World of Opportunity - Amir Allana

Hey Everyone!

I've been working with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) for over a year now, and I will be going overseas as a Junior Fellow (short-term volunteer) to Africa this summer.

I can't describe in words the passion I feel for the work EWB does, for international development. But I've been getting a lot of questions as to why. Why am I spending upwards of 20 hours of week working with EWB? Why am I pouring my heart and soul into this work to the point where I can't go a few hours without thinking about it? Why are, in fact, the thousands of EWB volunteers across the country (and nearly 40 overseas) doing the same and more? What is the fight against poverty and inequality?

I have had the privilege of free health care here in Canada; a free (and outstanding) high school education; I, like most of you reading this, have clean tap water at my finger tips. I spend 10-20 minutes in the morning eating breakfast, and can dedicate huge amounts of time to working, learning, striving. I have been given a WORLD of opportunity in my life. I can do... anything. Contrast that to someone in Zambia, or Malawi, or Ghana, or Burkina Faso. Contrast that to the father who wakes up at 5 am worrying about how to feed his family. Contrast that to the mother who carries up to 100 kilograms of water per day (about the weight of a person) from a source 5-10 kilometres away. Contrast that to the children who cannot attend school because they are working to help feed the family. Contrast that to the countless people who are dying of diseases that you and I would just pop a (free) pill to cure. THAT is poverty. How can that father earn a sustainable income when he is working all day just to get his family fed? How can those children rise to the challenges of their society without an education?

The only thing that separates me from those children, is that I was born where I was and they were born where they were. It could easily be the other way round. That. Is. Unfair.

Poverty is not necessary; it is not a product of circumstance; it is most definitely not something to feel sorry for. Poverty CAN be defeated. Poverty is the absence of opportunity, a plague of hopelessness. EWB is working to create opportunity for local leaders in the communities we work in to push development forward. We are seeing great results which have long-term impact in providing communities access to clean water, and allowing farming co-operatives access to markets, and connecting entrepreneurs with local mentors. We are seeing development.

Please donate to my World of Opportunity campaign to allow EWB to continue to do the work we do. Whether it be $10, $20, $50, or $200, every bit counts. I have committed to raising $5000 by the end of December, and I really hope you can support me.

With Lotsa' Love!
Amir

Also, Thank you to the following cash donors (they appear as 'anonymous' in the list):
Jen Barth - $20
Emma Thorpe - $10
Deryl Abraham - $10