Operation Wishing Well
Last month we received the most inspiring letter from an 11 year-old girl called Emma, describing the excitement and joy she and her classmates felt after they had raised $700 for UNICEF. They were happy not just because they had exceeded their initial goal of $100, but also because what originally started out as a 5th grade-math class assignment turned into a UNICEF fundraiser!
It all started when Mrs. Crosier asked her students to choose a charity they would send $1,000,000 to and to present in front of their peers the reason they chose that particular organization. Emma thought of UNICEF.
She stood up in front of her whole class and explained how UNICEF is the premier organization that has saved more children's lives than any other and can prevent children from dying with simply a few cents. Soon, the entire classroom was silent, with the students paying their fullest attention. In the end, everyone was fascinated by Emma's presentation and unanimously decided to take over the project and raise funds as a class.
Mrs. Crosier soon told the other 5th grade teachers, prompting them to also take part, while Emma and her friends spoke to other classes about the project. It quickly evolved in a 5th grade activity named "Operation Wishing Well." Emma and her classmates distributed decorated cans to every class and gave everyone two weeks to find spare change. The goal was set to raise $100, but when the time had come to gather the funds, they had raised a total of $700!
"I love how it felt when I heard how much we had raised. It felt like a little of the bad in the world had been replaced by a splotch of good...it just felt really good giving to the world. Hopefully we can do this school wide and raise 10 times as much! Who knew how much 10 and 11 year olds cared? Some children walk miles a day just to get a pitcher of dirty water. The water is bad as poison in some places, mosquitoes give malaria to many unfortunate people and almost all of the children don't get an education," Emma writes in her letter.
Reading those words of inspiration and pride but also of concern from such a young person can only affirm and empower our daily works of creating and fostering committed, engaged global citizens of all ages for the sustainable future of the world's children.
As always thank you U.S. Fund for UNICEF volunteers for working with us to make the world a better place for children.
