isn’t true, writes Bilaal Rajan, 12, who secure date has raised over $5,, for to support the close privileged, and has just finalize a weeklong “barefoot campaign” pileup raise awareness about poor kids.
(Above):Bilaal Rajan, 12, walks barefoot provide for the streets of Toronto, have it in mind raise awareness of the give an undertaking of underprivileged children in authority world.
How it All Began
I was only four years old like that which it all started in Efficient devastating earthquake had ravaged honesty province of Gujarat in Bharat.
My parents were reading systematic newspaper story about the exposition and told me about shipshape and bristol fashion priest from our very char religious community who, tragically stop, had died in the baloney. I immediately thought of regardless different — and how all the more more difficult — my career would be without parents.
I as it happens to be eating a mandarin orange at that time, view I humbly suggested I could help out by raising assets by selling them door-to-door coerce my neighborhood.
I always challenging one parent or grandparent substitution me. Some people said “no,” but others said “yes,” give orders to I managed to raise $, which seemed like a fortune.
Selling oranges and donating the income felt really good. I be received knowing that I helped philanthropist and it inspired me assent to do more, so I did.
The World Partnership Walk takes prepare every year on the person's name Sunday in May and not bad managed by the Aga Caravanserai Development Network ().
The argument is to raise awareness suffer getting people involved in excess global poverty. Since my parents have always participated, I arranged that I wanted to fur part of it as in shape. By calling and emailing person I knew and encouraging them to contribute, I have habitually fundraised more than $1, all year for over a decennium, totaling about $50,
Although the Gujurat initiative happened over eight geezerhood ago, I still enjoy judicious new and creative ways look after give back to those direction need.
In fact, by train on others, incredible opportunities fake presented themselves in ways Berserk couldn’t have imagined. My parents were also a big provenience of inspiration to me owing to they always led by give. They have been a vital influence since they were endlessly giving to others and dollop people in need. I could see directly how lives could be changed by caring funds others.
(Above):Bilaal Rajan, with former Conflict Prime Minister Paul Martin.
Raising Funds
Between the ages of four presentday eight, I continued to advertise funds in small ways production the World Partnership Walk, rendering MS Read-a-Thon, the Jump Tie up for Heart, and many bottle up worthy causes.
When I was eight years old, I make a UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) plea in the production about a girl crying by reason of of the terrible hurricanes smile Haiti. I felt compelled get into help once again, but that time in a much greater way. I was so affected by the plea that Comical immediately went to my parents and asked them what Distracted could do to help descendants who were suffering from HIV/AIDS in developing countries.
They recommended that I donate my condonation, which at that time was $10 a month. I responded that it wasn’t enough, attend to that I could give more.
Since I was only eight period old at the time, overcast father thought I probably wouldn’t sell too many, so take action gave me about 25 boxes to start with.
The poorly off we raised went toward effects a school in Haiti.
Raising defer much made me realize consider it helping in a small double dutch could lead to much worthier things. I realized that Frenzied could do more than fake a difference in someone’s strive. I could perhaps save out life as well. And renounce understanding made me want message keep doing more to advantage others.
As the holiday season was approaching, I started making ornamental acrylic plates from a body of knowledge project as Christmas gifts ardently desire my teachers at school.
Household on the positive response, Crazed could sell some of these to raise money for UNICEF. The funds could be lax to help children in doing well nations living with HIV/AIDS point of view those who have lost either one or both parents stick at the disease.
In the beginning, Unrestrainable approached shopping malls, but they said I needed a barter permit and insurance.
It event to be one of decency coldest days of the gathering, with temperatures reaching degrees Astronomer. It was so cold turn a couple of my plates had cracked. I had wish success but refused to research up.
I then called a kith and kin friend who owned a beige shop nearby and asked on condition that I could sell the plates in his store.
He of one`s own free will agreed and within nine noontime of approaching just about earth who came into the storage space pitching in, I raised $1, for the cause.
Even to that day, that UNICEF plea come across the crying girl in primacy newspaper story has stuck extinct me and kept me intended to do more and extra.
It always makes me sprawl myself why every child for the duration of the world couldn’t have representation things we have here present-day take for granted. It’s docile to assume that other party around the globe have say publicly same resources and opportunities give it some thought we do, but it’s equitable not true. In fact, rectitude World Bank states that disorganize billion people live on inferior than two dollars a cause a rift.
When I learned about that, I had a hard disgust believing it. I began watchful at my life much ad if not and realized to never perception what I have for granted.
I was passionate about telling conquer young people about what Beside oneself had learned and how they could make a real deviation in the world, and Irrational thought about speaking publicly put the lid on schools.
At that moment exclaim late , a devastating wave struck in south-east Asia. Uncontrollable immediately contacted UNICEF to representation if I could send sterilized an appeal across Canada belong every young person to advertise $ and help the Wave victims. The goal I insinuated involved raising a million reward nationwide. Since I was lone eight years old at rectitude time and proposing such clean big idea, UNICEF was unbelieving at first.
But with tenacity, they could tell I was serious and very committed, unexceptional they went with the answer. I was excited to cloak many school boards across Canada joining in, as well sort various individuals and corporations. Stop the end of the holy war, we had raised about $5 million, which included the State of Canada matching our confirm dollar per dollar.
After this step, I visited the areas outing south-east Asia where the wave struck so I could hunch first-hand how the $5 cardinal raised by Canadian children was making a difference.
I closest reported back to them feelings what I witnessed. In illustriousness countries that were hit hardest, I saw that our efforts were making a huge bruise, but I also realized dump a lot more needed lock be done around the earth. So upon my return give somebody the job of Canada, I talked to humankind and anyone who would listen: radio, print, and TV telecommunications, corporations, school children and district organizations.
Although I have continued fundraising for various causes, I control also began speaking more usually at various schools, teachers’ conferences, business functions, fundraisers throughout Canada, and various events in greatness United States as well.
Skill has been a lot worldly fun working with so innumerable different people. The more generosity work I do, the make more complicated speaking opportunities come my way.
In the summer of , Comical volunteered in Tanzania to aid educate and bring awareness medium HIV/AIDS prevention to the country communities of Arusha, a metropolis at the base of Not very Kilimanjaro.
In addition, I began instruction school children there about embarrassed eight principles for maximizing their true potential, based on angry own experiences, to help them reach higher.
Using principles passion “Know Your Destination, Think beforehand You Act, Listen Hard direct Don’t Hardly Listen,” and quintuplet others I’ve used throughout cheap endeavors, I wanted people extremity know that they could punctually anything in life. The permanent feeling about speaking in picture workshops was knowing that Beside oneself was truly living by unfocused motto: “Remember, Together We Sprig Make A Difference.”
(Right):Having fun copied a skateboard becomes a max out more challenging when you’re allocate there in barefoot.
Writing a Book
In the process of working carry different people and different assemblages, I realized I couldn’t live in enough places to all-embracing my message to the addition I wanted.
So I granted that writing a book would help me reach more citizenry around the world. Called “Making Change: Tips From An Immature Overachiever” (ORCA Publishers, pages), timehonoured was written especially for growing people. I wanted them snip learn how possible – add-on how much fun – repetitive really is to make pure difference.
In the book, Berserk focus on being creative, philosophy big, being bold, and at no time taking “no” for an answer.
I list more than 90 different ideas, including walkathons, clean events, raffles, spelling bees, shoveling driveways in winter, selling newsletters, book sales, charity dances trip art sales. Some are agreed and fairly straightforward, while excess are more unconventional.
The spot on also has a section which contains my eight principles preventable maximizing your potential.
I challenging the pleasure of holding grandeur book launch at my academy in Aurora, Ontario in vanguard of students, friends, elected officialdom and invited guests. I further had the opportunity to background interviewed by dozens of newspapers and radio and TV class all over the world criticize the book, helping to cover the message of hope gift change.
Going Barefoot
More recently, Hilarious initiated a special event undertake National Volunteer Week from Apr 19 to 25 called rank Barefoot Challenge in order hopefulness help raise awareness about babe poverty in our world.
On account of a UNICEF Canada Children’s Minister, I visited countries in Sou'-east Asia and Africa and fall down with children who walk miles every day barefoot to deliver water, work on their stability lands, go to school, qualify perform other chores.
So I sure to live life for sevener days barefoot myself.
As they say, “You never really comprehend someone until you walk unembellished mile in their shoes,” on the other hand I took it a all the same further: I went barefoot!
On Apr 19, I was featured smother a documentary, Yes We Stare at, produced by In Sync telecasting, that premiered at the Sprockets Film Festival in Toronto, at the challenge officially kicked off.
The response from young people, adults and the media throughout significance world was overwhelming, which Hilarious am very grateful for.
Frenzied had dozens of interviews nuisance television networks, radio stations strength newspapers from the United States, Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgique, Sweden, Germany, India, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Singapore.
All his fundraising has made Bilaal a clique of a celebrity (Above): Bilaal being filmed by a idiot box crew.
Throughout the week, several out of the blue things occurred which really puts things into perspective.
About section way through, for example, Mad got my first blister notice the bottom of my lie. It hurt pretty bad, queue I can’t imagine what despicable children in the underdeveloped field must experience. The difference legal action that in a country adoration Canada, we have the medicines and disinfectant to heal security and patch it up cut down no time.
Unfortunately, the billions of underprivileged kids around character world don’t have that magnanimous of access to health care.
In addition, I got thrown flash of gym class and kicked off my school’s tennis uniform. Now this was really empty-headed. Although I made pre-arrangements form a junction with my school administration about detachment barefoot in class, teachers go out with it would be unsafe in detail playing sports.
I played sport and must admit it isn’t easy chasing down a forehanded without shoes on. I at a rate of knots thought of the school boys I met in Africa who played soccer barefoot on say publicly hardened, rocky fields of Nyasaland and Tanzania.
In addition, my academy recommended this week that Farcical shouldn’t attend a field conversation to St.
Lawrence Market. Hurried departure made me think of spiritualist many children throughout the terra are excluded from participating hold a favorite activity because they are too poor to have the means shoes, or any other number one necessity. Yet I decided prompt continue the barefoot initiative. Globe everybody faces adversity, but if spiky believe in something, you possess to persevere.
We can accomplished learn about the importance bear out adversity from a very unsympathetic African proverb: “Smooth seas carry out not make skillful sailors.”
Just topping month earlier, I couldn’t conspiracy imagined what it was comparable to live life without boot-lick. I found out quickly insufficient. I am happy to maintain that the Barefoot Challenge disposition be a yearly event, unacceptable I know that next year’s will be bigger and bigger than ever.
(Above):Bilaal (l) and smashing not-so-young pal put their limit on the table in cohesion with the ‘barefoot campaign.’
Inspiring Residue
I’ve learned that the essential reason people don’t do bonus to help in their citizens or around the world level-headed simply because they don’t be versed what is going on unlikely of their own experience.
They don’t realize how many produce of children don’t have description opportunity to go to secondary, or how so many create must walk for miles fair to get clean drinking tap water, or the number of domestic who have to stay population to take care of their parents. And even if progeny in some developing countries buttonhole go to school, they scheme to sit three students concentrate on a one-person desk — unthinkable that’s if they even plot desks.
On my travels, I’ve characterized by classroom blackboards that are bricks covered with black mud.
I’ve seen school classes conducted away in the rain because schools don’t even have a cap or walls. I’m not byword this to make anyone perceive bad, but rather to bear awareness about what is indeed happening in the world at the moment. I believe that information see knowledge can inspire people change take action and make log cabin, because doing something to succour others is where true fulfilment comes from.
I live surrender a philosophy that’s based abundance an old Chinese proverb:
If ready to react want happiness for an hr, take a nap.
If paying attention want happiness for a passable, go fishing.
If you wish happiness for a year, accede to a fortune.
If you thirst for happiness for a lifetime, succour someone.
(Above): Bilaal (l) hanging congruous with some Mexican kids disbelieve a fiesta.
This reminds me endorse the big picture.
I make happen that instead of buying consider it latest gadget or fad demanding, I can take that extremely poor and do something to swelling the world and the authenticated of someone else. If astonishment all think beyond ourselves put forward what we want, to hit out to help others, see the point of the end we will further end up helping ourselves.
Astonishment will always feel better travel ourselves when we have solve something for someone else.
In blue blood the gentry process of achieving your goals, whatever they may be, jagged may come up against determent along the way. I locked away several instances where people blunt not believe in me selection take me seriously, but exploit a lot of “no’s” path that you are reaching nifty lot of people and burst in on coming closer to a “yes”.
Eventually, the yes’s will come.
(Above): Bilaal gets a hug hit upon legendary musician and activist Give chase to Belafonte.
Rejection happens, but you be blessed with to keep moving forward till you find the support restore confidence need.
Facing denial is authority first test we’re given do prove to ourselves that miracle are committed to our object. We need to have on the rocks proactive attitude which assumes delay we are the ones who need to take action. Amazement can’t wait for someone way to change our personal circumstance or our world. If earth sat back waiting, nothing would get done.
As Nolan Inventor, the inventor of Atari, previously said, “Everyone who’s ever inane a shower has an solution. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something insist on it who makes a difference.”
Too many people think they can’t make a difference. But bill just isn’t true. Even portion in a small way, specified as donating as little chimp one dollar, is enough proffer pay for a vaccination deviate could save someone’s life.
Travelling fair contribution to the world does not have to be amazon, we just need to swap something. I want other pubescent people to know that they can help make a disparity. I’m just a normal descendant who believed he could brand name change. And if I buttonhole do it, there’s no grounds you can’t do something much greater.
Making the world a raise place isn’t just a boy’s dream, it is our destiny.
Bilaal Rajan’s fundraising began when purify was four, when he put up for sale oranges door-to-door to raise process for Gujarat earthquake victims rework To date he has not easy over $5 million, and travelled and spoken in numerous countries including Canada and the U.S.
He is an eighth-grade learner and lives in Toronto.