Sean Cain
(905) 849-8585
seancain@hotmail.com
1,270 words
Copyright © January 2009
Bilaal Rajan – A Young Canadian Making Change
By Sean Cain
Toronto-based fundraiser, children’s rights activist and UNICEF Canada ambassador Bilaal
Rajan may only be twelve years old, but he still thinks he can change the world.
It all began when he was just four years old. A devastating earthquake had ravaged the
province of Gujarat in India in January 2001. His parents were reading a newspaper story about the
event and told him about a priest from their own religious community who, tragically enough, had
died in the rubble.
Bilaal happened to be eating a clementine orange at the time and humbly suggested to his
mother and father that he could help by selling them door to door in his neighbourhood to raise
funds.
His parents agreed, and the young boy began his mission trudging through freezing
February weather.
“I always had one parent or grandparent at the doorsteps selling the
clementines with me, but I was pretty scared at first,” Bilaal admits. “Some people said no, but
others said yes, and I raised $350. That seemed like a fortune to me.”
His other fundraising accomplishments are more than impressive. Bilaal sold cookie boxes
to raise over $50,000 for the affected people and children of Hurricane-devastated Haiti, raised
$13,000 for the victims of the Tsunami in South-East Asia, and more than $50,000 for the World
Partnership Walk, which CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) later matched dollar
for dollar.
In 2004, Bilaal issued a UNICEF Canada Kids Earthquake Challenge, urging children to each
raise a minimum of $100. By the end, they raised a total of $50,000 and as a result, the Toronto
District School Board presented Bilaal and the President and CEO of UNICEF Canada with a cheque
for $1.3 million. The Government of Canada then matched this, making the total donation nearly $4
million.
To date, Bilaal has raised almost $5 million for various children’s causes. “From an early
age,” he says, “I could see that millions of other young people around the world didn’t have it so
good. I realized two specific things: that I had to get involved and make a difference, and that I
would need a lot of help in order to make that change.”
In 2004, Bilaal founded the Hands for Help Organization (www.bilaalrajan.com) and in
March 2005 was chosen as an official child ambassador for UNICEF Canada. Most notably, he
recently held a launch of his new book at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, Ontario, where he’s an
eighth-grade student on the honour roll.
Named Making Change: Tips from an Underage
Overachiever (www.makingchangenow.com, 160 pages, Orca Book Publishers), it shows how young
people can become active, heighten awareness about important issues and raise funds for children
in need all over the world.
In front of an audience of over 300 students, teachers and invited guests, Rajan eloquently
speaks for ten minutes – without notes – to which he later receives a 45-second standing ovation.
Also present were Richmond Hill member of provincial parliament Reza Moridi, Canadian idol
judge Farley Flex, and President and CEO of UNICEF Canada, Nigel Fisher, among other dignitaries.
It was starling to see elected officials, executives and other social leaders well into their forties and
fifties – all highly influential and successful in their own right - stand and applaud a boy of only
twelve years.
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“Making Change was written especially for young people,” says Bilaal. “I hope it will be used
to show how easy – and how much fun – it really is to make a difference. In the book, we focus on
being creative, thinking big, being bold, and never taking ‘no’ for an answer.”
The book delivers on fundraising ideas and activities that young people can implement in
their own communities. Bilaal also discusses media relations, event organizing, goal setting and
public speaking, all with young people in mind. “I realize that to many young people, making a
speech in public can be pretty scary stuff,” he says. “That’s why I list ten specific tips in my book on
how to take the fear out of public speaking and make it a fun and enjoyable experience.”
Bilaal’s achievements would make even the greatest of parents wonder what in the world
his mother and father did to raise him this way. “He wants to make such a difference,” says mother
Shamim Rajan. “We just encouraged him to be the best at what he loves doing. Other than that, he’s
just a regular twelve year-old boy who loves sports, music and hanging out with friends.”
Most regular twelve year old boys, however, haven’t travelled to Africa to speak with AIDS
orphans or to South America to help build a school, as Rajan did over the past year as a recipient of
the 2008 Top 20 Under 20 Award. “There’s nothing too big for Bilaal,” says father Aman Rajan.
“When he wants to do something, he just dives into it head first.” Of course, Bilaal isn’t perfect.
“Sometimes he doesn’t make his bed in the morning or clean his room, which can be a real mess
sometimes,” Shamim admits with a laugh. Not exactly the kind of turmoil that would send a family
to Dr. Phil for counselling.
Rajan credits his enthusiasm for social activism and awareness with the people he grew up
with. “The book I am launching isn’t really a book,” Bilaal told the audience at his book launch. “It’s
a story, our story, one that we wrote and are continuing to write together each and every day.”
Proceeds from the book will go to UNICEF and other programs that benefit children around
the world. It has already received high praise from those who know a thing or two about making a
difference. Craig Kielburger, founder and chair of Free the Children, said: “We often refer to young
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people as ‘the leaders of tomorrow,’ but more and more, the youth of the world are showing us they
can truly be leaders of today. Making Change reminds us that there’s no need to wait.”
Bilaal has been busy on the television and radio circuit. He’s recently been featured on
Canadian news programs and is scheduled to be a guest on several daytime shows in the United
States. “I love meeting new people and talking about global issues,” he says. “The most important
thing to do is to increase awareness about the problems facing our world. That’s the quickest way
to make change.”
Bilaal also has personal ambitions in areas that seem quite removed from philanthropy,
including astronomy and politics. “I want to be the first astronaut to land on Mars. I’m the kind of
person who likes to try new things,” he says with a gleam in his eye. “I also have a dream of
becoming the Governor General of Canada one day. I think it’s the best way to give back to the
country that has given me and my family so much.”
Bilaal is currently creating a youth volunteer program award at middle schools throughout
Ontario.
His main goal is to “inspire one million young people to make change in their
communities.” That may be asking a lot, but considering what he’s done so far, it’s difficult to
believe it won’t happen.
Just before the end of his book launch speech, Bilaal borrows a line from that great Irish
writer George Bernard Shaw: “Some people see things as they are and say why. We must dream of
things that never were and ask why not.” He then looks to the audience once last time, especially to
the back rows where even younger St. Andrew’s students are sitting, and offers a declaration:
“Making change isn’t just a youthful dream. It is our destiny.”
Sean Cain is a freelance writer from Oakville, Canada. He can be reached at seancain@hotmail.com.
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