Sarah Taylor, MuchMusic VJ and Because I am a Girl Celebrity Ambassador headed to Ethiopia earlier this year to learn about the ongoing drought emergency in East Africa. If you haven’t already, you can check out the Sarah in Ethiopia special online.

Lucky for us, she also had the time to share some of her insights from her trip!

KJ: At the Plan for Change Summit you talked about people asking you, “How was Africa? Your response was, “No big deal. it was just life changing!” How was it life changing?

ST: The trip was life changing in many different ways. Travelling to a developing nation means visiting a place so different from where you live. The people live completely different lives. It’s something that your day to day life doesn’t reflect in any way. It’s shocking, and that culture shock makes you re-examine your values and what’s important in your life.

For me, it made me re-focus my intention on creating more shows like the one we made in Ethiopia. It’s about how I can work toward my own personal, and also how I can inspire others.

KJ: You said that you weren’t there to feel sorry for anyone. Can you tell us why that’s important?

ST: People that live in the West want to visit developing nations and make a difference but it can be a sensitive subject. I had a conversation with [Plan Canada's CEO] Rosemary McCarney while visiting the feeding centres. We talked about how emergencies provoke such an emotional response – you’re in this situation where you want to help. But it’s not about “saving Africa,” it’s about responding to a specific situation with basic assistance.

I don’t like that view of Africa as a continent that needs saving. Africa is thriving and surviving and moving on in its own way.

KJ: What is your Plan for Change?

ST: It’s a plan that I’m embedding into my plan for the rest of my life. You can’t un-see things…you can’t go back. It’s about finding your own platform wherever you are to make some change, being an example to those around you and inspiring yourself.

I would like to spend more time in developing countries, maybe for a longer period of time. I think that I’ll be going to India later this year. There are more stories to get told!

What people should know about getting involved is that it’s not a big lofty goal that’s unattainable. Start by asking questions. Figure out the right situations to get involved, whether it’s big or small. And it might be cliché but travel is the best education you can get because it changes you!

Ethiopia is in a state of emergency because of drought and famine, but at the same time it looks green and lush. What is a “green famine” or “green drought”? To find out, check out Sarah’s answer on her blog.

Sarah in Ethiopia airs again on Saturday, Nov. 26th at 4:30pm ET on CTV.

What’s your Plan for Change?

Because I am a Girl MuchMusic Contest Winners, the Markville High Girls Club!

How would YOU make a difference for girls around the world?

That was the question posed by MuchMusic in their Because I am a Girl contest this past October. Young Canadians were asked to send in a video or written submission for the chance to receive $5,000 to put their plan into action.

And the winner is: a Girls’ Club at Markville Secondary School in Markham who have taken on WATER issues and their impact on girls as their cause (Congrats ladies!).

I got the opportunity to talk to Fatimah, a driven young woman who was a leading figure in her club’s entry. Here’s what she had to say!

Yadesha: Let’s start off with you just telling me a bit about yourself.

Fatimah: I’m a Grade 11 student at Markville Secondary School and I’m a part of the Girls’ Club. The Grade 11s and 12s are mentors, making Grade 9 girls feel welcome when they first come to Markville. Girls get to know each other and learn about their own strengths and weaknesses. We also raise awareness of and fundraise for girls’ issues internationally.

Y: What about the Because I am a Girl message really struck you? What made you want to start this initiative?

F: Probably the fact that girls have been belittled a lot throughout history. I know now, in modern days, girls are supposed to be on an even playing field with guys but that’s not always the case. So, when I saw the Because I am a Girl commercial for the contest I wanted to make a difference.

Y: How did you get involved with the MuchMusic contest?

F: After seeing the commercial, I talked to the teacher of the Girls’ Club who thought it was a good idea for us to enter because that’s what our Girls’ Club is about – giving girls the power to change the world. All of the mentors came together, created a script in less than a week and filmed the video. Everyone had a hand in the video, whether they were actually in it or helped me edit it.

Y: What made you focus on the issue of water?

F: We chose water because the Girls’ Club had previously helped raise money for the building of a school in Sierra Leone. We wanted to continue that process of encouraging girls to go to school. But one thing that is stopping them is the expectation that girls and women have to be the ones to get water. Sometimes they have to walk six hours and then they wouldn’t have time for school. So, if we built a well beside the school, girls could go to school and get water too.

Y: Tell me about your project.

F: With the $5000 that MuchMusic has given us, we are going to pay for the supplies to accomplish our two-part plan. First, we will build flowerpots shaped like mini water wells that we will auction off to the school and community. Second, we are having a Water-Extravaganza. This is a one-day event outside where we will be informing people about water and its significance for girls in developing countries. One activity is getting the students to carry buckets of water on their head to a finish line. This will help people understand the weight that girls have to carry every day. We are also selling little things like water bottles, buttons and T-shirts.

Y: What made you come up with the idea of making mini water wells to sell?

F: Last year, the Girls’ Club built birdhouses. We wanted to continue on with the idea that girls are able to build things with their hands. At the same time, we wanted to work around water so we thought flowerpots shaped like wells were a great idea.

Y: As grand prize winner, your club got to meet Sarah Taylor, a Because I am a Girl ambassador. How was that experience? What did you learn?

F: I went with my teacher who is in charge of Girls’ Club. It was a fun experience because I have never been on camera before and I was so nervous! Sarah started to talk about herself and what she does, it just made me want to do that much more. I know I’m young but we were still able to win that contest. It showed me that if you put your mind to something, you can always do it.

Yadesha Satheaswaran is a member of the Girls’ Speakers Bureau at Plan Canada. She is a 2nd year University of Toronto student and is currently doing a double major in Cultural Anthropology and Equity Studies. She is a self-proclaimed feminist.

So how would you make a difference for girls around the world? Send us your video or written submission, cuz Much and Plan are giving one winner the chance to actually put their plan into action. You’ll also get to come to MuchMusic and hang out with Plan ambassador Sarah Taylor. It only takes one girl to change the world. PLAN to change the world.

Check out the website to see videos from girls who’ve already submitted their ideas, and get thinking about yours!

Will your entry be a girl power manifesto, or a step by step action plan to make a difference in your community? Would you use the money to multiply the money you and your friends can raise to support girls issues, or to bring awareness?  Its up to you, but the most important thing is this:

Are You The One? Tell us how and you could win $5000 to put your idea into action, thanks to MuchMusic and Plan Canada!

STEREOS’ Daniel Johnson and The Artist Life’s Dean Richards

Degrassi Girls and Paula Roberts from Plan Canada

Check out Sarah Taylor‘s blog post about the event: Because I am a Girl I make pink lemonade out of life’s lemons.

Lisa Ray!

YTV The Next Star crew

Rod Black from TSN Sports is a girl for the day!

For more photos, check out the Because I am a Girl Flickr Photostream!

Are you ready for the Day of the Girl? This September 22, we’ll be celebrating girls in a big way. We’re asking the Canadian Government to recognize September 22 as the National Day of the Girl (sign the petition here to help convince them), and we’re also hoping that you’ll celebrate being a girl in your own way!

For us, that celebration means Pink LemonAid. No, not a delicious drink…a party to celebrate girls!  There are three ways you can get involved:

Come to a Celebrity Pink LemonAid Event
Because I am a Girl’s Celebrity Supporters will be selling lemonade at three stands around Toronto (check here for locations). Keep your eyes peeled for Lisa Ray, Tyler Kyte, Sarah Taylor, and cast members from Degrassi: The Next Generation and many more! All the proceeds will go to support Because I am a Girl.

Host your own Pink LemonAid Stand
If you can’t get to one of the Toronto stands, you can hold your own Pink LemonAid stand to raise awareness and donations for the Because I am a Girl campaign on September 22. We’ve got kits available online that will help you plan your event from start to finish. Think about holding one at your school, in your community, or on your front lawn!

Enter our Pink LemonAid Contest
Starting September 16, you can enter to win a Flip Cam by becoming a fan of our Facebook page and then entering the draw on the website. And then spread the word!

What is your plan for the Day of the Girl?  Come and Celebrate with the Because I am a Girl team at Pink LemonAid!

This week, Much Music VJ Sarah Taylor is travelling with Plan Canada to El Salvador to check out first hand Plan’s work.  She’s going to visit a group of youth and their parents who have been involved in an anti-violence campaign.  Through the project, youth learn about their rights, and then create performances and presentations to spread the message.

Follow Sarah on twitter and on the Much Music blog, and stay tuned for a guest post from her here on the Because I am a Girl blog.