subject: Plan Canada's Because I'm A Girl Campaign Promoted By An Eleven Year Old Girl [print this page] After our documentary team visited Nova Scotia, Michaela Lalande became a die-hard fan of Because I Am A Girl. Despite the fact that she had only been in her new school a couple of months, Michaela went to her principal and asked for permission to make a presentation to all the students. The principal was 'iffy' - concerned about adding what he thought would be just another fund-raiser to an already crowded season.
But because Michaela is a girl, this wasn't the end of it. "If I really want to help someone, I don't stop until I've helped," Michaela says simply. "As a girl, you've got a lot of power. And I want to use it."
The determined Michaela went home and put her presentation together on bristle board, basing it on information she learned from our website about girls' issues across the world.
After bugging the principal to let her take him through her presentation, Michaela finally got the go-ahead. She went on to give the presentation to all 500 students in her middle school. She also put up posters in the lobby and in her classroom, and handed out stickers.
And Michaela's campaign continues. She has created her own Because I Am A Girl notebook, which she adds to nightly with updates from our website. She also keeps her class engaged with updates on the Because I Am A Girl tour across Canada at least once a week, and sometimes daily.
Michaela has now been invited to give the presentation to her old school, and is also in talks to expand her campaign to a local high school.
"There are so many different ways to engage in the movement and help fight for girls rights against poverty," says Michaela. She adds that wearing her pink Because I Am A Girl T-shirt is a great conversation starter. Michaela also takes her book with her wherever she goes, and always has stickers in her purse to give out to people she meets.
Michaelas Dad is in the air force, so she has traveled much more extensively than most girls and has already been in four different schools. This may account for some of her resilience and her commitment to help others across the world.
"She doesn't see herself as a young girl in any one town," says her mother, Marianne. "She looks at herself as one part of the world."
Michaela nods agreement, "I've seen a lot of people living in poverty," she says. "And I don't like it. I believe every child should have shelter, food, water, education and love. Im trying to help as much as I can".
Michaela is living up to her beliefs this holiday season by requesting that instead of regular gifts, she would like to have a goat purchased in her name for a family in a developing country.
Asked about her future plans, Michaela has no hesitation, "I want to give the presentation on the military base," she says. "If all the military kids across Canada got together, just think of the difference we could make!"
If anyone can do it, Michaela can. Because she is a girl. For more information, visit BecauseIAmAGirl.
