a single thought turns into action

My story. How did I, an 27 year old white American girl from an upper middle class come to find such an empowering website to connect to women all around the world? I have a best friend that is very involved with empowering women, she has traveled the world on her own, learning and teaching to others. She started a Somaly Mam program at her university and did a masters program that helped people in Cambodia improve their way of life. From her I have gained courage that I can create possibilities with my voice and connections. I don’t even think she realizes that her work and passion has touched me so deeply.

I have also had the most wonderful experience of my short lived life when I got to attend the World Environment Day in Kigali, Rwanda this past June. I was there for the Global Energy Awards presented by the United Nations. This awards helped me make connections with people from 30 different countries all with the same goal, to make the earth more sustainable. Many of the the attendees were women that have started their own companies to improve their communities by showing women how to be successful. I fell in love with the beauty of the land and the people in Rwanda. Everyone I met from the ladies at a local market selling their goods, to the ladies in town running their shops to the waiter at out hotel that took us on a city tour, they all wanted to be heard, to be listened to. They wanted their stories told and I was there to listen. The ladies in the stores were so friendly, kind and considerate they told me where each item that I asked about was made, what it was made out of, the time it spent to be made and how they came to be shop owners. The school children that we passed on the streets would come up and freely engage in conversations, hoping that we might just have a pen or pencil that they could have for their school work. It was clear to me that not only did everyone want their story told, they wanted to learn something from us. What was our life like? What do I do for my job? I was throughly touched by my short trip that I came home to find out how I can get more involved with making the earth more beautiful and connected.

I have had opportunities that have made me realize that I am more than just a white American upper middle class girl, that I have the power and resources to help people not only in my community but world wide. Between these two different experiences in my life and then reading the book, Half the Sky, which mentions ways I can get involved and help transform the world with the innovated ideas women have, is how I came to be involved with this life changing adventure.