Latter-day Saint Life

'My Story Matters' Reaches Out to Refugee Children in Unique Way

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Every story matters—that is the idea one Utah charity is trying to share with the world.

By helping children create and share their own storybook, My Story Matters helps children gain confidence in themselves despite challenging circumstances like homelessness or cancer. 

And on June 20, My Story Matters invited child refugees to come to the Cottonwood High School library to help them tell their stories. 

“For a lot of them, it’s their first possession that’s theirs, and it’s their story,” said Amy Chandler, the founder of the charity, in an interview with KSL

Video from KSL.com

While many of these children have seen and experienced unimaginable hardships, the charity helps them focus on the positive aspects of their lives by having volunteers of about the same age ask them questions, like what do you dream about and what do you want to be when you grow up?

For 16-year-old Nour Bilal, writing a short book of her life inspired her to want to write a full account of her life. A Muslim refugee from Syria, Bilal says she hopes to be able to change the way people think about her. 

Currently, My Story Matters has helped 240 homeless children, 120 childhood cancer survivors, 55 children with disabilities, and 45 grieving families. Through their efforts, more than 400 books have been completed for children to share their stories. 

Photo from KSL.com
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