Who we are - President
What could motivate a dedicated mother and successful business woman to start a public foundation in order to help struggling young girls in other countries around the world? Wanda Bedard's moment of inspiration happened five years ago, after reading a newspaper article on the plight of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. She realized that she was born in a country that offers women a chance to succeed through education and employment: a chance that is never offered to many girls, actually to 60 millions of them throughout the world. |
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Realizing how privileged she was, Wanda decided to focus her talent and energy to this cause by first becoming a volunteer for UNICEF. She developed projects, organized activities, mobilized teams, and ran fundraising campaigns for the causes that were closest to her heart. Recognized by her peers, Wanda Bedard is named Volunteer of the Year in 2004 and is offered the presidency of the organizing committee for the 50th anniversary of UNICEF Canada in Montreal. Encouraged by a successful fundraising gala and project to build a satellite school in Burkina Faso, West Africa, Wanda Bedard decides to start a new venture. With the encouragement of a small group of like-minded women who also believe in a better and fairer world, in 2006 she establishes the 60 million girls foundation, to sponsor on an annual basis a large-scale project focused on providing access to education to girls in developing countries, thus supplying this essential tool that is education to help them transform their lives. Wanda's unwavering will to do what she can to improve the lot of the most vulnerable among us rests on the following quote from anthropologist Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." These words guide the humanitarianism of Wanda Bedard, an inspiring and dedicated woman. Wanda Bedard was named Personality of the Week by La Presse and Radio-Canada for her commitment to supporting the most vulnerable girls and women of the world. |
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A humanitarian named Wanda Bedard