Zahra Al-Aubiydy
AGE: 21 | HEIGHT: 5'8" | HOMETOWN: ORLEANS, ON
At the ripe age of 12 Zahra Al-Aubiydy was introduced to Free the Children, an organization of kids dedicated to fighting against child labour. Always having been empathetic towards those in vulnerable positions Zahra was deeply affected by those who were suffering around the world. Thanks to Free the Children she realized that there are neither boundaries nor excuses when it comes to impacting the world in a positive way.
In elementary school she was a part of her first club that supported the developing world, ‘’kids helping kids”. In high school, she went on to found Global Reach, another organization dedicated to educating her peers on issues around the world, and helping to support both the local, and global communities. In 2008 Zahra spearheaded a fundraiser for her native land of Iraq in collaboration with Walk for Iraq & UNICEF raising thousands of dollars. In university she was a part of countless clubs and societies, but her most passionate project as of late has been ‘Students to End Extreme Poverty’ (STEEP).
STEEP is a dedicated group of remarkable young people at Carleton University that spent the latter part of last year working on an election campaign to get their student body to vote yes to support a levy of 6 dollars to go towards supporting a Millennium Village. Having succeeded, the Carleton student body now raises 100+ thousand dollars annually to support a self-sustainable village in sub-Saharan Africa.
Zahra’s intense passion to impact the world has set her on a path to do just that! In the fall of 2009 Zahra was privileged enough to attend the G8 strategy session meeting as a volunteer. There, she witnessed the worlds NGO’s come together in Ottawa, to strategize an action plan for the World! At the conference Zahra had the opportunity to share STEEP’s story, and explain about the student levy and success of the election campaign. She was amazed at the support she received from the World’s foremost active workers in the field of international development.
Her goal is to raise the profile of STEEP as well as the Millennium Villages in order to gain them support from every Canadian Student. When the time comes, she hopes that every university and college across Canada will be prepared to Vote YES to supporting a Millennium Village, and together potentially raise an accumulated $10 million + dollars annually! With Zahra’s passion and ambition, she will continue to inspire and influence others to actively seek change in today’s world.
Questionnaire
Are you currently a student?
I am currently an autodidact. I am taking the year off of “academic studies” at Carleton University, to pursue my own endeavours, this being one of them!
If yes, where?
I am also currently enrolled at the Ontario Real Estate Association College.
Areas of study:
Human Rights, International Development, Literature, Business, Real Estate, Public Relations, Geography, French (and languages in general), Chemistry, and a bit of history with the help of “the Tudors”
Are you currently employed?
I am currently in the process of getting my real estate license, starting up my first business, and trying to get my first children’s book published.
If yes, what is your occupation?
Currently, my “occupation” is mastering time management in order to work in all of my projects.
Have you completed secondary school; If yes, where?
I graduated from Markham District High school (in Markham,) however I also attended Unionville high school, as well as Laurention high school (in Ottawa).
Have you completed university/college?
If yes, where?
Not yet, but as credentials in this day and age are extremely important, I am definitely going to!
Have you completed any technical/professional school; If yes, where and what subject?
I am currently enrolled at the Ontario Real Estate Association College in Toronto studying; you guessed it, the Real Estate profession. I am doing these courses through correspondence though, as I am currently living in Orleans.
Languages spoken fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)
I speak English and Arabic fluently, however I have made it a goal of mine to learn the greetings of as many languages as possible! Bonjour! Hola! Oy! Jambo! Ni-hao ma! Kalimara! Ciao! Cheshch! Sasri Ka! Zdravo! Kakdi-la! And hopefully one day every other languages greeting!
List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).
I learned to play the trumpet in elementary school, and was even in a brass ensemble in those days.
In high school I was part of the dance team for a year where we did hip hop.
I took ballroom dancing during the summer of 2008 with my best friend Auda!
Have taken Latin Dance classes (Salsa, Merengue, Bachata) for 3 years now, and occasionally help teach basic Latin dance steps at special events.
I took a course on Traditional African Dance at York University in 2007.
I took art classes in elementary and high school, and am blessed to have a very gifted family of artists, whom I’ve had the privilege to be inspired by especially my uncle, Amer Alobaidi!
In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?
ice-skating lessons for a year
Karate lessons for a year
In elementary school I participated in High jump, hurdles, long jump, 100/200 meter dashes, as well as relay races on the track and field team.
In High school I played left and right wings for 2 years on the rugby team.
Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.
I went to a private French school in Brossard
A public school in Scarborough for kindergarten
Arbor Glen Public School (North York)
Reesor Park Public School (Markham)- Graduated 2002
Markham District High School- Graduated 2006
Stoufville High school- Peer Mediation Program- Graduated 2005
Unionville High School
Laurention High school
York University- International Development Studies
Glendon College Explore Program- French - Graduated 2008
Carleton University- Human Rights and Law
Ontario Real Estate Association College
What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources...and or volunteered for over past two years?
The main initiative that I’ve been I’ve been involved with since 2008 is Students to End Extreme Poverty (STEEP): In 2009 we were able to institutionalize a student levy of 6$ per student at Carleton University, allowing us to raise an annual sum of $100 + thousand dollars to go towards Millennium Villages (run by Millennium Promise Project.)
Millennium Promise Project: Works towards achieving the millennium development goals through their work in establishing self-sustainable villages in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2008 I spearheaded a national fundraiser for Children through ‘Walk for Iraq’ in Collaboration with ‘UNICEF’
Currently A colleague and I are organizing a fundraising race to raise money for disability to go towards Can Aid Africa.
Csiy Iraq- Sponsored a family of 4 orphans in Iraq with a group of friends.
STAND UP Campaign: Promoted the Stand Up to End Extreme Poverty Campaign within Carleton University (with STEEP) and were able to get 3% of our student population to take the pledge, which coincided with the 3% of the World’s population who also took the pledge!!
Tck Tck Tck Campaign: Joined the World Wide demonstration for environmental sustainability by helping to fill parliament hill.
I was privileged enough to be asked to volunteer at the annual G8 Strategy Session Meeting for 2010, where I not only volunteered, but was able to participate in discussion, as well as was asked to talk about Students to End Extreme Poverty (STEEP) and our remarkable successes at Carleton University! At The 4 day conference I worked with the following organizations:
Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP): Asia, Italy, Africa + Uganda, Kenya, Ireland, Argentina, India, Japan, UK, Netherlands,
UN Millennium Development Campaign (UN MDC)
Amnesty International
Plan Canada
Child Rights International
Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD)
Make Poverty History: Canada
Save the Children : Canada, UK, USA,
Oxfam: Canada, Quebec, UK, International
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Global Health Council: USA
African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)
Family Care International: USA
World Vision
Bond (UK membership body for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in international development)
The Belinda Stronach Foundation
Coordination Sud: (Brings together 6 main French Organizatrions, as well as over 130 other NGOs engaged in humanitarian efforts and international development
Partnership for Maternal, newborn, and child health (Portavoce): Italy
Global South Initiative , Forum for Natural Protection: Nepal
Development and Peace
Tck Tck Tck Campaign
Montreal Millennium Summit
G8 working group
ONE Campaign
African Peace Network: Ghana
Global Aids Alliance: USA
Action Aid: Italy, Kenya
RESULTS Canada (dedicated to ending Hunger and other aspects of extreme poverty in Canada and around the world)
LetsStopAids: Canada
End Water Poverty: UK
World Wildlife Fund: Canada
+ 17 other organizations
What would be your "dream job" in life?
My dream job would be a position where I would be able to have a deep human connection with the people of the world. The position would allow me to influence society, especially the younger generation, to be more empathetic towards those who are less fortunate, as well as to be more aware of the state of our planet, so that when it is our turn to run our planet we can do so consciously and with great care. Furthermore if our generation is able to set the example from now, then that will in turn affect all the generations to come as well.
My ultimate dream job will allow me to have left the world in a better state than it is now, with my main goal (at this point in time) being to eradicating extreme poverty because the evidence shows that it can be done, and therefore there is no excuse to not getting it done.
Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?
People have asked me before what set me on the path that I’m on now, and thinking back, it was always inherent in me to defended those who were vulnerable around me, but it wasn’t until I met Craig Kielburger when I was 12 and heard him tell his story at the Free the Children Conference that I really discovered how to channel that energy.
I believe that because I was so young at the time of the conference and learned of the injustices of the world, I became much more attached to the cause of trying to do my part. Craig Kielburger being 12 himself at the time he started his journey and Free the Children, showed me that there are no boundaries or limits to the changes and influence you can make and have on people! Not age, nor gender, nor location can stop you from following what you believe in and making a difference. Because of him, ever since that point in my life I have always had a passion for making a difference especially in the developing world.
What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)
The proudest moment of my life was the day I saw all of my hard work single-handedly organizing the Walk for Iraq in Collaboration with UNICEF come to life. At the beginning of my endeavour I wasn’t sure how or if I could pull off the fundraiser, but after 8 months of hard work 6 months of those by myself, it finally happened! At that point I knew that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to.
What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I intend to get into public relations with an NGO, and advocate for international development causes with the intention of influencing as many people all over the world as possible. After MUC I intend to get a diploma in Public relations/marketing, then go on to finish my international development studies degree in order to have the required credentials.
I am a very ambitious person however so I will never be limited by a single career. I am currently getting my real estate license in order to get into the real estate market. I am also an entrepreneur with many business ideas in mind which I am getting ready to start up once the right time presents itself.
Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
To be honest this is probably one of the hardest questions for me to answer, but I’m going to do my best.
I was 3 years old when my family and I first moved to Canada after fleeing from the 2nd gulf war. We lived in a tiny suburb called Brossard outside of Montreal, but because of language barriers we moved to Toronto. I lived in Scarborough, North York for 4 years, and then we finally settled in Markham by grade 5.
Because I moved around a lot I was use to making new friends, and because Scarborough, and North York were both very multicultural it was much easier to do so than in Markham. When I moved to Markham in grade 5, the cultural atmosphere was very different, and one I was not use to, nor ever got use to until after I graduated high school.
I have always had very strong ideals and beliefs from an early age and because I never compromised my beliefs, I did not always fit in with everyone else. Thankfully I was fortunate enough to have grown up with my best friend, who remains to this day one of my closest friends Auda Tam, who even though now lives in Idaho has remained my strongest pillars in upholding my beliefs.
When I was 16 I decided to move to Ottawa to live with my brother for a school year just to get away from Markham for a while. That was the most significant growing experience in my childhood. That was the time when I really blossomed and truly accepted and learned to love myself, and have confidence beyond a doubt that I was a good human being and if anyone else had a problem with me, then it was due to their own insecurities.
I am so grateful for the childhood that I experienced because it made me a much stronger human being, and at the same time acutely empathetic towards people who are different and vulnerable.
I believe in karma, and I believe I’m getting my good karma at this stage of my life, and I feel that I have an obligation to use what I have been blessed with which is a history, personality, and passion to affect positive change.
List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.
I worked at an Engraving kiosk once, and was consistently touched by the personal messages that people would get engraved on their items. Some of the most touching messages came from guys my age to their girlfriends.
Here are 2 messages that I’ll never forget:
“Forever your lover, always your best friend, Love ...”
This guy bought a pewter rose for his girlfriend and on the rose came a pendent which he got engraved with: “A rose to last as long as our love”
Those moments made the job for me, and also restored my faith in knowing that chivalry is not dead!
List any volunteering you have done.
(See “What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources...and or volunteered for over past two years?”)
Where is the most interesting place you have been?
Egypt! The culture in Egypt is fascinating. The quality of people that I met there was unbelievable. My cousin lives in Alexandria and I stayed with her for 3 week in 2007 and was blown away. The lifestyle is so different, from the minute you wake up, to the time you go to bed, to what you do for fun, to what defines a friendship, to absolutely everything.
There was poverty yes, and crowded streets, and everyone smokes, and you have to run to the car when leaving the house, but among all of that I still fell in love with the country and the people.
There is lots of work that can be done to improve the conditions of the poor there I’m sure, but in terms of a society we could probably take some lessons.
What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
I have a PLAN!
Most pageant contestants have a cause that they are passionate about, but what makes me different, is that not only do I have a passion for a cause, but I also and MOST importantly have a plan to make a significant impact.
My cause is simple: To help eradicate extreme poverty by 2025 by working with STEEP and the Millennium Promise Project to fund Millennium Villages throughout Sub-Saharan Africa which work to become SELF-SUSTAINABLE within 5 years.
How: By raising the profile of STEEP and the Millennium Villages in order to get as many elections running in universities, and colleges as possible, and furthermore ensuring that the students to vote yes to supporting Millennium Villages through a small student levy.
(Carleton University’s success means 100+ thousand dollars annually, if we can get most of Canada to replicate Carleton University’s success, we could see a potential 10 million dollars every year to go towards directly saving hundreds of thousands of lives, as well as all the future generations to come within the self-sustainable villages!
By 2025 this could mean that we as Canadian Students could potentially contribute almost a quarter of a billion dollars to go towards eradicating extreme poverty!)
What is your philosophy of/in life?
Dream Big, Believe Passionately, Act Now, Inspire All
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?
I hope to be living a happy and fulfilled life knowing that I have accomplished all that I have set out to do.
I see myself as a successful entrepreneur, published author, master of real estate, and a leader in society.
I also hope to be married and either have a family, or be preparing to start a family.
Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?
I was an accident! My mom had her tubes tied and against all odds, I still managed to come to life! I believe I’m here for a reason, and I intend to follow my instincts and passions until I achieve what I have set out to do! Another interesting thing is that when people get to know me, the biggest shock they usually have is finding out that I've never had a boyfriend, and that I've never been kissed!
source: (Thank you and credits to
http://www.beautiesofcanada.com/
and all sources for the information and pictures)
