Marc and his younger brother Craig Kielburger co-founded the WE Charity and the ME to WE social enterprise. Both the brothers have set an example to the global world on the need to empower underprivileged people. Both have inspired millions of young social volunteers across Canada, the USA, the UK, and other countries in Africa and Asia. They are humanitarian, social activists, bestselling authors, and sought-after motivational speakers.
While many siblings find it difficult to work together professionally, Marc has worked alongside Craig for over 20 years. While this may appear surprising to many, Marc considers himself lucky because he could not imagine a better working relationship. Marc and Craig have worked closely and complimented their charity programs apart from excelling as individuals, winning accolades and awards from prestigious forums worldwide.
One of the Kielburger brothers’ rare achievements was finding the “Free the Children” charity organization. This was started at an age when most children are busy studying and playing. When Marc and Craig founded this charity, Marc was 17 years old, and Craig was 12 years. As youngsters matured beyond their age, they brought different insights into the ideas of setting up life-changing charities.
Some Interesting Insights that went into making the We Charity Movement
Marc was Craig’s first sounding board. As a teenager, Craig would burst into Marc’s room and speak faster than Marc could think and share ideas. Marc would listen and add insights and suggestions. Later, when c was being formed, Marc would fly home to Canada from Boston on weekends and help strategize by writing grant proposals.
In 1995, Craig came across an article about the murder of a 12-year-old boy working as child labor in Pakistan. This incident profoundly affected him, making him set out to make the world a better place for children. He was so outraged that he and a group of schoolmates searched for an activist organization that would welcome them, but unfortunately, they found nothing. When they approached many people, they told them to grow up into adults, get a good job and then change things. The Kielburgers got used to hearing this statement all the time.
When Marc was barely 12 years old, he attended a gathering and took the opportunity to speak to the audience. As Marc took the stage, he squinted slightly from the glare of the spotlights. The audience of 2000 people burst into an amusement rippled through the auditorium. They could hardly see the boy over the podium till someone brought him a step stool. The laughter soon turned to curiosity and admiration as the young Marc spoke about how more than 250 million working children were forced into inhuman slavery. He spoke extempore and passionately, putting aside his notes, and gestured emphatically at the audience. His speech won him repeated applause. At the end of the program, Marc raised 1,50,000 USD for the Free the Children movement. He had merely intended to raise awareness only!
Conclusion
An incident 7000 miles away from Canada in Pakistan led two 12-year-old boys to redefine philanthrocapitalism. It marked the birth of a youth-driven charity movement against child labor that would span over 20 countries and successfully raise awareness and millions of donations to charity for more than 25 years.
