This goes to show that anyone from any background, no matter the trauma they've been through or the trying circumstances they're in, can strive for better for themselves. Having a leader like this beautiful and powerful woman can show young girls that big dreams don't have to be as far-fetched as they think they are. Being told that you can do something after you've been told your whole life that you can't is such an inspiring thing and can spark hope and determination in an individual which spreads to others who see these dreams come true.

Global unity is so vital to uplifting underprivileged countries and communities. If an area is struggling, why would we, as a country with overwhelming resources, NOT reach out to areas in need in order to lift them up, even in a small way? I'm sure Linet was thrilled to meet such a powerful figure! It takes just one person, one story, to inspire hope in others. And this hope can lead to a desire to change undesirable and sometimes inhumane conditions.

Leading by example is a powerful way to show others that they can do things that they have been told their whole lives that they cannot. I assume most women in these types of environments have no hope for a future other than the oppression they see happening to all other women and female children around them; it's all they know. For these young girls, seeing that their older sister, someone so close to them, went against the grain and pursued education despite all the obstacles she had to face to achieve her dream of education, shows them that it is possible to be a woman in this community and still get an education. I'm glad that Faith could spark hope in her younger sisters, something we could all take note of and exhibit in our own lives.

I gotta say, sometimes I am one of those "pessimists and doomsayers". Can the world get better? Sure. But it's hard to have a positive outlook when everything I see and hear about the world and economy is negative. It's a lot easier to just call it quits and accept the world as it is. However, I am holding onto a little bit of faith that the changes I make in my daily life are steps towards a greater goal. Hopefully a revolution will begin to completely turn around the morals and priorities of our society to really get things moving but hey, that's just me being optimistic.

Living in a capitalist society, many people think money = success. Which is true to a certain degree. Common wealth is needed to fund projects like schools and sanitation. However, success is much more than obtaining money. Some of the Global Goals have very little to do with money at all (reduced inequality, sustainable communities, etc.). I think the mindset of getting "rich" needs to be more about the society as a whole, rather than the individual.

Yes, these goals surely are quite ambitious. Total world peace, happiness, and general well-being sounds nice, but that's simply not possible at this point. That's why there are goals and a timeline set. We have to acknowledge that the world isn't going to simply turn into a utopian environment in such a short amount of time. But what we CAN do is improve year by year. Even baby steps in the right direction move us closer to reaching the Global Goals.

I believe compassion and sympathy go hand in hand. Understanding another person's point of view and acknowledging their feelings is the root of all compassion. This mantra is important to not only keep the peace, but also to grow from experiences and interactions with other people. Expressing compassion lowers the defense of others and leaves room for compromise and positive energy. If not for sympathy, empathy, and compassion, we would all be exclusively selfish creatures (even more so than we already are).

This is so important! As we know all too well, no one is perfect. Missteps and shortcomings are learning experiences. If we get caught up on failures, we can't grow and show others that it's okay to make mistakes. Admitting we are human and occasionally make mistakes is the first step towards growth. All we can do is put in our absolute best effort to show compassion to our fellows, and in return we will be shown the same compassion, as others are also taking this pledge.

Compassion is an action. Compassion cannot be silent. It could be as simple as listening to and comforting a friend, or it could be taking time to volunteer at a homeless shelter. There are many ways to show compassion. It's one thing to say "I am compassionate", but taking action is the only way to BE compassionate. No matter the case, compassion is the force that brings us to take action to alleviate the pain of another and truly makes the world more bearable for others and self.