Vote online: Jacqueline Villeneuve finalist in Canadian Living Me to We Award

Jacqueline Villeneuve of Confederation Secondary School is a finalist for a Canadian Living Me to We Award. The award is presented by Free the Children to Canadian citizens dedicated to making a difference locally or globally.

The winner is selected through online voting. Everyone is encouraged to visit http://www.metowe.com/awards/en to vote for Jacqueline Villeneuve in the Youth in Action (age 13 to 17) category. Voting begins May 27th and ends June 10th.

Jacqueline has visited Kenya twice and, after spending one month working in a Kenyan orphanage last summer, decided that she wanted to make a bigger impact. Last October, she contacted the director of the orphanage where she volunteered and asked if he would partner with her in the creation of a new orphanage. He responded with "when can we start" and the seeds for “Zawadi la Tumaini” (meaning Gift of Hope) were planted. Soon after, she purchased 2.5 acres of land for the orphanage in a village called Iiani, approximately 90 km south-east of Nairobi.

From May 9 to 13, 2011, Jacqueline Villeneuve spearheaded the Change for Change campaign at Confederation Secondary School. A total of $1,118 was raised for Zawadi la Tumaini. Donations will be used to purchase new school uniforms and undergarments for 40 children, school supplies, and cups and plates.

“Winning the Canadian Living Me to We award would give Zawadi la Tumaini excellent exposure on a national level,” says Villeneuve. Winners will receive a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice thanks to the support of Canadian Living magazine, National Bank Financial Group, Investors Group and Air Canada. Winners also receive a feature spread in Canadian Living magazine and attend We Day 2011.

Zawadi la Tumaini will be for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, children who have been deprived of their basic human rights or children who have lost their families to other illnesses. The orphanage will provide children with relief from starvation, proper medical assessments, schooling, music, and a balanced diet through locally grown produce.

Jacqueline Villeneuve, who is graduating from Confederation Secondary School this year, is currently balancing working five days a week, completing homework every night and planning for an orphanage. She is currently working to make the new orphanage and existing orphanages registered Canadian charities. In November, she will be returning to Kenya for six months to turn her dream into reality.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.