On the Spectrum with Sonia Krishna Chand

Stories of Hope: Changing Lives One Book at a Time

• Sonia Krishna Chand • Season 2 • Episode 33

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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.

Speaker 1:

Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of On the Spectrum with Sonia, a podcast where we discuss autism spectrum mental health challenges and also highlight any inspirational stories where anyone has overcome any adversity. That leaves people feeling connected, empowered and filled with hope, love, and, especially in a world that tries to leave us disconnected from one another. Today we have a very special guest, sina Jacob. She is the CEO and founder of the nonprofit organization called Bookwalla, which started in 2010. She has been featured on WTTW Chicago. She has done many amazing things with the hope of spreading joy, love, hope and inspiration through opening libraries and giving kids underprivileged access to books.

Speaker 1:

As Sina herself had learned from a young age, that reading was how she gained hope for a better day. So, without further ado, let's please welcome Sina. Sina, thank you so much for being here. Thank you, sonia. So tell us a little bit now about the start of Bookwalla, and why don't you like, kind of tell our audience, like, what is the spirit of Bookwalla, how you came about with about that? What does Bookwalla mean? Like, give us, like a little walk.

Speaker 2:

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 the introduction, it was inspired by my own life journey growing up, where I found that visiting the libraries in the United States and accessing the wonderful stories like Beauty and the Beast, cinderella, little House on the Prairie, chronicles of Narnia all these wonderful books actually allowed me to dream, escape, find solace and get past some of the things I was going through and allowed me to think that my life, too, can be almost like the heroes in these stories, where you overcome something and come out better, happier. You have the power to create a world that you want to live in.

Speaker 1:

And so what kind of got you into thinking about doing Bookwalla? How did the idea come up? I want to actually now go and give to others. I want to go and start this Like has this been something that you've always kind of had thought about when you were younger? Like, I just kind of want to know that trajectory.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, believe it or not, it didn't, but I believe sometimes in life things have to happen and whether it's, you know, personal, business, etc. And you start connecting the dots to form that perfect time or idea. And for me, I never even thought about starting an organization like Bukwala for a majority of my life and career, the first at least 15 years, I believe, of my career. I was born in India and then I had the opportunity to come to United States. As a young child, growing up in the States, I had the passion for stories for many reasons, specifically some that I've shared already and I instead went back to India when I finished my high school. Went back to India to reconnect with my roots At least my parents said that. To reconnect with my roots, hoping that I would ideally find an arranged marriage situation right, but I didn't actually follow through on that. Came back to the States, finished off the US equivalent with a bachelor's in English literature and went into banking, went into consulting, did my MBA and primarily worked, I would say, in the 10 years leading up to Bukwala, in the ideation stage of companies or startup initiatives and where I was not actually the person working on the operation aspect, but people would come to me or very early, early ideation stage, where they're thinking of a product, service or company and I would be the person to kind of research, connect the dots, think about what the possibilities are. And if you've ever seen someone in a restaurant writing notes 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 thinking about how to make that a possibility. So, but it was at the end of 2009, where I was working for a software company in Chicago, originally hired to be part of their growth strategy incubation area, to really loving the people I worked with. Absolutely Some of them have become my strongest, longest supporters to, you know, just really liking the job I was in because, again, it was around ideation.

Speaker 2:

And but I, you know, thinking about my life around the end of 2009, on a cold, wintry night it was in November, so probably not too far from what you're experiencing today right In Chicago I really I start to really think am I fulfilling my 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, without something In this particular coming of what I call the personal Himalayas moment where I really start to question what are my passions, what are my interests, and am I actually fulfilling them? So one is I knew it was important that I give back that something by the end of my life. I knew, whatever it was that I was doing, it was important that I give back. Second is very, very, very fascinated with global business, global affairs, and part of my corporate career was also traveling back to India to see the multinational you know businesses popping up or the airports being modernized, malls popping up and people wanting to take me to malls because they thought that was amazing.

Speaker 2:

But the most important and critical part of the organization is my love for books, my love for particularly storybooks, chapter books, novels, and I knew that it was important that I wanted to share that power of a book to, I thought, orphans, being that this is a way that I could give back children in the lowest common denominator in society as far as I knew, reading Oliver, you know, books like Oliver Twist or Charles Dickens novels, right. And the third is I wanted to do it around the world. So bringing in that passion of wanting to do something and making a global impact. So, connecting these three things my love for books, wanting to give back and the global I formed that initial idea for the organization, which, at that time, without really understanding exactly what it was, I just knew that I want to share that joy of stories to orphans around the world. And that's when I really started saying let's see what we can do about this.

Speaker 1:

So it seems like books also served. I mean, yes, it's, you know one one 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 seemed like it was a way you also had company, because you know, like they say, a book is a man's best friend, right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah. So I'm just wondering, like you know too. So a couple of questions I had. So how old were you for when you talked about immigrating to the US as a child? Yeah, Are you when you came to the?

Speaker 2:

US. I was around four years old, I was young and I learned English, and I always say this because it's actually. I'm hoping to meet this person one day by listening to Bill Curtis on TV and then being a speech instructor, but Bill Curtis had this excellent voice and I would sit and watch him staring.

Speaker 2:

That also says something about my age, I'm sure, but I would watch him and Walter Jacobson doing their news show and just staring at the TV and my father I was just staring would actually turn the TV pitch black. So all I could hear was Bill Curtis's voice, isn't it Audio? Exactly yeah. So I was pretty young when I came here and I went back to India around 16 to going on 17 to do my bachelor's from an India perspective, because there's a three-year program there and so where in india were you born?

Speaker 1:

kerala in kerala, yeah south is that where you went back to when you turned exactly yes, yes, but uh specifically to kutchan.

Speaker 2:

So kutchan being an international port area in kerala, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and so you know I know you also had mentioned something like you thought you were going to get this arranged marriage. You thought that that wasn't going to be something panned out for you and you talk about things like you talked about, like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella earlier. I'm just wondering did you kind of think that arranged marriage was like what you read in Beauty and the Beast and in Cinderella and that's interesting.

Speaker 2:

Let me, let me just clarify it was my parents plan, oh your parents plan and I resisted, I resisted. But I do know friends who have gone through that and are happily married, have gone through that and are happily married. You know, I obviously studied with people who have and they're very happily married in with their, with their husbands, and good relationships. But I personally, because I read all of those stories, I was still waiting for my prince.

Speaker 1:

It's so funny how, like we as young girls get inundated right about like this fairy tale, right, we get inundated with, you know, the prince charming, and like wearing that glass slipper and getting kissed at midnight, you know, like all that stuff. Like I think it's so funny how it's so inundated, but yet, you know, it was something that kept us entertained as kids.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, yeah, and even more than entertained. I think for a child who's going through so much, you need something to grasp. That's like an outlet, you know, to joy, happiness, and while the you know, growing up, now much older, the prince is really and what do you call it? It's not the actual prince that we're looking after for, but we're looking to have a life filled with happiness and the prince is just a symbolic. You know character, right, but you have the castle.

Speaker 2:

So there's some strong symbols in stories, like in fairy tales, and a child who's been a victim or going through things will pick up and kind of and you know this when you're reading a story or reading a book, you're almost part of that journey of overcoming right, and so as a child, you're very impressionable. So you're also thinking, wow, I could be brave and I could live my life with passion, I could follow through on conviction, the things I want in my life. And I think, because I was such an avid reader and I would be that person, bicycling, cycling down, grabbing a bunch of books, stuffing it and at night have a flashlight or read in a closet into the night, because I just loved it, it was my solace, it was happiness for me, and so I think, in that regard that's where the power of these stories come from and if you're an avid reader, those messages are constantly being repeated that you have the power to create a happier world.

Speaker 1:

And you know, is there any one particular book though that in any one moment in time where you were really going through it, going through the rut, and a book you happened to read really just stuck and resonated with you and kind of gave you that life-changing moment or that light bulb that just went off? You know, was there any one particular moment and book that did that for you?

Speaker 2:

That's an interesting question. I think at different stages, definitely for you, that's an interesting question. I think at different stages definitely, or phases in my life. But I would say to this day, beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale Because of the fact that I grew up and you we call it ABCD, right, american Born, but even though I was American Born, confused, vashi, and sometimes you know again, when you're going through some of the stuff I went through, you feel ugly, you feel you're not worth it.

Speaker 2:

You're not. You know there's a lot of challenges there and with Beauty and the Beast, what it taught me is the value of inner beauty and that it didn't matter what was physically how you were, you know, it was all about who you are on the inside. And I do believe to this day that that story sticks with me or stays with me, because how I view people is along the lines of that too, that I always try to see the good side of a person versus the bad, although I know in 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 with that particular person, so maybe I'm told I have high emotional intelligence or empathy. I hope that answers your question.

Speaker 2:

The second book that I think again has stayed with me is a book called Christie by Catherine Marshall, and I think I read that in high school and Christie was a teacher like late 1800s. She was a teacher in the Appalachian Mountains and the story had to do with her working with the people of the Appalachian Mountains, trying to set up a school and the challenges of all of that, and I think you know again, growing up throughout my adult life in the background, I was always thinking in the back of my mind that there's something very beautiful about the fact of giving back and maybe Christie, that story itself, stayed with me through the years and maybe Christy, that story itself stayed with me through the years and you talk about like.

Speaker 1:

so I'm hearing you talk about like, how, like you know you, beauty and the Beast gave you that hope of you know what, what you look like on the outside is not as important as how you are on the inside.

Speaker 2:

How you're feeling on the inside.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yes, and you said that you know you were made to feel a certain way about yourself, right, when you around, maybe perhaps in the neighborhood where you were growing up. So what was that like for you then to I mean, how are you feeling at the time when you were reading these stories, right, like when you read Beauty and the Beast, and you know you had mentioned, because I think it's a very the way we look is definitely valued a lot, right?

Speaker 2:

Skin color, all of that Skin color and with our parents also viewing it that way too. You know yes. So yes, yes, and I feel like oftentimes we, as Indian women, are, and I feel like oftentimes we, as Indian women, are.

Speaker 1:

it's like they want us to have the white standard beauty, but we're not white. They want us to have that, but we're not white, and they don't understand. That's where that disconnect happens, because we're never going to look like the tall blonde supermodel.

Speaker 2:

We're just not, because that's not how we were made. Yeah exactly, and it's carried on within our own families, within our own mothers, saying wait a minute, don't go out too much in the sun because you're going to get dark. So exactly. Yes, yes.

Speaker 1:

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 is all of what you know is being pushed and pressured and like looks 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? Were you feeling that pressure to look a certain way? Did you feel bad about looking not like everyone else? Like what was going on?

Speaker 2:

Hmm, um, I think I've always been a little bit a type of person that's in my own world, and maybe because, uh, you know, again, I socially being able to talk to people and stuff, that I don't think it was a huge challenge for me. But but, uh, to in, to protect yourself, you have to sometimes compartmentalize right and you start. So that was a very key part, I think, of how I was able to get through things. So, when I was reading books like Beauty and the Beast and growing up in a neighborhood that didn't have too many Indians, yes, I did feel different.

Speaker 2:

Yes, there were times I might have been called names, but I always had these stories to kind of escape and dream and look forward to. And that's again, you know, these stories always had positive messages of overcoming. So I do believe that it gave me also the strength, without realizing it, to deal with the things that I was dealing with, whether it's a neighborhood family, you know the circumstance itself. I hope that makes sense. And but, yeah, I'm able to compartmentalize, because there's a moment for this and there's another moment for this, there's a person like this, but there's also possibilities of other inspiring role models, and so you're able to, and so that's how I've actually have led my life. In a way I compartmentalize and I stay away from certain things or certain thoughts to kind of direct, keep moving forward.

Speaker 1:

And how old were you when you first realized that you were able to start compartmentalizing?

Speaker 2:

much older, I don't think I knew the science of it or the practicality of doing something like that. It's when you're doing your soul searching, when you're reflecting, when you understand truly what trauma can do. It is something that I think, as an adult, is when I realized that this is one of the coping mechanisms.

Speaker 1:

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 being able to function Right, yeah, but there's like a certain going to 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 to survive. Yeah, you know, yeah, and in many ways, how you are compartmentalizing right, I think what you've done is you also picked a healthy route in finding solace in books, whereas many people can find solace in with compartmentalizing right.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Lots of other things.

Speaker 2:

Yes, that's absolutely right, because I had that positive outlet a positive channel. It influenced a lot of where my path in life went, rather than a destructive path, a much more positive path, absolutely. That's a good point.

Speaker 1:

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 different purposes for you on many different levels, which that also, it seems, pushed your drive for Bookwalla. And that's where the magic happens, right, because you were able to take everything, yeah, and take all the layers that books were for you, and you were able to actually wrap it up in a way that you can actually package it out. Huh, thank you, Sonia.

Speaker 1:

Appreciate you saying that. So that's why this is so special, that's so interesting. Yeah, and this is what makes bookwalla so special, because it comes from a personal place. It's not just okay, I'm just gonna do some philanthropy and, yeah, you know, this is really cool. Let's just go to india and, you know, help underprivileged kids, because it's a philanthropy thing to do. And you know, no, this goes beyond just a philanthropy thing. This is more of I'm putting my heart 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 and genuineness and it's not just for you know, people deciding because they want to just do something nice to do. You know what I?

Speaker 2:

mean.

Speaker 2:

Yeah it's interesting, I think.

Speaker 2:

I mean, of course, everyone can give back the way they can and they want to, but for me, what drives me is the fact that I know what these things, these stories, did for me, and that's why I keep going through the challenges of starting a nonprofit, overcoming, keep going, keep the belief, and I do believe, whatever path you take whether it's for-profit, nonprofit it all serves a great purpose.

Speaker 2:

But it's important every person believes in something greater than themselves, because it's at that point that you get past things to keep the mission, vision, whatever it is, whether it's your for-profit company or non-profit going. And so, for me, the soul searching on top of soul searching through the years, is this what I need to keep at? Do I need to give up? There was times where I thought I need to give up, but I keep going because I do know this power firsthand. I don't need to see other data to know how powerful this is, and so that's why I can speak to bukwala it is, it is. And I tell my team in india and the volunteers you're carrying my heart with you when you are, uh, weathering the monsoons to get to the children in our locations.

Speaker 2:

Sorry, I get emotional because uh I know how much they go through to serve these kids and kids who've been abused of all kinds, from sexual abuse to mental, physical to HIV, children Right who have been abandoned on the roadside to farmers, children and not many people know what climate change can do but farmers committing suicide because they can't pay back their loans right and leaving children orphaned, or a single orphan. So there's power that at least in the lives of how they are feeling, you know that we can rebuild their sense of hope in life through this.

Speaker 1:

You know, and it's so beautiful, it's so beautiful to hear you know just what good is being put out to these kids and you know the hard work that people are doing to ensure that children who truly have been through it you know in. You know are in orphanages, who have been, you know whether they've been physically or essayed right, whether they've been all through that. You know that they are being taken care of.

Speaker 1:

You know in a way that they don't have to feel like their life is just gloom right. There are people caring and that there are people providing them some tools, you know, so that they can look forward to something.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and Sonia, there's a lot of science behind this too, you know, and and we have psychologists, you know, that are around us to speak to it better than I can. But there is a lot of science behind it because you're rewiring from a brain development perspective on, you're healing the child right, you're healing the person through happy stories, through happy experiences, and so they're replacing negative old memories with new ones, and I think they call it neural pathways, and you know there's, so there's an incredible science around this, and that's only now people are starting to talk about it more recently or understand more recently. Know this the kids are thinking, okay, it's story time, with sessions on, you know, whatever it 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 wondering though, too uh, cena, have you ever been?

Speaker 1:

have you ever came across anybody like when you were in India working on, you know, giving books, opening libraries in India for the children? Have you met any child that reminded you a lot of you?

Speaker 2:

I've met several children that reminded me of me. I've met several children that reminded me of me. We're right now supporting. We built about 25 locations but supporting 16. We continue to sustain with a force of people going in weekly to sometimes several times a week, depending on the project and location. But yes, I've met several, yeah.

Speaker 1:

What was that experience like for you to come across these children and have it be a reminder of aspects of you?

Speaker 2:

I understand them. I understand them, I think most I understand. You know, when I do what I do for Bookwalla, it's because I stand with these children.

Speaker 1:

I understand what they're going through.

Speaker 2:

While they might have a happy face because they see someone coming in that care for them a big brother, big sister, now we call them because they're consistently 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 ready to open up. These are things that happen when a child goes through trauma, and I understand that because I've been through some of those things. And again, the different profiles of children we serve, there's different journeys that they've all taken, but there's been a few that really resonated with me. That, I feel, is also reflective of why Bukwala does what it does, and I'd be happy to share at least one story with you. Sure, I love it and by no means it's just one of the many stories, right, and? But there was this one girl.

Speaker 2:

We had built a beautiful little library at a girl's orphanage in Mumbai and we had started the story sessions, which includes reading the stories as well as activities designed around the message of that story. And this little girl. When she first started our sessions, she was angry, distrustful, you know, all of you know, just not really cooperating with our volunteer project leader at that time and you know, we were wondering exactly what was going on with her and we found out that she was sexually essay, sexually abused by her biological father and but was brave enough to speak up because she saw the father moving on to her younger sister and because she spoke up, the children were obviously kicked out of the home and they were placed in an orphanage. The two sisters were placed in this particular orphanage and about six months into the sessions, 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 feeling, right. But about six months to eight months into the sessions, our volunteer project leader received a card from the girl of beautifully drawn ducks in the water and one duck flying in the air. And so when Lopa, our volunteer at that time, asked what is this, what is this for, Her response was before I was in the river, before I was in the river and now sometimes I could fly.

Speaker 2:

So at 10 years old she started to have that change in consciousness. Right, that was happening from a place of fear, distrust, to like hopelessness. By giving that card that she drew to our team member. We noted that that transformation was starting to happen, that healing was starting to happen. So that I think represents Bukwala is that when you could start changing the child from feeling like a victim to survivor to maybe eventually as a victor in life, we are making a new future possible for that child, Whatever it is that they wish, and it could be getting married and being happily ever after to wanting to work in a beauty salon, to going to college right, whatever it is, but it's the life that they choose.

Speaker 2:

They don't have to go back. What we're telling them is you can move forward, and that's a big part of Bukwala's work is telling them don't let the past dictate what your future can be. Like the stories, like these heroes 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 is really again representative of our mission. If we could continue to do that type of work with other children who've gone through something severe just change like a light bulb goes off right, change the way they think about themselves in their life Then we've done, with everyone's support, the work. You know, the healing aspect of the work.

Speaker 1:

And that story makes me want to tear up because it's so profound and so powerful, and this to all of you who are listening. This is a true testament to how someone's life really can be turned around and how what you put out there and what you do for others and how you give back pays off in huge ways. I bet this story with Rishi. She probably never felt like this was a possibility for her before Bukwala.

Speaker 2:

No, not at all, you know, and she was a victim, right she was.

Speaker 1:

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:

First, and foremost, exactly.

Speaker 1:

It was hurt by the person who was supposed to have loved her, protected her, by a person who was supposed to have been her hero but ended up being her monster. Okay, she was, and now she's placed in orphanage, you know, of course, angry because she's hurt, distrusting, because she got because somebody broke her trust. Person who was supposed to be her role model broke her trust and you know and to just to have something that she can, that aided in the metamorphosis for Arishi. That just goes to show like how powerful this work really is, that you're doing and how powerful this all why libraries are needed and why books are needed and why we need people need to tell their stories too the the literacy part, because initially when I founded bookwella we thought, oh, everyone's saying we got to measure literacy.

Speaker 2:

And then through the year, you know again, we learned that this is much more deep than just that. Second is the ability to process learnings, and stuff get impacted when you go through trauma. But you know it's interesting. Success can be viewed in different ways. You know, it's not just how many children have gone to college or how many children have, you know, become doctors or engineers, et cetera. In her case, when we asked what her wish was, a few years down the line we started to create wish cards. You know what her wish was, sonia. Her wish was that she wanted to make sure she could protect, work somewhere where she could continue to protect her sister, and she also had a brother who was kicked out because the whole family, you know, but the children. That that was her wish, just to protect her sister and brother. This is a girl at that time, I think 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 old when she shared that wish with us.

Speaker 1:

So if she could do that in life. That's success for her and I think just the transformation alone in Rishi is a success in and of itself. You know a lot of people you know, going to your point earlier, people look at success. A lot of people have been ingrained to attribute success to what titles you have, right, whether it's an MD, a PhD, whether you become an engineer or a lawyer or a big successful. You know IT person, right, something like that, right. People look at success as do you have a job and how much money do you make? Right, right.

Speaker 1:

But truth of the matter is success goes beyond that. It's success is subjective thing, for sure. But what people don't realize is what it takes to get out of a place where you've undergone some kind of trauma, to come out of the dark hole that trauma puts people in and to make it to the other side. Yes, that in and of itself is beyond what any success could even measure, because it takes a lot to come out of that place and people just don't know how hard it, how hard of work that is.

Speaker 2:

It's a lot of work and it's also, you know, it's easy to be a victim and it's easy to carry that with you, you know, and it's easy to go back and think you're a victim or self, whatever.

Speaker 2:

So the strength comes from constantly having to re-change that narrative. Yes, keep moving right. And so I would say, while I believe these books saved my life and I've taken a much more positive path in life I've been able to do further education, do all those things. It is a constant to make sure I don't fall back and that I keep moving forward. But at least I know that's just the way it is, that's something you got to do right, that's just the way it is, that's something you got to do right. And that's where the strength comes in is just reminding yourself. You can get past it move forward Absolutely.

Speaker 1:

You know that reminder, you can get past it, the fact that you know what you can use your pain and turn it into purpose right, what you can use your pain and turn it into purpose right, and so so with your work. Um, so, what was the first now going into? You know the work you have been doing in India and I know you want to expand out of India as well eventually. Um, where was the first library you opened and where exactly in India are these locations that you're opening these libraries?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. So you know, believe it or not, I had global ambitions to take over the world with stories from the very beginning.

Speaker 1:

Nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 2:

And I still have it. I still have it. I'm supposed to think delusionally, so I'm still, but I, you know, during that first year I was still working in the technology company, but I did end up. Give me one minute, let me go back. Yes, I took a suitcase of storybooks in 2010, and I had had a couple other founding board members, originally because we needed to incorporate. We needed a few more people who believed in this too, and we visited the first orphanage in Mumbai.

Speaker 2:

These kids from the United States. A school in the States had given these wonderful storybooks from again, pop-up books Clifford the Red Dog, beauty and the Beast, all these fairy tales. And I remember going with one of my other board members, one of our founding board members, who lives in India, in Mumbai. He runs a couple companies there and he and I went to visit this location and we stayed there for six hours with these kids because we saw that they didn't want us to leave. And I remember this one particular and it's one of my favorite moments this very serious entrepreneur Well, okay, he has a sense of humor but very austere. He was reading Beauty and the Beast, sitting there and all these kids were surrounding him and he didn't want to leave. He just wanted to still continue, to turn the page and continue the story. Now we're already going into our sixth hour, right, and later on I asked him I said I know we stayed way over than what you were thinking and he said, sina, I saw the look in these kids' eyes, particularly this one little girl had this faraway look in her eyes as she was listening to the story and she said he said I couldn't leave without finishing that story, and so on the journey back is when I start to really think about is can this be serious enough where I need to actually try it, leave my job and just go for you know, go forward with this new organization? But that's one of my first memories Now.

Speaker 2:

It was a fantastic trip, obviously because I ended up quitting my job soon after. But I learned a couple months after I quit my job that the books were in a closet and the orphanage did not know what to do with them. Because, while it was a wonderful gift while we were there, the management at the orphanage they don't have the resources, the time, the expertise, and they thought these books were extremely valuable. Because when you think of it, right, some of these books from the States the Dr Seuss, clifford they're expensive and so you can imagine how they're reacting to. You know, what do we do? Do we just keep it safe until we can pull it out for the kids? And so when I made that first phone call after I quit my job, I found out that, like I mentioned, the books were in a closet, the kids were not reading them and the orphanage did not know what to do. So that's when we pivoted and said you know what, in cases like this, especially institutions that are providing the basic food, clothing, shelter, some basic schooling we could address this aspect by building out beautiful spaces and also sustaining these spaces with storytelling sessions and activities.

Speaker 2:

But in the beginning my original idea was just sharing and distributing the storybooks, and I went to even Indonesia and went to seven locations in various parts of Indonesia distributing books. Another founding board member went to Sri Lanka, jamaica. But when we found out that we needed to kind of scale back and really focus on one country, india, which is also where I'm from, and there's about 20 million orphans that live there anyways, there's a lot of children that need this we started to really think about how we can ensure that each child was actually receiving the benefit of the books. But that first project was Mumbai, and today we have the locations in Mumbai, pune, bangalore and, up to recently, mangalore, and so those are the major cities where we are operating now with goals of expanding operating now with goals of expanding.

Speaker 1:

That is so awesome and I am so proud of you, sina, for going after it and taking the leap and doing what you do, and I think you're helping so many people you know, and the work that you're doing now is you know. I just feel like all that energy you're putting out there for the good is reaping benefits and rewards in ways that only just breed good.

Speaker 2:

Thank you.

Speaker 2:

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 doing right. But one of the things I was asked, you know, to reflect cause we just turned 15. And one of the things recently, you know, in a meeting, one of the things I did not anticipate is the impact that we have on the people around us, the volunteer force that we have in individuals who actually surround the mission and me, that it's far more than just about the children. It's really about all of these people who are now connected from a community perspective to a mission that they seem happy with, because it's a joyful mission it's not meant to be sad and working on things that are we're trying to do this as positively as possible right, and so I'm truly honored when someone says they'd like to support in the various ways they can, because I didn't truly understand all of that when I decided on creating this mission, and you know again, starting with a book, right, a suitcase of storybooks, and so that to me is truly beautiful, truly beautiful and to see the journey of some of our team members who might have started with us at 18. And now, much later, they're now in England, or they're in Germany or US, or in really good positions within India. Again, I didn't anticipate the growth that we would give to them, but to some, of them were going through times of depression and when they sat with the children and sat in our libraries, which are designed with open bookshelves, murals there's a theme for every location. It actually helps the individuals who've been part of the story too, part of this journey, and that, I think, is an incredible thing.

Speaker 1:

Again unexpected and support good. I'm a firm believer in that you know and that you know good attracts good, good breeds good right, and the more good that you put out there the more you're going to actually attract the right kinds of people that want to promote and share the good you know.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, definitely you know the work that you're doing. I mean Thank you, thank you. The organization in front of a group of people, for sure, but it does test. You know through the years what you're. How are you going to continue to grow too, so that this vision can continue to grow? I didn't come from I'm a normal person like many people, a normal job, normal person who was doing this, and I think that it's an interesting part in life that you just take that chance. Whatever it is, whether you fail or not, you took that chance. You could say you tried it right.

Speaker 2:

And it's an important thing that I try to inculcate with the younger people around me who are helping with the mission is not to be afraid. Just try it and even if you fail, at least you tried. And it's a very, very important message, because you can tie failure to your identity for a long time and you have to somehow shed that and say listen, I tried, and I know there's some famous quotes around it, something about the ring and the. You know you're boxing, you're actually in the ring rather than and the watching is. There's some famous I forgot who said it, you know Roosevelt or something, but I do. I truly believe that it's that everyone should take a chance to try whatever it is that they want in life to do in life, because by the end of your life you don't want to regret, right? You don't have any regrets.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely. I 100% agree with that and that if you have something in your heart, you have a desire in your heart, you know it doesn't hurt you to go for it, because, at the end of the day, you know what let's say, it doesn't turn out for you how you expected it, but guess what? Our failures that we have, we experience, are our greatest teachers, and truth of the matter is, the reward that you want in your life is not going to come right away. Anything worth having is not going to come easy, and everything that you do is a life lesson learned, right and um, and so I just you know, you know, if there's a way that now, sina, if people can reach out, how how can people find you to reach out to you? And how is it that and how can people help support Bookwalla?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that's a good question. We are looking. One is you can always visit our website, bookwallaorg Book and the walla is W-A-L-L-A-Horg. You can reach out to me on LinkedIn and so we could start the connection that way. But in terms of support, when we think of it, it's time, you know, funding, money, skills and if you know others who might be truly interested in championing this and helping us take the next 10 years to the next level, you know, yeah, I hope that answers your question. That's probably the best way. Reach out through LinkedIn personally so that way we can have a one-on-one dialogue.

Speaker 2:

From a Bukwala organization perspective, we are looking to add a few more board of directors into the organization. If you want to sponsor a location, we're looking to expand, we're looking to sustain our current locations. So it takes about $100, $150 a year per child to ensure that they're getting the story per child, to ensure that they're getting the story. After we build a library, the storytelling sessions, the team members that are coming around them to you, you know, get go through the journey of our methodology or healing, um, but uh, yeah, I hope that answers your question there and yeah, and you're uh, you know, I know that you have a base in Chicago.

Speaker 1:

Are you guys going to be doing any fundraising events anytime soon that you're aware of that people could start maybe looking out for, or anything happening in the Chicagoland area that people can attend.

Speaker 2:

Mm. Hmm, actually, we were just talking about that. So we're having we're trying a couple of different things this year and smaller, smaller events. So one is well, very well known person in the business world. Rashad Tabakawala, is going to be speaking at a more intimate 25, 30, 40 people event about his new book that's out. So we're going to start selling tickets to that, probably around $500 each. It's a much more intimate fireside chat, a women's lunch, and again we can reach out to you then, sonia, because I'll be there for that too. And then later this year, maybe September, october, another intimate evening where we'll let people know at that time when, when it went and where it is. But it's going to be smaller than we've had a couple of years ago through the years. Next year we'll resume to the bigger scale annual fundraiser.

Speaker 1:

Okay, yeah, all right, great. So, sina, thank you so so much for your time and for being here and um any, I encourage anyone and everyone to look up book wallah B O O K W A L A H and have a just really find ways 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:

Thank you so much for your time and just inviting me to join you in this conversation. I really enjoyed it.

Speaker 1:

I enjoyed this conversation.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for your words too. I'm like, yeah, that's it. It opened up my oh yes, you're right about compartmentalization and that's really interesting. So thank you so much.

Speaker 1:

Oh no, no worries, we I enjoyed having you and also thank you all for all who tuned in to this episode. If you enjoyed this, please remember to rate, review and subscribe to On the Spectrum with Sonia. It is available on all audio platforms, including Apple, spotify and Amazon. Speaking of Amazon, my book Dropped in a Maze recently had come out on February 6th. It is available for order online on Amazon, also available on Strand Books and Barnes Nobles. And so that's all for today, everyone, and I hope to see you all next time.

Speaker 2:

Thank you.