Problem Statement

   Children who have experienced abuse often struggle to communicate due to fear and confusion. There is a need for resources in the Kansas City area that promote trust and open dialogue, enabling these children to express themselves and seek help, preventing the cycle of trauma from continuing.

Solution Statement 

The Healing Library provides carefully chosen books to local organizations, schools, and hospitals in Kansas City, giving children experiencing sexual abuse supportive resources to help them understand personal boundaries, find their voice, and seek help when needed.

Christina Brooks

Team Lead

Hi, I'm Christina Brooks, a Notre Dame de Sion High School senior. I enrolled in the Designing Real World Impacts course to strengthen my communication skills and learn more professional skills. This course has taught me how to network, and grown my confidence when working with professionals.
When figuring out our problem we knew we wanted to help children in the Kansas City area who have experienced trauma. After doing research we found out how much books can help children cope with their feelings and experiences. We then decided to partner with Lead to Read KC to create a book drive with children’s books that help children who have experienced trauma. I’m passionate about this topic because we need to help children express themselves and their feelings. Our goal is to help children to talk to a trusted adult and seek help.

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Annie Njogu

Communications Coordinator

Hello, my name is Annie Njogu and I am a senior at Notre Dame de Sion High School. I chose to enroll in the Design Real Worlds Impact Class because I wanted to try something new. As I near the start of college, I wanted to broaden my perspective and gain exposure to different professional environments. Throughout the course, I have had the opportunity to build relationships with both my classmates and other professional leaders, and to also develop the skills of problem solving, communication, organization, and adaptability. I hope to carry these skills forward, using them in both my everyday life and future endeavors.
My partner and I both love children, and because they’re a lot of issues dealing with children, we wanted to focus our project on the topic. With our project, we partnered with Lead to Read KC to host our book drive, collecting books that help support children who have experienced sexual abuse and to educate and bring awareness to children everywhere. Within this course, I’ve learned that knowledge is power and how important it is to raise awareness in the world. By simply educating others, we are able to change lives as well as provide support and guidance for those that need it the most. I have also learned how significant books are in the process. Books can create a safe space for children to process their feelings, have a safe space, and enable them to start conversations that might be challenging for them. 
We faced both challenges and successes, but I am very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Lead to Read KC and to utilize the lessons I've learned through this class. I look forward to carrying these experiences with me and my hope is that our project makes a meaningful impact, even if it makes a difference in just one person’s life.