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BENDIGO teen Zahlia Burrill-Grinton is rolling up her sleeves for the people of Vanuatu.
Zahlia and her family holidayed at the island nation in October and loved the culture, meeting many "wonderful people", and she was saddened to learn of the devastation wreaked by Cyclone Pam earlier this month.
Therefore, on April 19 Zahlia will host a family fun day at View Point, Huntly, to raise money for the people of Vanuatu.
There will be a raffle, sausage sizzle, children's activities and entertainment.
"We're going to take all our money donations over and help regroup and rebuild the community," Zahlia said.
She and mother Mandy Burrill will travel to Vanuatu in June, to assess how the monetary donations can be distributed.
"Instead of spending a fortune having to transfer goods across we thought if we took the money across we're supporting the local economy by buying local goods and we can transport the goods directly to the villages," Mandy said.
"We can go to the communities and see what they really do want, whether it's building materials or staple foods."
Zahlia's determination is all the more notable considering she has a serious heart condition, which has been causing her to have blackouts for up to two hours on a weekly basis.
Mandy explained that Zahlia's heart beats more than 230 beats per minute, compared to a normal heart rate of about 80 beats per minute.
Within the next month, she will undergo surgery to remove a pathway in her heart that isn't needed.
"Naturally with what's been going on her mental health has dropped a bit ... so this has been a really good focus," Mandy said.
"She woke up one day and said, 'Mum I'm going to do something, let's do it'.
"She has such empathy ... it's beautiful."
Zahlia said she wasn't focusing on her health problems, instead pouring all her energy into the fundraiser.
"I get surgery within the next months or so but I'm just focusing on this at the moment," she said.
In addition to the Family Fun Day, Zahlia has also established a Facebook page, "Cyclone Pam Fundraiser Bendigo", and Bendigo Bank has established a bank account people can transfer money into to give to the cause.
Furthermore, people can drop money into a tin can at the ACSO office in Pall Mall, where Mandy works, and there will be other tins placed in businesses around the city.
To donate to the cause, transfer money to account name "Vanuatu Fundraiser Z O Burrill-Grinton", BSB 633-000 and Account Number 154-385-439.