MEDIA KIT

Photo © V. Tony Hauser

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Dear Friends,
It seems like yesterday that Free The Children was founded by a group of 12-year-old children
dreaming of changing the world. Through the hard work and dedication of young people, and
with the help of our remarkable adult supporters, the organization has since grown into the
world’s largest network of children helping children through education. We have received a num-
ber of awards for our work, including the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, also
known as the Children’s Nobel Prize, and four nominations for the Nobel Prize. To date, we have
built more than 500 schools, providing daily education to 50,000 children. And, our programs
have impacted more than one million youth in more than 45 countries.

Photo © V. Tony Hauser

It has been an exciting year for Free The Children. Here are some of the major milestones we have
been able to reach this past year:

• 500th school: 2007 marked an important milestone as we began construction on our 500th school.
• First annual National Me to We Day: We held our first annual National Me to We Day event in Toronto. Featuring some of Canada’s most
socially conscious speakers and entertainers, more than 7,500 students were in attendance and thousands more tuned in via a live
webcast.

• O Ambassadors program: In September 2007, we launched our O Ambassadors program, a joint initiative with Oprah’s Angel network.
The program has had overwhelming success and work’s hand-in-hand with educators and youth

• Me
to We book launch: New York Times bestsellers and co-authors Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger launched their new book Me to
We: Finding Meaning in a Material World.

Free The Children’s success is a true testament to the amazing work of young people. We look forward to sharing with you the many more
innovative programs and inspiring stories of how youth are making a difference around the world.

Craig Kielburger Marc Kielburger

Founder and Chair Chief Executive Director
Free The Children Free The Children

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ABOUT
FREE THE CHILDREN

Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million youth involved in
our innovative education and development programs in 45 countries. Founded in 1995 by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger,
Free The Children has a proven track record of success. The organization has received the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child
(also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize), the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, and
has formed successful partnerships with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network.

The primary goals of the organization are to free children from poverty and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they
are powerless to affect positive change in the world. Through domestic empowerment programs and leadership training, Free The Children
inspires young people to develop as socially conscious global citizens and become agents of change for their peers around the world.

Free The Children has built more than 500 schools around the world and has reached more than one million young people through
outreach in North America.

Empowering Youth at the Local Level

Free The Children’s youth programming helps young people engage with social issues and realize they can make real contributions in their
communities and in developing countries around the world. Through their participation, young people develop into socially conscious
global citizens. Our youth programming includes:
• Fundraising and awareness campaigns
• Programs to educate and engage youth in global issues
• Inspirational and motivational speaking tours*
• Summer camp leadership academies*

*Selected programs are created and facilitated in partnership with Me to We (Leaders Today), Free The Children’s partner organization.

Empowering International Communities

Free The Children’s holistic development model, Adopt a Village, works in collaboration with communities to develop local capacity in the
area of education and other basic needs. The Adopt a Village model is comprised of four program areas, which ensure that all community
needs are met equally: education, alternative income, clean water and health care. All the components are dedicated towards achieving long
term sustainability of the community. Free The Children’s development work is focused in the rural communities of Kenya, Sierra Leone, China
and Sri Lanka.

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How it all began

Free The Children was founded in 1995 by Craig Kielburger and his grade 7 classmates.

Looking for the comic section one morning before school, Craig Kielburger came across an article
in the Toronto Star. The front page immediately caught his eye, showing a picture of a boy wearing
a bright red vest and his fist held high. The headline read “Battled child labor, boy, 12, murdered.”

The article told the story of Iqbal Masih, a young boy from Pakistan, who was sold into child labour at the age of four as a carpet weaver to
pay back a loan his parents had incurred. Iqbal worked 12 hours a day, six days a week, tying tiny knots to make carpets. The article said Iqbal
had been murdered for raising the issue in the press and politics at the age of 12, the same age as Craig at the time.

Craig was angry.

He made copies of the newspaper article and distributed it to his classmates sharing with them the alarming statistics of child labour he had
read. At that time, there were more than 250 million child labourers in the world, many working full time and in hazardous conditions. Craig
asked who would help him fight for children’s rights.

Eleven hands shot up and Free The Children was born.

Craig and his peers soon came to realize that human rights organizations working to end child labour had few or no young people involved
in their organization. It became clear that Free The Children would not only work to help free children such as Iqbal in developing countries,
from poverty and exploitation, but would also help to free young people at home from the notion that they are powerless to affect positive
change in the world.

Today, Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million young
people involved in the organization’s education and development programs in more than 45 countries. An internationally recognized orga-
nization, Free The Children has done extensive work with leading school boards across Canada and with Oprah’s Angel Network. Unlike any
other children’s charity, Free The Children is both funded and driven by youth.

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FUNDRAISING
AND AWARENESS
CAMPAIGNS
Free The Children’s campaigns provide youth with the
knowledge and tools to make a tangible difference in the
world. With imagination and the possibilities are endless.
Our fundraising and awareness campaigns encourage
youth to incorporate their own ideas and perspectives
into the fundraising process.

Adopt a village: Celebrate for Change:

Adopt a Village challenges youth to assist children and families in a The Celebrate for Change campaign provides youth with a chance
holistic way by combining all of the necessary components for build- to throw a party for children everywhere. Young people hold an
ing healthy communities. Youth choose to help build schools, pro- event while raising awareness and funds that will change the lives
vide alternative income resources, and develop clean water projects. of children and their communities in the four places where Free The
Additionally, youth can choose to “adopt a village” in the rural areas Children works: the rural areas of Kenya, Sierra Leone, China and Sri
of Kenya, Sierra Leone, China or Sri Lanka. Lanka.
www.freethechildren.com/adoptavillage www.freethechildren/celebrateforchange

Vow of Silence: Halloween for Hunger:

Vow of Silence “speaks to the world” on March 1 of every year when Halloween for Hunger encourages youth to think globally and act
thousands of youth involved in the campaign choose to remain silent locally to help alleviate hunger and raise awareness for global pov-
for 24 hours to raise awareness about children’s rights issues and to erty. This unique campaign strengthens capacity of local food banks
recognize those children who don’t have a voice: child labourers, chil- to support those in need. Youth trick-or-treat for canned goods and
dren in poverty, children who are abused and neglected and children make a difference in their communities.
who are not able to attend school. Youth and students collect pledg- www.freethechildren.com/halloweenforhunger
es for each hour of silence to give impoverished children a voice.
www.freethechildren.com/vowofsilence

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THE ISSUE:
CHILD RIGHTS
AND POVERTY
Background Information:
In 1989, almost 40 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a new international law gave children their own inalienable rights
and freedoms. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was the culmination of the efforts of global and youth leaders
to end generations of child exploitation.

And yet, in today’s world, there are strong forces working against giving children fair and equal access to a happy, productive and healthy
existence. Poverty is the single biggest obstacle.

Poverty is a critical global issue. Impoverished people struggle to survive on a daily basis. Poverty deprives children and families of basic
services such as health care and education, which is critical for their survival and development.
• Almost half the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day
• Out of the world’s 2.2 billion children, half of them live in poverty
• 1 in 3 children in developing countries lives without adequate shelter
• 1 in 5 children has no access to safe water
• 1 in 7 children has no access to health services

Children living in circumstances of poverty, lacking access to an education and a healthy upbringing are forced to fend for themselves as best
they can under harsh and dangerous circumstances. Their lack of support makes them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
• Globally, an estimated 218 million children are engaged in some form of labour
• Around the world today, 300,000 children are fighting as child soldiers
• 121 million children are not in school—56 percent of whom are girls and 94 percent of them live in developing countries
• 133 million young people cannot read or write
• 2 million children die every year from infections spread by dirty water and lack of sanitations

The International Approach:

Millennium Development Goals:
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, nearly 200 leaders from around the world agreed to a set of measurable ob-
jectives, known as the eight Millennium Development Goals, to improve the circumstances of poverty-stricken children and communities
around the world. The objective of these goals is to promote “a comprehensive approach and a coordinated strategy, tackling many of our
world’s most pressing problems across a broad front.” The international community is working towards achieving these Millennium Develop-
ment Goals by the year 2015.

Free The Children Approach:

To free children from poverty and exploitation, Free The Children works to develop communities using its holistic Adopt a Village develop-
ment model, which integrates four specific programs in order to ensure long term sustainability of the community. These are education,
alternative income, health care and water and sanitation. The Adopt a Village is delivered to children and their families in the rural areas of
Kenya, Sierra Leone, China and Sri Lanka

By partnering with local communicates, Free The Children ensures that each development project addresses the specific needs of individual
communities. Local families are at the centre of the development process, and the change they see is truly meaningful for them. From school-

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buidling to skills training, each project is designed in consultation with its direct beneficiaries. Our project staff is comprised of local people,
chosen for their commitment to community empowerment and their vision for a brighter future. Through Adopt a Village, we address every
facet of community development, empowering communities to break the cycle of poverty.

Education:
We believe education provides the highest return of any social involvement in the developing world. It is the first step towards social and
economic opportunities and development. It is the best way to empower people with the tools, knowledge and confidence they need to
promote and protect their own rights, growth and self-sufficiency. Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Since 1995, Free The Children has built 500 schools, providing education to more than 50,000 children daily.

Health Care:
Free The Children recognizes the link between helping disadvantaged communities meet their basic healthcare needs and building strong
communities. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life in remote and poverty-stricken areas –especially for women
and children. Health care provides basic medical help and promotes preventative health care strategies through family nutrition and health
education.

More than 512,500 children and adults have benefited from Free The Children’s health centres and programs.

Alternative Income:
With a focus on marginalized women, alternative income projects allow parents to remove their children from dangerous working conditions
and send them to school. Evidence shows that women invest their earned income back into their families, resulting in an improvement in
family health and welfare.

Free The Children’s alterative income projects have directly benefited more than 23,500 women and their families in Africa, Asia and
Latin America.

Water and Sanitation:

Water and sanitation projects are built next to schools so that girls can attend schools and collect clean water at the same time. Many diseases
and illnesses found in developing countries are transmitted and spread through contaminated water and inadequate sanitations systems.

Free The Children’s water program have helped 138,500 people gain access to clean water sources, improved sanitation and school
latrines.

Case study from Free The Children’s Adopt a Village Project:

Mercy’s Story
Mercy is an AIDS orphan who lost both her parents to the disease. The morning we met her, her eyes were
dull. We were told she had been very unwell and had lost a lot of weight. Then she collapsed. Michelle Ham-
bly, the head of our mobile health clinics in the community, immediately took Mercy to the local hospital.

We will never forget the hot day in August when we received her test results. Mercy started to cry. But they
were tears of joy. She gave Michelle a long hug. She tested positive for TB and typhoid, but negative for HIV.
Mercy knew all too well what an AIDS diagnosis would have meant for her.

We immediately integrated Mercy into our Adopt a Village program. Typhoid can be prevented by clean water. TB can be treated through
health care. HIV can be avoided through education. Mercy was so excited about going to school. She explained that she wanted to be a
teacher. “I want to help educate children so they can have a future too,” she said.

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FACT SHEET
Mission Statement:
• Free The Children works to free children from poverty and
exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are
powerless to affect positive change in the world.
Organization:
• Free The Children was founded in 1995 by international child
rights activists Craig Kielburger at age 12.
• Sixty-three per cent of Free The Children’s funding comes directly
from youth-led fundraising. The organization’s administrative
costs are only nine per cent of total expenditure.
North American Programming:
• Free The Children has established more than 2,000 Youth in
Action Groups (student-led fundraising groups) across the US and
Canada, engaging more than 20,000 young people.
• Free The Children works with networks of schools across the
United States and with leading school boards across Canada,
providing educational resources, tools and curriculum to assist
educators in introducing important social justice issues in the
classroom.
International Programming:
• Free The Children has worked in more than 45 countries and has
built more than 500 schools in developing countries providing
daily education to 50,000 children
• Alternative income projects have directly benefited more than
23,500 women and their families in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• Free The Children’s holistic development model, Adopt a Village,
provides families and communities with education, alternative
income, health care and water and sanitation. The Adopt a Village
model operates in rural Kenya, Sierra Leone, China and Sri Lanka
• More than 512,500 children and adults have benefited from Free
The Children’s health centres and programs
• Water programs implemented by Free The Children have helped
138,500 people gain access to clean water sources, improved
sanitation and school latrines
• Free The Children has shipped $15 million US in essential medical
supplies to 40 countries
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Programs and Partners:
• O Ambassadors: A joint project of Oprah’s Angel Network
and Free The Children, the O Ambassadors program aims to
inspire young people to become active, compassionate and
knowledgeable global citizens.
• Directors of Change: Supported by Nokia, the Directors of
Change program combines youth-made documentary films and
a resource guide to help educators bring social issues alive in the
classroom.
• Life in Action: In partnership with the Robert C. and Veronica
Atkins Foundation, the Life in Action program delivers innovative
and unique youth leadership training on healthy and active living.
• National Me to We Day: Supported by National Bank
Financial, this one-of-a-kind event educates and empowers 7,500
youth for an exclusive year-long program to lead awareness and
fundraising activities through Free The Children’s Adopt a Village
program.
• Global Voices: A weekly column, written by Craig and
Marc Kielburger and published by the Toronto Star and in the
Vancouver Sun, is supplemented by educator resources to
engage young people about social justice issues by bringing the
newspaper into the classroom.
• Me to We Awards: In partnership with Canadian Living
magazine, Free The Children recognizes Canadians who are
making a difference in the lives of others. Craig and Marc
Kielburger also write a monthly Me to We column in Canadian
Living magazine.
Awards:
• World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (also known as
the “Children’s Nobel Prize”) (2006)
• Staff members honoured with the Order of Canada, Canada’s
Most Powerful Women: Top 100 and Canada’s Top 40 under 40, as
well as Top 20 under 20 award (2007)
• Government of Canada’s Huguette Labelle Award for Excellence
in Youth Programming (2006)
• World Association of Non-Governmental Organization’s Human
Rights Awards (2006)
• N obel Peace Prize nominations (2006, 2004, 2003, 2002)
• Roosevelt Freedom Medal (1998)
• State of the World Forum Award (1997)
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FAQ’S
Organization:

1. What does Free The Children do? 6. What is Free The Children’s charitable registration
The primary goal of Free The Children is to free children from poverty number?
and exploitation and free young people from the notion that they are In Canada, Free The Children is registered under the number
powerless to affect positive change in the world. Locally, we provide 88657 8095 RR0001
youth-friendly resources and programs to educate young people on
global issues and give them the tools they need to take action at lo- In the US, Free The Children is registered under
cal, national and international levels. 501 (c) (3) -16-1533544

Internationally, Free The Children works with local communities to

provide holistic community development through its Adopt a Village Donations:
model. To date, Free The Children has built more than 500 schools in
developing countries around the world, and provides education on a 7. Can donors choose to support a particular community
daily basis to 50,000 children. or region?
Absolutely! Donors can choose what project and region they would
2. What makes Free The Children so unique? like to see their donation go towards. We provide all our donors with
Unlike any other children’s organization, Free The Children is both detailed reports twice a year to show the progress of the community
funded and driven by youth. Sixty-three per cent of all our funding donors have helped support.
comes from youth-driven fundraising.
8. What percentage of donations is used for administrative
3. Where are Free The Children’s main area’s of operation cost and how much reaches children directly?
internationally? Nine cents of every dollar donated goes toward the organization’s
Currently Free The Children work’s in the rural communities of Kenya, administrative costs, one of the lowest in the charitable field. Ninety-
China, Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka. one per cent of all donations go directly to international projects that
provide children in developing communities with quality primary
4. How does Free The Children choose its areas of education. You can view Free The Children’s annual report on the
operation? website at www.freethechildren.com.
Free The Children has a history of working in the world’s most remote
and isolated areas. After conducting a thorough needs-based assess-
ment with local community members and Free The Children staff, an Fundraising and Awareness Campaigns:
area of operation is finalized.
9. What is Adopt a Village?
5. What is Me to We? The Adopt a Village program supports Free The Children’s holistic
Me to We is a philosophy coined by Craig Kielburger and Marc Kiel- community development model, also called Adopt a Village. The
burger that is about finding meaning in our lives and our world by program is made up of three fundraising and awareness campaigns,
reaching out to others. The Me to We philosophy is at the heart of which include Adopt a Village: Brick by Brick, Adopt a Village: Alterna-
Free The Children’s work. Free The Children is committed to chang- tive Income and Adopt a Village: Clean Water to provide communities
ing the world, promoting social responsibility and responding to with quality education, health care services, alternative income proj-
challenges facing the world – all of which embodies the Me to We ects and safe drinking water and sanitation systems.
philosophy.

continued...
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FAQ’S
10. What other campaigns does Free The Children offer 12. How can youth get involved in Free The Children’s
youth? overseas projects?
Vow of Silence campaign: On March 1 of every year, youth collect Every year, more than a thousand young people embark on inter-
pledges and fundraise by remaining silent for 24 hours to recognize national volunteer and leadership trips through Free The Children’s
all those children around the world who don’t have a voice and suffer partner organization, Leaders Today. Trips participants learn to build
silently because of poverty. schools and work to help local communities while enjoying the eye-
opening experience of new cultures, inspiring the next generation of
Halloween for Hunger campaign: Encourages youth to think glob- world-changing global citizens.
ally and act locally to help alleviate hunger and raise awareness of
global poverty by strengthening the capacity of local food banks to 13. How can educators get involved?
support those in need. Free The Children provides several curriculum and classroom activi-
ties designed for educators at the elementary and secondary levels.
Celebrate for Change campaign: The campaign combines raising These resources enable educators to develop socially conscious
awareness with throwing a party to raise funds that will change the global citizens while raising awareness of important social issues af-
lives of children and their communities in the five places where Free fecting communities across the world.
The Children works.
14. How can the general public get involved?
Fundraising: By providing donations, the general public can help
Get Involved: Free The Children raise awareness and fundraise for Adopt a Village.
For tangible actions and fundraising ideas on how families and work-
11. How can youth get involved? places nation wide can get involved and take action visit the “Get
By starting a Youth in Action Group, youth can get involved in their Involved” section at www.freethechildren.com for a downloadable
communities and affect change around the world. Our Youth in Ac- family kit and office kit.
tion network represents a global movement of youth who are com-
mitted to making a difference by taking action in support of Free The Me to We Awards: Nominate someone who is making a difference in
Children’s development projects in the rural areas of Kenya, Sierra your community for a Me to We award. For more information please
Leone, China and Sri Lanka. A team of dedicated youth coordinators visit www.metowe.org
and regional represenatives provide regular leadership workshops,
seminars and volunteer opportunites for young people to remain en-
gaged. And our youth coordinators are always only a phone call away
in case a young person is in need of help and guidance. For informa-
tion and profiles on youth who have done interesting and inspiring
work, please contact Melissa Yaw, Communications Coordinator, by
e-mailing melissa@freethechildren.com.

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Craig kielburger

Photo © V. Tony Hauser

Craig Kielburger is an accomplished child rights advocate, leadership specialist, New York Times best-selling author and a speaker with a
powerful message. He is the founder of Free The Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, and
the co-founder of Leaders Today, a world renowned youth leadership organization.

Craig has received many awards for his work, including the Nelson Mandela Human Rights Award, the World Economic Forum GLT Award, the
Roosevelt Freedom Medal, the Order of Canada, the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations
and the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, also known as the Children’s Nobel Prize. He has a degree in peace and conflict
studies from the University of Toronto and is the recipient of four honorary doctorates.

When Craig was 12, he was shocked to learn about the murder of a child labourer-turned-child rights activist. Eager to take action, he es-
tablished Free The Children to help free children from poverty, exploitation and powerlessness. The organization began as a small group of
classmates and quickly evolved into an international phenomenon.

Under Craig’s leadership, Free The Children has reached more than one million young people through its domestic and international pro-
grams. The organization has built more than 500 schools in Asia, Africa and Latin America, providing daily education to more than 50,000
children.

Free The Children’s many accomplishments in the areas of education, alternative income, health care, water and sanitation provision and
peacebuilding have earned four Nobel Peace Prize nominations, and facilitated successful partnerships with leading school boards and
Oprah’s Angel Network.

Convinced of the importance of leadership development in empowering youth, Craig co-founded Leaders Today in 1999. Leaders Today
empowers young people through leadership education, providing them with the inspiration and tools to affect positive social change. The
organization delivers one-of-a-kind local and international training experiences, reaching more than 350,000 youth every year.

Now 25, Craig has travelled to more than 50 countries, visiting underprivileged children and speaking out in defence of children’s rights. An
internationally renowned speaker, Craig frequently addresses business groups, government bodies, educators, health care groups, unions
and students. A sought-after speaker, he has shared the podium a number of times with former U.S. president Bill Clinton, as well as with such
world renowned leaders as Queen Noor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama.

Craig’s first book, Free the Children, won the prestigious Christopher Award and has since been translated into eight languages. He is co-
author of the bestsellers Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship, Take More Action and Me to We: Turning Self-Help on its Head. His most recent
book, Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World, is co-authored with his brother Marc Kielburger, and is a New York Times Bestseller. This
inspirational volume empowers people of all ages to live the Me to We philosophy of volunteerism, service to others and social involvement.
Together with his brother, Craig is a syndicated columnist for two of Canada’s largest newspapers, the Toronto Star and the Vancouver Sun, and
he writes an online column for the Huffington Post. He also writes for Canada’s most widely read women’s magazine, Canadian Living.

Craig has shown the world that no one is ever too young to make a difference. His work has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN,
CBC, BBC, 60 Minutes and profiled in The Economist, Time and People magazines, and numerous newspapers.

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marc kielburger

Photo © V. Tony Hauser

Marc Kielburger is an accomplished social advocate, leadership specialist, New York Times best-selling author and a speaker with a powerful
message. He is the co-founder and chief executive director of Leaders Today, a world renowned youth leadership organization. He is also the
chief executive director of Free The Children, the world’s largest network of children helping children through education.

Marc has been recognized for his vision and leadership with Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 award and has received an Ashoka Fellowship for his
innovation and commitment to social change. He is the youngest person ever to be awarded the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship and is
the recipient of an honorary doctorate of education from Nipissing University for his work in leadership development. Marc has been hon-
oured as a 2007 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

With the determination to protect the environment, Marc first became socially involved when he was 13 years old. He went on to serve as a
parliamentary page in the Canadian House of Commons, work with AIDS patients in the slums of Bangkok, and volunteer in Kenya, where he
helped local women establish a fair trade cooperative.

Marc is a Harvard graduate and Rhodes Scholar. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, having completed a degree in
internationalrelations. After winning a coveted Rhodes scholarship, he went on to complete a law degree at Oxford University with an em-
phasis on human rights law.

Convinced of the importance of leadership development in empowering youth, Marc co-founded Leaders Today in 1999. Leaders Today
empowers young people through leadership education, providing them with the inspiration and tools to affect positive social change. The
organization delivers one-of-a-kind local and international training experiences, reaching more than 350,000 youth every year.

As chief executive director of Free The Children, Marc oversees a unique, youth-driven charity that has changed the lives of more than one
million young people around the world. The organization has built more than 500 schools that provide daily education to more than 50,000
children.

Free The Children’s many accomplishments in the areas of education, alternative income, health care, water and sanitation provision and
peacebuilding have earned four Nobel Peace Prize nominations and facilitated successful partnerships with leading school boards and
Oprah’s Angel Network.

Marc has now travelled to more than 50 countries, visiting the world’s most underprivileged people and speaking out on a variety of social
issues. He frequently addresses business groups, government bodies, educators, unions and students. A sought-after speaker, he has shared
the podium a number of times with former U.S. president Bill Clinton, as well as with such world renowned leaders as Queen Noor and the
Dalai Lama.

Marc is the co-author of the bestsellers Take Action!—A Guide to Active Citizenship, Take More Action and Me to We: Turning Self-Help on Its Head.
His most recent book, Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World is a New York Times best-seller co-authored with his brother Craig and
published by Wiley. This inspirational volume empowers people of all ages to live the Me to We philosophy of volunteerism, service to oth-
ers and social involvement. Together with Craig, Marc also writes a regular column for Canada’s largest newspaper, the Toronto Star, and for
Canada’s most widely read women’s magazine, Canadian Living.

Marc has shown the world that young people can become the leaders of today as well as tomorrow. His work has been featured on The Oprah
Winfrey Show, CNN, CBC, BBC, 60 Minutes and profiled in numerous newspapers and magazines.
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LEADERS Free The Children’s work with partner organizations

promotes a multi-faceted model of social enterprise that

IN SOCIAL
furthers their shared philosophy of social responsibility
and ethical business practices. These projects encourage

ENTERPRISE
young people to think innovatively about social
change while directing revenue towards Free The
Children’s projects in developing nations, keeping our
organizational administrative costs low and benefiting
those most in need. Additionally, these social enterprises
also provide businesses and organizations with unique
corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Me to We: [Responsible Style]

(www.metowestyle.com)
Me to We: [Responsible Style] is the first-ever Canadian enterprise to provide domestically-produced, sweatshop-free apparel made from
certified 100 per cent organic cotton or bamboo. This product line—including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants and more (custom screening
and embroidery available)—allows consumers to wear clothing that reflects social awareness in style. Half of all profits support Free The
Children’s sustainable community development projects in Kenya, Sierra Leone, China and Sri Lanka.

Publications
Beginning with Free the Children, Craig Kielburger’s inspiring account of his first trips abroad to investigate child labour, our publications
provide inspirational learning and tangible tools to make a difference in our world.

Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World, a New York Times bestseller, is a manual, a manifesto and the beginning of the Me to We move-
ment built on the philosophy that we can change our lives and our world by reaching out to others. Me to We features contributions from
Oprah Winfrey, Richard Gere, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and more.

Take Action! A Guide to Active Citizenship equips young people with the tools they need to make a difference, including sections on fundrais-
ing, working with the media, public speaking and action planning.

Take More Action! is an advanced guide to character education, ethical leadership and global citizenship that empowers young adults to bring
about social change.

The Making of an Activist is a kaleidoscope of colours celebrating Free The Children’s passionate young change-makers and inspiring all read-
ers to take action.

Leaders Today’s International Volunteer and Leadership Trips (www.leaderstoday.com)

Every year, more than a thousand young people embark on international volunteer and leadership trips through Leaders Today to Free The
Children’s international projects in some of the most fascinating places on Earth—places like rural China, Kenya, India, Mexico and Ecuador.
Trips participants teach, build schools and work to help local communities while enjoying the eye-opening experience of new cultures, in-
spiring the next generation of world-changing global citizens. Family and corporate trips are also available. International trips are facilitated
by Leaders Today, Free The Children’s partner organization.

children helping children through education