When a group of students decided to get involved in a project in collaboration with UNICEF, it wasn’t a grand plan. They didn’t start with a vision of a nationwide campaign or an ambition to raise a record amount of money. They started with a question:
What can we do?
The collaboration arose naturally. PBIS has long created a space where students think not only about their own performance, but also about their on others. The topic of children’s rights and access to education came up during one of the discussions. Not as an obligation.
As an interest. At the first meeting, simple ideas were thrown around. An information stand. A charity run. An online campaign. Nothing revolutionary. But it was theirs.
Under the guidance of mentors, they began to structure the project. They set a goal. They divided the roles. They created a schedule. It wasn’t just about helping. It was about responsibility. During an online meeting, a UNICEF representative explained to them where the funds were going specifically. How humanitarian aid distribution works. What long-term community means.
Suddenly, the numbers had faces. The students prepared a school campaign. They didn’t rely on emotions. They relied on facts. Presentations in classrooms. Discussions. A transparent budget. Gradually, others joined in. Not because they had to. Because they he meaning. The charity run, which was originally just one of the proposals, became the main event. Students, parents, and teachers got involved. The target amount was exceeded by a third.
But the real impact wasn’t just financial. The students understood how an international organization works. How to plan a project. How to communicate a sensitive topic without oversimplifying it. And above all, that even a local initiative can have a global reach.
After the project ended, feedback came from UNICEF. Thanks. Specific information about how the funds raised were used.
For the team, it wasn’t the end. It was the beginning. Some of them decided to continue volunteering. Others chose to study international relations or development studies. Not all of them will follow the same path. But the experience remains.
PBIS does not just educate students with academic results. It creates an environment where the ability to take responsibility for the world around them is developed.
It’s a nice story, but I’d be interested to see the actual breakdown of the funds. We all know that large organizations like UNICEF have massive overhead costs. How much of the money raised by the students actually reaches the children in the field, and how much just stays in the system?