This story is featured in Episode 51.
Sylvia Beauchain, a Polish Canadian artist, lived in Japan, then for 7 years in France and now she is back in Japan, where she lives in Okinawa with her family. Sylvia has devoted her life to her two great passions – art and helping those in need, which she has successfully connected to change other people’s lives. She believes that helping others doesn’t have to mean creating huge organizations that need lots of money to operate.
In 2003 she set up her Chi-Ki Children’s Charity – a small organization which empowers local people in Asia and Africa through education, literacy, better quality of life, and local initiatives.
She adopted a village in Laos:
She organizes pre-school for kids from slums in Goa, India:
She takes care of orphans in Uganda:
Her YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAC8894D6CC582D2E
Sylvia feels very close spiritual connection to Japan and her art reflects this bond: