The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is an organization that works to protect children’s rights and provide nutrition, healthcare, and other basic needs for the underprivileged. With the drive of sophomore Reyna Kannan, UNICEF is welcomed at Charter to spread the importance of fundraising and helping adolescents in difficult situations.
For Kannan, the idea to start the club sparked when she was helping the younger age divisions at her Taekwondo studio. “I found inspiration to help people, especially children in specific,” shares Kannan. After figuring out that she wanted to create a club at school that helped kids, Kannan presented her vision to Mr. Bayer and Ms. Battle and formed her club board with the help of her sponsor, Mrs. Schwab.
UNICEF has a lot of goals for their future with volunteering, fundraising, and so much more that will help children in need. Kannan is planning to “to raise awareness and money for UNICEF’s cause and for the children of the world who are in need.” They were able to gain many members of their club, inspiring them with their cause. “If we have the opportunity to benefit other kid’s lives, why not do it,” explains Sophia Alan, UNICEF’s historian.
Along with Kannan and Alan is sophomore Sanjana Balla, UNICEF’s vice president. Every now and then, Balla would go to India to celebrate her birthday. During her birthday, Balla and her family would “donate some sort of meal, books, backpacks, clothes, or any other needs people might want in orphanages, schools, etc.” She further adds, “For my 10th birthday, I went to a blind school where UNICEF provided free products and materials.” Although her 10th birthday was years ago, she was able to share her experiences talking to a representative from UNICEF while also distributing braille books and helping communities around the world.
As vice president, Balla has many hopes and aspirations for this club: “I hope we can expand the club as much as possible and make it as big of a club as Relay [for Life] or HOSA…For UNICEF, my [biggest] goal is to have fun events and have a good time. All of our profits [will be] 100% donated to UNICEF at the end of the year.”
Similar to Balla, Kannan also has had first hand experience inspiring and helping children to reach their dreams. “This made me realize the importance of education and providing it to those who are underprivileged and most deserving of it,” says, Kannan. She knew creating this club was something that would help others feel the same way.
With the start of a new school year, UNICEF—created by a sophomore—has a lot to offer and to do. From fundraising money to volunteering all over South Florida to help their communities, especially children, Kannan, Balla, and the rest of the board have a lot in store for their members.
