Aman Merdha, a kinesiology student at the University of the Fraser Valley, is competing for the Miss Canada title at the Miss Canada event that is scheduled for May in Quebec. Before participating in the pageant for the second time, Merdha is hosting a fundraiser promoting accessibility and inclusivity in sports.

The fundraiser will involve running or walking a track and is scheduled for April 29 from 1 to 2 p.m. in Clearbrook Park with Abbotsford students. Merdha hopes to talk to the students and explain the importance of exercise to them. She intends to send a pamphlet to each student asking their families to donate, with 100 percent of the funds going to support Opération Enfant Soleil, a non-profit organization supporting the development of pediatrics for children in Quebec.

Merdha’s commitment to social causes is not new. During her first run for the Miss Canada title two years ago, her platform was about diversity, representation, and inclusivity, focusing on literacy. Living with vitiligo, a condition that causes depigmentation of the skin, she authored a children’s book to promote the understanding and acceptance of physical differences. This book also served to encourage reading among children.

With her learning and experience from the first time that she participated in the Miss Canada pageant, Merdha is now more confident, and the 24-year-old intends to continue the initiatives she has started and become more involved in her community.

Source: The Abbotsford News