Most of us fondly remember our days as typical ten-year-olds zooming around on Razor scooters, conquering our elementary-school fear of cooties, and delving into the latest Harry Potter book. That is, most of us except for Georgetown University freshman Kendall Ciesemier.
While the majority of ten-year-olds in 2003 were embracing the carefree life of their new double-digit age, Kendall was in the midst of beginning a philanthropic endeavor to make a difference in the lives of African AIDS orphans.
Kendall, of Wheaton, Illinois, became inspired after watching an Oprah Winfrey Christmas Special show featuring African orphans impacted by AIDS.
Kendall remembers her strong urge to reach out to the orphans, “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I had never been exposed to something like this. Kids were living without parents and I knew I needed to do something to help.”
Motivated by a powerful desire to create change, Kendall searched on the Internet for ways to help. After discovering an orphan sponsorship program, she collected $360 of her own money to sponsor Benite, an 8-year-old girl from Mauritania. A few months later Kendall received a letter from Benite telling her that she was attending school for the first time.
Realizing the dramatic impact she could make on the lives of others, Kendall decided to take her efforts to the next step. When medical issues forced Kendall to receive two liver transplants in the summer of 2004, she requested that people donate to her cause instead of giving her gifts. In doing this, Kendall was able to sponsor an entire village in Zambia with support from World Vision. By the end of the summer she raised $15,000.
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Kendall, then 11 years old, formally organized her work and founded Kids Caring 4 Kids, a non-profit organization that works to benefit children affected by AIDS, as well as, to encourage children in North America to become be globally aware and inspired by their own causes. Kids Caring 4 Kids supports eight projects in five different countries in Africa providing various services for children. From building a dormitory to offering medical care, Kids Caring 4 Kids has touched the lives of approximately 7,000 individuals in Africa.Â
The immense success of her project earned her the attention of former President Bill Clinton who held a surprise assembly in her honor at her high school. Her time in the spotlight didn’t end there, however. Oprah Winfrey invited Kendall to be on her show in 2007, an experience she says, “was beyond my wildest dreams.”
Seven years later, now Kendall is enjoying her experience as a freshman at Georgetown.
“I absolute love Georgetown. I chose to come mostly because of its Jesuit identity.  I love that I attend a school that truly believes and lives out their faith and their belief in serving others,” she said.
On top of her work with Kids Caring 4 Kids, blogging for the Huffington Post, and reporting as an MTV global correspondent, Kendall is active in campus life here at Georgetown. Kendall is currently involved in Best Buddies, multimedia work for The Hoya, and The Corp’s Philanthropy Committee. You can also hear Kendall and her brother Connor, a junior at Georgetown, on their own radio show, He Said, She Said, every Sunday from 2:00-3:00pm on WGTB.
To other kids aspiring to make a difference, Kendall offers these words of wisdom, “No matter what you decide to do, focus on why you are doing the work you are doing, and marrying that inspiration and passion with your natural strengths.  It’s a powerful combination.”
Want to stay updated on Kendall and Kids Caring 4 Kids? Follow her on Twitter @kidscaring4kids and @kciesemier. You can also check out her latest projects on www.kidscaring4kids.org
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