Heather Latter
Fort Frances High School student Dexter Fichuk is anxious to travel to Ecuador at month’s end—his first trip outside of North America—to see poverty first-hand and meet some of the people who are assisted by the “Free the Children” campaigns he has been focusing on all year long.
The Grade 11 students is head of the Fort Frances Mob(ilizers) group at the school that spreads the “Me to We” philosophy of creating positive social and environmental impacts in our local and global communities.
“I’m excited to see the country and the culture,” Fichuk enthused, adding he wants to bring back all he learns to the local community.
“I’d like to be able to come back and know how to conserve for the environment and spend less money because the people there live off so little,” he remarked.
The trip—being offered through “Me to We” (a partner of “Free the Children”)—takes place in indigenous communities of Ecuador’s rugged mountain regions.
“Ecuador’s natural landscapes are an ideal classroom for lessons on conservation, biodiversity, and rural development issues,” the website boasts, citing the country’s rich cultures, contrasted against a history of indigenous issues and economic disparities, makes for a truly hands-on global education experience.
Fichuk said he also will have the opportunity to explore the Amazon rainforest, hike the Andes mountains, and experience some of the world’s greatest biodiversity.
“It is going to be the experience of a lifetime and probably a life-changing journey,” he admitted.
During his two-week visit, Fichuk will be helping to build a school for children without access to education, building lifelong skills in leadership and global development workshops, giving back to the community by volunteering at a school and rehabilitation centre, and experiencing remarkable biodiversity and gaining first-hand experience with environmental and development issues.
“It’s not a vacation,” he stressed, noting he hopes the experience will help him attain his future goals, such as to become a lawyer who will be able to help those without a voice.
He also hopes the trip will educate him and motivate him to continue the fundraisers and campaigns he and “The Mob” organized this past school year.
Those included participating in the “We Day” event in Winnipeg last November, taking a “Vow of Silence” to stand in solidarity with children who are silenced by poverty, disease, and exploitation, and raising funds for those suffering from the drought in East Africa and to help build a school in Sierra Leone.
They also collected more than 2,100 non-perishable items during the “Hallowe’en for Hunger” campaign and entered a float in the annual “Parade of Lights.”
Fichuk wants to continue this work within the high school, but to also expand it by opening the group to include members of the public.
“It’s sometimes difficult to do with a limited amount of people,” he explained, adding many students often are busy with projects or other extra-curricular activities.
He also would like to get more people involved to ensure that once he leaves for university at the end of next year, the group will continue to do good things within the local and global communities.
The teen is paying for the $4,000 trip on his own, but recently received a $500 donation from the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club to help with the cost.
His journey will take place June 28-July 16.
Upon his return, Fichuk plans to educate others about the poverty in Ecuador.
“I’m going to bring it back and tell people here all about it, where the money goes to help them,” he stressed.
Fichuk added he has a real passion for helping others and is striving to make the local community—and those many miles away—a better place.
