Maggie Doyne

Maggie Doyne
Born 1987 (age 28–29)
Mendham Borough, New Jersey, United States of America
Occupation Philanthropist
Notable work Founder of Blinknow Foundation; Kopila Valley Children's Home, School and Women's Center
Website http://www.blinknow.org/
Maggie Doyne. Founder of Blinknow Foundation and Kopila Valley Children's Home, School, and Women's Center

Maggie Doyne (Nepali: म्यागी डोएन ) (born c. 1987) is an American philanthropist who has built an orphanage, women's centre and school in the Kopila Valley of Nepal. She won the CNN Hero of the Year Award in November 2015.[1]

Early life

Doyne grew up in Mendham Borough, New Jersey[2] with parents Steve and Nancy Doyne and two sisters, Kate and Libby.[3] After she was born, her father quit his job as the manager of a natural food store to be a stay-at-home dad, while her mother worked in real estate. Doyne attended West Morris Mendham High School.[4]

First visit to Nepal

In 2005, following her high school graduation, Doyne took a "gap year" to travel with the organization LeapNow. During that trip, she spent time volunteering at a children's home in northern India. The manager of the home was often away, leaving Doyne in charge of the 50 children who lived there and the 160 children who attended the school.[5] While there, Doyne became friends with a refugee from Nepal and during a cease-fire in the Nepalese Civil War, went with her to visit her home village.[5]

In Nepal, Doyne met six-year-old Hema, who was barely surviving on the few rupees she earned by breaking stones in a dry riverbed and selling them. Doyne helped Hema go to school, paying for her tuition, uniform, and books, and expanded her efforts to help more children.[5] Doyne used $5,000 she had saved from babysitting to help even more children and phoned her parents at home to send her the money.[6][7]

With her money, and more funds from supporters worldwide, Doyne purchased land in the Kopila Valley. Top Malla, a Nepali Doyne had met in India, joined her as a project partner.[8]

Kopila Valley Children's Home

In 2008, the Kopila Valley Children’s Home opened as a home to 44 children who did not have any family to take care of them. As of 2015, there were 51 children living in the Home.[9] Doyne is the legal guardian for all the children. Together with two local Nepali couples, she lives at the home and cares for the children.[10]

Kopila Valley School

Dissatisfied with the education her children were receiving and wanting to help other needy children in the community, Doyne opened the Kopila Valley Primary School opened with 220 students in 2010. Many are the first in their families to attend school.[11] The school provides students with health care and food, and employs around 50 Nepali, including teachers, a committee of elders and a principal and co-principal.[12] Teachers also come from the United Kingdom and the United States as volunteers with the Blinknow Foundation.[13]

The curriculum supplements the Nepali national curriculum with additional teaching and learning in literature, art, poetry, theatre, music and sports. Classes are taught in both Nepali and English, and stress creative and critical thinking.[13]

In 2012-2013, the school's 8th grade students took national examinations for the first time - Nepal's District Level Examination. All students scored within the top 10% nationwide, 50% of students scored in the top 1% nationwide[14] and the school was ranked first in its region for academic achievement.[10]

The school receives over 800 applications for places per year and places are offered on the basis of student need.[14] As of 2015, over 370 children attend Kopila Valley Primary School.[9]

As of 2015, Doyne and her team are working to build a high school using innovative, sustainable technology.[15]

Kopila Valley Women's Center

The Kopila Valley Women's Center opened in 2013 providing literacy and vocational skills training to the women of Surkhet.

Blinknow Foundation

Doyne created the Blinknow Foundation, of which she is CEO. The Foundation receives funding and rent-free office space from the Community Foundation of New Jersey, and has a US-based Board.[12] Blinknow also runs a fellowship programme which enables young people or adults to volunteer at Kopila Valley.[12]

Recognition

References

  1. 1 2 "CNN's 2015 Hero of the Year: Maggie Doyne - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  2. ↑ Mooney, Gail. "Maggie in the USA on the Fourth of July", Opening Our Eyes, July 6, 2011. Accessed December 1, 2013. "This year the award went to Maggie Doyne. Brookside is in Mendham Township, so technically, Maggie isn’t a resident because she lives in the next town over, Mendham Borough."
  3. ↑ Belkin, Lisa (2010-10-22). "When A Child Moves to Nepal". Nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  4. ↑ Garber, Phil. "After A Break, Flame Still Burning Brightly For Mendham's Maggie Doyne", Observer-Tribune, September 6, 2013. Accessed December 1, 2013 ."The innocent edge is gone from Maggie Doyne’s face. No longer the 18-year-old Mendham High School graduate who set out to change the world, Doyne is a woman who has achieved more in eight years than most do in 95 years."
  5. 1 2 3 Belkin, Lisa (2010-10-22). "When A Child Moves to Nepal". Motherlode Blog. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  6. ↑ "Change Generation: Maggie Doyne, Founder & Director, Kopila Valley Children's Home". Fast Company. 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  7. ↑ An, Vickie (2009-06-05). "She's Changing the World". Time for Kids. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  8. ↑ "Our Team | BlinkNow". www.blinknow.org. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  9. 1 2 "Life at Kopila Valley Children's Home - About Maggie Doyne". Blinknow.org. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  10. 1 2 3 "Meet Maggie Doyne, Forbes Excellence In Education Winner, Mommy To 40". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  11. ↑ "Our History". BlinkNow Foundation. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
  12. 1 2 3 "After A Break, Flame Still Burning Brightly For Mendham's Maggie Doyne". New Jersey Hills. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  13. 1 2 "Kopila Valley Children's Home & School | Center for Education Innovations". www.educationinnovations.org. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  14. 1 2 "Kopila Valley Children's Home & School | Center for Education Innovations". educationinnovations.org. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  15. ↑ "Kopila valley school". indeeverpost. 2015-04-18.
  16. ↑ "Winning beauty: CosmoGirl of the year, Maggie Doyne". CosmoGirl!. 2008-12-01. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  17. ↑ "The 2009 $100,000 Grand Prize Winner". Do Something. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  18. ↑ "From A Standing Ovation At The Forbes 400 To The Emergency Room In Nepal, A Millennial Is Saving Kids". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  19. ↑ "Recap: The Inaugural Forbes Power Redefined Women's Summit". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
  20. ↑ "2014 Unsung Heroes of Compassion Gallery - New Unsung Heroes". New Unsung Heroes. Retrieved 2015-11-19.

External links

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