Founder of ‘1 Kid Making A Difference,’ 16-year-old Taylor DeVos, is keen to launch a ‘K.I.D.S. Making A Difference Club’ in Vermilion.
Originally from Saskatchewan, and having spent the past few years in Fort St. John, British Columbia, DeVos is thrilled to be back in a small town, and to see what areas she can impact locally and around the world.
In 2010, at almost 10-years-old, while watching an advertisement on how children in developing countries live, DeVos became compelled to make a difference. She soon began sponsoring Mesline, a young girl from Haiti, and continues to exchange letters with her.
Her organization has led her to public speaking events such as We Day in Saskatoon where she was able to share the stage with the likes of Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, as well as Craig and Marc Kielburger.
In 2014, through ‘1 Kid Making A Difference,’ Taylor donated $10,000 to Free the Children for their Manac School Project in Manac, Haiti; as well as $5,000 to World Vision Canada for their Jacques Roumian School Project in Balan, Haiti.
In 2016, Taylor accompanied World Vision to Haiti where she was able to meet her sponsor child, Mesline, as well as several of the school children whom she had helped to make a difference for.
“Without a doubt, if we did not have this Secondary School that you have constructed for us, we as students would be leading a totally unproductive existence without any real life or any certain future,” said Johnky Pierre, Student of Jacques Roumain Secondary School.
Throughout the past few years, DeVos has received the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers, City of Fort St. John’s Youth of the Year award in 2015, and was runner up in the TED X TEEN’s International ‘The Next Big Thing’ competition.
Now, DeVos is having ‘1 Kid Making A Difference’ partner with World Vision to continue helping girls receive access to education in Mposa, Malawi, Africa. Her assistance in this area has already helped sponsor two local students to attend college; provided school supplies, textbooks, art supplies, and sports equipment; as well as set up “mother groups” to care for teenage girls, and build sanitation facilities that cater to girls who have started menstruation in 11 area schools. To donate, you can search ‘1 kid making a difference’ on Facebook.
In Vermilion, the ‘K.I.D.S. Making a Difference Club’ (Kids Inspiring Dreams and Sustainability)
will meet biweekly to work on leadership skills, public speaking, and will have youth plan and execute local and worldwide contributions.
“I’m excited to meet the youth in Vermilion and start working to make a difference in our community and around the world. You can make a difference in any way, so always follow your dreams, be yourself, and make a difference in someone else’s life,” said DeVos.
To join ‘K.I.D.S. Making A Difference’ in Vermilion, you can message ‘1 kid making a difference’ on Facebook, or call 1-306-813-7232.