Following Your Heart

Written by Mary Benoit

Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:52

As I announced last week, I would like to start highlighting examples of volunteerism from all across America. For this first entry, however, I am going to highlight a young lady who took her passion for helping others a place where many young women would not venture alone. That place is a small country called Nepal.

After graduating high school Maggie Doyne took a “gap” year before starting college and set off to travel the world. After backpacking through various countries Maggie found herself in Nepal where she was deeply touched by the kindness of the people, and saddened by the poverty that surrounded the war-torn country.

Maggie wanted to do something to help the children who were orphaned and homeless. Upon returning home to Mendham, New Jersey, Maggie shared her experience with family, friends and community leaders. The support she received was overwhelming! Soon, Maggie found herself using her life savings (money earned from babysitting) to purchase land in Surkhet, Nepal and began constructing what is now called the Kopila Valley Children’s Home.

Since its completion, Maggie has become a “mother” to over 20 children who now live at the Children’s Home and enrolled dozens of others into the school sponsored by her program. She also established her own non-profit organization called BlinkNow which raises awareness of poverty and encourages young people to get involved because “in the blink of an eye, we can all make a difference.”

Readers may follow Maggie on her frequently-updated blog which contain videos and pictures of life in Nepal.

It is truly amazing the difference that one person can make when vision, organization and perseverance are all in alignment!

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