British Columbia·Video

For Addie Tinholt's 8th birthday, she wants to sponsor a Syrian refugee family

Addie Tinholt asked for something a little different for her eighth birthday this week: The home-schooled Vancouver girl wants to bring a Syrian refugee family to Canada, having watched videos of people fleeing the wartorn country.

Nobel-winning Pakistani youth activist Malala Yousafzai is her inspiration

Girl, 8, wants to sponsor Syrian family

9 years ago
Duration 2:09
A little girl with a big sense of social responsibility wants to raise enough money to sponsor a Syrian refugee family for her 8th birthday

Addie Tinholt asked for something a little different for her eighth birthday this week.

The home-schooled Vancouver girl wants to sponsor a refugee family from Syria, having watched videos of refugees fleeing the wartorn country shown to her by her mom.  

"I'm really sad because it just showed that it's millions of people running away from their houses, have no place to stay. All they have is the clothing on their back," Addie said in an interview with CBC News.

She has met with Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and her local NDP and Liberal candidates to drum up support for her cause, and draws inspiration from Pakistani youth activist Malala Yousafzai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year at age 17 for her advocacy on behalf of girls' and women's education.

"More than 50 per cent of the Syrian refugees are children who have lost everything," Addie said.

Watch her full story here or above.