Guest post by Kathryn Dunmore, Red Cross blogger
After high school, many graduates head off to college or take a gap year to travel. Jack Bennet, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, dared to do something different. What he accomplished earned him a
Canadian Red Cross Young Humanitarian of the year award.
Before leaving on a trip to South Africa to visit family, Jack connected with
Manda Wilderness Community Trust, a charitable organization that connects some of the least supported communities in Mozambique to engage in sustainable development projects, community events and the conservation in one of Africa's last true wildernesses. Jack ended up volunteering in Mozambique where he spent three months travelling on foot and by bicycle to remote villages, fostering his love of music and community spirit by teaching choral singing.
“I became involved in a self-directed community project under the supervision of the Trust,” he said. “I organized an annual choir festival to cultivate community harmony and I served as guest conductor."
Though Jack was involved in choirs throughout high school in his home province, he had never conducted. “I was starting at the deep end,” he added.
Jack successfully navigated the logistics of the festival and led an enormous choir of villagers, who travelled far, some by boat, to participate in the special event.
“Music transcends cultural, linguistic, and geographical boundaries. In Mozambique, while singing with people who didn't speak my language, we achieved peace. We achieved community building, and ended up with sustainable models and healthy communities.”
Back home in Nova Scotia, Jack is currently attending university for a combined degree in Music and Sustainability. He will be recognized on November 19 in Halifax for his outstanding humanitarian efforts.
Congratulations, Jack! Find more information on the
Nova Scotia Humanitarian Awards here.