Poverty pen pal

By KATH GANNAWAY
MOST teenagers return from holidays abroad with suitcases full of souvenirs and memories of golden beaches, snorkelling or shopping.
Mikhaela Shafran came back from her family holidays with a determination to do something to relieve poverty in Third World countries.
In Thailand it was a man who had lost both legs pushing himself along on a skateboard, in Borneo people begging for food that got the Healesville High School student thinking.
Mikhaela turned 18 last week putting the final tick in the boxes she needed to fly out to India on a four-month volunteer teaching and community service assignment.
She will be part of the first wave of Trailblazers for Young People Without Borders.
“In Bali I sat in a taxi with a six-year-old girl whose family couldn’t afford to send her to school,” said Mikhaela who worked during her VCE year in 2011 to raise money for the trip and for materials to take with her.
“My experiences are my motivation to reduce the increasing amount of poverty affecting India’s youth,” she said.
Her main goals are to establish a public library and a pen-pal relationship between Indian and Australian school children.
“The library is really important because learning to read, and having a broad range of books, will reinforce what the kids learn in class.
“It’s fine to be able to speak English, but to read is important as well,” she said.
Mikhaela will be working with other young people on placement with Latitude Global Volunteering in Darjeeling at the foothills of the Himalayas.
“Through the pen-pal project I hope that the Indian children learn about Australian life and how English can help them break the cycle of poverty,” she said scanning an atlas in a cafe in Healesville last week.
On the map and in so many ways, Healesville is a world away from India, but Mikhalea said she hopes to also make a difference back home.
“I hope that the Australian children can learn of the dangers and affects of poverty and are inspired to make a change to their pen-pal’s life,” she said.
The Rotary Club of Healesville is one of the local groups supporting Mikhaela and has also provided the opportunity for her to speak with other Rotary clubs.
New Generations Director David Lau said the club was so impressed with Mikhaela’s enthusiasm and dedication, qualities the club aims to encourage among Healesville’s youth and which he said could serve as inspiration to other young people.
With just over a week before she heads off, Mikhaela admitted she is both excited and a little nervous … but never in doubt.
“I knew for a long time I wanted to take a gap year and when I learnt of this I just jumped at the chance.
“It didn’t seem like a choice to go or not to go,” she said. “I had to go.”
To support Mikhaela’s work in India, or to find out about becoming a pen-pal phone 0433 290 771 or email mikhaelashafran@hotmail.com.