Lake Country’s Alaina Podmorow has been announced as a winner of Plan Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 award for 2015, which recognizes Canada’s brightest youth who are making a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.
Through her organization Little Women for Little Women in Afghanistan, Alaina, 17, has raised more than $500,000 for girls’ education in Afghanistan and has inspired more than ten fundraising chapters across North America. In 2012, Alaina was selected by the Canadian government as Canada's Honorary Youth Ambassador for the world's inaugural International Day of the Girl.
Reporter Kevin Parnell spoke to Podmorow today. Watch for his full feature on the outstanding Lake Country youth in next Wednesday's Lake Country Calendar.
Alaina is one of 20 remarkable youth from across Canada who were recognized for their innovation, leadership and achievement at an awards ceremony that took place yesterday in Toronto.
From supporting youth entrepreneurship and designing breakthrough water collection tools to tackling issues such as bullying, mental health stigma and gender inequality, these youth are leading and inspiring solutions that improve our world.
Through its Top 20 Under 20 program, Plan Canada aims to celebrate youth as the drivers of change and to empower the next generation of leaders who are creating a positive impact on the world as global citizens – reflecting Plan’s vision of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people's rights and dignity.