Where it all began

Ever since I can remember, I knew I would go to Africa. What I didn’t know was why I felt so called there. Seventh-grade me had no idea that when I finally followed that calling, I would meet my very best friends and find my true passion in life. At first, I was terrified to make the decision and take the leap. I felt an immense pressure to go straight to university and believed I would be failing myself if I didn’t. This feeling wasn't being pushed by anyone around me, it came from the weight of societal expectations. Although I was nervous to finally tell my family how I was truly feeling because, “that would make it real, right?” When I finally did, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

I spent the last few weeks of summer seeing my friends as much as possible, knowing I would soon be 8,000 miles across the ocean. I prepared myself in every way I knew possible, but I had no idea just how different the experience would be from what I had imagined. I was expecting to arrive in the version of Africa that American schools prepare us for, a one-dimensional picture of dirt roads and huts, but that was so incredibly far from the truth. Although there are many areas still struck with poverty after apartheid, it was nothing like the stereotype I pictured. Instead, there were communities filled with incredibly kind people and vibrant life everywhere. 

I think I always knew I would do something for others in my life, but I just didn’t know exactly what or why. There are moments in everyone’s lives that stop you in your tracks. They make you rethink everything you once believed to be true. My trip to South Africa gave me one of those moments. My whole life changed, and I finally realized what my life passion was. It became clear to me that no matter where life takes me, I want to give back to the community in South Africa because they gave me everything; my happiness, my purpose, and my people.

Ever since then, I’ve wanted to do more to help but I didn’t know how. That was until I realized I had it in my brain all along; I was just choosing to ignore my thoughts because I wondered, “What 19-year-old can create a business like that? What 19-year-old can help that many people?” But then I realized if nobody dreams big and crazy, then no problems will ever be solved. Because if it doesn’t start with somebody who has one big and crazy dream, then who else will do it? 

On my first day in the daycare, I instantly clicked with the children. I felt an immense desire to help them succeed. There was a little boy in my class whose story stuck with me. He came to school hungry each day. He rarely spoke, and after about a week, I knew something wasn’t right. When I asked the teachers about his story, they shared that he lives with his mother, a deeply loving woman who wants the best for her children but has faced immense hardships. She is raising multiple children from different absent fathers all connected to gang activity, which also involves her family. This environment creates a complex and dangerous cycle of instability and vulnerability. Without access to education, support, or resources, she struggles to provide the care and opportunity her children deserve. That conversation changed everything for me. It opened my eyes not only to the struggles children face, but also to the untold stories of the mothers behind them. Mothers who are doing their best but have been denied access to the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they deserve. Her story reflects the experiences of many women in the township, young mothers caught in a cycle of poverty, violence, and lack of resources. It was this reality that inspired me to create In Bloom Mother’s Sanctuary, a space designed to support and empower women like his mother. 

 I realized that instead of tackling the surface level issues I should focus on getting at the root of the issue. These children and their mothers deserve hope and a bright future. I invite you all to follow along on this journey of everlasting impact with me. Even if we can change one mothers life and one child's future we will have accomplished so much.