Ditching Prom for Nepal

As I’m writing this, 8000 have been killed and 20,000 have been injured in the Nepal 7.8 magnitude earthquake. 900,000 children are in fragile makeshift tents and have no access to standardised education (but the selfless volunteers there are playing and teaching with the kids). In the mountainous regions of Nepal, 90% of homes are damaged-and rural regions of developing countries take longest to recover.

I decided to start a fundraiser for the survivors, “Ditching Prom For Nepal” because I want to culminate my year via philanthropy; many of my cocurricular activities in high school have involved that and I feel it’s a natural continuation of it.

The money I had saved up for my Prom (dress, tickets, limo, etc.) will be going towards this fundraiser, so the $500 goal is the additional funds that I am aiming for.

These funds will go towards the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The goal is $500 because this goal affords shelter for a family to find solace.

I’m particularly worried about young girls and women affected by the Nepal earthquake because human trafficking rates will inevitably increase in accordance with a natural disaster. Urgent humanitarian aid is needed to combat cross-border trafficking and exploitation.

In my last two years of high school I became really involved in a Young Women’s Council, so I feel that any humanitarian crisis affecting my sisters overseas affects me.

Humanitarian aid is thus essential to combat gender inequality.

I just want to end with a reality check. I spent $200 this week on going out with my friends, conference tickets, and random ‘essentials’. I spent $10 on donating to Nepal because I didn’t have any money left on my card.

I know that we can all do more than this. I know I can.

I hope that I’ve convinced you to give a few dollars or whatever you can offer to help a family in Nepal find solace through the UNHCR.

If you have any questions you can message me on Facebook! I’ll try to answer them.

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Ashley Yu is an International Baccalaureate Student at Ancaster High School. She is the President of the Free the Children: We Act Club that supports poverty alleviation and education in developing countries. Ashley is a  Member of the Young Women’s Advisory Council at YWCA Hamilton, Co-Chair (2013-14) and Member of the Youth Advisory Council of the Hamilton Community Foundation, and Member of the Plan Canada Youth Advisory Council.