Meet ACCESO Amiga: Chelsey

During our 25th Anniversary celebration, we are introducing you to the former and current members of the ACCESO Amigos Club through which events are held to create an atmosphere of international friendship and education among elementary-aged children and are co-facilitated by youth volunteers. This month, please meet Chelsey, a former Amigos Club youth leader who has been participating in ACCESO International events since she was in a stroller and who visited preschools in Peru in 2014.

Happy 25th Anniversary to ACCESO International! It has been absolutely amazing seeing the impact first hand that ACCESO has had in the lives of thousands of children, women and families. ACCESO gives me the hope that the kindness in humanity stills exists and others are willing to put in the hard work to ensure that everyone has equal access to education. Though we as ACCESO volunteers bring change to the circumstances of so many, the recipients are the ones who have an immense impact on our hearts. During my first volunteer trip to Peru in 2014, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was still in university finishing my degree in International Development and Globalization but it was my first time on the ground and not studying a case in a book. Peru changed my life forever; not only did it burst my Canadian bubble but the children and their families taught me the real importance of life and happiness because, while they did not have many material things, their resilience and smiles revealed so much about human potential and perseverance. The trip made me want to work 10 times harder in school in order to effect change by continuing the legacy of ACCESO as part of the new generation of volunteers.

Chelsey