Kate Rowan swears, 鈥淚t is not my life mission to be a do-gooder.鈥�
She just can鈥檛 help herself.
The Grade 11 student at Coast Mountain Academy commutes to Squamish daily to attend school and travels greater distances to develop as a conscientious global citizen.
As a child, she lived and travelled with her family throughout Europe. She claims the early onset of travel fever drives her desire to venture into the unknown.
During the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Kate and her mother vacationed in Vietnam and Cambodia. She became acquainted with the history of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge, and the Cambodian genocide.
Not exactly a five-star, Mai Tai kind of holiday.
Rowan and her mother rode one hour into the countryside to attend a night-time performance of traditional dance by local school children. Kate was invited onstage to learn a local dance from a Cambodian girl of the same age.聽
鈥淲hile I was trying to figure out my hands I realized that we were the same age. I had opportunities that she wanted, but couldn鈥檛 have,鈥� Rowan said.
The experience of seeing herself in another who had limited access to opportunity motivated Rowan to continue her personal research into refugees, genocide, war, and the human ability to overcome conflict.
She also travelled with her mother to Rwanda. They bicycled through communities and again witnessed the effects of genocide. Kate explained that her motivation is 鈥渓ess pity, more fascination with how other people live.鈥�
Last year, Rowan learned about an opportunity for youth to travel, fully funded, to India. She found the brochure in a WE Day gift bag that was otherwise filled with corporate litter-ature, Without telling her family, she submitted a video application.
Kate and 24 other youth candidates were chosen to travel to India with Potash Corp, the world鈥檚 largest fertilizer company, to share simple ways to increase food security with rural farmers.聽 Potash Corp seeks to conduct business in a way that builds long-term value for stakeholders without harm to people or the environment.聽
The mission provided farmers with hand ploughs that distribute seed and fertilizer evenly to encourage the highest yield possible. Potash Corp addressed high malnutrition by teaching locals to diversify crops: soybeans for protein and lemon trees for Vitamin C.聽
Rowan is already planning her next venture: a tool-sharing program that will outfit Rwandan and Congolese refugees with the equipment they need to start careers in the construction industry.
It was in India, where she dug trenches and laid bricks, that she discovered what kind of leader she wants to be.
鈥淚 realized I don鈥檛 want to be the type of leader that stands up on stage and tells everybody what to do. I鈥檓 not the organizer. I prefer to set the example,鈥� she said, still not planning to be a do-gooder.
