OSHAWA -- When local high school teacher Marie Bekessy first sets foot in Kenya this July to help build a local school, she hopes it will be the start of a lifelong dream. Ms. Bekessy, who has spent years as an elementary and high school teacher, would like to start teaching in developing nations once she retires in about 10 years. She is going to Kenya with a group of other teachers, many from Canada, as part of a Leaders Today trip.
The international organization, an offshoot of Free the Children, is primarily geared to young adults who want to work in developing nations as volunteers helping local residents with much-needed projects. Some groups, like hers, consist of older adults.
"Both Leaders Today and Free the Children teach kids a global perspective and global citizenship," Ms. Bekessy said. "They're trying to create a 'We' generation, as opposed to a 'Me' generation."
The working trips, paid for by the volunteers, are in countries like Kenya, Ecuador, China and India. Ms. Bekessy's trip will be almost three weeks long -- the first 14 or 15 days will be spent working and the remainder used for sightseeing. If Kenya is still in political turmoil, the group will head to Tanzania instead.
Ms. Bekessy, a teacher at Msgr. John Pereyma Catholic High School, is holding a fundraiser for her trip at Johnny B's, 75 Consumer's Dr. in Whitby, on Saturday, March 22, at 8 p.m. It features three local bands -- the Steve Bekessy band, a blues group; the Chris Gauthier group, an acoustic rockabilly band; and the Cellar Dwellers, a Tragically Hip cover band. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. E-mail marie.bekessy@dcdsb.ca for advance tickets.