Maggie Doyne shares her mission to create a world where children are safe, educated and loved on the Live Inspired Podcast with John O’Leary.
Maggie Doyne’s mission is to create a world where children are safe, educated and loved.
At age nineteen, Maggie used $5,000 of her babysitting money to co-found BlinkNow Foundation which helped to build the Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School, a safe place for orphaned children in war-torn Nepal.
Since 2010, Maggie + her team have served 500 of the region’s most impoverished children and worked to deepen and grow the organization’s impact through grassroots community development efforts.
Today, as you hear from a humanitarian, activist, CNN Hero of the Year and Forbes “Top 30 under 30” Social Entrepreneur, you’ll learn just how tremendous + unlikely her work has been.
Plus, Maggie shares specific and practical ways to take action for a cause that’s meaningful to you.
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SHOW NOTES:
- Maggie’s mission in life is to create a world where children are safe, educated and loved and she’s doing that by empowering Nepal’s impoverished children.
- During her gap year, Maggie met Sunita who fled Nepal at 8 years old during their civil war and accompanied her on the long journey back to her town of Surkhet.
- In the town’s dried up river bed, children as young as 5 would use mallets to break rock into gravel to sell for $1 a bag.
- “I can’t do anything about all the intense problems of this war. I can’t do anything about 152 million orphaned children. But what if I can do something for Hima?”
- A few years of primary school education + basic literacy can change the trajectory of a child’s life + end cycles of poverty.
- “We all have the power within us to make a difference.”
- Instead of using shame + blame, Maggie focuses on how to create more quality, justice + opportunity for others.
- Maggie was named 2008 CosmoGirl of the Year + 2015 CNN Person of the Year.
- Today, BlinkNow has sent 166 children to college.
- “Love is the only restitution. It isn’t enough, but it’s everything I have.”
- “Life is hard for everyone here, but whereas men struggle, women suffer.”
- “Slowly, though gratitude never dwarfs grief, the two begin to stand together.”
- Learn more about BlinkNow here.
- Get a copy of Between the Mountain and the Sky here.
If you enjoyed hearing how Maggie created purpose in her life… you’ll love hearing from Scott Harrison. By 28, Scott had made a lifetime of mistakes. His journey, though broken, ultimately led him to start charity: water, an organization that revolutionized the nonprofit model and in doing so, provides clean drinking water to 8,000,000+ people. Hear Scott share lessons on redemption, creative problem solving and creating purpose in our lives and work on Live Inspired Podcast ep 104.
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MAGGIE DOYNE'S LIVE INSPIRED 7
- Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
A. The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. - Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today?
A. Fearlessness. - Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be?
A. My journal. - Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be?
A. Ravi. - Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. Just keep going. You will feel joy again. - Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
A. Slow down, take care of health, sleep a little more + eat a little more. Take a breather now and again. - Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?
A. She made the world better for children.