Unlikely Hero to the Rescue |
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By Shawn Lawrence
In a time when the world needs heroes, 15 year-old Brampton resident Daniel Francavilla heard the call.
The St. Marguerite D'Youville student recently created a unique charity, the sole function of which is to bring aid to less fortunate children living in the Dominican Republic by providing them school uniforms and other supplies.
Children in the Dominican Republic aren't allowed to attend school unless they have proper uniforms. Sadly, many can't afford the high cost of the uniforms. This is where ACCESS Dominican Republic comes to the rescue. The charity's name is an acronym for 'Allowing Children a Chance at Education with School Supplies.'
"Education is vital for the people of this country," said Daniel. "Without it, there is no hope to improve their quality of life, to find decent work that pays. It's a terrible cycle that leads to endless poverty, and charities such as ACCESS work to correct this injustice."
Daniel says the idea for the charity was first thought of when he along with four other classmates returned to Canada after attending the Dominican Republic Exposure Experience trip. As part of the trip, students were placed in the homes of various middle-class Dominican families for a week in a town called Consuelo. The students were taken on tours and exposed to the harsh conditions endured by the people living in the Bateys. These are sub-standard living conditions in isolated communities around the sugar cane plantations. Changed by this experience, Daniel was inspired to take action.
"I saw parents working around the clock in sweatshops and on sugar cane plantations, making paltry wages. There was poverty all around us, but most importantly, I noticed that the ones suffering the most were the children," he said.
After returning, he consulted with Fr. Wayne Manne, the pastor at St, Marguerite d'Youville parish and Manne convinced Daniel to tell his stories to the church's congregation.
"I was a bit hesitant and shy at first, but I overcame my fears because this was too important not to do."
Parishioners responded in surprising fashion, donating money over the next two weekends. The money raised was presented to the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in Pembroke. From there, it was forwarded to a Grey Sisters chapter in the Dominican Republic, where it was used to send 320 Bateys children to school.
"He was straightforward, calm and convincing. He really challenged the congregation to help do more. What he did took a lot of courage," said Whalen, the school chaplain who accompanied Daniel on the trip.
At first glance, such acts of altruism might not be expected from the youth of today, but according to both the school chaplain and Manne, this comes as no surprise from someone such as Francavilla.
Francavilla plans on continuing to present to other parishes and schools in the coming months, urging them to assist in the cause. As well, the parish will host a school supply drive in August. For further information about ACCESS visit www.accesscharity.ca.