When Ava Vanderstarren competed in and won the Miss BC pageant in 2013, she was inspired to establish her own charity. Six years later, she continues working on the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Sierra Leone.
sa国际传媒淥n that weekend, I decided what are the most important things to me, for my platform, which were womensa国际传媒檚 rights and rehabilitation of child soldiers,sa国际传媒� the Chilliwack native said.
Her partner, Fazineh Keita, is a former child soldier from the Sierra Leone civil war and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The two decided to found the Innocence Lost Foundation in 2013.
sa国际传媒淲e thought that, later on in our lives when our careers were established, we would do humanitarian work. Miss BC gave me the push to start it in then instead of waiting,sa国际传媒� Vanderstarren said.
The couple is raising funds to build a healing centre that will offer education, skills training, and therapy programs for former child soldiers.
They have so far raised $115,000 of their $200,000 goal for phase one, which includes the land purchase, a well, and a medical clinic. The 3.5-acre site will later include a library, computer lab, classrooms, soccer field, and outdoor teaching areas.
| Photo by M3 Architecture |
The art therapy programs were inspired by Keitasa国际传媒檚 experience in overcoming trauma.
sa国际传媒淯sually, people donsa国际传媒檛 want to talk about things,sa国际传媒� Vanderstarren said. sa国际传媒淸But] if yousa国际传媒檙e working through an acting piece, writing, painting, drawing, doing activities sa国际传媒� there is natural healing that starts to occur.sa国际传媒�
She recommends that Miss BC contestants volunteer with local organizations and only start a charity if they are ready for a lifelong commitment.
sa国际传媒淐hoose a platform that is personal to you and something you would dedicate yourself to.sa国际传媒�
This yearsa国际传媒檚 Miss BC pageant will be held June 29 - July 1 at Chief Sepass Theatre in Fort Langley.
baneet.braich@bpdigital.ca
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