How a trip to Zimbabwe with my daughter led me on a mission of educating our girls to be the next generation of changemakers

As a foundation director and mother to three young children, I engage passionately in several philanthropic projects that benefit women and children as part of my work. In the spring of 2023, I planned a trip to Zimbabwe to spend some time with one of our NGO partners, We Care Solar, and visit the work we had funded, bringing life-saving solar electricity to last-mile birthing clinics across the country.

In what seemed like the eleventh hour, my extremely supportive husband sheepishly asked me if I was leaving him with all 3 of our kids (aged 6 and under) for a 10-day international trip with a 9-hour time difference. I had never actually considered it before… but I decided, you know what? I’m going to bring one of the kids. My 6-year-old daughter Ruby would come with me, and I asked my mom to join us too.

What ensued was a transformational journey to Zimbabwe with three generations of female travelers that began to take a different shape. What initially was meant to be a “site visit”  grew into a pivotal moment not only for my daughter—but also for me as a parent. My intention became clear: to immerse Ruby in my world of impact. I wanted her to understand the power of compassion and action in addressing global challenges, especially those affecting women and girls.

As our trip began to unfold in Harare, something truly remarkable happened.

I almost didn’t recognize my own child as I took a backseat to her evolution into a global traveler, avid observer and extremely empathetic individual. Ruby visited a local school in the middle of Harare, where she dove right into her peer Kindergarten class and drew rainbows alongside the other children. She braved the 5-hour drive down bumpy, dirt roads (where her mother got very sick!) and reveled in visiting a rural clinic where our team installed one of our last solar electricity systems in the country. I saw her eyes wide open as she watched a woman our NGO employs strap on a tool belt and install a solar panel onto the roof. She danced with the children outside as they celebrated with the rest of the village for the gift of light they had waited so long for.

Perhaps one of the most impactful moments came when Ruby witnessed an unmedicated birth outside one of our clinics, something most Western children rarely get to witness. Her only experience of seeing babies come into the world was when she walked into my fluorescent-lit hospital room the day after her younger brother and sister were delivered via C-section, her mom hooked up to wired machines with an incessant beeping in the background. These experiences were not just enriching; they planted seeds of understanding in her young mind, revealing how innovation can uplift communities, how we are more alike in the human condition than we are different. But also that our experiences can look very different across the world. 

That empathy, human kindness and the movement of capital and resources can lead to monumental change.

As an adult, I have had the privilege of being on the receiving end of all kinds of education around global impact, philanthropy, NGO work, and experience in the field. Ruby hasn’t had that. This isn’t the education kids typically experience in the traditional classroom. I had to create this for her. On our trip, I did my best to explain to her concepts of how teams work together collaboratively, how we have to lead with trust, empathy and the principles of investing in solutions that change people’s lives for the better—and why we have a responsibility to do so. She transformed during this journey.

When we returned, I watched Ruby deliver a 45-minute slideshow summarizing her experiences in Zimbabwe to her school. At just 6-years-old, she captivated her audience, sharing deeply human stories of hope and determination. I sat in the back of the crowded room, per her insistence, filled with pride not only in my daughter’s ability to communicate complex ideas but also in her innate desire to make a difference. It became evident that the lessons learned during our journey had transformed her perspective, and her desire to participate. I realized that philanthropy is not distinctly an adult endeavor; it’s a mindset that can be cultivated in children from a young age. 

As someone who grew up with Mr. Rogers, I realize that we can teach kids about all kinds of complex concepts in ways they can understand, especially when human kindness and empathy are at its core.

This trip was transformative for me as well. It was the genesis that led me to formalize this global impact curriculum for tween daughters while also creating opportunities for them and their mothers to invest boldly in innovative solutions for human and planetary health. AtlasDaughters, a transformative philanthropic travel company, is the result of the unbreakable bond I shared with my little co-founder, because we want other families to also share experiences like ours.

Reflecting on this journey, I live and breathe the mission of AtlasDaughters, which emphasizes the importance of nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. It’s a vision that unites parents and children in a shared mission to engage with philanthropic efforts that address pressing global issues. As a foundation director, I have seen the profound impact of “seeing is believing.” While nonprofits strive to scale their impact, they often lack the resources to facilitate experiential learning journeys, which are immensely effective tools for unlocking new capital. This is where AtlasDaughters plays a pivotal role, bridging connections and enabling families to align their values and resources with meaningful programs.

Through thoughtfully curated itineraries, we combine field visits with cause-related education, creating a multifaceted experience that balances learning with adventure. We aim to foster a sense of global citizenship, allowing youth to connect with their peers, and ultimately, recognize that they hold the capacity for change. 

As I reflect on my experience with Ruby, three key takeaways resonate not just for parents but for anyone wishing to inspire the next generation of changemakers:

1. Practice the 4 E’s of bonding: Entertainment, Education, Experience, and Engagement (contributing to something larger than yourself) to strengthen your bond with your child.
2. Get into the real world: Encourage experiential learning to engage all senses and help build their confidence and resilience. The world is their classroom.
3. Make philanthropy a family activity: Discuss global issues and foster a sense of responsibility to act. By involving our children in philanthropy, we nurture empathy and global citizenship, showing them that no effort is too small and no voice too young to make a difference. 

I echo Mr. Rogers’s words: “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say, ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.” Let’s let our children lead as those heroes.