Maggie Doyne (
Nepali: म्यागी डोएन) (born c. 1986) is an American philanthropist who has built a children's home, women's center and school in
Surkhet,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
. She won the
CNN Hero of the Year
''CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute'' is a television special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and make a difference in their communities. The program was started in 2007. Since 2016, the ...
Award in November 2015.
She is the author of Between the Mountain and the Sky: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, Healing, and Hope
Early life
Doyne grew up in
Mendham Borough, New Jersey
Mendham Borough is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,981, which was unchanged from the count in the 2020 census and which in turn reflected a decl ...
with parents Steve and Nancy Doyne and sister Kate. 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.
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
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. While there, Doyne became friends with a refugee from
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
and during a cease-fire in the
Nepalese Civil War
The Nepalese Civil War was a protracted armed conflict that took place in the former Kingdom of Nepal from 1996 to 2006. It saw fighting between the Nepalese royal government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) throughout the country ...
, went with her to visit her home village.
In Nepal, Doyne met six-year-old Hima, who was barely surviving on the few rupees she earned by breaking stones in a dry riverbed and selling them. Doyne helped Hima go to school, paying for her tuition, uniform, and books, and expanded her efforts to help more children.
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.
With her money and more funds from supporters worldwide, Doyne purchased land in the Surkhet valley. Top Malla, a Nepali that Doyne had met in India, joined her as a project partner.
Her project in Nepal now runs a school, children's home, women's center, and girls' safe house.
Blinknow Foundation
The
BlinkNow Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Doyne in 2007 that provides financial support and management oversight to the Kopila Valley School, Children’s Home, Women’s Center, Health Clinic, Big Sisters' Home, and New Campus in Surkhet, Nepal. The Foundation is the sole provider of funding and is the only recipient of BlinkNow funding. The Foundation is an official 501(c)(3) organization with a US-based board. It has headquarters located in the United States and Nepal. BlinkNow operates at the grassroots level of community and focuses on promoting sustainability and self-reliance in the Surkhet community.
Kopila Valley
Kopila Valley, Doyne's project funded by The BlinkNow Foundation, encompasses a school, a children's home, a women's center, a girls' safe house, and a health clinic with a focus in sustainability.
Dissatisfied with the education her children were receiving and wanting to help other children in the community, Doyne opened the Kopila Valley School in 2010 and it now has 400 students. Many are the first in their families to attend school. The school provides students with health care and food, and employs around 50 Nepalis, including teachers, staff, a principal, vice-principal, health administrator, counselor and a health technician. The curriculum supplements the Nepali national curriculum with additional teaching and learning in literature, art, theater, music and sports. Classes are taught in both Nepali and English, and stress creative and critical thinking. 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 and the school was ranked first in its region for academic achievement. The school receives over 200 applications for places per year and places are offered on the basis of need.
In 2007, the Kopila Valley Children’s Home opened, and became the legal guardian for more than 45 children. Together with the help of Nepali caregivers, Maggie lives at the home and cares for the children.
The Kopila Valley Women's Center opened in 2013 providing literacy and vocational skills training to the women of Surkhet. The Women’s Center also runs a storefront, partially staffed by previous trainees, located in Surkhet. The store sells goods to the local community and provides the uniforms for the Kopila Valley School.
In 2011, the Kopila Valley Health Clinic opened in partnership with the Kopila Valley School. This community health clinic’s main focus is in education and prevention. It offers essential primary care, dental care, and mental health services to the Kopila Valley children and staff, as well as the larger Surkhet community.
The Kopila Valley Big Sisters' Home opened in 2017 in order to provide a safe environment for the most at-risk young female students of Kopila Valley School. It is home to 10 girls and offers a community of counseling, love, and support as they prepare to reintegrate with their biological families or guardians.
Doyne and her team built a new sustainable campus for Kopila Valley in 2018, now the greenest school in Nepal. A team of engineers, architects, developers and environmental experts incorporated sustainable and green techniques to build the school. The new Kopila Valley School resides on almost three acres of purchased land – serving as pre-primary school, primary school, secondary school through 12th grade, post-secondary school and vocational center. There are 18 classrooms for more than 400 students who are learning, thriving and reaching their potential. The new campus also has a working farm and fruit nursery that supplies food products to the Kopila Valley School and Kopila Valley Children’s Home.
In March 2022, Doyne shares her personal story in her new book "Between the Mountain and the Sky, A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, Healing and Hope" released by HarperCollins and for sale at bookstores everywhere.
Recognition
* 2008
CosmoGirl
''CosmoGirl'', also stylized as ''CosmoGIRL!'', was an American magazine based in New York City, published from 1999 until 2008. The teenage spin-off of ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine, it targeted teenage girls and featured fashion and celebrities. It ...
of the Year
* 2009 Grand Prize Winner of the
Do Something
DoSomething (also DoSomething.org) is a global nonprofit organization with the goal of motivating young people to make positive change both online and offline through campaigns. The organization's CEO is DeNora Getachew.
History
The organizatio ...
Awards
* 2012 Speaker at
Forbes 400
The ''Forbes'' 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by ''Forbes'' magazine of the wealthiest 400 American citizens who own assets in the U.S., ranked by net worth. The 400 was started by Malcolm Forbes in 1982 and the list is pub ...
Summit on Philanthropy
* 2013 Speaker at
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
Women's Summit: Power Redefined
* 2013
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
Excellence in Education Award
* 2014 Unsung Hero of Compassion, awarded by the
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current D ...
* 2015
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
Hero of the Year
References
External links
Blinknow.org*
ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110506014503/http://thedolectures.co.uk/lectures/why-the-human-family-can-do-better/ The Do Lectures, Maggie Doyne 2010 TalkFast Company, Change Generation: Maggie Doyne, Founder & Director, Kopila Valley Children's Home*
ttp://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,1903090,00.html Time Magazine for Kids, She's Changing the World* Gail Mooney, 201
Opening Our Eyes a documentary about Maggie Doyne and other change makers around the world
Nepal (season 3 episode) 35 minute documentary about Maggie Doyne and the BlinkNow foundation, Dutch and English spoken, with English subtitling.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyne, Maggie
1987 births
Living people
Philanthropists from New Jersey
People from Mendham Borough, New Jersey
West Morris Mendham High School alumni
American women philanthropists