I met a lady about 6 years ago while she was at the Monash Medical Centre here in Australia. She was here because her then 4 year old daughter needed a series of life saving operations over an 8 month period.
Forging a sister friendship, she invited me to come and experience her way of life. ‘The Simple Life’ – I took my two younger boys with me at the start of 2014. We were the first white people to stay in her urban village. With no power, running water or toilet - there is quite a story to our time there together. Chopping wood to cook, living on rice and often getting up at 4 am just to get it all done. Doing the families washing took us about 3 hours. Something that would have taken me a few minutes back home as I load the machine, pour in detergent and press a button.
My friend was a kindergarten teacher and worked hard each day for a pay cheque of just $30 a month. Her family was poor!!!
I witnessed her generosity to others as we walked through the village. If I purchased a bag of mandarins, I watched her giving wedges away as she passed her neighbours.
I asked her one day why she wasn’t running her own kindergarten. “ME, no I couldn’t do that…” she was shocked that I had that sort of belief in her. In that moment I held a space.
About 6 weeks ago I had a call from my friend and she excitedly told me that she started her own kindergarten earlier this year. She had her husband build on her land a small room that holds 35 little kindergarten students, all literally jammed in. She came up with her ‘solution’ to providing a better life for her family, they now own their own toilet as well!
At the start of November when I visited her and took some kinder supplies, I sat and listened to her dreams of expansion. Expansion is definitely on the cards. After this weekend at MBS Melbourne we have raised $2,000 already toward what she started - including the sponsorship of children that currently don't have the privilege of attending kindergarten.
This is my Pledge – why I show up...
Proceeds from all direct sales & royalties go on to fund worthwhile causes across the globe.
Such causes including partnering The Hunger Project to mentor & support people in hunger stricken countries like Senegal, Uganda & Bangladesh to unlock their capacity, creativity & leadership – so they can end their own hunger.
#togethertowardsolutions is dedicated to lifting others up & supporting people to do incredible things.
