Ellison Elementary teacher Wendy Bingham is passionate about social justice.

She鈥檚 taught social justice classes at the elementary school for the past eight years.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a passion for me, and I do it in my lunch hours. Kids are so giving and so caring, it gives them an outlet to start (thinking about others) from a young age,鈥� she said.

This year, the school held two fundraisers to buy water rollers for a child sanctuary in Namibia, Africa.

Called Hippo rollers, the water rollers are designed to carry water over rough terrain and can carry more water than the traditional method of holding a water bucket on the head.

The school held two fundraisers: a bake sale, and the third Toonie Hoops basketball clinic.

Basketball students from UBCO spent time with the students, teaching them sweet basketball skills through workshops. Each student was asked to bring a toonie for the cause.

鈥淭he kids love it and the university students love it,鈥� said Bingham.

Every year, the Ellison Peacekeepers, a group of Grade 3 to 5 students, choose a project involving nonprofits, food banks and other organizations in need.

The water-roller fundraisers raised $950 which will purchase six Hippo rollers. Each roller costs around $160. The initial goal was to purchase four, said Bingham.

鈥淭he whole school really bought into it,鈥� said Bingham, adding the school had an assembly completed with a video of the rollers.

For the last three years, basketball students at UBCO put on clinics with Toonie Hoops.

The idea of Toonie Hoops started from an Ellison student who died from a rare brain tumour. A basketball player named Lauren Hill suffered from the same incurable tumor. The first year, fundraiser donated to the Lauren Hill foundation, said Bingham.

The toonie basketball clinics were held over two days, Feb. 14 and 16.

Bingham said she hopes the fundraisers will continue.