Emily Sandall
IIECL honors the memory of Emily Sandall, a former volunteer and recipient of IIECL’s former youth mini-grant program. In collaboration with the Emily Sandall Foundation, IIECL changed the name of its mini-grant program and is awarding “Emily grants” of $500 grants to individuals, schools, and organizations that need a small amount of seed money for child labor-related prevention and/or education projects.
Emily Sandall was an exceptional young woman who devoted herself to service during her life. She worked with street children in Mexico and N
epal, led teens on backpacking trips for Voyager Outward Bound in Montana, and on wilderness canoe trips in Minnesota and Canada for the Menogyn YMCA Camp. She died in a hiking accident on November 8, 2006 at the age of 25.
Emily was the recipient of one of IIECL’s first mini-grants. She used the funds to give cameras to street children in Mexico to allow them to document life from their own perspective. Emily also helped IIECL conduct interviews with migrant families who traveled from southern Mexico to the agricultural export plantations just south of the U.S. border.
Emily’s family has set up a foundation to continue her work, and has made a generous. donation to the IIECL mini-grant program. To learn more about the foundation or Emily’s life, please visit www.emilysandall.org.
What Kinds of Projects Does the Mini-Grant Program Fund?
Mini-grant awards are up to US $500, and are available for projects that:
1) help raise awareness about child labor; and
2) promote campaigns to eliminate exploitative child labor.
We have funded a wide range of child labor-related projects and activities. We look for creativity, innovative approaches, and projects that will benefit from a small amount of seed money.
“Emily Sandall, 25, a 1999 graduate of Eldorado High School and University of Montana graduate, died in a hiking accident in Yosemite National Park, on November 8, 2006. She leaves behind loving and grieving communities in Albuquerque, Missoula, Montana, Red Lodge and Dixon, Montana, Minnesota, and Oaxaca, Mexico. Emily was one the recipient of IIECL’s Mini-Youth Grants. She used the funds to help street children in Oaxaca, Mexico to take photographs to document life from their perspective. Also, Emily assisted IIECL with conducting interviews with migratory families who traveled from southern Mexico to the northern agricultural export plantations south of the US border.
Emily lived a life full of adventure and service. She worked with street children in Mexico and Nepal, led teens on backpacking trips for Voyager Outward Bound in Montana and on wilderness canoe trips in Minnesota and Canada for the Y Camp Menogyn. She loved to dance, play the guitar, sing, write, camp, and run. Emily was known for her laughter, her pranks, her sparkling smile, her friendship, her love of life. A minimalist in her life style, she was generous with her concern, her attention, and her bright and shining personality.
IIECL’s deepest sympathy goes out to Emily’s family. Emily’s life, while too short, was one of service to others in so many ways. She will be missed, but trust that her dreams and aspirations can some day be achieved to end the worst forms of child labor.
To honor Emily’s work with disadvantaged youth and her hopes and plans for the future, a foundation to fund projects and scholarships is being organized by her family. Contributions can be sent to the Emily Sandall Foundation, 4213 Springland Lane, Bellingham, WA, 98226 or to your favorite charity in her honor and memory.”
Visit the Emily Sandall Foundation at www.emilysandall.org to see how “in the midst of tragedy comes opportunity.”