It is an honor and a privilege to be here today as the recipient of the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy Award. Eight months ago I recall sitting at the base camp of Mt. Everest and reading what mountaineer George Mallory said in 1923 when asked why he would ever want to summit Mt. Everest. 

He replied, "Because it's there." 

For Mallory, Everest was the world's largest problem: a challenge to conquer. For many, the mountain seemed impossible and beyond belief.  

Many of today's world issues seem insurmountable - poverty, climate change and child trafficking to name a few. I was asked today to speak a little bit about what inspires me, and I would like to believe that, like Mallory, I am inspired because I know that the problems are there. I believe that that suffering and living in a disadvantaged environment can be turned around with encouragement and opportunity. 

For four years I have had the privilege of working with English Conversation Circle, an organization that works with youth refugees in the Hamilton area. I had the good fortune of attending my ECC student's high school graduation, knowing the horrible trauma her family lived through in Myanmar. That day will stay with me forever and truly inspires me. For me, inspiration is the need to feel that I helped create hope and opportunity in the life of someone in the world. 

Yet I believe philanthropy is much more than giving back. Philanthropy is a state of mind, an awareness, and just like Everest, world challenges are there to be conquered. 

Role models and inspiring individuals who have faced challenging circumstances are helping to build awareness, and awareness feeds solutions. Conor Grennan built awareness of the plight of Nepalese children through his book, Little Princess, inspiring others, such as myself, to contribute to Next Generation Nepal. Both Conor and Nancy Wong's continual work with trafficked children inspire me to no end, and they truly embody the idea of what it means to be philanthropic. 

I have been blessed to have many role models, and I would like to thank Hillfield Strathallan College for offering unwavering awareness and fundraising support to BaseCampBound and Next Generation Nepal. My teachers and peers at HSC were inspirational, going beyond the role of educators, and acting more as mentors and role models. From Me to We, to ECC and the many other philanthropic endevours, HSC has always encouraged and supported students to reach out to the local and global community, working to nurture the whole student. 

Thank you to the Association of Fundraising Professionals for accepting my nomination for this award and selecting me for this prestigious honour, and to Telus for supporting and sponsoring AFP. I would also like to thank my family for their support and encouragement behind all of my ideas. 

As a first year student studying both international development and environmental sustainability at Dalhousie University, I look forward to the future with optimism. One day I hope to work as a lawyer in human rights and environmental activism. I believe that extending our hands out to the larger community helps to symbolize that we are all one race, one unity and one world. 

Namaste and thank you.