Sechelt's Brianna Lumb is ready to experience different cultures and help make some positive change through a Canada World Youth (CWY) exchange this summer.
The 20-year-old has wanted to go on a CWY exchange ever since she learned about the program through CWY students who visited the Coast in 2010.
"I actually applied for it a couple of years ago, but it just fell through because I was too young and I just wasn't ready," she said. "So now I'm really excited because it's been building up for a couple of years."
Lumb will be going on a six-month exchange split between Alberta and Peru with CWY, an international organization offering volunteer programs for youth who want to "become informed and active global citizens."
"Through their participation in community-driven development projects, CWY youth volunteers from Canada and abroad develop leadership skills that allow them to become agents of change," the CWY website states.
Lumb will stay with host families in both Alberta and Peru where she will take part in local volunteer projects.
The projects in Alberta are yet to be decided, but Lumb knows what she'll be doing in Peru.
"It's focused on health. We'll be giving lectures to youth and community members about things like nutrition and health and food hygiene. We'll be helping to build better stoves and ecological refrigerators and we'll be helping young micro-entrepreneurs, people who are making and producing things like jam and yogurt, and we're going to be supporting their small businesses," Lumb said. "We'll be helping them make their products, so that's kind of cool, and then we'll also be teaching them things like safe food handling."
The only thing standing between Lumb and her July start date is the $3,200 she must raise to take part.
Lumb started fundraising as soon as she got the news she'd been accepted in February and she's already received around $1,000 from friends and family members, which she said has been "totally overwhelming."To raise the rest Lumb plans to set up an on-line auction and she's in the process of renting a hall and asking some of her "musically-gifted friends" to donate their services for an event that could include a Peruvian meal in the spirit of the exchange.
Because specific dates haven't been set yet Lumb asks people to follow her at www.facebook.com/brian nascwy to keep up to date. Those wishing to donate can also contact her at [email protected] or at 604-989-4512.
