OREANDA-NEWS. July 09, 2015. Craig Kielburger was flipping through a local newspaper one morning in search of the comics, when he came across a story about a young boy from South Asia, Iqbal, who was sold into slavery at the age of four. Iqbal bravely spoke out for children’s rights, before he lost his life at the age of 12. Inspired by this incredible boy, Craig and a small group of classmates created Free The Children – an organization determined to free children from poverty and exploitation, as well as empower youth to achieve their fullest potential.

Now, Free The Children (FTC) is an international charity and educational partner, with more than 2.3 million youths involved in various education and development programs worldwide. Ford is proud to partner with FTC, an organization that not only works to dispel the notion that children are powerless to effect change, but also equip them with the necessary tools to make a positive impact in their local communities and abroad.

Free The Children and Ford of Canada were pleased to offer the Ford Drivers of Change Academy this year for the first time! The camp offered a group of young adults the unique opportunity to hone their leadership skills and discover how to create and find meaningful careers.