[Music] is there something you always wanted to
is there something you always wanted to
is there something you always wanted to do and you feel like you wouldn’t be
do and you feel like you wouldn’t be
do and you feel like you wouldn’t be able to die peacefully without having
able to die peacefully without having
able to die peacefully without having done it giving a TED talk is that for me
my name is her just like him and her but
my name is her just like him and her but it’s just her although I’m actually him
it’s just her although I’m actually him
it’s just her although I’m actually him if you think that’s weird or interesting
if you think that’s weird or interesting
if you think that’s weird or interesting check this out my sister is called me
check this out my sister is called me
check this out my sister is called me and I have a friend called AI who dated
and I have a friend called AI who dated
and I have a friend called AI who dated a girl called you I’m student from
a girl called you I’m student from
a girl called you I’m student from United World College Maastricht in the
United World College Maastricht in the
United World College Maastricht in the Netherlands and the video that you just
Netherlands and the video that you just
Netherlands and the video that you just saw was about a project that I did back
saw was about a project that I did back
saw was about a project that I did back home in Laos or I’m from Laos by the way
home in Laos or I’m from Laos by the way
home in Laos or I’m from Laos by the way and if you don’t know where Laos is I
and if you don’t know where Laos is I
and if you don’t know where Laos is I have a map here for you
have a map here for you
have a map here for you I brought the map because when I first
I brought the map because when I first
I brought the map because when I first came to Europe so many people asked me
came to Europe so many people asked me
came to Europe so many people asked me who I was from and I said oh those and
who I was from and I said oh those and
who I was from and I said oh those and they were like oh yeah I’ve been there I
they were like oh yeah I’ve been there I
they were like oh yeah I’ve been there I was in China last year or Thailand so
was in China last year or Thailand so
was in China last year or Thailand so the map is to show you that Lao is a
the map is to show you that Lao is a
the map is to show you that Lao is a separate country so there the project is
separate country so there the project is
separate country so there the project is called dreams givers we raised money and
called dreams givers we raised money and
called dreams givers we raised money and sent underprivileged children to school
sent underprivileged children to school
sent underprivileged children to school the reason that we called this project
the reason that we called this project
the reason that we called this project dreams givers is because my team and I
dreams givers is because my team and I
dreams givers is because my team and I believe that as children we have so many
believe that as children we have so many
believe that as children we have so many dreams and talents in life to achieve
dreams and talents in life to achieve
dreams and talents in life to achieve but so many of these dreams die because
but so many of these dreams die because
but so many of these dreams die because of one word poverty by giving the
of one word poverty by giving the
of one word poverty by giving the children the opportunity to go to school
children the opportunity to go to school
children the opportunity to go to school we help to keep those dreams alive
we help to keep those dreams alive
we help to keep those dreams alive that’s why it’s called dreams givers
that’s why it’s called dreams givers
that’s why it’s called dreams givers in order for you to truly understand why
in order for you to truly understand why
in order for you to truly understand why this project means so much to me I would
this project means so much to me I would
this project means so much to me I would like to take you back to where
like to take you back to where
like to take you back to where everything started so I was born in the
everything started so I was born in the
everything started so I was born in the countryside of Laos in a small village
countryside of Laos in a small village
countryside of Laos in a small village of around 50 families and most of them
of around 50 families and most of them
of around 50 families and most of them are illiterate rice farmers with with no
are illiterate rice farmers with with no
are illiterate rice farmers with with no income including my parents because of
income including my parents because of
income including my parents because of this three of my siblings never got the
this three of my siblings never got the
this three of my siblings never got the chance to go to school um
chance to go to school um
chance to go to school um back then my dad over there he was
back then my dad over there he was
back then my dad over there he was addicted to opium and when he didn’t get
addicted to opium and when he didn’t get
addicted to opium and when he didn’t get opium he would hit my mom with a stick
opium he would hit my mom with a stick
opium he would hit my mom with a stick until she bled and if she ran he chased
until she bled and if she ran he chased
until she bled and if she ran he chased after her through the village and
after her through the village and
after her through the village and dragged her back whoever tried to stop
dragged her back whoever tried to stop
dragged her back whoever tried to stop would get hurt too and eventually people
would get hurt too and eventually people
would get hurt too and eventually people are scared to help so they left my mom
are scared to help so they left my mom
are scared to help so they left my mom being tortured by my dad when I was five
being tortured by my dad when I was five
being tortured by my dad when I was five my parents divorced and I moved out with
my parents divorced and I moved out with
my parents divorced and I moved out with my mom because I was scared of my dad
my mom because I was scared of my dad
my mom because I was scared of my dad and I hated him for everything that he
and I hated him for everything that he
and I hated him for everything that he did to my mom and my family
unfortunately my mom didn’t have any
unfortunately my mom didn’t have any money so we saw or we grew corn and sold
money so we saw or we grew corn and sold
money so we saw or we grew corn and sold it for just enough money for me to go to
it for just enough money for me to go to
it for just enough money for me to go to school she was the only one I had left
school she was the only one I had left
school she was the only one I had left and she was both a mom and a dad to me
one day at the age of nine I walked out
one day at the age of nine I walked out of school to find my mom on a bus and
of school to find my mom on a bus and
of school to find my mom on a bus and she was on her way to the capital city
she was on her way to the capital city
she was on her way to the capital city of Laos
of Laos
of Laos she told me that she was going to the
she told me that she was going to the
she told me that she was going to the capital to get her visa to the US and I
capital to get her visa to the US and I
capital to get her visa to the US and I didn’t know what the US was
didn’t know what the US was
didn’t know what the US was so I thought she was just visiting some
so I thought she was just visiting some
so I thought she was just visiting some relatives somewhere and she would be
relatives somewhere and she would be
relatives somewhere and she would be back in a few days
back in a few days
back in a few days I thought she didn’t take me because I
I thought she didn’t take me because I
I thought she didn’t take me because I had school and she left it wasn’t until
had school and she left it wasn’t until
had school and she left it wasn’t until a few months before I realized that she
a few months before I realized that she
a few months before I realized that she was gone and she wasn’t coming back in
was gone and she wasn’t coming back in
was gone and she wasn’t coming back in school people bullied me for not having
school people bullied me for not having
school people bullied me for not having parents to protect me and I promised
parents to protect me and I promised
parents to protect me and I promised myself that when I grew up I would be a
myself that when I grew up I would be a
myself that when I grew up I would be a good father for my children and I will
good father for my children and I will
good father for my children and I will not let them suffer
not let them suffer
not let them suffer I felt I felt lost and alone without my
I felt I felt lost and alone without my
I felt I felt lost and alone without my mom so at the age of 15 I was determined
mom so at the age of 15 I was determined
mom so at the age of 15 I was determined to study English so that one day I could
to study English so that one day I could
to study English so that one day I could go and study in the US and reunite with
go and study in the US and reunite with
go and study in the US and reunite with my mom so I moved from the countryside
my mom so I moved from the countryside
my mom so I moved from the countryside to a town where my brother lives and I
to a town where my brother lives and I
to a town where my brother lives and I found out that all the English centers
found out that all the English centers
found out that all the English centers there were way beyond my financial reach
there were way beyond my financial reach
there were way beyond my financial reach but I was so determined so I wasn’t
but I was so determined so I wasn’t
but I was so determined so I wasn’t gonna give up so I took to the streets
gonna give up so I took to the streets
gonna give up so I took to the streets and literally asked foreigners to teach
and literally asked foreigners to teach
and literally asked foreigners to teach me English after school I would go back
me English after school I would go back
me English after school I would go back there and talk to people and ask them to
there and talk to people and ask them to
there and talk to people and ask them to teach me English and practice my English
teach me English and practice my English
teach me English and practice my English until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. I did that
until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. I did that
until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. I did that every day
every day
every day and soon I met an American teacher who
and soon I met an American teacher who
and soon I met an American teacher who runs a nonprofit project called the
runs a nonprofit project called the
runs a nonprofit project called the smile project he teaches he teaches
smile project he teaches he teaches
smile project he teaches he teaches impoverished youth in Laos for free he
impoverished youth in Laos for free he
impoverished youth in Laos for free he teaches English and other life skills
teaches English and other life skills
teaches English and other life skills many of my friends and I have lived with
many of my friends and I have lived with
many of my friends and I have lived with him for the past 5 years and he means a
him for the past 5 years and he means a
him for the past 5 years and he means a lot to me
lot to me
lot to me he’s he’s a friend a doctor a teacher
he’s he’s a friend a doctor a teacher
he’s he’s a friend a doctor a teacher and the dead that I always wondered with
and the dead that I always wondered with
and the dead that I always wondered with his hope and the hard work that I put
his hope and the hard work that I put
his hope and the hard work that I put into studying English I was able to get
into studying English I was able to get
into studying English I was able to get a scholarship to come and study in
a scholarship to come and study in
a scholarship to come and study in Europe and make my dream a reality
Europe and make my dream a reality
Europe and make my dream a reality last week I got accepted to a university
last week I got accepted to a university
last week I got accepted to a university in the US with a full scholarship
in the US with a full scholarship
in the US with a full scholarship soon I will be seeing my mom again for
soon I will be seeing my mom again for
soon I will be seeing my mom again for the first time in 10 years today I
the first time in 10 years today I
the first time in 10 years today I experienced so many great things that I
experienced so many great things that I
experienced so many great things that I never imagined before and I deeply
never imagined before and I deeply
never imagined before and I deeply appreciate everything that my American
appreciate everything that my American
appreciate everything that my American teacher and all the foreigners taught me
teacher and all the foreigners taught me
teacher and all the foreigners taught me inspired by him and the fact that three
inspired by him and the fact that three
inspired by him and the fact that three of my siblings were denied education I
of my siblings were denied education I
of my siblings were denied education I was driven to pay forward the gift that
was driven to pay forward the gift that
was driven to pay forward the gift that I received I feel compelled to help
I received I feel compelled to help
I received I feel compelled to help other people who are in the same
other people who are in the same
other people who are in the same position I was many years ago
position I was many years ago
position I was many years ago so with this Drive I started dreams
so with this Drive I started dreams
so with this Drive I started dreams givers in January last year as of
givers in January last year as of
givers in January last year as of September 2016 we were able to send 22
September 2016 we were able to send 22
September 2016 we were able to send 22 children to school we are now currently
children to school we are now currently
children to school we are now currently a team of eight people and we we are we
a team of eight people and we we are we
a team of eight people and we we are we hope to continue sending these children
hope to continue sending these children
hope to continue sending these children into school and also put more put 10
into school and also put more put 10
into school and also put more put 10 more children each year into school so
these are pictures of their children
these are pictures of their children that we sent to school and most of them
that we sent to school and most of them
that we sent to school and most of them are from families of illiterate rice
are from families of illiterate rice
are from families of illiterate rice farmers and single moms my teacher
farmers and single moms my teacher
farmers and single moms my teacher planted a seed in me and I’ve grown so
planted a seed in me and I’ve grown so
planted a seed in me and I’ve grown so much and I hope that my project can
much and I hope that my project can
much and I hope that my project can plant seeds in these children
plant seeds in these children
plant seeds in these children and that they can and that they continue
and that they can and that they continue
and that they can and that they continue paying it forward to their communities
paying it forward to their communities
paying it forward to their communities back home
back home
back home people often forbid the daughters from
people often forbid the daughters from
people often forbid the daughters from spending Tom’s with me
spending Tom’s with me
spending Tom’s with me they said the apple doesn’t fall far
they said the apple doesn’t fall far
they said the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
from the tree
from the tree they said I would achieve nothing in
they said I would achieve nothing in
they said I would achieve nothing in life and become like my dad
life and become like my dad
life and become like my dad I didn’t let that determine who I was
I didn’t let that determine who I was
I didn’t let that determine who I was instead I used it as a tool to motivate
instead I used it as a tool to motivate
instead I used it as a tool to motivate me to create my own future if I could
me to create my own future if I could
me to create my own future if I could come from nothing and get to where I am
come from nothing and get to where I am
come from nothing and get to where I am today
today
today you I believe you two can go out there
you I believe you two can go out there
you I believe you two can go out there and start nurturing your dreams and
and start nurturing your dreams and
and start nurturing your dreams and passions there are so many people out
passions there are so many people out
passions there are so many people out there that need the skills you have and
there that need the skills you have and
there that need the skills you have and if you have doubts and don’t want to
if you have doubts and don’t want to
if you have doubts and don’t want to believe in you believe in the people who
believe in you believe in the people who
believe in you believe in the people who believe in you thank you
”
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