English stories
He Pedalled from Montreal to Toronto in Support of Indigenous Peoples
le mardi 22 septembre 2020
Modifié à 16 h 17 min le 22 septembre 2020
At the end of August, a student from Howard S. Billings High School pedalled 603 km over 6 days in support of indigenous peoples.
Translation courtesy Amanda Bennett
As he took up the challenge to cycle from Montreal to Toronto, Zach Stabb’s goal was to raise $1500 for Water First, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to clean drinking water in Canada’s indigenous communities. He more than exceeded his goals; his efforts have amassed $6500 to date.
“In Canada, a 1st world country where we have more than 6% of the globe’s fresh water, I was shocked to learn that 20% of indigenous communities have a major water issue. Many children in these communities end up leaving home and going to university never having had a bath or a drink from their own water taps. I just don’t think that’s right,” the 16-year-old said.
He believes that Water First has a very practical and effective approach. “One of Water First’s main initiatives is to offer 8-month internships that allow young adults from these communities to obtain certification to become water network operators and/or environmental supervisors,” he explained. “The goal is for newly certified young adults to become stewards for their regions’ water systems and reduce their dependence on external resources.”
School Project
Zach Stabb’s journey was part of his studies within Billings’ International Baccalaureate program. “603kmforhope” was his school leaving personal project.