“WE SELL SKATEBOARDS
TO HELP PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN POVERTY”
IN YOUR WORDS
DOLLY readers share their incredible stories, from starting a successful
charity to dreaming of being the next Beyoncé. They prove to us once
and for all that anything is achievable when you put your mind to it!HARMONY, 15, AND HER LITTLE
BROTHER ELI, 13, STARTED THEIR
OWN CHARITY, HARMONY
SKATEBOARDS, TO HELP RAISE
MONEY FOR PEOPLE LIVING
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.My mum and dad are pastors, so we
travel around the world to help people
in developing countries. The idea [for
Harmony Skateboards] came to me
when I was in Indonesia last year and
saw a lot of people living in total
poverty. I could see how hard it
was for them to try and survive,
and that really stuck with me.
I have always had a heart
for people living below the
poverty line and wanted to
raise money for charity, so
Dad and I came up with the
idea of selling skateboards.
Originally, I didn’t want to
call the brand Harmony ‘cos
I didn’t want it to be about me,
I wanted it to be about helping
other people. But Dad and his
friends said that I should make it
personal because it’s about me trying
to help people. The main causes we want
to give to are Aid 21, which helps girls who
are in the sex slavery industry, and then there’s
Vision Rescue, which helps homeless teens get
an education. And people have actually been
buying the skateboards. We really didn’t think
anyone would! Sometimes we will ship the
skateboards and then other times we deliver
them directly so we can meet people and
hear their stories. I fi nd it really cool meeting
different people and hearing what everyone
else is going through. Our friends are surprised
that we’re doing all of this and then giving
the money away, but we really want to give
to people in need and use what’s in our own
hands to help others. Even if we only help one
person out there, we’ve achieved something.120