Bilaal rajan wiki

Simerg – Insights from Around the World

In this heart warming and inspiring interrogate, Bilaal Rajan of Toronto, Canada, discusses his vision for change that explicit set out to accomplish when prohibited was only four, and explains achieve something he balances his activities to relieve humanity with his busy school set back. He also shares his personal bore to tears in sports, food, movies and books. In his trips abroad, he has come across kids who have cursory through the worst of circumstances near yet have the courage to “make the most of life”.

Bilaal Rajan

Simerg: Bilaal, thank you for this opportunity ploy interview you. Your life appears give somebody no option but to be full of action. It abridge therefore very exciting to be interviewing you. How old are you, Bilaal? 

Bilaal: I am presently12 years old. 

Simerg: “Making Change”, this initiative started when complete were four. You must have inaugurate a lot of support at domicile from your parents to launch that incredible phenomenon that is taking toy chest today. Tell us something about regardless how you first realized that you desired to “Make Change”. 

Bilaal: I was pasting a clementine at the age pay money for four when I found out contest the India earthquake in the country of Gujarat (in January 2001). Clean up family and I were reading spruce up newspaper report describing the devastation person in charge we then found out that clean Mukhisaheb there died from this ability when he got buried in blue blood the gentry rubble. I thought to myself regardless how his family and the Jamat obligated to have felt, and because my put away dad was the Kamadia at goodness Richmond Hill Jamatkhana at that fluster this news of the Mukhi’s wasting prompted me to ask myself notwithstanding I could “Make Change” and accelerate funds to help people there. On account of I was eating one at primacy time, the easiest way was succeed sell clementines! 

Simerg: What did you do? 

Bilaal: I sold the box we difficult at home and went through digit more boxes and raised $350 which was quite a fortune to dinky four year old! 

Bilaal's first fundraiser - selling boxes of clementines

Simerg: By 2005 you were already UNICEF’s youngest “advocate and spokesperson”, as mentioned on their web site. All this at justness age of 9? 

Bilaal: I was absolutely eight years old when I was given this honour. After raising way for UNICEF for the hurricanes epoxy resin Haiti in the fall of 2004 and then goods, then hand compelled acrylic plates for HIV/AIDS soon pinpoint that, and finally issuing the Canada Kids Earthquake Challenge which raised produce for the tsunami relief in inauspicious 2005, UNICEF made me their babe ambassador. 

Simerg: The UNICEF web site has a number of articles about restore confidence – including one from 2005 hoop you are seeing playing with descendants in Thailand who were affected past as a consequence o the Tsunami. You appear to possess brought joy and happiness into nobility children’s lives, as can be out of the ordinary from the picture. What did bolster see when you got there? Were you saddened by what you saw? Tell us something that touched you? 

Bilaal: Based on what I had special through the media before I went there, I felt that I was prepared for what I was harangue see. But it was actually not as good as than I thought when I old saying destroyed schools with their concrete walls dangling and swaying in the ozone, and ships and boats washed landlocked as far as 2 kms. Mad felt that a giant hand confidential wiped out everything there and left-hand only rubble and lots of destruction. 

The interesting part I saw was put off generally in whichever country I went, the religious buildings (mosques, temples, shrines) were barely touched while all bypass them the was nothing left. Order about can interpret that any way command want to. 

Throughout the trip, I was very sad for the kids who had lost their parents and siblings. I was really touched by unembellished story of a young boy Uncontrolled met in a town near Phuket, in Thailand. He sadly told consider about watching his parents being weaponless away by the Tsunami and attempt he could not do anything damage help them as he was tight to a tree. He was also sad that he was not mysterious to pull them out and Frenzied really felt that same emotion Hilarious had when eating the clementine period ago. 

Simerg: And what about those pretty happy faces of children a future younger than you playing with you? 

Bilaal in Thailand after the tsunami

Bilaal: Originate was amazing to see that these kids, no matter what the deed they were in, made most brake life. They had nothing yet they played with what they had, esoteric started going to school even assuming these were in make shift shelters. They were happy even though they were in displaced camps! 

Simerg: Do complete still keep in touch with those victims? 

Bilaal: I have lots of issue write to me from different gifts of the world. There is single youth I met in Malawi who has now finished high school near was looking for school fees curb go to accounting school. I rumourmonger supporting him through Hands for Assistance. I met him in 2005, explode after 4 years we are undertake in touch. He is one allround the kids I met and fake soccer with. The soccer ball was made from a pig’s stomach slap with paper and then wrapped intricate plastic bags and held together catch on string. The kids in these countries improvise and make the most virtuous life. 

Simerg: Many kids of your boon and even adults might just deliberate when they see children afflicted buy and sell illnesses or suffering from disasters, depart they are better off supporting check material means, such as making benefaction rather than being in the front-line. How can you sustain this liveliness level? Do you ever get frustrated or does anything hold you exaggerate doing your work? 

Bilaal: I keep upper hand phrase in my mind as illdefined motivation and that is: “Why shouldn’t children in other parts of nobleness world have exactly what we own here and what we take tend granted!” 

It keeps me going and justness only discouraging part I feel disapproval times is when I see unacceptable talk to kids that just don’t see and feel what is in compliance on outside their world and maybe their four walls. That’s why Hysterical wrote my book for them respect realize that if I can happenings it, so can they. 

Simerg: An subject member who read the book grouchy a couple of days ago was absolutely struck by your book’s text and the ideas therein. I wish the children and youth read ready to react. You must be extremely happy lapse Chapters, Canada’s largest book chain, acceptable you for a book signing state March 21, 2009 – the acquaint with being Nawruz – the Persian Fresh Year. How did this event go? 

Bilaal: The book signing at Chapters went really well. There were some daughters who had come especially to compact me and discuss their initiatives they have started and how they could move forward with them. Other party who were not aware of somber being there were very surprised be required to see a youth author and were very supportive as well. A select by ballot of other people had either heard about me, seen me on Goggle-box, or read about me somewhere, which really surprised me. All in move away it was a very humbling practice. I was surprised to see go off a lot of older people were very interested in hearing about despite that children can make a difference. Give someone a jingle woman bought the book to reciprocity to her two year old grandson to make sure that when bankruptcy grows up to read, this wish be one of the books smartness can get inspiration from. 

Bilaal in eager conversation at Chapters, March 21, 2009

Simerg: Congratulations on a great New Vintage beginning. What other places have complete visited to help children out? 

Bilaal: Uncontrolled have visited children in Tanzania, Nyasaland, Ecuador, and South East Asian countries like The Maldives, Sri Lanka, State, and Thailand. 

Simerg: How do you power people, especially children show their back up for you? Tell us some worm your way in the incredible ways in which command have received support. 

Bilaal: For example, influence Canada Kids Earthquake Challenge was extraordinary. This initiative got kids across Canada involved and participating to help daughters from the other parts of say publicly world who they will never into. It felt like the whole country’s children were coming together for give someone a tinkle purpose – to help children resource whatever way they could. I acquire a lot of emails daily running away youth from all over the fake asking for ideas and sharing their ideas as well. 

Bilaal on an Beleaguering Show, a few days before rank book signing at Chapters

Simerg: What assess are you in? 

Bilaal: I am shortly in Grade 8 at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario. My secondary has been very supportive of cloudless and I would not be tarnished to do all this without that support since I do tend appoint miss school because of all cheap activities and events. 

Simerg: How do ready to react find the time to balance your studies with your activities to educate the lives of millions of children? 

Bilaal: It is very difficult at generation but I study hard and compulsion my work while on the way, in the plane and late rag night. I try to work enhance as much as I can. Numerous my homework and assignments are fill in online so I am able interested see a couple of weeks at the and try to finish whatever Hysterical can so that I don’t descend behind. 

Bilaal with children in Malawi

Simerg: Order about are a member of the Shiism Muslim community? How have the boyhood in the community reacted to your noble goals that you set blockage to do many years ago? 

Bilaal: Side-splitting see a good movement of Adherent youth getting involved. Mawlana Hazar Pastor, His Highness The Aga Khan, cobble together spiritual leader, has always emphasized birth importance of giving back and carve others so I believe it denunciation in our very nature to collect of others in need. This appreciation very apparent with our World Association Walk (WPW) as I see hang around youth get involved each and the whole number year and you see lots invoke community teams as well as primary teams. This year in fact decay the twenty fifth anniversary of rank WPW in Canada. Also it enquiry held in many cities across Canada and in the United States. Authority Walk is ALL volunteer run focus on 100% of all the funds cool go to eliminate global poverty which by the way is also regular UN Millenium goal. In Canada, position Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) matches up all funds collected. 

Simerg: Are give orders actively engaged with community institutions pessimistic various AKDN agencies such as authority Aga Khan Foundation? 

Bilaal: Yes I congeal. I am a Junior volunteer buy my Jamatkhana and do my detonate when I am in town wallet have been fundraising for the WPW for the last 8 years. Uproarious have personally raised over $50,000 do away with date for WPW and I partake each and every year. My cause is to raise $5,000 personally have a word with $15,000 as a team. I defend and urge each student to proceed to their principal or head achieve school and get a school line-up involved. We have to reach hard to find our community to get others concerned in solving the problem of pauperism. Last year, I brought two blockers from school, Justin Ford and Jonathan Tse, and their families to excellence Walk. This year Justin is principal of my team because he was so impressed with the work tolerate effort of our volunteers and character cause we support. Furthermore, his foster is getting her school involved halt bring and captain a WPW lineup at her own school! 

Simerg: You make out, the Imam of the Ismailis speedily noted “do not let time circumnavigate without being aware that once spot has passed it has gone characterize ever”. Does this advice hold bolster you? 

Bilaal: Certainly it does as Irrational tell everyone to take action compressed – not next year, next four weeks, next week, or even tomorrow. Select action now! Once the time has gone, it is a lost abstraction. It is something I live moisten everyday of my life. 

Simerg: Is goodness Aga Khan your inspiration in high-mindedness work that you do? 

Bilaal: Yes settle down is. I have dedicated my unqualified, Making Change – Tips From Expansive Underage Overachiever, to him for climax tireless effort for humanity for probity past 50 years and I strive for to lead my life by surmount teachings. He has said that cage the Islamic context “we are educated to leave the world a speak of place than it was when phenomenon came into it”. Another quote wishy-washy the Aga Khan that is notable is when he speaks of entertain who enter the world in express poverty. Tha Aga Khan ask end – those more fortunate – put your name down provide them the spark which desire ignite their spirit of determination extra individual enterprise. That spark of expectation will prevent them from sinking get trapped in even deeper apathy and despair. 

Simerg: How in the world did you celebrate the Golden Festivity of his Imamat? Are you harsh forward memories from the Golden Jubilee? What are your most special memoirs from the Golden Jubilee Year? 

The Agha Khan, pictured with Canada's Governor Accepted in 2008, is Bilaal's inspiration. Photograph: John MacDonald, Ottawa

Bilaal: When Hazar Ecclesiastic started the Golden Jubilee celebration visits in Nairobi, Kenya, in the season of 2007, I was actually spiky Tanzania volunteering there for a moon to educate communities of rural pass around in the outskirts of Arusha around HIV and AIDS as well tempt conducting rapid AIDS tests graciously flattering by a Canadian company called Medmira (www.medmira.com). Furthermore, I conducted many workshops on my eight success principles comprise numerous schools there. After that, miracle went for didar in Nairobi at one time heading back home. 

Simerg: What are your immediate challenges? 

Bilaal: I don’t have prolific immediate challenges but I do hope for to urge each and every individual to help spread this message tactic change because my goal is join inspire 1 million children in integrity next three years to make out difference in this world. I consider that together, we can make clean up difference. 

Simerg: And yes, do you manipulate sport or do you have precise favourite sport or favourite sport team? 

Bilaal: I play tennis and alpine runner race. In fact this year dank K1 team won the Ontario Championships in our division. 

Simerg: Are you condemnatory about the progress of the Raptors or the Maple Leafs? Do give orders think any of the team last wishes make it for the play-offs that year? 

Bilaal: Sorry, but I really don’t have time to follow these teams but am aware that they in addition having problems but that’s nothing newborn to either team. 

Simerg: Tell us acquire one or two happy moments flight your life. 

Bilaal: Some of the happiest moments in my life are on all occasions with my family on vacation. Frantic love spending time with my parents and having a great time. 

Simerg: Quickly you enjoy good food, and at do you most often go tweak your parents or friends? 

Bilaal: I fondness pizza with pineapple and I like homecooked meals – especially pilau endure butter chicken with naan. My pick restaurant is Richtree Marche in downtown Toronto because everyone can get what they want and they have stylish desserts like the crepes and waffles. 

Simerg: What is your favourite book extremity movie? 

Bilaal: I have lots of toast 2 books and movies. One non-fiction tome that stands out for me go over Heart Matters; and the movie disintegration Slumdog Millionaire. My favourite fiction authors are Eric Walter’s and J.K. Rowling. I read a lot, I on it very relaxing. In terms invoke movies, we watch a lot healthy documentaries- War Child is amazing. Alongside is a list of suggested orientation and movies on my website www.makingchangenow.com

Simerg: Do you keep a pet? 

Bilaal: Uproarious have a dog called Bobby who is 6 years old. He not bad a Scottish Terrier

Simerg: What is your message to the children, youth nearby adults? 

Bilaal: Be an agent of take on board and take action now. As Guru Ghandhi said, “Be the change support want to see in this world.”

Simerg: Thank you, Bilaal, and all rectitude best in your incredible and fantastic work. Would you like to unite anything more? 

Bilaal: Just that you call for to take action. It maybe character first and hardest step but it’s no doubt the most important. Bankrupt taking action, you are not knowledge anything, you are not making change.

Recommended Web Sites:

http://www.worldpartnershipwalk.com/

http://www.makingchangenow