"Kids don't know what isn't possible-therefore, everything is possible. It's not that small efforts don't matter; it's that small efforts matter the most." Talia Leman, 17 year old Social Entrepreneur and Author
With all the problems we are facing in our communities and on the planet, what possible difference can one person make? Fair question. This is not the question Talia Leman asked herself, however, following the horrendous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She simply asked how she could help.
And, she came up with a little idea for Halloween. What if kids collected money for hurricane victims instead of trick or treat candy? A simple idea and the use of technology, gave Leman the chutzpa to rally twelve million kids across the nation to donate ten million dollars for the hurricane victims. It turned out to be one of the most successful Katrina fundraising campaigns of all.
The best part, Leman was a mere ten years old at the time. Ten years old … no big deal. She considered herself just a random kid with a good idea. So, Leman did what any 10 year old kid would do. She founded her own nonprofit organization called RandomKid … the place where Random Kids can go to solve real-world problems.
RandomKid fosters projects like Aqua Share, engaging kids in selling reusable water bottles. Proceeds from Aqua Share go to build pumps and wells in parts of the world where clean water is an issue.
Through another project, BIG Return, youth are able to accept donations and amplify them by 100 to 1,000 percent before applying the monies to specific causes. Their track record earned them a Toyota grant for $50,000 in 2012.
A click on the web site, www.randomkid.org, is time well spent, whether you visit with your children, grandchildren, or on your own. If you happen to be an educator, take a few minutes to connect with this extraordinary movement. The web site is chocked full of tools to engage and empower kids, of all ages. Your visit will surely inspire hope for our communities and for our planet.
From building schools in Cambodia to helping drill wells in Kenya, RandomKid mobilizes nearly a hundred thousand kids a year in generating and implementing solutions.
Leman, now 17, is the author of "A Random Book about the Power of ANYone." In researching her book, Leman discovered studies indicating that 98 percent of us test as highly creative at the age of 5. By age 25, only 2% of the population test that way. She has a few ideas for parents, educators and employers to prevent the creativity drain. I think we should listen.
Your Coaching Challenge, Should You Choose to Accept It:
Visit www.randomkid.org for a fresh perspective and a lot of inspiration. Invite your children or grand-children to visit the site with you. And, get yourself outside of "that box" once and for all. The world needs your creativity.
