Fred Hollows Humanity Award nominations open to Year 6 students
Do you know a Year 6 student who demonstrates compassion, integrity and kindness towards others? Here’s your chance to have them recognised at a national level.
Central Coast
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When Zara Matthews was just seven years old she was so moved by photos of Kenya taken by her principal, that she started asking children to donate their lunch money to help Kenyan students.
From there ‘Kenya Help Day’ was born and one lunchtime a year students from St Phillips Christian College at Narara run stalls to raise money.
Led by Zara, her grade has now run five Kenya Help Day events, raising more than $20,000 for two schools in Kenya.
Last year Zara was nominated by one of her teachers for a Fred Hollows Humanity Award, which recognises Year 6 students who demonstrate compassion, integrity and kindness towards others.
Parents, teachers, principals and community members around the country can nominate a child in Year 6 who has made a difference by Friday, September 11.
One `Junior Ambassador’ just like Zara from each state and territory will be selected.
“Fred used to say the basic attribute of mankind is to look after each other,” Fred Hollows Foundation founding director Gabi Hollows said.
“He would be so proud to know the Fred Hollows Humanity Award is recognising students who are demonstrating this belief in their own lives.
“To see students honouring these words by showing compassion, kindness and integrity during such a challenging year is incredibly inspiring.”
Each Junior Ambassador from each state is given $5000 from Specsavers to donate to one of The Foundation’s programs to end avoidable blindness.
Imagine Zara’s joy when one of those programs was based in Kenya.
“It was such a coincidence,” Zara said.
Now in Year 7, Zara said they were going to hold another Kenya Help Day last term but it had been postponed until later in the year because of COVID-19.
She is also taking part in Fred’s Big Run where she wants to run 50km during the month of August.
“I like to run but it’s not something I wake up in the morning and think, I want to go for a run,” Zara said.
Zara said while it was important people nominate a student for the award, it was equally important to “help them with their cause as well and it can grow”.
To nominate visit: www.hollows.org/fredhollowshumanityaward