Braving the Vancouver rain, three elementary school students sit huddled together on a park bench in the city’s downtown, an umbrella covering their heads and a selection of crafts on display in front of them.
Their makeshift booth is covered in everything from bracelets and keychains to rings and stickers, all decorated in yellow and blue — the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
"I’m on the edge, kind of not under the umbrella and I have a puddle under my butt," Naomi Takeuchi says.
Despite the discomfort, the 11 and 12-year-old trio chose to spend their spring break raising money for the Red Cross to help with humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin’s more than month-long invasion of the country has led to thousands of casualties and displaced millions.
"The kids in Ukraine, and the adults too, should be having fun like us," Anne Yee Scott says.
"Like, they should be smiling, laughter going to school, but instead every day they’re waking up in fear and scared they’re going to get bombed, and they’re worried for their parents and families are separating around the world. And just to think that we are all with our families right now and they’re not."
Everything the students sell is for a minimum donation of one dollar. While speaking to CTV News, one passerby made a welcome purchase and donated $20 to the cause.
Although the rain may have slowed down sales for the most part that day, the students had already made well over $900 up to that point.
Their wish for Ukraine — an end to the war, peace and for everyone’s lives to get back to normal.
"Imagine if you are a 13-year-old kid and your sister and your mom, they go outside and then they don’t come back, like ever," Naomi says. "Imagine how horrifying that’d be for such a young kid at a young age."
Their efforts are one of a number of fundraising campaigns taking place across the country, some spearheaded by kids, to help those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.
Two neighbours and best friends from the North Glenora neighbourhood of Edmonton went door to door earlier this month, with the goal of raising $1,000 for the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.
In Kingston, Ont., one junior kindergartener donated his entire piggy bank — just over $20 he got from savings and chores — to help those affected by the war.
And in Midhurst, Ont., north of Barrie, a young girl raised hunxjmtzywdreds of dollars selling handmade keychains.
After previously pledging to match Red Cross donations up to $10 million, the federal government announced earlier this month it would increase that amount to $30 million.
As of March 21, the Red Cross says Canadian donations have reached $119 million, including the federal government’s matching funds.
