LOGO: VegVoyages Foundation Logo
EXCITING NEW SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDES SUPPORT TO VEGAN & VEGETARIAN YOUTH IN ASIA!
The VegVoyage Foundation has recently started a scholarship project to support students and youth who are vegan or vegetarian (or are interested in becoming vegan or vegetarian).
'The 1101 Scholarship is the way of providing support to those students and allowing them to be the vegan voices of tomorrow. As many of us who became vegan or vegetarian in our youth know, students who make this decision are often outcasted because they don’t conform to the often socially accepted norms of living life in a way that causes suffering to animals and damage to the environment. This can include their peers and adults ridiculing them because they don’t eat meat, questioning their devotion to their religion, culture, and traditions when they abstain from living a life that harms animals, and also having to answer countless questions during every step of their interaction in society for the choices they have made. The loss of support, encouragement, and understanding from peers, friends, and family can make students feel alone and discouraged. These experiences are especially hard for youth who are often undermined and dismissed because of their age.
A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
One of their teammates recalls distinctly how his peers, friends, and family reacted when he became vegetarian at the age of 14…
“I was reminded every day by kids at school that I was the only veg student there – and that I must be crazy because of it. I was told at church that I was going against the word of God as “God gave humanity dominion over the animals” – where it says specifically that dominion should only be defined as exploiting and killing was beyond me. I was reminded in sports I was going to be the “weakest” one on the field. And I was reminded by family members that “joining a cult was dangerous” – why they thought I joined a cult is also beyond me as I had no contact with anyone else who was veg – so I guess I was in a one-person cult. ”
PHOTO: Group of Students preparing a vegan meal together
Many of us have similar stories in our lives. The 1101 Scholarship aims to help give moral and financial support to students who are vegan and vegetarian, or who are inclined to be, and to re-enforce the truth that…
- compassionate thinking is not negative…
- it is not irrelevant,
- it is not crazy,
- it is not “old school” (in some cultures),
- it is not falling into a cult, or weak, or anything else negative.
The hope is that the 1101 Scholarship will help encourage youth to not only continue up this path but possibly become an active part of the path’s creation in the future (i.e., get more involved in community-based activism, outreach, etc.).
Vegan Vacations has got all the details you'll need in order to apply below.
PHOTO: Group of Female Students Dressed in Pink with Bicycles
Who can Apply?
Vegan and vegetarian students or students who inspire to be vegan and vegetarian, between the ages of 14 to 22 years old from the following countries are eligible to apply:
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Cambodia
- India
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- South Korea
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
Please Note: Priority will be given to vegan and vegetarian students. However, those who inspire to be vegan and vegetarian will also be considered.
ILLUSTRATION: Award Ribbon
Scholarship Award
Two students selected as scholarship winners will receive US$ 1,101/- each. The duration of the scholarship is one year and they will have to reapply for the scholarship if they want to continue for the next year.
The award should be used by the students to both help them further their education, as well as help them to actively create a program or initiative in their neighbourhood, community, and/or school to further raise awareness and contribute to vegan principles, animal welfare, animal rights, conservation, and/or environmental protection. At least 1/3 of the scholarship award should be used by the scholarship winners to design programs and activities in their neighbourhood, community, and/or school for the cause of veganism, animal welfare, animal rights, conservation, and/or environmental protection.
The scholarship winners will also be featured in exclusive interviews on UnchainedTV’s the Action Hour and in VegWorld Magazine, where in addition to being interviewed they will have the opportunity to present their essays and raise awareness regarding the causes closest to them in their communities.
ILLUSTRATION: Excellent, Good & Average Choices
Judgment Criteria
Scholarship winners will be determined based on a thematic 1,101-word original essay they must write and submit relating to the planet and/or animal rights issues in their region based on a different theme chosen by the panel every year. The 1101 Scholarship themes will include everything from how scholarship students can relate to directly seen and experienced climate change effects in their communities, to industrial animal agriculture’s impact on the local environment and local ethics in their communities. The final subject matter will be decided mutually by each year’s panel.
ILLUSTRATION: I am vegan
‘Food Habits and Climate Change’
The theme of the year 2022 is ‘Food Habits and Climate Change’. Animal Agriculture is one of the leading causes responsible for climate change. Write about the issues that arise due to the consumption of animal products in your community with special reference to directly seen and experienced effects of climate change in your country. Also, emphasize what changes might be included in one’s food habits to accommodate the end to animal cruelty and climate crisis?
All the submitted thematic essays will be evaluated by our panellists and the best essay writers who have met all the criteria will be selected. This will be followed by an interview with our panellists for their final evaluation.
The application opens from April 22, 2022 – World Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day this year is ‘Invest in Our Planet’. Investment in our planet is not just an investment for future ‘sustainability’ but is also a necessity of time ‘Our Own Survival’. VegVoyages Foundation through 1101 scholarship seeks to invest in the planet by investing in the education of youth. Empowering our youths to speak about relevant issues is one of the ways we seek to give back to the community.
Deadlines
The deadline for submission of the application is August 12 which is World Youth Day. The announcement of the scholarship award will be on Nov 1, 2022. We selected November 1 as a deadline since this day is celebrated worldwide as World Vegan Day. This project 1101 Scholarship is a homage to this day.
To find out the full details on the application process, read more about the panellists and submit your interest in applying, visit https://vegantravelasia.com/1101-scholarship-program/
We'll report back when we find out this year's winners!
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
Don't Forget! Vegan Vacations can help you add a Veg Voyages tour to your next vacation. Visit our appointments page here to book your free consultation today!
ABOUT VEGVOYAGES FOUNDATION:
The VegVoyages Foundation was established with the belief that travel should be beneficial for both the people travelling and the communities we are guests of. Since the beginning, Vegan Travel Asia by VegVoyages has been incorporating social charitable activities, projects, and programs as a key part of our journeys. Whether it is helping out at a local grassroots animal rescue or sanctuary, assisting with community education projects or community recycling programs, supporting local animal protection and conservation initiatives, providing school supplies, water filtration plants and desks to village schools, or serving up vegan lunches at children’s homes and emergency relief centres, amongst many others. We make it our responsibility to help the communities that have welcomed our guests and us into their hearts and homes over the years.
Photos Courtesy of VegVoyages Foundation & Pixabay