BELLA Burgemeister may be 10-years-old, but her vision and desire to make a difference to our planet showcases a maturity beyond her age.
She’s put her hand up to support a global movement, the United Nations 17 Global Goals for Sustainability, to end extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
But Rome wasn’t built in a day and where better for the young human rights activist to gather support and affirm her mission than at a Bunbury Neighbourhood Soup.
These goals may seem like an enormous feat for a 10-year-old, but Bella has a plan to gather forces within her age-group and the community to help achieve her goal.
Wanting to seed activism in the minds of young children in Bunbury, she’s written and illustrated a children’s book entitled Bella’s Challenge.
Seeking funds to print her books, posters and promotional goods, Bella said she wanted to introduce her global goals agenda to 27 schools in the Bunbury area.
Her tenacious spirit was admired and it won her creative project the most votes and a $1300 grant at a Bunbury Neighbourhood Soup gathering on Thursday.
South Bunbury Welcome Dinner Project organiser Sharna Mensah spoke of her need to cover administrative costs required to host dinners aimed at socialising newly arrived and established Australians.
Professional photographer Bianca Turri also made her case for a project which involves collating 100 pictures of women with the proceeds of the project to go towards supporting the South West Women’s Refuge.
Find out more about the global goals agenda for sustainable development on http://www.globalgoals.org/