September was always the start of something magical. Summer was winding down and I was getting a bit anxious to be back in the classroom. My outfit planned and my pencils sharpened, I headed to my first day of class. Year after year, the routine never got tired; I never grew bored of the magic. I was, and still am, completely infatuated with the back to school season.

When I think back on those days of September – year after year – I’m disappointed in how much I may have taken it for granted. I never truly appreciated how special this magic truly was and still is.

Years later it saddens me to think that over 75 million children are out of school (based on statistics from UNESCO) and approximately 60% of those children are girls. We were absolutely blessed to have quality education an inherent part of our Canadian culture, but now it’s time to pay it forward.

Take that excitement – that sense of pride and happiness – you felt when going back to school, and share it with one of those 75 million children. It takes as little as $20 to send a child to school for one whole year. Did you know that a single year of primary school increases the wages people earn later in life by 5-15% (Global Campaign for Education)? It’s a small donation for lasting and positive change.

To read more check out our #backtoschool campaign happening now! Click here for more details.

-Foujan

Angels in the Dust serves as a necessary reminder that we are all accountable for the nature of the world we create, and though our impact may seem small and irrelevant, our positive actions inevitably contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world. The documentary Angels in the Dust is easily the most profound and moving film I have ever had the pleasure of viewing.  Through the power of education, the children in the film are given a real chance at overcoming their circumstances and becoming empowered citizens of the world.

The documentary follows the daily struggles of the Cloete family; Marion, her husband and her two daughters abandoned a life of wealth in Johannesburg to move to the rural village of Magaleisberg and establish a school and orphanage for more than 500 children.  The residents of the area are victims of extreme poverty, malnutrition and the  HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Throughout the film, we see Marion adopt the roles of healer, educator, protector, parent, friend and sister.

The film does not have a tidy ending and this makes Angels in the Dust a somewhat difficult film to watch. It is not meant to reaffirm our belief that we are principled young people who are affected by the stories within the film.  Ultimately, we are only as principled as our actions, not our thoughts.  This film serves as extreme evidence of the positive impact education has amongst children from all walks of life.  If the Cloete family can dedicate their lives to this cause, surely we all have the ability to contribute to the cause for global youth education, even in small ways, within our own communities.

To read more about the film, click here.  And if you’ve seen any other documentaries that you think we should talk about, let us know!

This review was written by Neha Chandrachud – one of our very own volunteers.  Want to join the team? Click here and lend your voice to this important cause!