Reunite Nicole with Her Mother
Donation protected
The Story
Nicole was born in the Congo in 1997. When she was 8 years old, there was fighting in her village that tore her family apart. the children were told to run and so Nicole did. She walked all the way to Tanzania as a refugee. Afterwards, she gained refugee status in the United States and moved in with a family here in Colorado.
10 years later, the Global Livingston Institute heard about her story and vowed to reunite her with her mother. After discovering that Nicole's mother now lives in Uganda, the GLI worked with NIcole and her mother to get them to Skype with each other. Now, after 10 years, we want to reunite Nicole with her mother across the world. But we need your help. All funds will be put towards travel and in-country costs to bring together a family that was torn apart 10 years ago. With your support, we can work together to bring Nicole to Uganda to meet her mother in January and explore her own cultural heritage.
Who We Are
The Global Livingston Institute (GLI) is named after Johnston R. Livingston, a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist from Colorado. Jamie Van Leeuwen founded the GLI in 2009 after traveling to Uganda and Rwanda as part of the Livingston Fellowship he received from Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. During his travels, he became aware of the many people and NGOs taking actions in East Africa without truly understanding the needs of the community. He identified the need for people to do more listening and thinking before acting. Ultimately, the idea was to get students and community leaders to rethink the approach we take to international development. Since 2009, the GLI has been engaging students and community leaders in the United States and East Africa to Listen. Think. Act.
What began as a nascent Denver non-profit has grown beyond metropolitan boundaries. Inspired by a vibrant and engaged Denver base, the GLI continues to engage past travelers not just from all corners of Colorado, but from across the United States and throughout the world.
Nicole was born in the Congo in 1997. When she was 8 years old, there was fighting in her village that tore her family apart. the children were told to run and so Nicole did. She walked all the way to Tanzania as a refugee. Afterwards, she gained refugee status in the United States and moved in with a family here in Colorado.
10 years later, the Global Livingston Institute heard about her story and vowed to reunite her with her mother. After discovering that Nicole's mother now lives in Uganda, the GLI worked with NIcole and her mother to get them to Skype with each other. Now, after 10 years, we want to reunite Nicole with her mother across the world. But we need your help. All funds will be put towards travel and in-country costs to bring together a family that was torn apart 10 years ago. With your support, we can work together to bring Nicole to Uganda to meet her mother in January and explore her own cultural heritage.
Who We Are
The Global Livingston Institute (GLI) is named after Johnston R. Livingston, a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist from Colorado. Jamie Van Leeuwen founded the GLI in 2009 after traveling to Uganda and Rwanda as part of the Livingston Fellowship he received from Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. During his travels, he became aware of the many people and NGOs taking actions in East Africa without truly understanding the needs of the community. He identified the need for people to do more listening and thinking before acting. Ultimately, the idea was to get students and community leaders to rethink the approach we take to international development. Since 2009, the GLI has been engaging students and community leaders in the United States and East Africa to Listen. Think. Act.
What began as a nascent Denver non-profit has grown beyond metropolitan boundaries. Inspired by a vibrant and engaged Denver base, the GLI continues to engage past travelers not just from all corners of Colorado, but from across the United States and throughout the world.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jordan Soberg
Organizer
Lone Tree, CO
Ryan Grundy
Beneficiary