Making change for Haiti

At age 13, many kids are preparing to begin high school or have only just begun. Foremost on their minds are school dances, crushes and tests. For some, world relief efforts are something they read about in the newspaper or see on television.

Bilaal Rajan has raised money for the earthquake victims in Gujarat, India, The World Partnership walk assisting global poverty and the 2004 hurricane in Haiti. He has set up his own company, to raise awareness for children in need and that company presented UNICEF with a cheque for $6,387 in October 2004. He has been front-page news and has become a UNICEF ambassador.

Bilaal’s career in fundraising has sky-rocketed and he’s only 13 years old.

In 2004, an earthquake and tsunami devastated South East Asia. Bilaal challenged each Canadian child to raise $100 to achieve a goal of $1 million and his personal pledge was to raise $10,000. Remarkably, he personally raised $50,000. The Toronto District School Board presented UNICEF with a cheque for $1.3 million, generously matched by the Canadian government. As a result the final donation totaled nearly $4 million.

Together We Can Make a Difference

On January 12, 2009, the devastating 7.0 Mw earthquake in Haiti affected the lives of 3 million. As of January 27, 2009, approximately 170,000 bodies have been recovered – many of them children, many of the children orphans. Most certainly, there are many more orphans on the streets of Haiti today.

On January 20, 2009, Bilaal issued a challenge to Canadian children once again. Through his organization (Hands for Help), whose motto is Together We Can Make a Difference, Bilaal has asked that all students, once again, raise a minimum of $100. To add a little fun to the challenge, Bilaal has pledged he will shave his head in honour of the school or student who raises the greatest amount of funds for Haitian earthquake relief.

Bilaal is accepting donations through UNICEF where he has set up his own donation website. Each student or school can also set up their own donation website through UNICEF. From a donation site, contacts can be saved and donations can be tracked for progress.

Bilaal Rajan has also authored a book entitled Making Change, Tips from an Underage Overachiever, which is available for purchase in both softcover and audio book format.