February 24, 2025 • 54 mins
What happens when the magic of books become a lifeline for children in need? We welcome the extraordinary Seena Jacob, founder and CEO of Bookwallah, a nonprofit that is dedicated to setting up libraries for underprivileged children who survived traumatic events but didn't have kind of resources available for support. Seena Jacob knows well about how the power of reading stories has the ability to impact someone's life. Seena herself turned to book reading as a young child as a way to cope with her own traumas. Stories like Cinderella, Chronicles of Narnia, and Beauty and the Beast particularly stood out or Seena, as they provided her with hope for a better day ahead.
As a way to pay it forward, Seena decided to pour her passion of reading and enjoying libraries and providing it for children in need who are healing from trauma. Through her passion and dedication, Seena has opened many libraries for the underprivileged children throughout parts of India. Seena has the drive to expand her libraries to other parts of the world. She shares a compelling story of the nature of their work through sharing a transformative story of one of the students who utilized the library that Bookwallah provided.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of On
the Spectrum with Sonia, apodcast where we discuss autism
spectrum mental healthchallenges and also highlight
any inspirational stories whereanyone has overcome any
adversity.
That leaves people feelingconnected, empowered and filled
with hope, love, and, especiallyin a world that tries to leave
(00:27):
us disconnected from one another.
Today we have a very specialguest, sina Jacob.
She is the CEO and founder ofthe nonprofit organization
called Bookwalla, which startedin 2010.
She has been featured on WTTWChicago.
She has done many amazingthings with the hope of
(00:48):
spreading joy, love, hope andinspiration through opening
libraries and giving kidsunderprivileged access to books.
As Sina herself had learned froma young age, that reading was
how she gained hope for a betterday.
So, without further ado, let'splease welcome Sina.
(01:14):
Sina, thank you so much forbeing here.
Thank you, sonia.
So tell us a little bit nowabout the start of Bookwalla,
and why don't you like, kind oftell our audience, like, what is
the spirit of Bookwalla, howyou came about with about that?
(01:35):
What does Bookwalla mean?
Like, give us, like a littlewalk.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Sure, it's taken me quite some time to form the
organization called Bookwalla,and it's based on my own life
where, as you mentioned in theintroduction, it was inspired by
my own life journey growing up,where I found that visiting the
libraries in the United Statesand accessing the wonderful
(02:01):
stories like Beauty and theBeast, cinderella, little House
on the Prairie, chronicles ofNarnia all these wonderful books
actually allowed me to dream,escape, find solace and get past
some of the things I was goingthrough and allowed me to think
that my life, too, can be almostlike the heroes in these
(02:24):
stories, where you overcomesomething and come out better,
happier.
You have the power to create aworld that you want to live in.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And so what kind of got you into thinking about
doing Bookwalla?
How did the idea come up?
I want to actually now go andgive to others.
I want to go and start thisLike has this been something
that you've always kind of hadthought about when you were
younger?
Like, I just kind of want toknow that trajectory.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, believe it or not, it didn't, but I believe
sometimes in life things have tohappen and whether it's, you
know, personal, business, etc.
And you start connecting thedots to form that perfect time
or idea.
And for me, I never eventhought about starting an
(03:18):
organization like Bukwala for amajority of my life and career,
the first at least 15 years, Ibelieve, of my career.
I was born in India and then Ihad the opportunity to come to
United States.
As a young child, growing up inthe States, I had the passion
for stories for many reasons,specifically some that I've
(03:41):
shared already and I insteadwent back to India when I
finished my high school.
Went back to India to reconnectwith my roots At least my
parents said that.
To reconnect with my roots,hoping that I would ideally find
an arranged marriage situationright, but I didn't actually
follow through on that.
(04:02):
Came back to the States,finished off the US equivalent
with a bachelor's in Englishliterature and went into banking
, went into consulting, did myMBA and primarily worked, I
would say, in the 10 yearsleading up to Bukwala, in the
ideation stage of companies orstartup initiatives and where I
(04:27):
was not actually the personworking on the operation aspect,
but people would come to me orvery early, early ideation stage
, where they're thinking of aproduct, service or company and
I would be the person to kind ofresearch, connect the dots,
think about what thepossibilities are.
And if you've ever seen someonein a restaurant writing notes
(04:49):
on a napkin, that's the way I,that's, that was me.
If I'm involved with a startup,my, the imagination flows, you
know.
You're just kind of thinkingabout how to make that a
possibility.
So, but it was at the end of2009, where I was working for a
(05:09):
software company in Chicago,originally hired to be part of
their growth strategy incubationarea, to really loving the
people I worked with.
Absolutely Some of them havebecome my strongest, longest
supporters to, you know, justreally liking the job I was in
(05:31):
because, again, it was aroundideation.
And but I, you know, thinkingabout my life around the end of
2009, on a cold, wintry night itwas in November, so probably
not too far from what you'reexperiencing today right In
Chicago I really I start toreally think am I fulfilling my
(05:52):
life's purpose?
And this is when, you know,sometimes some people find their
purpose by seeing something,you know, climbing the Himalayas
and noticing a school, withoutsomething In this particular
coming of what I call thepersonal Himalayas moment where
(06:13):
I really start to question whatare my passions, what are my
interests, and am I actuallyfulfilling them?
So one is I knew it wasimportant that I give back that
something by the end of my life.
I knew, whatever it was that Iwas doing, it was important that
I give back.
Second is very, very, veryfascinated with global business,
(06:34):
global affairs, and part of mycorporate career was also
traveling back to India to seethe multinational you know
businesses popping up or theairports being modernized, malls
popping up and people wantingto take me to malls because they
thought that was amazing.
But the most important andcritical part of the
(06:56):
organization is my love forbooks, my love for particularly
storybooks, chapter books,novels, and I knew that it was
important that I wanted to sharethat power of a book to, I
thought, orphans, being thatthis is a way that I could give
back children in the lowestcommon denominator in society as
(07:19):
far as I knew, reading Oliver,you know, books like Oliver
Twist or Charles Dickens novels,right.
And the third is I wanted to doit around the world.
So bringing in that passion ofwanting to do something and
making a global impact.
So, connecting these threethings my love for books,
(07:41):
wanting to give back and theglobal I formed that initial
idea for the organization, which, at that time, without really
understanding exactly what itwas, I just knew that I want to
share that joy of stories toorphans around the world.
And that's when I reallystarted saying let's see what we
(08:01):
can do about this.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
So it seems like books also served.
I mean, yes, it's, you know oneone hand, you know you'd served
that purpose.
Does it help give you that hope, because you had gone through
some things, but it also seemedlike it was a way you also had
company, because you know, likethey say, a book is a man's best
friend, right?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah.
So I'm just wondering, like youknow too.
So a couple of questions I had.
So how old were you for whenyou talked about immigrating to
the US as a child?
Yeah, Are you when you came tothe?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
US.
I was around four years old, Iwas young and I learned English,
and I always say this becauseit's actually.
I'm hoping to meet this personone day by listening to Bill
Curtis on TV and then being aspeech instructor, but Bill
Curtis had this excellent voiceand I would sit and watch him
staring.
That also says something aboutmy age, I'm sure, but I would
(08:54):
watch him and Walter Jacobsondoing their news show and just
staring at the TV and my fatherI was just staring would
actually turn the TV pitch black.
So all I could hear was BillCurtis's voice, isn't it Audio?
Exactly yeah.
(09:15):
So I was pretty young when Icame here and I went back to
India around 16 to going on 17to do my bachelor's from an
India perspective, becausethere's a three-year program
there and so where in india wereyou born?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
kerala in kerala, yeah south is that where you
went back to when you turnedexactly yes, yes, but uh
specifically to kutchan.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So kutchan being an international port area in
kerala, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, and so you know I know you also had mentioned
something like you thought youwere going to get this arranged
marriage.
You thought that that wasn'tgoing to be something panned out
for you and you talk aboutthings like you talked about,
like Beauty and the Beast andCinderella earlier.
I'm just wondering did you kindof think that arranged marriage
was like what you read inBeauty and the Beast and in
(10:05):
Cinderella and that'sinteresting.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Let me, let me just clarify it was my parents plan,
oh your parents plan and Iresisted, I resisted.
But I do know friends who havegone through that and are
happily married, have gonethrough that and are happily
married.
You know, I obviously studiedwith people who have and they're
very happily married in withtheir, with their husbands, and
(10:30):
good relationships.
But I personally, because Iread all of those stories, I was
still waiting for my prince.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
It's so funny how, like we as young girls get
inundated right about like thisfairy tale, right, we get
inundated with, you know, theprince charming, and like
wearing that glass slipper andgetting kissed at midnight, you
know, like all that stuff.
Like I think it's so funny howit's so inundated, but yet, you
(11:04):
know, it was something that keptus entertained as kids.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yes, yes, yeah, and even more than entertained.
I think for a child who's goingthrough so much, you need
something to grasp.
That's like an outlet, you know, to joy, happiness, and while
the you know, growing up, nowmuch older, the prince is really
and what do you call it?
(11:30):
It's not the actual prince thatwe're looking after for, but
we're looking to have a lifefilled with happiness and the
prince is just a symbolic.
You know character, right, butyou have the castle.
So there's some strong symbolsin stories, like in fairy tales,
and a child who's been a victimor going through things will
(11:55):
pick up and kind of and you knowthis when you're reading a
story or reading a book, you'realmost part of that journey of
overcoming right, and so as achild, you're very
impressionable.
So you're also thinking, wow, Icould be brave and I could live
my life with passion, I couldfollow through on conviction,
the things I want in my life.
And I think, because I was suchan avid reader and I would be
(12:18):
that person, bicycling, cyclingdown, grabbing a bunch of books,
stuffing it and at night have aflashlight or read in a closet
into the night, because I justloved it, it was my solace, it
was happiness for me, and so Ithink, in that regard that's
(12:39):
where the power of these storiescome from and if you're an avid
reader, those messages areconstantly being repeated that
you have the power to create ahappier world.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
And you know, is there any one particular book
though that in any one moment intime where you were really
going through it, going throughthe rut, and a book you happened
to read really just stuck andresonated with you and kind of
gave you that life-changingmoment or that light bulb that
(13:15):
just went off?
You know, was there any oneparticular moment and book that
did that for you?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
That's an interesting question.
I think at different stages,definitely for you, that's an
interesting question.
I think at different stagesdefinitely, or phases in my life
.
But I would say to this day,beauty and the Beast is my
favorite fairy tale Because ofthe fact that I grew up and you
we call it ABCD, right, americanBorn, but even though I was
American Born, confused, vashi,and sometimes you know again,
(13:45):
when you're going through someof the stuff I went through, you
feel ugly, you feel you're notworth it.
You're not.
You know there's a lot ofchallenges there and with Beauty
and the Beast, what it taughtme is the value of inner beauty
and that it didn't matter whatwas physically how you were, you
know, it was all about who youare on the inside.
(14:06):
And I do believe to this daythat that story sticks with me
or stays with me, because how Iview people is along the lines
of that too, that I always tryto see the good side of a person
versus the bad, although I knowin the back of my mind, okay,
there's these aspects, you know,but I don't let it come to the
forefront.
So in terms of my dealings withthat particular person, so
(14:30):
maybe I'm told I have highemotional intelligence or
empathy.
I hope that answers yourquestion.
The second book that I thinkagain has stayed with me is a
book called Christie byCatherine Marshall, and I think
I read that in high school andChristie was a teacher like late
(14:53):
1800s.
She was a teacher in theAppalachian Mountains and the
story had to do with her workingwith the people of the
Appalachian Mountains, trying toset up a school and the
challenges of all of that, and Ithink you know again, growing
up throughout my adult life inthe background, I was always
(15:13):
thinking in the back of my mindthat there's something very
beautiful about the fact ofgiving back and maybe Christie,
that story itself, stayed withme through the years and maybe
Christy, that story itselfstayed with me through the years
and you talk about like.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
so I'm hearing you talk about like, how, like you
know you, beauty and the Beastgave you that hope of you know
what, what you look like on theoutside is not as important as
how you are on the inside.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
How you're feeling on the inside.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, yes, and you said that you know you were made
to feel a certain way aboutyourself, right, when you around
, maybe perhaps in theneighborhood where you were
growing up.
So what was that like for youthen to I mean, how are you
feeling at the time when youwere reading these stories,
right, like when you read Beautyand the Beast, and you know you
(16:04):
had mentioned, because I thinkit's a very the way we look is
definitely valued a lot, right?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Skin color, all of that Skin color and with our
parents also viewing it that waytoo.
You know yes.
So yes, yes, and I feel likeoftentimes we, as Indian women,
are, and I feel like oftentimeswe, as Indian women, are.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
it's like they want us to have the white standard
beauty, but we're not white.
They want us to have that, butwe're not white, and they don't
understand.
That's where that disconnecthappens, because we're never
going to look like the tallblonde supermodel.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're just not, because that's not how we were
made.
Yeah exactly, and it's carriedon within our own families,
within our own mothers, sayingwait a minute, don't go out too
much in the sun because you'regoing to get dark.
So exactly.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
But they want us to have that standard of beauty.
And you know, and you look at,you know and you know now it's
coming out to the forefront isall of what you know is being
pushed and pressured and likelooks and things like that.
So I'm just wondering, like,what was it like for you at that
age then?
Like, were you, you know?
(17:36):
Were you feeling that pressureto look a certain way?
Did you feel bad about lookingnot like everyone else?
Like what was going on?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Hmm, um, I think I've always been a little bit a type
of person that's in my ownworld, and maybe because, uh,
you know, again, I sociallybeing able to talk to people and
stuff, that I don't think itwas a huge challenge for me.
(18:05):
But but, uh, to in, to protectyourself, you have to sometimes
compartmentalize right and youstart.
So that was a very key part, Ithink, of how I was able to get
through things.
(18:25):
So, when I was reading bookslike Beauty and the Beast and
growing up in a neighborhoodthat didn't have too many
Indians, yes, I did feeldifferent.
Yes, there were times I mighthave been called names, but I
always had these stories to kindof escape and dream and look
(18:50):
forward to.
And that's again, you know,these stories always had
positive messages of overcoming.
So I do believe that it gave mealso the strength, without
realizing it, to deal with thethings that I was dealing with,
(19:10):
whether it's a neighborhoodfamily, you know the
circumstance itself.
I hope that makes sense.
And but, yeah, I'm able tocompartmentalize, because
there's a moment for this andthere's another moment for this,
there's a person like this, butthere's also possibilities of
other inspiring role models, andso you're able to, and so
(19:34):
that's how I've actually haveled my life.
In a way I compartmentalize andI stay away from certain things
or certain thoughts to kind ofdirect, keep moving forward.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
And how old were you when you first realized that you
were able to startcompartmentalizing?
Speaker 2 (19:55):
much older, I don't think I knew the science of it
or the practicality of doingsomething like that.
It's when you're doing yoursoul searching, when you're
reflecting, when you understandtruly what trauma can do.
It is something that I think,as an adult, is when I realized
that this is one of the copingmechanisms.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Yeah, and you know, I think, a lot of times, you know
, compartmentalizing, I mean,it's also one of those ways that
people also use to keep beingable to function Right, yeah,
but there's like a certain goingto your point of time and place
.
Right, there's a time for that,right.
And in compartmentalizing,people learn to do this as a way
(20:39):
to survive.
Yeah, you know, yeah, and inmany ways, how you are
compartmentalizing right, Ithink what you've done is you
also picked a healthy route infinding solace in books, whereas
many people can find solace inwith compartmentalizing right.
(21:03):
Yes, Lots of other things.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yes, that's absolutely right, because I had
that positive outlet a positivechannel.
It influenced a lot of where mypath in life went, rather than
a destructive path, a much morepositive path, absolutely.
That's a good point.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And so it just so, it seems like so.
So this whole idea.
Then, too, it was like so,books actually really, in
reality, serve many differentpurposes for you on many
different levels, which thatalso, it seems, pushed your
drive for Bookwalla.
And that's where the magichappens, right, because you were
(21:45):
able to take everything, yeah,and take all the layers that
books were for you, and you wereable to actually wrap it up in
a way that you can actuallypackage it out.
Huh, thank you, Sonia.
Appreciate you saying that.
So that's why this is sospecial, that's so interesting.
(22:09):
Yeah, and this is what makesbookwalla so special, because it
comes from a personal place.
It's not just okay, I'm justgonna do some philanthropy and,
yeah, you know, this is reallycool.
Let's just go to india and, youknow, help underprivileged kids
, because it's a philanthropything to do.
(22:29):
And you know, no, this goesbeyond just a philanthropy thing
.
This is more of I'm putting myheart on a sleeve here and doing
it, and I everything for me,and that's why I love this
non-profit that you have,because, thank you, it comes
from a place of heart andgenuineness and it's not just
for you know, people decidingbecause they want to just do
(22:52):
something nice to do.
You know what I?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
mean.
Yeah it's interesting, I think.
I mean, of course, everyone cangive back the way they can and
they want to, but for me, whatdrives me is the fact that I
know what these things, thesestories, did for me, and that's
why I keep going through thechallenges of starting a
(23:16):
nonprofit, overcoming, keepgoing, keep the belief, and I do
believe, whatever path you takewhether it's for-profit,
nonprofit it all serves a greatpurpose.
But it's important every personbelieves in something greater
than themselves, because it's atthat point that you get past
things to keep the mission,vision, whatever it is, whether
(23:37):
it's your for-profit company ornon-profit going.
And so, for me, the soulsearching on top of soul
searching through the years, isthis what I need to keep at?
Do I need to give up?
There was times where I thoughtI need to give up, but I keep
(23:59):
going because I do know thispower firsthand.
I don't need to see other datato know how powerful this is,
and so that's why I can speak tobukwala it is, it is.
And I tell my team in india andthe volunteers you're carrying
my heart with you when you are,uh, weathering the monsoons to
(24:22):
get to the children in ourlocations.
Sorry, I get emotional becauseuh I know how much they go
through to serve these kids andkids who've been abused of all
kinds, from sexual abuse tomental, physical to HIV,
children Right who have beenabandoned on the roadside to
(24:44):
farmers, children and not manypeople know what climate change
can do but farmers committingsuicide because they can't pay
back their loans right andleaving children orphaned, or a
single orphan.
So there's power that at leastin the lives of how they are
feeling, you know that we canrebuild their sense of hope in
(25:06):
life through this.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You know, and it's so beautiful, it's so beautiful to
hear you know just what good isbeing put out to these kids and
you know the hard work thatpeople are doing to ensure that
children who truly have beenthrough it you know in.
You know are in orphanages, whohave been, you know whether
(25:30):
they've been physically oressayed right, whether they've
been all through that.
You know that they are beingtaken care of.
You know in a way that theydon't have to feel like their
life is just gloom right.
There are people caring andthat there are people providing
(25:51):
them some tools, you know, sothat they can look forward to
something.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, and Sonia, there's a lot of science behind
this too, you know, and and wehave psychologists, you know,
that are around us to speak toit better than I can.
But there is a lot of sciencebehind it because you're
rewiring from a braindevelopment perspective on,
(26:19):
you're healing the child right,you're healing the person
through happy stories, throughhappy experiences, and so
they're replacing negative oldmemories with new ones, and I
think they call it neuralpathways, and you know there's,
so there's an incredible sciencearound this, and that's only
now people are starting to talkabout it more recently or
(26:41):
understand more recently.
Know this the kids are thinking, okay, it's story time, with
sessions on, you know, whateverit is that we're taking them
through the message of that book, um, so, yeah, I'll stop there
for now and I'm just wonderingthough, too uh, cena, have you
(27:04):
ever been?
Speaker 1 (27:06):
have you ever came across anybody like when you
were in India working on, youknow, giving books, opening
libraries in India for thechildren?
Have you met any child thatreminded you a lot of you?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I've met several children that reminded me of me.
I've met several children thatreminded me of me.
We're right now supporting.
We built about 25 locations butsupporting 16.
We continue to sustain with aforce of people going in weekly
to sometimes several times aweek, depending on the project
and location.
But yes, I've met several, yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What was that experience like for you to come
across these children and haveit be a reminder of aspects of
you?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I understand them.
I understand them, I think mostI understand.
You know, when I do what I dofor Bookwalla, it's because I
stand with these children.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
I understand what they're going through.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
While they might have a happy face because they see
someone coming in that care forthem a big brother, big sister,
now we call them because they'reconsistently coming in but
behind all of that, you know,there's a lot of damage, right,
Psychological damage.
So the fear, you know, distrust, closing off right and not
(28:45):
ready to open up.
These are things that happenwhen a child goes through trauma
, and I understand that becauseI've been through some of those
things.
And again, the differentprofiles of children we serve,
there's different journeys thatthey've all taken, but there's
been a few that really resonatedwith me.
That, I feel, is alsoreflective of why Bukwala does
(29:08):
what it does, and I'd be happyto share at least one story with
you.
Sure, I love it and by no meansit's just one of the many
stories, right, and?
But there was this one girl.
We had built a beautiful littlelibrary at a girl's orphanage in
(29:29):
Mumbai and we had started thestory sessions, which includes
reading the stories as well asactivities designed around the
message of that story.
And this little girl.
When she first started oursessions, she was angry,
distrustful, you know, all ofyou know, just not really
cooperating with our volunteerproject leader at that time and
(29:55):
you know, we were wonderingexactly what was going on with
her and we found out that shewas sexually essay, sexually
abused by her biological fatherand but was brave enough to
speak up because she saw thefather moving on to her younger
sister and because she spoke up,the children were obviously
(30:21):
kicked out of the home and theywere placed in an orphanage.
The two sisters were placed inthis particular orphanage and
about six months into thesessions, and now you can
imagine the fear, all of that,that this little girl has she's
only 10 years old, by the way.
She was only 10 at that time,so you can imagine how she was
(30:43):
feeling, right.
But about six months to eightmonths into the sessions, our
volunteer project leaderreceived a card from the girl of
beautifully drawn ducks in thewater and one duck flying in the
air.
And so when Lopa, our volunteerat that time, asked what is
this, what is this for, Herresponse was before I was in the
(31:07):
river, before I was in theriver and now sometimes I could
fly.
So at 10 years old she startedto have that change in
consciousness.
Right, that was happening froma place of fear, distrust, to
like hopelessness.
By giving that card that shedrew to our team member.
We noted that thattransformation was starting to
(31:30):
happen, that healing wasstarting to happen.
So that I think representsBukwala is that when you could
start changing the child fromfeeling like a victim to
survivor to maybe eventually asa victor in life, we are making
a new future possible for thatchild, Whatever it is that they
(31:54):
wish, and it could be gettingmarried and being happily ever
after to wanting to work in abeauty salon, to going to
college right, whatever it is,but it's the life that they
choose.
They don't have to go back.
What we're telling them is youcan move forward, and that's a
(32:14):
big part of Bukwala's work istelling them don't let the past
dictate what your future can be.
Like the stories, like theseheroes in these stories, you too
can create a stronger world.
So that is story of Rishi.
I'll call her.
Rishi is one that I think isreally again representative of
(32:36):
our mission.
If we could continue to do thattype of work with other
children who've gone throughsomething severe just change
like a light bulb goes off right, change the way they think
about themselves in their lifeThen we've done, with everyone's
support, the work.
You know, the healing aspect ofthe work.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
And that story makes me want to tear up because it's
so profound and so powerful, andthis to all of you who are
listening.
This is a true testament to howsomeone's life really can be
(33:24):
turned around and how what youput out there and what you do
for others and how you give backpays off in huge ways.
I bet this story with Rishi.
She probably never felt likethis was a possibility for her
before Bukwala.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
No, not at all, you know, and she was a victim,
right she was.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Pure victim, exactly, and she you know.
She was taken out of a home,she was hurt by a person who was
supposed to be her protector,first and foremost.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
First, and foremost, exactly.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
It was hurt by the person who was supposed to have
loved her, protected her, by aperson who was supposed to have
been her hero but ended up beingher monster.
Okay, she was, and now she'splaced in orphanage, you know,
of course, angry because she'shurt, distrusting, because she
got because somebody broke hertrust.
Person who was supposed to beher role model broke her trust
(34:26):
and you know and to just to havesomething that she can, that
aided in the metamorphosis forArishi.
That just goes to show like howpowerful this work really is,
that you're doing and howpowerful this all why libraries
(34:48):
are needed and why books areneeded and why we need people
need to tell their stories toothe the literacy part, because
initially when I foundedbookwella we thought, oh,
everyone's saying we got tomeasure literacy.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
And then through the year, you know again, we learned
that this is much more deepthan just that.
Second is the ability toprocess learnings, and stuff get
impacted when you go throughtrauma.
But you know it's interesting.
Success can be viewed indifferent ways.
You know, it's not just howmany children have gone to
college or how many childrenhave, you know, become doctors
or engineers, et cetera.
In her case, when we asked whather wish was, a few years down
(35:31):
the line we started to createwish cards.
You know what her wish was,sonia.
Her wish was that she wanted tomake sure she could protect,
work somewhere where she couldcontinue to protect her sister,
and she also had a brother whowas kicked out because the whole
family, you know, but thechildren.
That that was her wish, just toprotect her sister and brother.
(35:55):
This is a girl at that time, Ithink she was 12 years old when
she shared that wish with us.
This is a girl at that time.
I think she was 12 years oldwhen she shared that wish with
us.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
So if she could do that in life.
That's success for her and Ithink just the transformation
alone in Rishi is a success inand of itself.
You know a lot of people youknow, going to your point
earlier, people look at success.
A lot of people have beeningrained to attribute success
to what titles you have, right,whether it's an MD, a PhD,
(36:31):
whether you become an engineeror a lawyer or a big successful.
You know IT person, right,something like that, right.
People look at success as doyou have a job and how much
money do you make?
Right, right.
But truth of the matter issuccess goes beyond that.
It's success is subjectivething, for sure.
(36:54):
But what people don't realizeis what it takes to get out of a
place where you've undergonesome kind of trauma, to come out
of the dark hole that traumaputs people in and to make it to
the other side.
Yes, that in and of itself isbeyond what any success could
(37:18):
even measure, because it takes alot to come out of that place
and people just don't know howhard it, how hard of work that
is.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
It's a lot of work and it's also, you know, it's
easy to be a victim and it'seasy to carry that with you, you
know, and it's easy to go backand think you're a victim or
self, whatever.
So the strength comes fromconstantly having to re-change
(37:51):
that narrative.
Yes, keep moving right.
And so I would say, while Ibelieve these books saved my
life and I've taken a much morepositive path in life I've been
able to do further education, doall those things.
It is a constant to make sure Idon't fall back and that I keep
(38:12):
moving forward.
But at least I know that's justthe way it is, that's something
you got to do right, that'sjust the way it is, that's
something you got to do right.
And that's where the strengthcomes in is just reminding
yourself.
You can get past it moveforward Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
You know that reminder, you can get past it,
the fact that you know what youcan use your pain and turn it
into purpose right, what you canuse your pain and turn it into
purpose right, and so so withyour work.
Um, so, what was the first nowgoing into?
You know the work you have beendoing in India and I know you
want to expand out of India aswell eventually.
(38:55):
Um, where was the first libraryyou opened and where exactly in
India are these locations thatyou're opening these libraries?
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Yeah, yeah.
So you know, believe it or not,I had global ambitions to take
over the world with stories fromthe very beginning.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
And I still have it.
I still have it.
I'm supposed to thinkdelusionally, so I'm still, but
I, you know, during that firstyear I was still working in the
technology company, but I didend up.
Give me one minute, let me goback.
Yes, I took a suitcase ofstorybooks in 2010, and I had
(39:42):
had a couple other foundingboard members, originally
because we needed to incorporate.
We needed a few more people whobelieved in this too, and we
visited the first orphanage inMumbai.
These kids from the UnitedStates.
(40:04):
A school in the States hadgiven these wonderful storybooks
from again, pop-up booksClifford the Red Dog, beauty and
the Beast, all these fairytales.
And I remember going with oneof my other board members, one
of our founding board members,who lives in India, in Mumbai.
He runs a couple companiesthere and he and I went to visit
this location and we stayedthere for six hours with these
(40:30):
kids because we saw that theydidn't want us to leave.
And I remember this oneparticular and it's one of my
favorite moments this veryserious entrepreneur Well, okay,
he has a sense of humor butvery austere.
He was reading Beauty and theBeast, sitting there and all
(40:50):
these kids were surrounding himand he didn't want to leave.
He just wanted to stillcontinue, to turn the page and
continue the story.
Now we're already going intoour sixth hour, right, and later
on I asked him I said I know westayed way over than what you
were thinking and he said, sina,I saw the look in these kids'
(41:13):
eyes, particularly this onelittle girl had this faraway
look in her eyes as she waslistening to the story and she
said he said I couldn't leavewithout finishing that story,
and so on the journey back iswhen I start to really think
about is can this be seriousenough where I need to actually
(41:33):
try it, leave my job and just gofor you know, go forward with
this new organization?
But that's one of my firstmemories Now.
It was a fantastic trip,obviously because I ended up
quitting my job soon after.
But I learned a couple monthsafter I quit my job that the
(41:56):
books were in a closet and theorphanage did not know what to
do with them.
Because, while it was awonderful gift while we were
there, the management at theorphanage they don't have the
resources, the time, theexpertise, and they thought
these books were extremelyvaluable.
Because when you think of it,right, some of these books from
(42:17):
the States the Dr Seuss,clifford they're expensive and
so you can imagine how they'rereacting to.
You know, what do we do?
Do we just keep it safe untilwe can pull it out for the kids?
And so when I made that firstphone call after I quit my job,
I found out that, like Imentioned, the books were in a
closet, the kids were notreading them and the orphanage
(42:38):
did not know what to do.
So that's when we pivoted andsaid you know what, in cases
like this, especiallyinstitutions that are providing
the basic food, clothing,shelter, some basic schooling we
could address this aspect bybuilding out beautiful spaces
and also sustaining these spaceswith storytelling sessions and
(43:02):
activities.
But in the beginning my originalidea was just sharing and
distributing the storybooks, andI went to even Indonesia and
went to seven locations invarious parts of Indonesia
distributing books.
Another founding board memberwent to Sri Lanka, jamaica.
But when we found out that weneeded to kind of scale back and
(43:22):
really focus on one country,india, which is also where I'm
from, and there's about 20million orphans that live there
anyways, there's a lot ofchildren that need this we
started to really think abouthow we can ensure that each
child was actually receiving thebenefit of the books.
But that first project wasMumbai, and today we have the
(43:47):
locations in Mumbai, pune,bangalore and, up to recently,
mangalore, and so those are themajor cities where we are
operating now with goals ofexpanding operating now with
goals of expanding.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
That is so awesome and I am so proud of you, sina,
for going after it and takingthe leap and doing what you do,
and I think you're helping somany people you know, and the
work that you're doing now isyou know.
I just feel like all thatenergy you're putting out there
for the good is reaping benefitsand rewards in ways that only
(44:33):
just breed good.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Thank you.
Thank you, sonia, and you know,when I started this, I had no
idea what I was doing, honestly,just a suitcase of storybooks,
and you learn as you're doingright.
But one of the things I wasasked, you know, to reflect
cause we just turned 15.
And one of the things recently,you know, in a meeting, one of
(44:57):
the things I did not anticipateis the impact that we have on
the people around us, thevolunteer force that we have in
individuals who actuallysurround the mission and me,
that it's far more than justabout the children.
It's really about all of thesepeople who are now connected
from a community perspective toa mission that they seem happy
(45:20):
with, because it's a joyfulmission it's not meant to be sad
and working on things that arewe're trying to do this as
positively as possible right,and so I'm truly honored when
someone says they'd like tosupport in the various ways they
can, because I didn't trulyunderstand all of that when I
(45:45):
decided on creating this mission, and you know again, starting
with a book, right, a suitcaseof storybooks, and so that to me
is truly beautiful, trulybeautiful and to see the journey
of some of our team members whomight have started with us at
(46:06):
18.
And now, much later, they'renow in England, or they're in
Germany or US, or in really goodpositions within India.
Again, I didn't anticipate thegrowth that we would give to
them, but to some, of them weregoing through times of
depression and when they satwith the children and sat in our
(46:27):
libraries, which are designedwith open bookshelves, murals
there's a theme for everylocation.
It actually helps theindividuals who've been part of
the story too, part of thisjourney, and that, I think, is
an incredible thing.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Again unexpected and support good.
I'm a firm believer in that youknow and that you know good
attracts good, good breeds goodright, and the more good that
you put out there the moreyou're going to actually attract
(47:27):
the right kinds of people thatwant to promote and share the
good you know.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
So, yeah, definitely you know the work that you're
doing.
I mean Thank you, thank you.
The organization in front of agroup of people, for sure, but
it does test.
You know through the years whatyou're.
How are you going to continueto grow too, so that this vision
can continue to grow?
I didn't come from I'm a normalperson like many people, a
(47:55):
normal job, normal person whowas doing this, and I think that
it's an interesting part inlife that you just take that
chance.
Whatever it is, whether youfail or not, you took that
chance.
You could say you tried itright.
And it's an important thing thatI try to inculcate with the
(48:17):
younger people around me who arehelping with the mission is not
to be afraid.
Just try it and even if youfail, at least you tried.
And it's a very, very importantmessage, because you can tie
failure to your identity for along time and you have to
somehow shed that and say listen, I tried, and I know there's
(48:41):
some famous quotes around it,something about the ring and the
.
You know you're boxing, you'reactually in the ring rather than
and the watching is.
There's some famous I forgotwho said it, you know Roosevelt
or something, but I do.
I truly believe that it's thateveryone should take a chance to
try whatever it is that theywant in life to do in life,
(49:03):
because by the end of your lifeyou don't want to regret, right?
You don't have any regrets.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
Absolutely.
I 100% agree with that and thatif you have something in your
heart, you have a desire in yourheart, you know it doesn't hurt
you to go for it, because, atthe end of the day, you know
what let's say, it doesn't turnout for you how you expected it,
but guess what?
Our failures that we have, weexperience, are our greatest
(49:29):
teachers, and truth of thematter is, the reward that you
want in your life is not goingto come right away.
Anything worth having is notgoing to come easy, and
everything that you do is a lifelesson learned, right and um,
and so I just you know, you know, if there's a way that now,
(49:53):
sina, if people can reach out,how how can people find you to
reach out to you?
And how is it that and how canpeople help support Bookwalla?
Speaker 2 (50:06):
Yeah, that's a good question.
We are looking.
One is you can always visit ourwebsite, bookwallaorg Book and
the walla is W-A-L-L-A-Horg.
You can reach out to me onLinkedIn and so we could start
the connection that way.
(50:26):
But in terms of support, whenwe think of it, it's time, you
know, funding, money, skills andif you know others who might be
truly interested in championingthis and helping us take the
next 10 years to the next level,you know, yeah, I hope that
(50:46):
answers your question.
That's probably the best way.
Reach out through LinkedInpersonally so that way we can
have a one-on-one dialogue.
From a Bukwala organizationperspective, we are looking to
add a few more board ofdirectors into the organization.
If you want to sponsor alocation, we're looking to
(51:08):
expand, we're looking to sustainour current locations.
So it takes about $100, $150 ayear per child to ensure that
they're getting the story perchild, to ensure that they're
getting the story.
After we build a library, thestorytelling sessions, the team
members that are coming aroundthem to you, you know, get go
through the journey of ourmethodology or healing, um, but
(51:32):
uh, yeah, I hope that answersyour question there and yeah,
and you're uh, you know, I knowthat you have a base in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
Are you guys going to be doing any fundraising events
anytime soon that you're awareof that people could start maybe
looking out for, or anythinghappening in the Chicagoland
area that people can attend.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Mm.
Hmm, actually, we were justtalking about that.
So we're having we're trying acouple of different things this
year and smaller, smaller events.
So one is well, very well knownperson in the business world.
Rashad Tabakawala, is going tobe speaking at a more intimate
25, 30, 40 people event abouthis new book that's out.
So we're going to start sellingtickets to that, probably
(52:28):
around $500 each.
It's a much more intimatefireside chat, a women's lunch,
and again we can reach out toyou then, sonia, because I'll be
there for that too.
And then later this year, maybeSeptember, october, another
(52:49):
intimate evening where we'll letpeople know at that time when,
when it went and where it is.
But it's going to be smallerthan we've had a couple of years
ago through the years.
Next year we'll resume to thebigger scale annual fundraiser.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Okay, yeah, all right , great.
So, sina, thank you so so muchfor your time and for being here
and um any, I encourage anyoneand everyone to look up book
wallah B O O K W A L A H andhave a just really find ways
(53:24):
that, if you can, in any way,shape or form, help, support and
thank you all.
Thank you so much for your time, thank you, sonia.
Speaker 2 (53:36):
Thank you so much for your time and just inviting me
to join you in this conversation.
I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (53:46):
I enjoyed this conversation.
Speaker 2 (53:48):
Thank you for your words too.
I'm like, yeah, that's it.
It opened up my oh yes, you'reright about compartmentalization
and that's really interesting.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
Oh no, no worries, we I enjoyed having you and also
thank you all for all who tunedin to this episode.
If you enjoyed this, pleaseremember to rate, review and
subscribe to On the Spectrumwith Sonia.
It is available on all audioplatforms, including Apple,
spotify and Amazon.
Speaking of Amazon, my bookDropped in a Maze recently had
(54:24):
come out on February 6th.
It is available for orderonline on Amazon, also available
on Strand Books and BarnesNobles.
And so that's all for today,everyone, and I hope to see you
all next time.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
Thank you.
Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of On
the Spectrum with Sonia, apodcast where we discuss autism
spectrum mental healthchallenges and also highlight
any inspirational stories whereanyone has overcome any
adversity.
That leaves people feelingconnected, empowered and filled
with hope, love, and, especiallyin a world that tries to leave
(00:27):
us disconnected from one another.
Today we have a very specialguest, sina Jacob.
She is the CEO and founder ofthe nonprofit organization
called Bookwalla, which startedin 2010.
She has been featured on WTTWChicago.
She has done many amazingthings with the hope of
(00:48):
spreading joy, love, hope andinspiration through opening
libraries and giving kidsunderprivileged access to books.
As Sina herself had learned froma young age, that reading was
how she gained hope for a betterday.
So, without further ado, let'splease welcome Sina.
(01:14):
Sina, thank you so much forbeing here.
Thank you, sonia.
So tell us a little bit nowabout the start of Bookwalla,
and why don't you like, kind oftell our audience, like, what is
the spirit of Bookwalla, howyou came about with about that?
(01:35):
What does Bookwalla mean?
Like, give us, like a littlewalk.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Sure, it's taken me quite some time to form the
organization called Bookwalla,and it's based on my own life
where, as you mentioned in theintroduction, it was inspired by
my own life journey growing up,where I found that visiting the
libraries in the United Statesand accessing the wonderful
(02:01):
stories like Beauty and theBeast, cinderella, little House
on the Prairie, chronicles ofNarnia all these wonderful books
actually allowed me to dream,escape, find solace and get past
some of the things I was goingthrough and allowed me to think
that my life, too, can be almostlike the heroes in these
(02:24):
stories, where you overcomesomething and come out better,
happier.
You have the power to create aworld that you want to live in.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
And so what kind of got you into thinking about
doing Bookwalla?
How did the idea come up?
I want to actually now go andgive to others.
I want to go and start thisLike has this been something
that you've always kind of hadthought about when you were
younger?
Like, I just kind of want toknow that trajectory.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, believe it or not, it didn't, but I believe
sometimes in life things have tohappen and whether it's, you
know, personal, business, etc.
And you start connecting thedots to form that perfect time
or idea.
And for me, I never eventhought about starting an
(03:18):
organization like Bukwala for amajority of my life and career,
the first at least 15 years, Ibelieve, of my career.
I was born in India and then Ihad the opportunity to come to
United States.
As a young child, growing up inthe States, I had the passion
for stories for many reasons,specifically some that I've
(03:41):
shared already and I insteadwent back to India when I
finished my high school.
Went back to India to reconnectwith my roots At least my
parents said that.
To reconnect with my roots,hoping that I would ideally find
an arranged marriage situationright, but I didn't actually
follow through on that.
(04:02):
Came back to the States,finished off the US equivalent
with a bachelor's in Englishliterature and went into banking
, went into consulting, did myMBA and primarily worked, I
would say, in the 10 yearsleading up to Bukwala, in the
ideation stage of companies orstartup initiatives and where I
(04:27):
was not actually the personworking on the operation aspect,
but people would come to me orvery early, early ideation stage
, where they're thinking of aproduct, service or company and
I would be the person to kind ofresearch, connect the dots,
think about what thepossibilities are.
And if you've ever seen someonein a restaurant writing notes
(04:49):
on a napkin, that's the way I,that's, that was me.
If I'm involved with a startup,my, the imagination flows, you
know.
You're just kind of thinkingabout how to make that a
possibility.
So, but it was at the end of2009, where I was working for a
(05:09):
software company in Chicago,originally hired to be part of
their growth strategy incubationarea, to really loving the
people I worked with.
Absolutely Some of them havebecome my strongest, longest
supporters to, you know, justreally liking the job I was in
(05:31):
because, again, it was aroundideation.
And but I, you know, thinkingabout my life around the end of
2009, on a cold, wintry night itwas in November, so probably
not too far from what you'reexperiencing today right In
Chicago I really I start toreally think am I fulfilling my
(05:52):
life's purpose?
And this is when, you know,sometimes some people find their
purpose by seeing something,you know, climbing the Himalayas
and noticing a school, withoutsomething In this particular
coming of what I call thepersonal Himalayas moment where
(06:13):
I really start to question whatare my passions, what are my
interests, and am I actuallyfulfilling them?
So one is I knew it wasimportant that I give back that
something by the end of my life.
I knew, whatever it was that Iwas doing, it was important that
I give back.
Second is very, very, veryfascinated with global business,
(06:34):
global affairs, and part of mycorporate career was also
traveling back to India to seethe multinational you know
businesses popping up or theairports being modernized, malls
popping up and people wantingto take me to malls because they
thought that was amazing.
But the most important andcritical part of the
(06:56):
organization is my love forbooks, my love for particularly
storybooks, chapter books,novels, and I knew that it was
important that I wanted to sharethat power of a book to, I
thought, orphans, being thatthis is a way that I could give
back children in the lowestcommon denominator in society as
(07:19):
far as I knew, reading Oliver,you know, books like Oliver
Twist or Charles Dickens novels,right.
And the third is I wanted to doit around the world.
So bringing in that passion ofwanting to do something and
making a global impact.
So, connecting these threethings my love for books,
(07:41):
wanting to give back and theglobal I formed that initial
idea for the organization, which, at that time, without really
understanding exactly what itwas, I just knew that I want to
share that joy of stories toorphans around the world.
And that's when I reallystarted saying let's see what we
(08:01):
can do about this.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
So it seems like books also served.
I mean, yes, it's, you know oneone hand, you know you'd served
that purpose.
Does it help give you that hope, because you had gone through
some things, but it also seemedlike it was a way you also had
company, because you know, likethey say, a book is a man's best
friend, right?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Yeah.
So I'm just wondering, like youknow too.
So a couple of questions I had.
So how old were you for whenyou talked about immigrating to
the US as a child?
Yeah, Are you when you came tothe?
Speaker 2 (08:33):
US.
I was around four years old, Iwas young and I learned English,
and I always say this becauseit's actually.
I'm hoping to meet this personone day by listening to Bill
Curtis on TV and then being aspeech instructor, but Bill
Curtis had this excellent voiceand I would sit and watch him
staring.
That also says something aboutmy age, I'm sure, but I would
(08:54):
watch him and Walter Jacobsondoing their news show and just
staring at the TV and my fatherI was just staring would
actually turn the TV pitch black.
So all I could hear was BillCurtis's voice, isn't it Audio?
Exactly yeah.
(09:15):
So I was pretty young when Icame here and I went back to
India around 16 to going on 17to do my bachelor's from an
India perspective, becausethere's a three-year program
there and so where in india wereyou born?
Speaker 1 (09:31):
kerala in kerala, yeah south is that where you
went back to when you turnedexactly yes, yes, but uh
specifically to kutchan.
Speaker 2 (09:39):
So kutchan being an international port area in
kerala, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah, and so you know I know you also had mentioned
something like you thought youwere going to get this arranged
marriage.
You thought that that wasn'tgoing to be something panned out
for you and you talk aboutthings like you talked about,
like Beauty and the Beast andCinderella earlier.
I'm just wondering did you kindof think that arranged marriage
was like what you read inBeauty and the Beast and in
(10:05):
Cinderella and that'sinteresting.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Let me, let me just clarify it was my parents plan,
oh your parents plan and Iresisted, I resisted.
But I do know friends who havegone through that and are
happily married, have gonethrough that and are happily
married.
You know, I obviously studiedwith people who have and they're
very happily married in withtheir, with their husbands, and
(10:30):
good relationships.
But I personally, because Iread all of those stories, I was
still waiting for my prince.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
It's so funny how, like we as young girls get
inundated right about like thisfairy tale, right, we get
inundated with, you know, theprince charming, and like
wearing that glass slipper andgetting kissed at midnight, you
know, like all that stuff.
Like I think it's so funny howit's so inundated, but yet, you
(11:04):
know, it was something that keptus entertained as kids.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Yes, yes, yeah, and even more than entertained.
I think for a child who's goingthrough so much, you need
something to grasp.
That's like an outlet, you know, to joy, happiness, and while
the you know, growing up, nowmuch older, the prince is really
and what do you call it?
(11:30):
It's not the actual prince thatwe're looking after for, but
we're looking to have a lifefilled with happiness and the
prince is just a symbolic.
You know character, right, butyou have the castle.
So there's some strong symbolsin stories, like in fairy tales,
and a child who's been a victimor going through things will
(11:55):
pick up and kind of and you knowthis when you're reading a
story or reading a book, you'realmost part of that journey of
overcoming right, and so as achild, you're very
impressionable.
So you're also thinking, wow, Icould be brave and I could live
my life with passion, I couldfollow through on conviction,
the things I want in my life.
And I think, because I was suchan avid reader and I would be
(12:18):
that person, bicycling, cyclingdown, grabbing a bunch of books,
stuffing it and at night have aflashlight or read in a closet
into the night, because I justloved it, it was my solace, it
was happiness for me, and so Ithink, in that regard that's
(12:39):
where the power of these storiescome from and if you're an avid
reader, those messages areconstantly being repeated that
you have the power to create ahappier world.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
And you know, is there any one particular book
though that in any one moment intime where you were really
going through it, going throughthe rut, and a book you happened
to read really just stuck andresonated with you and kind of
gave you that life-changingmoment or that light bulb that
(13:15):
just went off?
You know, was there any oneparticular moment and book that
did that for you?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
That's an interesting question.
I think at different stages,definitely for you, that's an
interesting question.
I think at different stagesdefinitely, or phases in my life
.
But I would say to this day,beauty and the Beast is my
favorite fairy tale Because ofthe fact that I grew up and you
we call it ABCD, right, americanBorn, but even though I was
American Born, confused, vashi,and sometimes you know again,
(13:45):
when you're going through someof the stuff I went through, you
feel ugly, you feel you're notworth it.
You're not.
You know there's a lot ofchallenges there and with Beauty
and the Beast, what it taughtme is the value of inner beauty
and that it didn't matter whatwas physically how you were, you
know, it was all about who youare on the inside.
(14:06):
And I do believe to this daythat that story sticks with me
or stays with me, because how Iview people is along the lines
of that too, that I always tryto see the good side of a person
versus the bad, although I knowin the back of my mind, okay,
there's these aspects, you know,but I don't let it come to the
forefront.
So in terms of my dealings withthat particular person, so
(14:30):
maybe I'm told I have highemotional intelligence or
empathy.
I hope that answers yourquestion.
The second book that I thinkagain has stayed with me is a
book called Christie byCatherine Marshall, and I think
I read that in high school andChristie was a teacher like late
(14:53):
1800s.
She was a teacher in theAppalachian Mountains and the
story had to do with her workingwith the people of the
Appalachian Mountains, trying toset up a school and the
challenges of all of that, and Ithink you know again, growing
up throughout my adult life inthe background, I was always
(15:13):
thinking in the back of my mindthat there's something very
beautiful about the fact ofgiving back and maybe Christie,
that story itself, stayed withme through the years and maybe
Christy, that story itselfstayed with me through the years
and you talk about like.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
so I'm hearing you talk about like, how, like you
know you, beauty and the Beastgave you that hope of you know
what, what you look like on theoutside is not as important as
how you are on the inside.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
How you're feeling on the inside.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, yes, and you said that you know you were made
to feel a certain way aboutyourself, right, when you around
, maybe perhaps in theneighborhood where you were
growing up.
So what was that like for youthen to I mean, how are you
feeling at the time when youwere reading these stories,
right, like when you read Beautyand the Beast, and you know you
(16:04):
had mentioned, because I thinkit's a very the way we look is
definitely valued a lot, right?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Skin color, all of that Skin color and with our
parents also viewing it that waytoo.
You know yes.
So yes, yes, and I feel likeoftentimes we, as Indian women,
are, and I feel like oftentimeswe, as Indian women, are.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
it's like they want us to have the white standard
beauty, but we're not white.
They want us to have that, butwe're not white, and they don't
understand.
That's where that disconnecthappens, because we're never
going to look like the tallblonde supermodel.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
We're just not, because that's not how we were
made.
Yeah exactly, and it's carriedon within our own families,
within our own mothers, sayingwait a minute, don't go out too
much in the sun because you'regoing to get dark.
So exactly.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
But they want us to have that standard of beauty.
And you know, and you look at,you know and you know now it's
coming out to the forefront isall of what you know is being
pushed and pressured and likelooks and things like that.
So I'm just wondering, like,what was it like for you at that
age then?
Like, were you, you know?
(17:36):
Were you feeling that pressureto look a certain way?
Did you feel bad about lookingnot like everyone else?
Like what was going on?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Hmm, um, I think I've always been a little bit a type
of person that's in my ownworld, and maybe because, uh,
you know, again, I sociallybeing able to talk to people and
stuff, that I don't think itwas a huge challenge for me.
(18:05):
But but, uh, to in, to protectyourself, you have to sometimes
compartmentalize right and youstart.
So that was a very key part, Ithink, of how I was able to get
through things.
(18:25):
So, when I was reading bookslike Beauty and the Beast and
growing up in a neighborhoodthat didn't have too many
Indians, yes, I did feeldifferent.
Yes, there were times I mighthave been called names, but I
always had these stories to kindof escape and dream and look
(18:50):
forward to.
And that's again, you know,these stories always had
positive messages of overcoming.
So I do believe that it gave mealso the strength, without
realizing it, to deal with thethings that I was dealing with,
(19:10):
whether it's a neighborhoodfamily, you know the
circumstance itself.
I hope that makes sense.
And but, yeah, I'm able tocompartmentalize, because
there's a moment for this andthere's another moment for this,
there's a person like this, butthere's also possibilities of
other inspiring role models, andso you're able to, and so
(19:34):
that's how I've actually haveled my life.
In a way I compartmentalize andI stay away from certain things
or certain thoughts to kind ofdirect, keep moving forward.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
And how old were you when you first realized that you
were able to startcompartmentalizing?
Speaker 2 (19:55):
much older, I don't think I knew the science of it
or the practicality of doingsomething like that.
It's when you're doing yoursoul searching, when you're
reflecting, when you understandtruly what trauma can do.
It is something that I think,as an adult, is when I realized
that this is one of the copingmechanisms.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
Yeah, and you know, I think, a lot of times, you know
, compartmentalizing, I mean,it's also one of those ways that
people also use to keep beingable to function Right, yeah,
but there's like a certain goingto your point of time and place
.
Right, there's a time for that,right.
And in compartmentalizing,people learn to do this as a way
(20:39):
to survive.
Yeah, you know, yeah, and inmany ways, how you are
compartmentalizing right, Ithink what you've done is you
also picked a healthy route infinding solace in books, whereas
many people can find solace inwith compartmentalizing right.
(21:03):
Yes, Lots of other things.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Yes, that's absolutely right, because I had
that positive outlet a positivechannel.
It influenced a lot of where mypath in life went, rather than
a destructive path, a much morepositive path, absolutely.
That's a good point.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And so it just so, it seems like so.
So this whole idea.
Then, too, it was like so,books actually really, in
reality, serve many differentpurposes for you on many
different levels, which thatalso, it seems, pushed your
drive for Bookwalla.
And that's where the magichappens, right, because you were
(21:45):
able to take everything, yeah,and take all the layers that
books were for you, and you wereable to actually wrap it up in
a way that you can actuallypackage it out.
Huh, thank you, Sonia.
Appreciate you saying that.
So that's why this is sospecial, that's so interesting.
(22:09):
Yeah, and this is what makesbookwalla so special, because it
comes from a personal place.
It's not just okay, I'm justgonna do some philanthropy and,
yeah, you know, this is reallycool.
Let's just go to india and, youknow, help underprivileged kids
, because it's a philanthropything to do.
(22:29):
And you know, no, this goesbeyond just a philanthropy thing
.
This is more of I'm putting myheart on a sleeve here and doing
it, and I everything for me,and that's why I love this
non-profit that you have,because, thank you, it comes
from a place of heart andgenuineness and it's not just
for you know, people decidingbecause they want to just do
(22:52):
something nice to do.
You know what I?
Speaker 2 (22:54):
mean.
Yeah it's interesting, I think.
I mean, of course, everyone cangive back the way they can and
they want to, but for me, whatdrives me is the fact that I
know what these things, thesestories, did for me, and that's
why I keep going through thechallenges of starting a
(23:16):
nonprofit, overcoming, keepgoing, keep the belief, and I do
believe, whatever path you takewhether it's for-profit,
nonprofit it all serves a greatpurpose.
But it's important every personbelieves in something greater
than themselves, because it's atthat point that you get past
things to keep the mission,vision, whatever it is, whether
(23:37):
it's your for-profit company ornon-profit going.
And so, for me, the soulsearching on top of soul
searching through the years, isthis what I need to keep at?
Do I need to give up?
There was times where I thoughtI need to give up, but I keep
(23:59):
going because I do know thispower firsthand.
I don't need to see other datato know how powerful this is,
and so that's why I can speak tobukwala it is, it is.
And I tell my team in india andthe volunteers you're carrying
my heart with you when you are,uh, weathering the monsoons to
(24:22):
get to the children in ourlocations.
Sorry, I get emotional becauseuh I know how much they go
through to serve these kids andkids who've been abused of all
kinds, from sexual abuse tomental, physical to HIV,
children Right who have beenabandoned on the roadside to
(24:44):
farmers, children and not manypeople know what climate change
can do but farmers committingsuicide because they can't pay
back their loans right andleaving children orphaned, or a
single orphan.
So there's power that at leastin the lives of how they are
feeling, you know that we canrebuild their sense of hope in
(25:06):
life through this.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
You know, and it's so beautiful, it's so beautiful to
hear you know just what good isbeing put out to these kids and
you know the hard work thatpeople are doing to ensure that
children who truly have beenthrough it you know in.
You know are in orphanages, whohave been, you know whether
(25:30):
they've been physically oressayed right, whether they've
been all through that.
You know that they are beingtaken care of.
You know in a way that theydon't have to feel like their
life is just gloom right.
There are people caring andthat there are people providing
(25:51):
them some tools, you know, sothat they can look forward to
something.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, and Sonia, there's a lot of science behind
this too, you know, and and wehave psychologists, you know,
that are around us to speak toit better than I can.
But there is a lot of sciencebehind it because you're
rewiring from a braindevelopment perspective on,
(26:19):
you're healing the child right,you're healing the person
through happy stories, throughhappy experiences, and so
they're replacing negative oldmemories with new ones, and I
think they call it neuralpathways, and you know there's,
so there's an incredible sciencearound this, and that's only
now people are starting to talkabout it more recently or
(26:41):
understand more recently.
Know this the kids are thinking, okay, it's story time, with
sessions on, you know, whateverit is that we're taking them
through the message of that book, um, so, yeah, I'll stop there
for now and I'm just wonderingthough, too uh, cena, have you
(27:04):
ever been?
Speaker 1 (27:06):
have you ever came across anybody like when you
were in India working on, youknow, giving books, opening
libraries in India for thechildren?
Have you met any child thatreminded you a lot of you?
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I've met several children that reminded me of me.
I've met several children thatreminded me of me.
We're right now supporting.
We built about 25 locations butsupporting 16.
We continue to sustain with aforce of people going in weekly
to sometimes several times aweek, depending on the project
and location.
But yes, I've met several, yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
What was that experience like for you to come
across these children and haveit be a reminder of aspects of
you?
Speaker 2 (28:06):
I understand them.
I understand them, I think mostI understand.
You know, when I do what I dofor Bookwalla, it's because I
stand with these children.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
I understand what they're going through.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
While they might have a happy face because they see
someone coming in that care forthem a big brother, big sister,
now we call them because they'reconsistently coming in but
behind all of that, you know,there's a lot of damage, right,
Psychological damage.
So the fear, you know, distrust, closing off right and not
(28:45):
ready to open up.
These are things that happenwhen a child goes through trauma
, and I understand that becauseI've been through some of those
things.
And again, the differentprofiles of children we serve,
there's different journeys thatthey've all taken, but there's
been a few that really resonatedwith me.
That, I feel, is alsoreflective of why Bukwala does
(29:08):
what it does, and I'd be happyto share at least one story with
you.
Sure, I love it and by no meansit's just one of the many
stories, right, and?
But there was this one girl.
We had built a beautiful littlelibrary at a girl's orphanage in
(29:29):
Mumbai and we had started thestory sessions, which includes
reading the stories as well asactivities designed around the
message of that story.
And this little girl.
When she first started oursessions, she was angry,
distrustful, you know, all ofyou know, just not really
cooperating with our volunteerproject leader at that time and
(29:55):
you know, we were wonderingexactly what was going on with
her and we found out that shewas sexually essay, sexually
abused by her biological fatherand but was brave enough to
speak up because she saw thefather moving on to her younger
sister and because she spoke up,the children were obviously
(30:21):
kicked out of the home and theywere placed in an orphanage.
The two sisters were placed inthis particular orphanage and
about six months into thesessions, and now you can
imagine the fear, all of that,that this little girl has she's
only 10 years old, by the way.
She was only 10 at that time,so you can imagine how she was
(30:43):
feeling, right.
But about six months to eightmonths into the sessions, our
volunteer project leaderreceived a card from the girl of
beautifully drawn ducks in thewater and one duck flying in the
air.
And so when Lopa, our volunteerat that time, asked what is
this, what is this for, Herresponse was before I was in the
(31:07):
river, before I was in theriver and now sometimes I could
fly.
So at 10 years old she startedto have that change in
consciousness.
Right, that was happening froma place of fear, distrust, to
like hopelessness.
By giving that card that shedrew to our team member.
We noted that thattransformation was starting to
(31:30):
happen, that healing wasstarting to happen.
So that I think representsBukwala is that when you could
start changing the child fromfeeling like a victim to
survivor to maybe eventually asa victor in life, we are making
a new future possible for thatchild, Whatever it is that they
(31:54):
wish, and it could be gettingmarried and being happily ever
after to wanting to work in abeauty salon, to going to
college right, whatever it is,but it's the life that they
choose.
They don't have to go back.
What we're telling them is youcan move forward, and that's a
(32:14):
big part of Bukwala's work istelling them don't let the past
dictate what your future can be.
Like the stories, like theseheroes in these stories, you too
can create a stronger world.
So that is story of Rishi.
I'll call her.
Rishi is one that I think isreally again representative of
(32:36):
our mission.
If we could continue to do thattype of work with other
children who've gone throughsomething severe just change
like a light bulb goes off right, change the way they think
about themselves in their lifeThen we've done, with everyone's
support, the work.
You know, the healing aspect ofthe work.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
And that story makes me want to tear up because it's
so profound and so powerful, andthis to all of you who are
listening.
This is a true testament to howsomeone's life really can be
(33:24):
turned around and how what youput out there and what you do
for others and how you give backpays off in huge ways.
I bet this story with Rishi.
She probably never felt likethis was a possibility for her
before Bukwala.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
No, not at all, you know, and she was a victim,
right she was.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
Pure victim, exactly, and she you know.
She was taken out of a home,she was hurt by a person who was
supposed to be her protector,first and foremost.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
First, and foremost, exactly.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
It was hurt by the person who was supposed to have
loved her, protected her, by aperson who was supposed to have
been her hero but ended up beingher monster.
Okay, she was, and now she'splaced in orphanage, you know,
of course, angry because she'shurt, distrusting, because she
got because somebody broke hertrust.
Person who was supposed to beher role model broke her trust
(34:26):
and you know and to just to havesomething that she can, that
aided in the metamorphosis forArishi.
That just goes to show like howpowerful this work really is,
that you're doing and howpowerful this all why libraries
(34:48):
are needed and why books areneeded and why we need people
need to tell their stories toothe the literacy part, because
initially when I foundedbookwella we thought, oh,
everyone's saying we got tomeasure literacy.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
And then through the year, you know again, we learned
that this is much more deepthan just that.
Second is the ability toprocess learnings, and stuff get
impacted when you go throughtrauma.
But you know it's interesting.
Success can be viewed indifferent ways.
You know, it's not just howmany children have gone to
college or how many childrenhave, you know, become doctors
or engineers, et cetera.
In her case, when we asked whather wish was, a few years down
(35:31):
the line we started to createwish cards.
You know what her wish was,sonia.
Her wish was that she wanted tomake sure she could protect,
work somewhere where she couldcontinue to protect her sister,
and she also had a brother whowas kicked out because the whole
family, you know, but thechildren.
That that was her wish, just toprotect her sister and brother.
(35:55):
This is a girl at that time, Ithink she was 12 years old when
she shared that wish with us.
This is a girl at that time.
I think she was 12 years oldwhen she shared that wish with
us.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
So if she could do that in life.
That's success for her and Ithink just the transformation
alone in Rishi is a success inand of itself.
You know a lot of people youknow, going to your point
earlier, people look at success.
A lot of people have beeningrained to attribute success
to what titles you have, right,whether it's an MD, a PhD,
(36:31):
whether you become an engineeror a lawyer or a big successful.
You know IT person, right,something like that, right.
People look at success as doyou have a job and how much
money do you make?
Right, right.
But truth of the matter issuccess goes beyond that.
It's success is subjectivething, for sure.
(36:54):
But what people don't realizeis what it takes to get out of a
place where you've undergonesome kind of trauma, to come out
of the dark hole that traumaputs people in and to make it to
the other side.
Yes, that in and of itself isbeyond what any success could
(37:18):
even measure, because it takes alot to come out of that place
and people just don't know howhard it, how hard of work that
is.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
It's a lot of work and it's also, you know, it's
easy to be a victim and it'seasy to carry that with you, you
know, and it's easy to go backand think you're a victim or
self, whatever.
So the strength comes fromconstantly having to re-change
(37:51):
that narrative.
Yes, keep moving right.
And so I would say, while Ibelieve these books saved my
life and I've taken a much morepositive path in life I've been
able to do further education, doall those things.
It is a constant to make sure Idon't fall back and that I keep
(38:12):
moving forward.
But at least I know that's justthe way it is, that's something
you got to do right, that'sjust the way it is, that's
something you got to do right.
And that's where the strengthcomes in is just reminding
yourself.
You can get past it moveforward Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
You know that reminder, you can get past it,
the fact that you know what youcan use your pain and turn it
into purpose right, what you canuse your pain and turn it into
purpose right, and so so withyour work.
Um, so, what was the first nowgoing into?
You know the work you have beendoing in India and I know you
want to expand out of India aswell eventually.
(38:55):
Um, where was the first libraryyou opened and where exactly in
India are these locations thatyou're opening these libraries?
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Yeah, yeah.
So you know, believe it or not,I had global ambitions to take
over the world with stories fromthe very beginning.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
And I still have it.
I still have it.
I'm supposed to thinkdelusionally, so I'm still, but
I, you know, during that firstyear I was still working in the
technology company, but I didend up.
Give me one minute, let me goback.
Yes, I took a suitcase ofstorybooks in 2010, and I had
(39:42):
had a couple other foundingboard members, originally
because we needed to incorporate.
We needed a few more people whobelieved in this too, and we
visited the first orphanage inMumbai.
These kids from the UnitedStates.
(40:04):
A school in the States hadgiven these wonderful storybooks
from again, pop-up booksClifford the Red Dog, beauty and
the Beast, all these fairytales.
And I remember going with oneof my other board members, one
of our founding board members,who lives in India, in Mumbai.
He runs a couple companiesthere and he and I went to visit
this location and we stayedthere for six hours with these
(40:30):
kids because we saw that theydidn't want us to leave.
And I remember this oneparticular and it's one of my
favorite moments this veryserious entrepreneur Well, okay,
he has a sense of humor butvery austere.
He was reading Beauty and theBeast, sitting there and all
(40:50):
these kids were surrounding himand he didn't want to leave.
He just wanted to stillcontinue, to turn the page and
continue the story.
Now we're already going intoour sixth hour, right, and later
on I asked him I said I know westayed way over than what you
were thinking and he said, sina,I saw the look in these kids'
(41:13):
eyes, particularly this onelittle girl had this faraway
look in her eyes as she waslistening to the story and she
said he said I couldn't leavewithout finishing that story,
and so on the journey back iswhen I start to really think
about is can this be seriousenough where I need to actually
(41:33):
try it, leave my job and just gofor you know, go forward with
this new organization?
But that's one of my firstmemories Now.
It was a fantastic trip,obviously because I ended up
quitting my job soon after.
But I learned a couple monthsafter I quit my job that the
(41:56):
books were in a closet and theorphanage did not know what to
do with them.
Because, while it was awonderful gift while we were
there, the management at theorphanage they don't have the
resources, the time, theexpertise, and they thought
these books were extremelyvaluable.
Because when you think of it,right, some of these books from
(42:17):
the States the Dr Seuss,clifford they're expensive and
so you can imagine how they'rereacting to.
You know, what do we do?
Do we just keep it safe untilwe can pull it out for the kids?
And so when I made that firstphone call after I quit my job,
I found out that, like Imentioned, the books were in a
closet, the kids were notreading them and the orphanage
(42:38):
did not know what to do.
So that's when we pivoted andsaid you know what, in cases
like this, especiallyinstitutions that are providing
the basic food, clothing,shelter, some basic schooling we
could address this aspect bybuilding out beautiful spaces
and also sustaining these spaceswith storytelling sessions and
(43:02):
activities.
But in the beginning my originalidea was just sharing and
distributing the storybooks, andI went to even Indonesia and
went to seven locations invarious parts of Indonesia
distributing books.
Another founding board memberwent to Sri Lanka, jamaica.
But when we found out that weneeded to kind of scale back and
(43:22):
really focus on one country,india, which is also where I'm
from, and there's about 20million orphans that live there
anyways, there's a lot ofchildren that need this we
started to really think abouthow we can ensure that each
child was actually receiving thebenefit of the books.
But that first project wasMumbai, and today we have the
(43:47):
locations in Mumbai, pune,bangalore and, up to recently,
mangalore, and so those are themajor cities where we are
operating now with goals ofexpanding operating now with
goals of expanding.
Speaker 1 (44:06):
That is so awesome and I am so proud of you, sina,
for going after it and takingthe leap and doing what you do,
and I think you're helping somany people you know, and the
work that you're doing now isyou know.
I just feel like all thatenergy you're putting out there
for the good is reaping benefitsand rewards in ways that only
(44:33):
just breed good.
Speaker 2 (44:36):
Thank you.
Thank you, sonia, and you know,when I started this, I had no
idea what I was doing, honestly,just a suitcase of storybooks,
and you learn as you're doingright.
But one of the things I wasasked, you know, to reflect
cause we just turned 15.
And one of the things recently,you know, in a meeting, one of
(44:57):
the things I did not anticipateis the impact that we have on
the people around us, thevolunteer force that we have in
individuals who actuallysurround the mission and me,
that it's far more than justabout the children.
It's really about all of thesepeople who are now connected
from a community perspective toa mission that they seem happy
(45:20):
with, because it's a joyfulmission it's not meant to be sad
and working on things that arewe're trying to do this as
positively as possible right,and so I'm truly honored when
someone says they'd like tosupport in the various ways they
can, because I didn't trulyunderstand all of that when I
(45:45):
decided on creating this mission, and you know again, starting
with a book, right, a suitcaseof storybooks, and so that to me
is truly beautiful, trulybeautiful and to see the journey
of some of our team members whomight have started with us at
(46:06):
18.
And now, much later, they'renow in England, or they're in
Germany or US, or in really goodpositions within India.
Again, I didn't anticipate thegrowth that we would give to
them, but to some, of them weregoing through times of
depression and when they satwith the children and sat in our
(46:27):
libraries, which are designedwith open bookshelves, murals
there's a theme for everylocation.
It actually helps theindividuals who've been part of
the story too, part of thisjourney, and that, I think, is
an incredible thing.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
Again unexpected and support good.
I'm a firm believer in that youknow and that you know good
attracts good, good breeds goodright, and the more good that
you put out there the moreyou're going to actually attract
(47:27):
the right kinds of people thatwant to promote and share the
good you know.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
So, yeah, definitely you know the work that you're
doing.
I mean Thank you, thank you.
The organization in front of agroup of people, for sure, but
it does test.
You know through the years whatyou're.
How are you going to continueto grow too, so that this vision
can continue to grow?
I didn't come from I'm a normalperson like many people, a
(47:55):
normal job, normal person whowas doing this, and I think that
it's an interesting part inlife that you just take that
chance.
Whatever it is, whether youfail or not, you took that
chance.
You could say you tried itright.
And it's an important thing thatI try to inculcate with the
(48:17):
younger people around me who arehelping with the mission is not
to be afraid.
Just try it and even if youfail, at least you tried.
And it's a very, very importantmessage, because you can tie
failure to your identity for along time and you have to
somehow shed that and say listen, I tried, and I know there's
(48:41):
some famous quotes around it,something about the ring and the
.
You know you're boxing, you'reactually in the ring rather than
and the watching is.
There's some famous I forgotwho said it, you know Roosevelt
or something, but I do.
I truly believe that it's thateveryone should take a chance to
try whatever it is that theywant in life to do in life,
(49:03):
because by the end of your lifeyou don't want to regret, right?
You don't have any regrets.
Speaker 1 (49:09):
Absolutely.
I 100% agree with that and thatif you have something in your
heart, you have a desire in yourheart, you know it doesn't hurt
you to go for it, because, atthe end of the day, you know
what let's say, it doesn't turnout for you how you expected it,
but guess what?
Our failures that we have, weexperience, are our greatest
(49:29):
teachers, and truth of thematter is, the reward that you
want in your life is not goingto come right away.
Anything worth having is notgoing to come easy, and
everything that you do is a lifelesson learned, right and um,
and so I just you know, you know, if there's a way that now,
(49:53):
sina, if people can reach out,how how can people find you to
reach out to you?
And how is it that and how canpeople help support Bookwalla?
Speaker 2 (50:06):
Yeah, that's a good question.
We are looking.
One is you can always visit ourwebsite, bookwallaorg Book and
the walla is W-A-L-L-A-Horg.
You can reach out to me onLinkedIn and so we could start
the connection that way.
(50:26):
But in terms of support, whenwe think of it, it's time, you
know, funding, money, skills andif you know others who might be
truly interested in championingthis and helping us take the
next 10 years to the next level,you know, yeah, I hope that
(50:46):
answers your question.
That's probably the best way.
Reach out through LinkedInpersonally so that way we can
have a one-on-one dialogue.
From a Bukwala organizationperspective, we are looking to
add a few more board ofdirectors into the organization.
If you want to sponsor alocation, we're looking to
(51:08):
expand, we're looking to sustainour current locations.
So it takes about $100, $150 ayear per child to ensure that
they're getting the story perchild, to ensure that they're
getting the story.
After we build a library, thestorytelling sessions, the team
members that are coming aroundthem to you, you know, get go
through the journey of ourmethodology or healing, um, but
(51:32):
uh, yeah, I hope that answersyour question there and yeah,
and you're uh, you know, I knowthat you have a base in Chicago.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
Are you guys going to be doing any fundraising events
anytime soon that you're awareof that people could start maybe
looking out for, or anythinghappening in the Chicagoland
area that people can attend.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Mm.
Hmm, actually, we were justtalking about that.
So we're having we're trying acouple of different things this
year and smaller, smaller events.
So one is well, very well knownperson in the business world.
Rashad Tabakawala, is going tobe speaking at a more intimate
25, 30, 40 people event abouthis new book that's out.
So we're going to start sellingtickets to that, probably
(52:28):
around $500 each.
It's a much more intimatefireside chat, a women's lunch,
and again we can reach out toyou then, sonia, because I'll be
there for that too.
And then later this year, maybeSeptember, october, another
(52:49):
intimate evening where we'll letpeople know at that time when,
when it went and where it is.
But it's going to be smallerthan we've had a couple of years
ago through the years.
Next year we'll resume to thebigger scale annual fundraiser.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
Okay, yeah, all right , great.
So, sina, thank you so so muchfor your time and for being here
and um any, I encourage anyoneand everyone to look up book
wallah B O O K W A L A H andhave a just really find ways
(53:24):
that, if you can, in any way,shape or form, help, support and
thank you all.
Thank you so much for your time, thank you, sonia.
Speaker 2 (53:36):
Thank you so much for your time and just inviting me
to join you in this conversation.
I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (53:46):
I enjoyed this conversation.
Speaker 2 (53:48):
Thank you for your words too.
I'm like, yeah, that's it.
It opened up my oh yes, you'reright about compartmentalization
and that's really interesting.
So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
Oh no, no worries, we I enjoyed having you and also
thank you all for all who tunedin to this episode.
If you enjoyed this, pleaseremember to rate, review and
subscribe to On the Spectrumwith Sonia.
It is available on all audioplatforms, including Apple,
spotify and Amazon.
Speaking of Amazon, my bookDropped in a Maze recently had
(54:24):
come out on February 6th.
It is available for orderonline on Amazon, also available
on Strand Books and BarnesNobles.
And so that's all for today,everyone, and I hope to see you
all next time.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
Thank you.
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