More than giraffe watching in Africa

CHEERS! to Maggie MacDonald who will be doing more than watching giraffes when she travels to Africa in October.
The lifelong County resident has recently graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an honours degree in Sociology and Women’s Studies.  Now she will put her academic learning to a practical use as she has been accepted to participate in an international program which educates women in Tanzania, Africa.
The focus of the Youth Challenge International (YCI) program is twofold: women’s health in developing nations and encouraging active international citizenship in Canadian youth.
“Maggie has been selected from a large number of applicants from across Canada,” says Bryan Cox, YCI executive director. “YCI will involve Maggie in community-based projects in Tanzania and provide her with the opportunity to live and work with local community members, as well as youth from Canada and Tanzania. YCI programming successfully empowers young people and contributes to the development of communities throughout Tanzania. The work we are able to complete in Tanzania is not possible without the hard work, energy and commitment of volunteers like Maggie.”
“As a volunteer, I am responsible to raise the $3,700 necessary to participate in the program as well as costs related to travelling to a developing nation (airfare, vaccinations).  I have determined my budget to be approximately $6,500,” says MacDonald, who is currently approaching local organizations for assistance.
A fundraiser four-course prime rib dinner will be held Friday night, Oct. 15th,  $35 per person at the Picton Masonic Lodge, Loyalist Parkway.  People can call for tickets or they can donate money by calling parents Val and Al MacDonald at  476-4667.
“We hope you will recognize Maggie as an outstanding young Canadian, who will not only make a significant personal contribution to the YCI program, but who will also return home empowered to transform personal experience into positive civic action,” said Cox. More information at www.yci.org