The newly-formed Victoria branch of the Saheli Foundation gathered this week to fill 10 backpacks filled with school supplies for students at Parkland Secondary School in North Saanich.
Members of their group say volunteering and donating supplies is in line with their group’s mission to make a positive difference in young people’s lives.
This marks the first time the group has donated backpacks to students in need, but they hope to expand the program every year to more and more schools in Greater Victoria. The Saheli foundation also donates to transition houses and provides Christmas hampers to the refugee society.
“I think part of the work the Saheli foundation does and why we were interested in sort of opening a chapter or branch here in Victoria was really, it’s sort of community-based,” said Parveen Nijjar, a member of the Victoria chapter that launched in 2019.
“[We’re] supporting families and children so that they can excel. So sometimes it’s things like not having supplies, not having access to basic things that can prevent children from having opportunities, so we saw this as a really good way of being able to give back.”
The main chapter of the Saheli foundation is based in Surrey.
Kevin Charach
