PEOPLE WE LOVE: Vaughan teen aims to inspire peers

Vaughan Citizen
Feb. 5, 2014
By Adam Martin-Robbins

Eesha Patel is passionate about tackling global issues such as poverty, illiteracy and war.

Now, the 15-year-old Maple High School student hopes to inspire her peers to get involved with humanitarian organization People to People International, founded by former U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

“I really want to start a student chapter in our school and make people more aware of People to People’s message about peace through understanding and definitely do some more humanitarian work,” she said.

The past two years, Ms Patel has attended international conferences with more than 100 other students from around the world, hosted by the organization.

Her first trip was to Chicago, after learning about People to People from her cousin.

She describes the experience as “nerve-wracking”, given it was her first time in the city by herself, but it was also fascinating.

This past November, Ms Patel travelled to Washington D.C. where she helped build literacy kits for children who can’t read or get books, put together sanitation kits and attended workshops.

“We talked about different areas affected by war and what’s happening to people inside those places because of decisions they can’t make,” Ms Patel said. “It’s very inspiring.”

But the most interesting part, she said, has been getting to know young people from other countries.

“You get to learn about the different things they experience and compare it to what you experience here in Canada,” Ms Patel said.

She believes a local student chapter would be welcomed in Vaughan.

“I know a lot of people who like humanitarian work, so I thought this would be perfect.”