Shannon Permal recently won the Shakti Award for Volunteering (Youth) for her community involvement this year.
“I have become heavily involved with youth-related projects and initiatives through my involvement in a couple of different organizations,” Permal says, speaking of her varied volunteer endeavours.
Background
Born and raised in Surrey, Permal has roots in the South Pacific islands of Fiji. Despite being far from her ancestral homeland, Permal is doing her bit to help those in need, all the way in Fiji.
Permal, 21, is currently chair of the Canadian Federation of Fiji Organizations (CFOFO), a non-profit umbrella organization comprised of multiple Fijian-Canadian organizations. The CFOFO exists to provide assistance to its member organizations, and other international bodies and populations.
The CFOFO has also established a range of youth initiatives and events, including post-secondary educational scholarships, volunteer programs, and additionally delivers a platform for youth performers and artists at their Youth Talent Shows. “We also provide support with mentorship and event planning with their Youth Committee and so forth,” explains Permal.
This year, she was nominated for a Shakti Award. The Awards, established 20 years ago, continue to recognize and empower the efforts of individuals, families and communities. Started by Sonia Andhi, the Shakti Awards were created to form a network of agencies that collaborate and support efforts to keep our community connected. In their own words, their purpose is to “create awareness around current issues impacting women, children and families through the media and public forums.”
The community submits nominees, tapping Permal this year. She went through the committee’s selection process, and was finally chosen. There is no doubt that Permal was selected for the category of Volunteering (Youth) because of her prolific experience in the field.
Other volunteering experiences
Shannon Permal, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of the Fiji Organization. | Photo courtesy of Shannon Permal
Along with being chairperson of the CFOFO, Permal is also the Senior Youth Coordinator and, since 2016, has been involved with the Miss Fiji Canada Cultural Society, in which she is now an executive member. Over the years, the society has fundraised for BC Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House BC and the Treasure House Orphanage in Fiji. In 2018, Permal traveled to Fiji and spent a month there meeting people and distributing school supplies to different villages and islands.
As of 2019, Permal became the Public Relations Director for Fiji Canada Professional Women’s Network Society. Their most recent event was a Valentine’s Day fundraiser in support of the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Society helped raise funds to help the hospital expand their Children’s Health Centre.
Currently, Permal is helping with a partnership project called South Asian Youth Mental Health Ambassador Training. They have partnered with the South Asian Mental Health Alliance, 3E Organization, Spark Foundation and Empower the Future to host a mental health retreat exclusively for people from Fijian and Caribbean backgrounds between the ages of 16 and 29. Youth that take part in this opportunity will receive mental health first aid certification, naloxone and overdose response training, and participate in wellness, cultural safety and community engagement workshops with trained professionals.
Permal has also volunteered for the Shakti Society, assisting with the Shakti Awards Gala in 2017 and 2018. “It’s quite funny to see how I was at one point the person helping hand the award off the side of the stage to being the one on stage, receiving it,” she jokes.
Currently, the CFOFO is looking to plan a project that provides assistance to citizens living in Fiji who need this help the most.
For more information, please visit: www.shaktisociety.com
https://www.facebook.com/Canadianfederationoffijiorganizations
