Renae Higgins: Why I Rebuild
I rebuild for peace because I know how influential empowering others to empower themselves can be, not just for that individual, but for their families and communities as well. Helping to provide someone with the skills they need to change and rebuild their own life may seem like something small, something that won’t change much, but empowering change for one individual can change the world.
Not everyone was blessed with the same type of childhood I had. I remember when I was about eight hearing about the Iraqi refugee crisis and seeing pictures of children my age and younger torn from their homes, the lives they knew, and at times, even their families, struggling to survive in an environment that didn’t care whether they lived or died. It broke my heart.
At that time, all I could do was empty out my little piggy bank and do extra chores in order to donate a few dollars, but I was committed to doing more when I was older. I told myself that I would dedicate my life to helping those in need and promoting peace. I never wanted something like that to happen again.
I still see pictures of children and families without homes, forced to flee destruction and war, but now I have the ability to do a little more. Rebuild for Peace enables refugees and youth to rebuild their lives and provides them with the training and skills they need to unlock their potential. It empowers them to change their lives, their families, and their communities.
Renae is a student at BYU Hawaii, in the Intercultural Peacebuilding Program and is actively involved in our mission to rebuild lives, communities, and peace. She has served with our team as a grant writer and researcher.
TAGS: #WhyRFP
