Amitpal Singh
University of Calgary
Calgary, AB
Twitter: @_A_Singh

My name is Amitpal (Amit) Singh, from Calgary. I am a fourth year Political Science major at the University of Calgary. Through my studies I have been very interested in issues relating to Africa, specifically, the use of child soldiers and the effects of war on children.

I learned about the Zero Force organization through my admiration for Roméo Dallaire. I choose to get further involved with the organization to help promote Mr. Dallaire’s life work for the recognition of the rights of children. Through the Zero Force organization, I hope to further my knowledge and assist the eradication of child soldiers world-wide. In Calgary, I hope to build a solid base for the organization.

Besides the Zero Force, I am involved in the Young Liberals of Canada (YLC), working to promote progressive ideals in the province of Alberta. At the University of Calgary YLC campus club last year I worked to promote the initiatives of Zero Force in many events. I look forward to the following year with Zero Force.

Jacqueline Scott-Douglas
McGill University
Montreal, Quebec
Twitter: @jsd_mcgill

I am in my last year at McGill University, studying political science and history in the University’s joint-honours program. Academically, I have focused on the politics of development, with special interest in civil-military relations, and in history I have focused my studies on Africa and the Americas. I have always been interested in diplomacy, which has lead me to participate in Model United Nations conferences in Ireland, France and Germany, and co-founding McGill’s Model NATO Society.

While working in an orphanage in Okakarara, Namibia, I encountered several children who had been forced to flee Angola owing to the nation’s civil war. This experience prompted me to seek to better educate myself with the implications of war on society, where I quickly became familiar with the monstrous use of children in combat.

Working with Zero Force is an exciting opportunity to further my understanding of the issues pertaining to child soldiers. Moreover, I am looking forward to the chance to interact dynamically with people from across McGill and Montreal at large, through which hopefully greater awareness of the atrocious reality of the use of children as weapons of war can translate into a voice against it.

Rhian Williams
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Twitter: @rhian_vpw

Hello everyone, my name is Rhian Williams and I am one of the two interns working with Zero Force this year out of Halifax. I am currently in my fourth year of studies at Dalhousie University in International Development and Spanish.

I am from Vernon, British Columbia and I love the lakes of the Okanagan, hiking in the parks, and getting up to the ski hill in the winter. I also love photography, singing, and travel. Most recently, I spent 3 months abroad studying in Havana, Cuba.

My interest in getting involved with Zero Force developed from a course that I took in my third year called Children and War, as well as some volunteer experiences that I have had with The Child Soldier Initiative. I have always seen an integral link between development and children and am thoroughly looking forward to working in this area with my internship with Zero Force.

Leanna Winberg
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Twitter: @LeannaLaLiana

My name is Leanna Winberg and I'm currently in my fourth year of study at Dalhousie University, working on a thesis in International Development and Social Anthropology. Having just come back to Halifax after almost eight months of traveling sola in Central and South America, it would be fair to say that I thrive on new, exciting experiences and love to chat with anyone who has a story to tell!

To keep things interesting amidst school, work and volunteering I've recently taken up both hoola hoop classes and joined the Halifax Roller Derby, while I'll continue to play volleyball and jam with the Dalhousie Drum Society when time permits!

Some say I'm as quirky as my wild, dreaded hair so I hope to be able to contribute a little spunk to the already amazing Zero Force team at the same time as learning to work within the NGO sector to be the best advocate possible striving for the complete eradication of the use of child soldiers, because we all know, "even one child soldier is too many!"

Drew Steeves – ZFCT Intern
Queens University
Kingston, Ontario

Drew only learned how to ride a bike at the age of eight, but even since has enjoyed cycling around Montreal. He bought his first road bike last summer and has adopted cycling as his favorite sport. Among other things, Drew enjoys skiing and running. Drew first learned about the existence of child soldiers by watching the film Shake Hands with the Devil, and since then has read A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah and They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children by Lt.-Gen. Roméo Dallaire. His passion for cycling and his ambition to help end the use of child soldiers globally inspired him to start the Zero Force Cycling Team.

Drew is in his 1st year at Queen’s University. He has worked as a service representative at the YMCA West Island for almost two years. In addition to this job, Drew visits veterans at the Sainte-Anne’s Veterans’ Hospital weekly. In the past, Drew has volunteered with exceptional teenagers at the West Island Rehabilitation Center, worked as a shadow for special needs children at the YMCA day camp, has volunteered for the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign and was involved in building a home in Mexico for a socio-economically disadvantaged family in 2008.

His involvement in the Zero Force Cycling Team this past summer helped raise over $27,000 for the Child Soldiers Initiative and Zero Force. His drive to change the current child soldier problem and his enthusiasm to work with such a strong and dedicated team will hopefully ensure him success as he joins Zero Force as an intern.

Mitch Torrens – ZFCT Intern
Queens University
Kingston, Ontario

Mitch has been cycling since he was a child, and bought his first road bicycle at the age of fourteen. Ever since, cycling has been one of his favorite spring, summer and fall pastimes, along with playing competitive baseball, and training as a Japanese style Jiu Jitsu sensei, among other things. This passion for sports and cycling coupled with a drive to make a difference is what motivated him to join the Zero Force Cycling Team.

Mitch is in his 2nd year of a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Engineering Physics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. In his limited free time at school, he enjoys playing squash, pursuing his interest in science and hanging out with his friends. Mitch works part-time in the summer as a baseball umpire. Last year, he headed the Lakeshore Baseball Association umpire staff as its Umpire-in-Chief. He has experience with management, which he brings to the table as part of the team.

Volunteering and helping out one’s community is everyone’s responsibility, and Mitch is no stranger to that moral obligation. His involvement in the Zero Force Cycling Team this past summer helped raise over $27,000 for the Child Soldiers Initiative and Zero Force. He says that his goals of supporting the Child Soldiers Initiative and Zero Force is one of the biggest and most important tasks he has ever set out for himself.

Saleoapi “Sky” Gaboutloeloe – ZFCT Intern
University of Botswana
Gaborone, Botswana
Twitter: @skygaboutloeloe

My name is Saleoapi Gaboutloeloe (Sky), and I am in 2nd year at the University of Botswana taking Social Sciences with a double major in Public Administration and Economics. I enjoy working with all kinds of people and sharing my thoughts and ideas about anything with them. I also love working with children and educating them.

I learned about Zero Force from my school when the team came to launch it at the University earlier this year 2011. I was so inspired because it was my first time to hear and know that child soldiers are a reality and they do affect our continent in many ways. Mr. John Kelei’s story about his life really motivated me to want to take action and a stand against child soldiers. I have worked on few humanitarian projects helping the needy and underprivileged since the age of 17. I partnered with the management of my previous high school to raise funds for a fellow schoolmate to be able to do her kidney transplant in South Africa. I also helped start a club called ‘edu-confidence’ (education and confidence) which encouraged students to be able to link their education with having a good confidence on their schoolwork and dreams.

As one of the Zero Force interns I will be able to work easily with my community since they already know my face and it will be my pleasure to be able to educate my community and country at large about child soldiers and how those issues affect us and our country, even if we do not experience them. It will be a big movement in Botswana for Zero Force because it is a country that has never experienced child soldiers.