Like many new graduates, Maggie Doyne was 18 when she took a gap year between high school and college, packed up a few of her belongings, and set out to see the world.
“I woke up one morning at 18-years-old and had a scary realization — I knew very little about myself and what I wanted in my life,” said Doyne.
Fast-forward more than a decade later, she’s transformed the lives of hundreds of orphans in Nepal.
Her very first step
Doyne’s story began when, after several months on the road, her travels led her to northern India, where she worked with poverty-stricken children at a school.
At the time, neighbouring Nepal was nearing the end of a civil war, and refugees were pouring into the area.
That is where Doyne became friends with a Nepali refugee, who’d been living in India and invited Doyne to visit her home village.
The remote Himalayan village where Doyne's friend was from had been ravaged by the war. People were suffering from extreme poverty and Doyne felt powerless.
The little girl who changed everything
Walking along the road one day, she locked eyes with a little girl, whose job was to carry loads to and from the villages, every day. She earned two dollars a day to support her family.
It was a sight Doyne couldn’t unsee.
I looked at her and I saw every single piece of myself.
She said, "I was devastated. I thought 'what have we done as a human family that our children are living this way?'"
Shocked by what she saw, she later found out that there were 80 million children across the globe living just like that little girl in Nepal.
Maggie's bond with Hema
Soon after, Doyne met another little girl, named Hema.
7-year-old Hema broke rocks into gravel to earn money. Doyne went to meet her every day, and every day Hema greeted her with her big bright eyes, a radiant smile, and a warm “Namaste, sister!”
“I thought to myself for the first time, 'Okay, Maggie, forget the 80 million, what if you just started with Hema?'” said Doyne.
Is there something you can do to change the life of just one child?
“I thought at 18, and as the entrepreneurial mind that I have — OK, I can do that. What if I just supported the education of this one child, how would her life change,” she said.
That’s when Doyne decided to take Hema under her wing and paid for her education.
One orphan becomes many
But helping Hema wasn’t enough for Doyne. There were still orphaned children, without families or homes and she wanted to make a difference in their lives.
"The world will change when our children and our women are educated. They have less children, they raise better families," said Doyne.
So, she bought a small piece of land for $5,000 with her babysitting savings. Her goal was to build a shelter for orphaned children.
Doyne continued to raise money and helped build a home for these Nepalese kids.
"The thing about this work that I do, is that it’s very addicting, so I thought, 'Okay, one kid, if I can do one kid, why not 10?'” She continued.
What if my dream was to walk across this dry river bed one day and not see a single child breaking stone? That’s what I want.
The Kopila Valley Children’s Home welcomed 200 children when it first opened in 2007, and it continues to expand. Doyne has also opened a school in Kopila Valley, as well as shelters for women and girls, and a health clinic.
Your calling can start small and grow from there
“I don’t think you have to go 8,000 miles away to the foothills of the Himalayas, I think the beauty of all of us, is that we have talents, we have gifts, and this just happens to be mine, and I was just really lucky to have found it,” said Doyne.
Today, Doyne is the CEO and co-founder of the BlinkNow Foundation, a non-profit that is dedicated to empowering Nepalese youth.
I created my little slice of heaven, my little paradise, and I think that the world will change when we all find that for ourselves.
Maggie Doyne's story is a great reminder that while we cannot solve all the world's problems on our own, taking the first step of solving one problem you know you can tackle will empower you-- and others-- to make seismic changes in people's lives.
More everyday heroes:
- After Discovering She Was Abducted as a Baby, She Dedicated Her Life to Missing Kids
- When Sarah Prout’s Fairy Tale Turned Into a Nightmare, She Chose Love Over Fear
- This Child Refugee Reunited With the Hero Who Gave Her a Life-Changing Gif
- Two Years After Being Shot in the Head, Deserae Turner’s Walking Proudly as Homecoming Queen
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.