In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed communities and thousands of lives throughout New Orleans. While most tuned in to NBC News to hear about the destruction caused by the storm, junior Erica Lang traveled to the ruins, worked to repair the city and helped mend the hearts of those who lost loved ones. Looking back five years later, Lang realizes that her trip to New Orleans is what pushed her to establish her own organization, Students for International Development and Aid, which motivates high school and college students to volunteer around the world.
After participating in a Hurricane Katrina cleanup project, Lang was able to help rebuild a school in Karatu, Tanzania that had been demolished in an earthquake. During the summer of 2011, Lang traveled to two cities in India, Tashi Jong and McLeod Ganj, where she taught English to Tibetan refugees. Her trips not only showed her how important it is to serve the less fortunate, but they also made her more appreciative of her own life.
“It is great for students to personally see what people face around the globe on a daily basis, and how students can make a change in the world,” said Lang.
SIDA is currently collaborating with the director of Volunteers For International Development Aid, David Levine. The organizations are partnering up and putting together international projects that include sanitation plants and solar panels, as well as ways for students to participate locally.
As Lang begins to look at colleges, her heart is set on those that allow her to obtain a major in International Relations. She plans on pursuing a career in volunteer work along with continuing her organization after she graduates. Lang is looking forward to building an irrigation canal this summer in the Sacred Valley of Peru.
“Helping others in need is what I do best,” said Lang. “I love volunteer work, and I hope to continue to build healthier lives and communities for the rest of my life.”
Lang cherishes the memories and relationships that have grown out of her volunteer work around the world, and she hopes to continue to heal the world one village at a time.
