Meet Rida Malik – Youth Ambassador

My entire life, I have been blessed with everything I could ask for. A loving family, supportive friends, a beautiful home, a nice, comfortable bed to sleep on, and so much more. I used to believe everything I had, everything that was given to me, was what everyone had. Living my life in a safe home, in a safe country, I had never even thought about the hardships of others, simply because I thought they didn’t affect me. 

I had allowed myself to be ignorant, simply because it is easier than being aware. But slowly, as I grew up, my eyes began to open to the cruelty of the world. On March 15, 2019, devastation struck a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, when an evil man walked in with a gun, killing 51 people and injuring 40 others. My brain could not even process the pain of the families of the victims. 

In her free time, Rida uses her passion for art to sketch anime characters.

I came to a realization that day about how lucky I am in so many ways, and I decided, as a person who has been given so much privilege, that it was my responsibility to help those who have not. I decided to go into social work in university, and became a youth ambassador at International Needs Canada because I want to learn more about the world, gain experience, and more than anything else, I want to help others. 

I decided to become an ambassador for the Savar Children’s Village, a school and shelter for orphaned and vulnerable girls in Bangladesh. Savar was set up to provide a safe environment for girls who face severe poverty, and stand at risk of child labour, marriage, or trafficking. Your support for this project helps to repair and renovate the campus buildings, which have accumulated a lot of damage over the years due to harsh weather conditions, threatening the health and safety of the children and staff.