Forty students and a teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School share a common goal: to build a school in Malawi. They believe that giving children an education is key to ending the poverty cycle.
 

Four years ago, they formed a club called The Link and began raising money for World Vision's education projects in developing countries. Mike Beattie, who teaches English, history, and philosophy at the Brampton, Ontario, school, supervises the club's fundraising activities. "I've been teaching about AIDS in Africa and the crisis in Rwanda for a long time. We were always talking about it. It came time we wanted to do something."

Since 2000, The Link has raised $13,200 for education and $7,500 through the 30 Hour Famine.

While building a school in Africa is expensive, Mr. Beattie says the goal fosters a sense of charity among his students. "I'm trying to instill in them a sense of 'always'-to always continue giving. Charity doesn't end here."