Jamal K.

Finding unique solutions to onerous problems that require wearing 'multiple hats' is what I try to accomplish in everyday life. From a young age, I have been keen on improving and providing support to local and foreign communities. At the age of 13, I fundraised $5000 for the building of a school in rural India and followed up with a trip to the inaugural building ceremony. From there I created the charitable platform for my high school which has been used for the past 4 years. This platform has allowed four classes to fundraise over $35,000 for various charitable organizations. Today, my interest in helping the community has grown to Social Entrepreneurship. As an Economics student, social entrepreneurship shares a lot of cross-disciplinary similarities. More specifically, through human rational theory, I discovered academia on motivating individuals to do good, or to become pro-social within their communities. This new research propelled me into an internship for C3IL in the summer of 2017 as an outlet to express these new academic tools. Together, we worked towards improving the aesthetics, relationships, stakeholder and community engagement, and tried to identify ways to increase the permanent resident population. With the City of Waterloo, we met with various local business tycoons to receive crucial feedback and support on the ideas created. Ideas such as signs, trash cans, clean up days, and improved lighting to building parks, having a monthly 'student box', and conducting a night market. These ideas sparked further plans and motivations to improve the community surrounding Laurier. I hope to remain engaged with the Waterloo Community to create positive social change no matter how big the impact.

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