Most nine year olds are playing video games and reading Harry Potter — but one girl is busy raising thousands of dollars for HIV orphans and destitute children.
Taya Kendall is a grade 4 student from Guelph.
Her mom Rebecca is a graduate of West Hill Secondary in Owen Sound.
Taya was the editor of her school newspaper – with all proceeds from the paper going to the Children of Bukati – a charity that supports more than 700 HIV/AIDS orphans and destitute children in Butula Kenya.
Taya went to a reading at the Guelph library by famous children’s author Robert Munsch.
When she was there she was introduced to Munsch and he offered her one of his unpublished stories to print in her newspaper.
Taya took it one step forward and decided to get the manuscript “Braids” published into a book with all proceeds going to the charity.
Taya got students from her school to illustrate the book.
Taya says the charity itself invested 10-thousand dollars into the publishing of five thousand copies of the book.
The first run stands to raise 35-thousand dollars for the charity.
Taya receives nothing from this and says she didn’t need anything – but is happy to hear the children that benefit from this charity are doing better.
The book can be purchased at the Downtown Book Store in Owen Sound or at the Ginger Press for 10 dollars.