Bloor West woman fundraises for trip to Ukraine

Local woman fundraises for trip to Ukraine. Denise Soueidan-O'Leary is heading to the Ukraine to work at an orphanage for women and girls age five to 27 as part of the group Beyond Borders. She'll be working with women and girls with physical and mental challenges from April until August. To raise money for the trip, she and a classmate have launched Cookies with a Cause. Courtesy photo

Denise Soueidan-O'Leary had her heart set on teaching in the Middle East or participating in AIDS relief in Africa so when the opportunity presented itself for the University of Waterloo student to go to Ukraine her initial reaction was: "No, absolutely not."

As a graduate of the Student School on Evelyn Crescent, who is now studying sexuality, marriage and family studies and social work through St. Jerome's University, which is federated with the University of Waterloo, Soueidan-O'Leary has developed an appreciation for diversity.

Growing up in the Bloor Street West and Keele Street neighbourhood when the area saw an influx of immigrants, Soueidan-O'Leary was the one helping the new kids with their homework instead of concentrating on her own.

"I've always been drawn to the relationship of walking with someone through their challenges," she said in an interview Wednesday morning at the Coffee Tree at Bloor Street West and Jane Street.

Still, it took Soueidan-O'Leary a few weeks to come to terms with a possible three-month stint at the Ternopil Internat for women, an orphanage for women and girls between the age of five and 27 with mental and physical challenges.

"You prepare for the challenges you do expect," she said. "I wasn't prepared for the challenges in Ukraine. It took me a while to wrap my head around the challenges."

"I'm not sure I can deal with the squat toilets. Squat toilets are a scary thing," she quipped.

Since making her decision to go, Soueidan-O'Leary said she is "pumped."

"I can't think of going anywhere else," she said.

Soueidan-O'Leary is travelling to the Ukraine in April as part of the program Beyond Borders, which operates out of St. Jerome's University. Students in this program apply their education while working in developing global communities in pursuit of a more just and peaceable world.

As a way of preparing for the challenges of this placement, Soueidan-O'Leary is volunteering at Lucy McCormick Senior School teaching life skills to people with disabilities in addition to her long list of volunteer activities.

"Yes, I'm gaining good experience," she said, "but it's connecting with a population I've never connected with."

The residents of the group home Soueidan-O'Leary will be working with are treated like pariahs in their society, she said.

"They're treated worse than we treat our stray animals. The orphans aren't allowed to leave the orphanage," she added.

On top of raising the required funds for the trip, Soueidan-O'Leary and a classmate, Tina Bruno, would like to raise additional money so they can take with them a container full of supplies like fabric, a sewing machine and cooking tools to teach the girls life skills.

"We want to teach the older kids to look after the younger kids to create that family bond," she said. "Some of our work involves advocacy as well as support."

As a fundraising initiative, Soueidan-O'Leary and Bruno launched Cookies with a Cause. Over the holiday season, Soueidan-O'Leary said the two baked, packaged and delivered more than 4,000 cookies - sugar, gingerbread, chocolate chip, lemon shortbread and chocolate dipped shortbread to friends and family.

The two have decided to continue Cookies with a Cause throughout Valentine's Day and Easter. Sugar and shortbread cookies and chocolates will be delivered until March 31. If you would like to purchase cookies, visit http://cookieswithacause.webs.com/

Follow Denise Souedan-O'Leary on her blog at http://www.sju.ca/beyondborders.html