Ideal Way kicked off their Robert’s way campaign on March 30th at Fanshawe College. The Campaign, led by Co-Founder Robert Pio Hajjar, is a mission to trek across Canadian Campuses to raise money for those with Down Syndrome.
“I see Robert’s Road going all over Ontario” said Hajjar. “Take me anywhere, and I will go to talk to as many people as possible.”
Hajjar was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at the age of one. Hajjar’s parents were suggested to get rid of their son, as he would grow to become nothing. “My mom said no to the doctors. She wanted to raise me and was proud that I was Unique.”
Ideal way was started by Robert Pio Hajjar 15 years ago. Hajjar started with $62 dollars in his pocket and has raised over $500,000 for children with disabilities who are homeless.
In 2016, Pio Hajjar received an honorary diploma from Fanshawe College for his impact on those with Down Syndrome. “You know, the work we have done here at the school with ideal way” said Fanshawe President Peter Devlin. Fanshawe has developed “I Can. You Can.” pilot programs with Ideal Way, where the presentation has been presented to more than 400,000 people in 88 different cities across North America.
With a book coming out in the fall, Robert is on his way to helping those with disabilities have a better life. Ideal Way advocates for those with intellectual disabilities in the workplace, saying they are still able to do the physical work that everyone else in society can do.
The event itself had both Mayor Matt Brown and MPP Deb Matthews come to speak on behalf of the work done in the city of London with Ideal Way. Just Last year, Hajjar was awarded the Order of Ontario for his work done within the community.
Robert Pio Hajjar says that he hopes people will be able to look at those with Down Syndrome differently than they do now. He says that his next goal is to take Robert’s Way to Ellen Degeneres to move his initiative past North America.