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Pictured above: Tyler Page, the founder of Kids Helping Kids, in 2007 at age 10 selling ice-cream at a fundraiser. |
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Kids Helping Kids Leadership Academy, Inc. is a unique organization that evolved from a 10 year-old's simple idea and big heart to raise $240 in order to keep one Ghanaian child out of trafficking into a fundraising and leadership movement for global transformation.
In February of 2007 ten year-old Tyler Page got inspired while watching an episode of Oprah where he learned that children, just like himself, were being sold by their own parents into labor. Picturing himself in their shoes is all it took for him to leap into action. He wanted to raise just $240 which he learned would keep one child out of trafficking for an entire year. Little did he know that his intent to raise $240, would begin a legacy of hope and inspiration.
Within the first year his $240 quickly turned into $38,000. His desire to help children he has never met on the other side of the globe is what inspired his family & friends to start Kids Helping Kids Leadership Academy, Inc. His innocent but powerful desire to help others has become contagious with whom all he shares the story with. With each fundraiser you can feel an excitement and joy that permeates the air as self esteem rises inside all the children and adults who volunteer. The success of Kids Helping Kids Leadership Academy, Inc. is only possible by the many volunteers, supporters, donations & sponsors that have, and continue to contribute to this global movement.
FOUNDER TYLER PAGE'S STORY
That’s my Story and I’m Stick’en to it!
At school we have been learning about Positive Action, such as helping others, picking up trash and doing nice things in our community. One day I was watching Oprah with my mom and she was featuring a story on child trafficking in Ghana. It made me so sad to see children like you and me being sold by their own parents into harsh fishing labor. I knew I had to do something. I came up with an idea to put what I’ve learned in school about Positive Action to good use. It doesn’t take much; for 1 child, it costs $20/mo x 12 mo’s = $240 yr. My goal was to raise enough money to save the life of one child for an entire year. The first fundraiser (a car wash) was so fun and successful that I decided to set my goal higher, to save the lives of 200 children for an entire year. Let’s team up and show others how Positive Action in your community can change lives. Wouldn’t you like to BE the difference and be a hero? Together as a team we can do it. If we were able to raise $38,000 in the first year, imagine what more of us together can accomplish. – Tyler Page
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MY IMPETUS FOR CHANGE
We live in an incredible community with beautiful homes, cars, boats and where most have everything ever wanted.
Kids are being raised in an environment that rarely focuses on giving to others or saving lives of the less fortunate. It's rare if they see a homeless person or under nourished toddlers with dirty clothes and no shoes or even those without parents.
I myself am guilty of over-indulging my children and not educating them as much as I feel I should about people and conditions many have to endure just to make it through each day.
Tyler’s genuine heart and drive to help other children is what opened a door to a deep hunger within my core. My love for children, their untapped simple wisdom and “anything is possible” attitude has intrigued me since I was a child myself. |
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After our first fundraiser, a car wash at Tyler’s elementary school, I shed a couple of tears from a place of complete thankfulness and humility for the gift that day had given to me and the others. The ambiance at the carwash was a sacred feeling of self esteem bubbling inside each volunteer, the warm hearts of the customers donating to a cause they felt wonderful about participating in and the spirit of community, unity and selfless giving. What a day! That “anything is possible” attitude had just been bottled and we are pouring it out on all who’s paths we cross.
When Tyler asked me if he could do fundraisers in order to raise $240 to keep one child out of these conditions all I simply did was listen and ask how he would go about it. His passion and intuition to listen to his integrity is what took over. With all the distractions of technology that has both blessed and plagued the 21st century are we listening to our children enough?
My hope is that our story inspires others to stop, listen and empower the next generation of leaders. |
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