Such was the case when fifth-year Math and Business student Ashwin Vadivelu arrived at GreenHouse this past winter.
Ashwin is one of the founding members of the student organization Children’s Technological Education Network (or Childrens10), a charitable organization that seeks to support the rebuilding of educational institutions in Sri Lanka after its recent civil war.
Ashwin and other students whose families come from, or still live in, Sri Lanka joined together to form Childrens10 when he was in his first year at UWaterloo. The group has organized a variety of fundraising events on campus, with all funds raised going to partner organizations in Sri Lanka where organizers have contacts at a school and an orphanage.
Initially the students hoped to replicate the organization with chapters at university campuses across Canada that would raise funds and promote projects in rural Sri Lanka.
One month in, he was enthusiastic about the GreenHouse experience.
"We were running the same events the same way every time. GreenHouse helped me to get back to my roots and the model we were using, as well as helping me think even bigger and give me the tools I needed to execute on ideas, whether big or small.”
He also has appreciated living and working in community with like-minded people, “other guys and girls who are trying to make change.” In addition to the resources provided in conversation with GreenHouse leaders, Ashwin has particularly appreciated conversations with his roommate who suggested Childrens10 seek ways to increase their revenues by seeking corporate sponsors — something that was almost instantly successful.
Ash’s project during his term at GreenHouse is to make the Childrens10 model portable so that it can be replicated at other universities.
Ash’s grandparents still live in Sri Lanka and are a constant reminder of the need for the work the charity is doing. He visited his grandparents a number of times after the civil war and has seen some infrastructure improvements, but he has also seen the number of kids whose education was derailed by the fighting.
"My philosophy is the more education, the more prosperity.”
His own education experience at St. Paul’s GreenHouse is proving that philosophy to be true.
Childrens10 held three events during the Winter term (Bomber event, basketball tournament, bake sale) and were able to raise $5,000. They had a turn out of 350 people for the Bomber event, 12 teams participate in the basketball tournament, and a Scarborough MP come out to the bake sale.
Ashwin was also one of the winners of the GreenHouse Social Impact Awards at the end of the term.
- by Susan Fish