Erika, 19 inspires nations

CHARITY CHAMPION Erika Broers has just completed a dream internship with the United Nations in recognition for her inspirational community campaigns in Bahrain, writes Gianne Middleton.

The former St Christopher's School head girl launched a series of initiatives which continue to inspire youngsters.

Erika, 19, now studying politics and international relations at the University of Bath in England, returned to the kingdom this summer to take up an internship in Bahrain at the United Nations Information Centre after impressing officials with her charitable endeavours.

She said: "If we could reduce the whole human race to just 10 children - imagine them sitting round a table; three would have plates heaped with food that they would never be able to finish, two would just be able to live by scavenging on what is thrown away, three would be permanently hungry and two children would die.

"I want to be part of the generation that makes it so that throughout the world there are 10 strong healthy children sitting around the table."

Throughout her teenage years in Bahrain, Erika, of Dutch/Italian decent, chose to raise money for less fortunate children overseas and founded the Bahrain KIDZ 4 KIDZ organisation.

Erika, pictured right, whose mother Gianna works for the Italian Embassy's commercial section in Bahrain and father, Rudolph, a banker, live in Adliya and have always been a source of support. She explained: "I have the best family. I just figured out it was time to help those who aren't that lucky."

Although Erika Broers believes that charity organisations in Bahrain do a spectacular job without much recognition or support, she believes that when it comes to getting involved there is no limit on how much you can do.

Her entire family, including brother Alexander, 21, travel around Bahrain during the winter months handing out jackets to migrant workers as well as fundraising for a multitude of different charity events.

Fuelled with a passion to make a difference, Erika thrust herself into organising the UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund) trick or treat campaign and introducing it to the community in Bahrain. The fund works for children's rights, their survival, development and protection.

"Every year UNICEF runs a youth campaign on Halloween in which children are encouraged to go trick-or-treating on behalf of less fortunate kids from other parts of the world who aren't able to," Erika explained. Although popular in the US it had not taken off in the region. She decided to test out the idea first with a group of close friends.

"We trick-or-treated in compounds in Saar and Juffair as well as doing a little fundraiser at St. Christopher's School during the day."

It raised nearly BD600 and Erika was ecstatic that the idea had worked so well and liaised with the UN to formally launch the initiative in Bahrain.

"Organising and co-_ordinating the campaign was an underlying challenge in itself," she said. "We organised assemblies for each year group and as soon as the ball got rolling it really took off!"

Special UNICEF boxes were ordered from the US. "Everyone involved in trick-or-treating took one of these boxes home and brought it back with money. The kids loved the Halloween concept, it was something to look forward to.

"There was a form which converted dollars into dinars which we gave out and so many people were surprised that BD1.8 could buy a box of 100 disposable syringes that can be used in immunisation campaigns."

A staggering BD6,000 was raised. She said: "A little boy, he must have been only eight, came up to me at one point, looked up and gave me his lunchbox." Erika asked him why he had done that, to which the boy timidly replied: "I want to help and give food to all the people who are hungry."

The budding young campaigner was rewarded for all her hard work when she was offered an internship in Bahrain at the UNIC office in the summer. "I emailed the office this year and asked if I could do some more work experience. I guess they knew that I was pretty serious about it, so when I came back from university they kindly gave me a position."

Erika says the experience helped her learn a great deal about the various UN agencies and the structure of its information centre.

The internship was not the only benefit that came out of the campaign's success. "I love the fact that the money was raised by such compassionate people who really wanted to help, the money has really impacted kids all over the world and it's probably the most rewarding thing I have done in my life."

Erika didn't just stop when the UNICEF campaign ended - she helped launch KIDS 4 KIDS with her team of friends.

"Kids 4 Kids was an idea that I had in sixth form. I noticed that in Bahrain, there is a small niche in the market, providing entertainment for kid's parties such as face-painting and organised games. So I thought it would be a cool idea to get a group of volunteers together to offer the service."

The idea took off with teenagers, as Erika explained: "The fact is, there is no-one better than teenagers to know what kids want! So whenever the opportunity arose we would do the entertainment at parties and the money charged for hiring us went to a children's charity."

Friend and team member Petros Poullaides, 19, said: "What I liked about Erika leading the project was the fact that she always encouraged those who helped her to come up with ideas on things we could do, like games, etc. Even though she organised nearly everything, it was more of a team so we all had our input and basically enjoyed what we were doing."

Nejib Friji, the director of the UN information centre in Bahrain, said: "Erika's dynamism provoked an excellent reaction from the Bahraini people. She was also able to handle any bureaucratic obstacles and managed to prove all skeptics wrong. She's inspirational."

Erika remains inspired by the words of India's peace icon, Mahatma Gandhi: "We must be the change we want to see in the world."