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On a trip in China, two girls redefine peacebuilding and change the world


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Redefining Peacebuilding

We would like to tell you the story of two girls, Katie and Sandy, who travelled to rural China last summer and how they learned that education and cross-cultural understanding is truly peacebuilding by another name. The notion of building peace is not limited to the battlefield nor is it restricted to the vocabulary of politicians—it takes many shapes. Peacebuilding is realized when we make compassionate choices to break down boundaries between people.

St. Michael’s College held a walk-a-thon in May for Adopt a Village
Teach leadership skills to your Chinese peers. Sign up for a trip to rural China this summer!
On a recent Leaders Today International Volunteer and Leadership Trip to China, Katie, a Canadian participant, was partnered with Sandy, a native Chinese participant. The two hit it off immediately, teaching each other about their very different cultures and quickly becoming close friends. While the group travelled from Beijing to Gansu and even learned with Shaolin monks, they spent most of their time interacting with local Chinese youth.

Katie and Sandy volunteered for two days at the Wu Jia Zhuang Free The Children school. In those two short days, the difference Katie made was long-lasting. Katie took a leadership role and introduced her friend Sandy to volunteerism for the first time. Wu Jia Zhuang students now have a permanent mentor and tutor: Sandy. She will play an important role as many of the students at Wu Jia Zhuang are the first members of their family to attend school, so their parents are not able to help with reading or homework.

Sandy volunteers regularly at the Wu Jia Zhuang school in the Gansu province, where the average family income is about 25 cents per day. Receiving an education is students’ hope for a brighter future. Katie’s courage to travel across the world to rural China to volunteer was the first step in both girls’ journeys toward a more united, peaceful world. 

St. Michael’s College held a walk-a-thon in May for Adopt a Village
Volunteering at the Taushui Free The Children school in rural China.
The world we live in today requires the same passion for change that our courageous forefathers displayed, who we remember this November 11. Our generation, however, is blessed to be able to fight for justice without weapons. We can end poverty and war with our voices, passion and commitment to be the change we want to see in the world.

Sign up for a Leaders Today International Volunteer and Leadership Trip for next summer and take that first step! Our exciting programs will be taking place in rural China, Mexico/Arizona, Ecuador and Kenya.

For more information, visit us online or contact the Trips Department by e-mail at trips@leaderstoday.com or by phone at 1.416.964.8942.

Free The Children is the largest network of children helping children through education in the world, with more than one million youth involved in our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children has an established track-record of success, with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network.
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