Student to help other students a world away
Local News
By Matthew Liebenberg/Nipawin Journal
Kacey Palidwar's upcoming trip will be different from anything else she has ever done.
Born and raised in Nipawin, she is currently a student in the Architectural Technologies program at the SIAST Palliser campus in Moose Jaw. At the end of November she will be leaving with fellow students to travel halfway around the globe to make a difference to the lives of children in Thailand.
Kacey Palidwar, who will be helping to rebuild a school in Thailand during December.
I want to be part of something that's bigger than myself," she said. "I'm not going to come back with anything physically, but I'm definitely going to learn a lot. I'm going to see a whole other side to the world really."
The group of 15 will be travelling to the border town of Mae Sot in Thailand on a two-week trip, where they will help to rebuild a school. The Hlee Bee school, which accommodates about 200 children, was damaged in a storm. They will also be building desks for the school, deliver computers to students and teach them basic computer skills.
Due to its location on the border with Myanmar (Burma), the town of Mae Sot has a large population of Burmese migrants and refugees. During their trip the students will also be visiting a refugee camp and orphanage to deliver clothing and school items
"We're not going for fun, it's to go to work," she said. "You can travel somewhere and go on a nice holiday, but you don't always see the people that are living there constantly, you don't see what they go through, what they have to deal with."
Palidwar, who is a third year student at SIAST, decided to go on the trip after hearing about the experiences of students who went on a similar trip last year.
"They say it changed their lives, that's the first thing they'll tell you, that it absolutely changed their lives. They're more passionate about helping people. They want to do what they can, they realize how much we have and how much we take it for granted."
The trip in December 2009 was the first one undertaken by students from SIAST to Mae Sot. It resulted in the creation of the group Global Students Helping Students that is coordinated by SIAST Architectural Technologies Instructor Reg Forbes.
The intention is that students will undertake an annual trip to Thailand to use their skills to the benefit of others. The activities of Global Students Helping Students are carried out in close cooperation with Global Neighbors Canada Inc., an organization working with orphaned and displaced children in Mae Sot.
At the moment Palidwar and her fellow students are still hard at work to raise $15,000 towards the cost of materials for the school construction. They are also raising funds to purchase laptops for the school and are looking for travel sponsors.
"We're trying to do what we can, from anything as simple as asking for a donation to putting on something," she said.
They have already arranged a steak night in Regina and Saskatoon, held a garage sale party in Regina and there will also be a beer night on Nov. 5 in Saskatoon.
Palidwar said they would also welcome any donations, which will go towards the school construction, the cost of buying laptop computers or sponsoring the travel cost of a student. All donors will receive a charitable receipt.
For more information about how to support the Global Students Helping Students fund, please contact Kacey Palidwar at 690-8550 or by e-mail at k.palidwar@gmail.com. Enquiries can also be directed to Reg Forbes at 691-8401 or forbesw@siast.sk.ca.
Detail about Global Students Helping Students is also available at www.gshs.ca, where a link can be found to their Facebook page. Donations can also be submitted to the Giving Page of the Global Students Helping Students 2010 Tour at http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=8057.
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