Everychildnow
Inspire. Impact. Advocate.
Every Child Deserves Their Basic Rights
Join the youth-run movement and get involved with EveryChildNow to have an impact today
About Us
Who We Are
We are a national youth-run non-profit organization (based in Oakville, ON) that fights for children's rights through our development projects, campaigns and events. We inspire and empower young people to follow their passion by equipping them with the resources and tools they need to provide children all around the world with their basic needs.
Our Story
In 2012, Vishal and Ishan Vijay witnessed extreme poverty first hand in India. After spending time with underprivileged street kids, the brothers decided to start a small non-profit to help the kids that they had met. What started as a small group of 5 friends has now grown into a national organization actively working to protect and promote children's rights in Canada and around the world.
Our Values
We believe in the power that young people have to change the world. Since the very beginning, empathy, compassion and acceptance are forces that we believe shape who we are and what we can accomplish. In all the work that we do, we uphold our core values.
Our Bill of Rights
1. EQUALITY: every child has the right to be treated with equality, no matter their race, religion, national origin, gender, sexuality or physical appearance
2. BASIC NEEDS: every child has a right to the basic necessities of education, food, health care, shelter, water
3. PROTECTION: every child has the right to be protected from neglect, abuse, injustice, bullying and exploitation
4. ACCEPTANCE: every child has the right to voice their feelings and opinions and to grow in an environment of understanding, acceptance and friendship
Meet the Team
Vishal Vijay
Co-Founder & CEO
vishal@everychildnow.com
Ishan Vijay
Co-Founder & COO
ishan@everychildnow.com
Sonia Kish
VP of Social Educating
sonia@everychildnow.com
Angie Antonio
Director of Projects
angie@everychildnow.com
WHAT WE DO
Our work focuses on three main areas:
Inspire
Engaging Our Generation
We've never believed that you're too young to change the world. That's why we focus on inspiring and empowering our generation to become agents of change. We do this through workshops & speeches, school clubs & community chapters and Project Inspire Me. We create and distribute free resources and tools youth can use to change the world, while also mentoring them from our own experience. Once a young person is inspired, they can have an impact.
Impact
Development Projects & Campaigns
Our development projects (like a school house, water well or state-of-the-art computer lab) are permanent structures that are made sustainable through community involvement. Our campaigns work to raise awareness and supplies to provide immediate aid to those in need. Hundreds of children's and their families directly rely on our development projects and campaigns every day to receive their basic needs, giving them the opportunity to improve their lives.
Advocate
Having Important Conversations
We've always believed that young people aren't just the leaders of tomorrow, we're the leaders of today. We know that if we really want to see a change in children's rights for the better, we need to influence national & international policy makers and 'people in charge' to care more about our rights and we need to raise awareness about issues affecting children. We focus on research, outreach and engagement, which all come together for a powerful form of advocacy.
Get Involved
Have an impact the way that you want to ... Contact us
Campaigns
Participate in a Campaign or Start Your Own
Campaigns are a great way to get involved! We're always looking for new ideas.
To start your own campaign, contact us and we'll help you with the resources and mentorship to put it into action. We may even roll it out across Canada so hundreds of people can join in!
Fundraising
Hold Your Own Fundraiser
Birthday party for a cause? Halloween turned socially conscious?
Fundraise with ECN and we'll connect you with the resources you need to engage your community. We'll work with our development partners to make your project happen. We'll also send you photos of the impact that your work has to share with friends and family.
School Clubs
Start Your Own Club or Community Chapter
Want to have an impact all year round? Bring ECN to your school so your friends and you can work together to take action!
We'll work with you to create your campaigns and support the work that do by providing mentorship, valuable resources and a platform for change.
Youth Speakers
Book a Speaker
We have spoken to audiences of all sizes to speak to 165,000+ about children's rights and the work that we do. Contact us to have us come speak at your school, office place or to hold a workshop.
Speech topics, testimonials and other resources are available.
Internships
Join Our Teen Summer Volunteer Program
Our interns are changing the world while gaining valuable business skills, building their resumes and earning volunteer hours.
For positions, hours and more information on the program, contact us.
Volunteer
Volunteer at Events & Initiatives
Opportunities range from assembling school supply kits from a campaign or running the registration desk for a event.
Contact us to hear about meaningful volunteer opportunities in Oakville, ON.
Corporate Sponsorship
Support us with monetary or in-kind donations
By donating to ECN, you will be supporting our mission to provide every child with their basic needs.
Tax receipts and corporate recognition are available.
Wear Your Passion
Help spread the message with branded merchandise
Wear what you care about! All proceeds go to support ECN's work.
T-Shirts, Hoodies, Gloves + more! Just contact us :)
As featured in...
Links to notable articles:
Canadian School Counsellor, Movers and Shakers – Every Child, Especially Now
The Globe and Mail, Key takeaways from the Canada Future Forward Summit
The Globe and Mail, Highlights from the 2018-2019 Events Season
CBC, For International Youth Day, these young change-makers have a message for Canada
Huffington Post, Vishal Vijay Is Changing The World (After He's Done His Homework)
CBC, 10 young Canadians who are making their mark in their communities and beyond
Featured Campaign: HELPING HANDS
In the summer of 2020, EveryChildNow ran a 5-week Teen Summer Fellowship (TSF) designed to provide teenagers will the tools and resources needed to launch their own campaign across Canada. Kashy Antonio was selected as the Capstone Winner after participating in training on public speaking, event planning, leadership, and more! Her campaign, Helping Hands, is designed to provide Canadians with gloves and other winter clothing items. To get involved, please contact our Director of Projects at angie@everychildnow.com.
ONGOING CAMPAIGNS
From social media challenges to welcoming Syrian refugees to Canada to even shipping school supplies to children in India, we have lots of campaigns that make having an impact easy.
New campaigns are released every few months with a new action that you and your friends can take.
For more info on a campaign, contact us.
Read, Write, Repeat
Spread awareness about children's rights
Take action by collecting new notebooks, new pencils & pens, and new/gently used books & novels. They will be given to children in your community.
Every Child Deserves...
Spread awareness about children's rights
Show the world that you care by posting a photo while holding up "Every Child Deserves ________ Now." You fill in the blank ;)
Be sure to put #EveryChildNow in the caption to be featured!
Proud AWARD Recipients of...
