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GRABBED HER HEART THIS ONE WAS FAR BEYOND THE HOOSIER STATE.
FAR BEYOND THE HOOSIER STATE. ś
ś >> I GRADUATED FROM INDIANA
>> I GRADUATED FROM INDIANA UNIVERSITY LAST MAY WITH A
UNIVERSITY LAST MAY WITH A DEGREE IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT.
DEGREE IN NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT. WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR, I WAS ASKED
WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR, I WAS ASKED TO DO A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM.
TO DO A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM. SO I TRAVELED TO KENYA AND I
SO I TRAVELED TO KENYA AND I MOVED TO A LITTLE VILLAGE CALLED
MOVED TO A LITTLE VILLAGE CALLED BUGOMA.
BUGOMA. I MET THE KIDS ON THE STREET AND
I MET THE KIDS ON THE STREET AND THEY IMMEDIATELY ATTACHED
THEY IMMEDIATELY ATTACHED THEMSELVES TO ME AND I ATTACHED
THEMSELVES TO ME AND I ATTACHED MYSELF TO THEM, AND WE FORMED A
MYSELF TO THEM, AND WE FORMED A BOND WHERE I WOULD JUST HANG OUT
BOND WHERE I WOULD JUST HANG OUT WITH THEM EVERY DAY.
WITH THEM EVERY DAY. I WASN'T NECESSARILY HELPING
I WASN'T NECESSARILY HELPING THEM.
THEM. I WAS JUST LEARNING ABOUT THEM.
I WAS JUST LEARNING ABOUT THEM. AT THE END OF MY STAY, THEY TOLD
AT THE END OF MY STAY, THEY TOLD ME, HEY, NICKY, WE NEED ALL OF
ME, HEY, NICKY, WE NEED ALL OF THIS HELP.
THIS HELP. AND SO I CAME BACK AND I
AND SO I CAME BACK AND I STARTED.
STARTED. THE MAJOR CONCERN WITH THE KIDS
THE MAJOR CONCERN WITH THE KIDS IS THAT THEY LIVE ON THE STREET.
IS THAT THEY LIVE ON THE STREET. SOME OF THEM SLEEP ON VERANDAS.
SOME OF THEM SLEEP ON VERANDAS. SOME OF THEM SLEEP IN A LITTLE
SOME OF THEM SLEEP IN A LITTLE CHARCOAL HUT.
CHARCOAL HUT. DURING THE DAY, THEY JUST BEG
DURING THE DAY, THEY JUST BEG FOR MONEY ON THE STREETS.
FOR MONEY ON THE STREETS. ONLY A FEW OF THEM HAVE EVER
ONLY A FEW OF THEM HAVE EVER BEEN TO SCHOOL.
BEEN TO SCHOOL. SO THEY HAVE A NEED FOR
SO THEY HAVE A NEED FOR SCHOOLING AS WELL.
SCHOOLING AS WELL. 509 ISSUANOTHER ISSUE IS THEY AE
509 ISSUANOTHER ISSUE IS THEY AE EXTREMELY ADDICTED TO SNIFFING
EXTREMELY ADDICTED TO SNIFFING GLUE.
GLUE. THEY USE THE GLUE TO HELP WITH
THEY USE THE GLUE TO HELP WITH THEIR HUNGER PAINS AND THEN TO
THEIR HUNGER PAINS AND THEN TO STAY WARM AT NIGHT WHAT HAPPENS
STAY WARM AT NIGHT WHAT HAPPENS WITH SO MANY NONPROFITS THEY
WITH SO MANY NONPROFITS THEY COME IN AND THEY SAY THIS IS HOW
COME IN AND THEY SAY THIS IS HOW YOU NEED TO DO IT.
YOU NEED TO DO IT. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON. I RECENTLY CAME BACK FROM KENYA.
I RECENTLY CAME BACK FROM KENYA. I SPENT SIX MONTHS THERE, JUST
I SPENT SIX MONTHS THERE, JUST LEARNING, JUST BEING A PART OF
LEARNING, JUST BEING A PART OF THE CULTURE, LEARNING ABOUT THE
THE CULTURE, LEARNING ABOUT THE KIDS, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW
KIDS, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ISSUE TO THE PROBLEM, THEN
THE ISSUE TO THE PROBLEM, THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY SOLVE IT.
YOU CAN'T REALLY SOLVE IT. I DECIDED I WOULD ASK THE KIDS
I DECIDED I WOULD ASK THE KIDS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED AND ALL
EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED AND ALL OF THEM TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL
OF THEM TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL WANTED TO LIVE IN A HOUSE
WANTED TO LIVE IN A HOUSE TOGETHER AND TO GO TO SCHOOL.
TOGETHER AND TO GO TO SCHOOL. TOWARDS THE END OF MY TRIP, I
TOWARDS THE END OF MY TRIP, I RENTED A HOUSE FOR THEM WHERE
RENTED A HOUSE FOR THEM WHERE NOW TEN OF THEM LIVE AND ARE IN
NOW TEN OF THEM LIVE AND ARE IN SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. I HAVE SEEN THE KIDS GROW
I HAVE SEEN THE KIDS GROW TREMENDOUSLY.
TREMENDOUSLY. THERE WAS A LOT O LOT OF VIOLENE
THERE WAS A LOT O LOT OF VIOLENE GOING ON, A LOT OF DRUG USE.
GOING ON, A LOT OF DRUG USE. NOW THAT THEY ARE IN THE HOUSE,
NOW THAT THEY ARE IN THE HOUSE, THEY ARE COMPLETELY OFF OF THE
THEY ARE COMPLETELY OFF OF THE GLUE, OFF OF ALL THE DRUGS.
GLUE, OFF OF ALL THE DRUGS. THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY
THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CORDIAL TO ME AND VERY NICE TO
CORDIAL TO ME AND VERY NICE TO ME, BUT I CAN SEE THEIR
ME, BUT I CAN SEE THEIR ATTITUDES CHANGINATTITUDES CHANR
ATTITUDES CHANGINATTITUDES CHANR AND WHO THEY ARE AROUND.
AND WHO THEY ARE AROUND. THEY HOOK EACH OTHER AND THEY
THEY HOOK EACH OTHER AND THEY DON'T GET IN FIGHT -- THEY LIKE
DON'T GET IN FIGHT -- THEY LIKE EACH OTHER AND THEY DON'T GET IN
EACH OTHER AND THEY DON'T GET IN FIGHTS ANYMORE.
FIGHTS ANYMORE. SOME OF THEM ARE NUMBER ONE IN
SOME OF THEM ARE NUMBER ONE IN THEIR CLASSES.
THEIR CLASSES. A YEAR AGO, ONE OF THE KIDS
A YEAR AGO, ONE OF THE KIDS CALLED ME FROM KENYA TO AMERICA,
CALLED ME FROM KENYA TO AMERICA, AND HE CALLED ME "MOM."
AND HE CALLED ME "MOM." AND SO I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING ON
AND SO I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING ON THAT MOTHERLY ROLE, WHICH SCARED
THAT MOTHERLY ROLE, WHICH SCARED ME A LITTLE BIT BUT IT MAKES ME
ME A LITTLE BIT BUT IT MAKES ME KIND OF LIKE A PROUD MOM.
KIND OF LIKE A PROUD MOM. I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THEM. >> NICKY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND
>> NICKY, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WELCOME TO THE STUDIO.
WELCOME TO THE STUDIO. YOUR STORY IS SO COMPELLING AND
YOUR STORY IS SO COMPELLING AND JUST A YEAR OUT OF COLLEGE AND
JUST A YEAR OUT OF COLLEGE AND YOU ARE DOING ALL OF THIS AND I
YOU ARE DOING ALL OF THIS AND I HOPE PEOPLE DEFINITELY CHECK OUT
HOPE PEOPLE DEFINITELY CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE.
THE WEBSITE. THESE BOYS THAT YOU ARE HELPING,
THESE BOYS THAT YOU ARE HELPING, YOU DON'T MENTION THEIR
YOU DON'T MENTION THEIR FAMILIES.
FAMILIES. THEY ARE ALL ON THEIR OWN.
THEY ARE ALL ON THEIR OWN. ARE THEY ALL ORPHANS?
ARE THEY ALL ORPHANS? >> THEY AREN'T ALL COMPLETELY CY
>> THEY AREN'T ALL COMPLETELY CY ORPHANS.
ORPHANS. THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I GOT
THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I GOT THERE, I BOUGHT A CAR.
THERE, I BOUGHT A CAR. I WANTED THEM TO BE ABLE TO SHOW
I WANTED THEM TO BE ABLE TO SHOW ME THEIR FAMILIES.
ME THEIR FAMILIES. A LOT OF THEM WANTED ME TO MEET
A LOT OF THEM WANTED ME TO MEET THEM.
THEM. SO WE DID A LOT OF FAMILY VISITS
SO WE DID A LOT OF FAMILY VISITS AND THROUGH THAT I LEARNED WHY
AND THROUGH THAT I LEARNED WHY THEY WERE LIVING ON THE STREET.
THEY WERE LIVING ON THE STREET. SO A LOT OF THEM WERE LIVING ON
SO A LOT OF THEM WERE LIVING ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF THEIR
THE STREET BECAUSE OF THEIR FAMILY SITUATIONS.
FAMILY SITUATIONS. THE -- THEY WEREN'T GETTING
THE -- THEY WEREN'T GETTING ALONG WITH THEIR PARENTS.
ALONG WITH THEIR PARENTS. A LOT OF THEIR PARENTS WERE
A LOT OF THEIR PARENTS WERE BEATING THEM OR THIS JUST WASN'T
BEATING THEM OR THIS JUST WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY.
ENOUGH MONEY. THEY COULDN'T AFFORD FOOD FOR
THEY COULDN'T AFFORD FOOD FOR THE KIDS BUT THEN SOME OF THEM
THE KIDS BUT THEN SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY ORPHANS.
ARE ACTUALLY ORPHANS. THEY ARE ORPHANS FROM EITHER
THEY ARE ORPHANS FROM EITHER AIDS OR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WHICH
AIDS OR TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WHICH ARE A BIG PROBLEM IN KENYA.
ARE A BIG PROBLEM IN KENYA. >> WOW!
>> WOW! I IMAGINE FOR YOU, IT'S SO
I IMAGINE FOR YOU, IT'S SO OVERWHELMING, ALL THE HELP THAT
OVERWHELMING, ALL THE HELP THAT THEY NEED AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE
THEY NEED AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE THROUGH THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN
THROUGH THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A LOT.
A LOT. WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP?
WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP? >> SO THE NEXT STEP, WE ARE
>> SO THE NEXT STEP, WE ARE LAUNCHING A PROJECT CALLED
LAUNCHING A PROJECT CALLED NIMBA, WHICH MEANS "HOME" IN
NIMBA, WHICH MEANS "HOME" IN SWAHILI.
SWAHILI. WE ARE MANNING ON DOING A WHOLE
WE ARE MANNING ON DOING A WHOLE BUNCH OF FUND-RAISING THIS
BUNCH OF FUND-RAISING THIS SUMMER AND RAISING ENOUGH MONEY
SUMMER AND RAISING ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY SOME ACRES OF LAND OUT IN
TO BUY SOME ACRES OF LAND OUT IN GONGOMA AND WILL HAVELY BUILD A
GONGOMA AND WILL HAVELY BUILD A LARGER HOUSE BECAUSE -- AND
LARGER HOUSE BECAUSE -- AND EVENTUALLY BUILD A LARGER HOUSE
EVENTUALLY BUILD A LARGER HOUSE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE HOUSING
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE HOUSING ABOUT 10 CHILDREN AND THERE ARE
ABOUT 10 CHILDREN AND THERE ARE 60 MORE THAT HAVE TO BE HOUSED.
60 MORE THAT HAVE TO BE HOUSED. >> I ALSO HEAR THAT YOU ARE
>> I ALSO HEAR THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON A BOOK.
WORKING ON A BOOK. TELL US ABOUT THAT.
TELL US ABOUT THAT. >> I AM.
>> I AM. I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THE KIDS.
I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THE KIDS. IT'S JUST A STORYBOOK ABOUT
IT'S JUST A STORYBOOK ABOUT THEM, OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER.
THEM, OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER. >> MM-HMM.
>> MM-HMM. >> AND THE KIDS -- I DECIDED
>> AND THE KIDS -- I DECIDED THAT WHY NOT INCLUDE THEM IN IT?
THAT WHY NOT INCLUDE THEM IN IT? SO THEY ACTUALLY ILLUSTRATED THE
SO THEY ACTUALLY ILLUSTRATED THE ENTIRE BOOK.
ENTIRE BOOK. I WROTE ALL THE WORDS FROM
I WROTE ALL THE WORDS FROM ENGLISH TO SWAHILI SO THAT THEY
ENGLISH TO SWAHILI SO THAT THEY COULD READ IT.
COULD READ IT. >> WOW!
>> WOW! >> AND THEN THEY DREW ALL THE
>> AND THEN THEY DREW ALL THE PICTURES.
PICTURES. >> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC. >> WELL, IF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING
>> WELL, IF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW AND THEY JUST FEEL
RIGHT NOW AND THEY JUST FEEL COMPELLED, THEY WANT TO HELP IN
COMPELLED, THEY WANT TO HELP IN SOME WAY, WHAT CAN THEY DO?
SOME WAY, WHAT CAN THEY DO? >> IF ANYONE WANTS TO HELP OR
>> IF ANYONE WANTS TO HELP OR DONATE TO CHILDREN OF BENGOMA,
DONATE TO CHILDREN OF BENGOMA, THEY CAN TO OUR WEBSITE OR CHECK
THEY CAN TO OUR WEBSITE OR CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK OR TWITTER.
OUT OUR FACEBOOK OR TWITTER. WITH A DONATION, THOUGH, THEY
WITH A DONATION, THOUGH, THEY WILL RECEIVE A BRACELET FROM
WILL RECEIVE A BRACELET FROM WOMEN THAT I MET.
WOMEN THAT I MET. THEY ALL HAVE *** OR AIDS AND WE
THEY ALL HAVE *** OR AIDS AND WE BUY WHOLESALE FROM THEM THEIR
BUY WHOLESALE FROM THEM THEIR JEWELRY AND THEN WHEN SOMEONE
JEWELRY AND THEN WHEN SOMEONE DONATES THEY GET THAT BRACELET.
DONATES THEY GET THAT BRACELET. SO YOU ARE NOT ONLY HELPING US
SO YOU ARE NOT ONLY HELPING US AND THE KIDS BUT YOU ARE ALSO
AND THE KIDS BUT YOU ARE ALSO HELPING WOMEN AND HELPING THEM
HELPING WOMEN AND HELPING THEM GET JOBS WHO HAVE AIDS.
GET JOBS WHO HAVE AIDS. >> THAT'S FANTASTIC!
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC! >> WHAT A GREAT STORY.
>> WHAT A GREAT STORY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.
THE SHOW. AND IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE
AND IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF BENGOMA
ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF BENGOMA AND HOW YOU CAN