The Girl Who Just Keeps Giving Back

Olivia Allen is only 10 years old and if you ask her what she is going to be when she grows up, the list includes everything from fashion designer to mathematician and actress to news anchor. But it's clear that whatever she is doing with her life, she is going to be helping people along the way. At 10 years old, Olivia Allen is already a philanthropist. Unlike most children her age, Olivia, from Kentucky, didn't spend her summer playing or going to camp; she spent it planning her very own conference aimed at promoting confidence in other girls her age. The event, I Can Be: Girls Confidence Conference, would be free and open to girls between the ages of eight and 12. Olivia realised that around the time that girls start puberty, their confidence levels start to waver - she had even noticed it in herself - and she wanted to do something to help other girls just like her. "They can follow their dreams," she said. "It doesn't matter what kind of dreams they are. If they want to be a unicorn, be a unicorn or something like that. Just believe in themselves." Working on her own - except for financial support from her mum, Anitra - Olivia arranged speakers and keynote speakers for her conference that would be held at Simmons College of Kentucky. She made sure that the topics covered building confidence, passion and pursuit of dreams, and personal health. Conference attendees were asked to bring in pieces of new or used school uniform that would be donated to the charity Home of the Innocents. These would go towards underprivileged children in the surrounding areas. Along with their parents, around 50 girls attended the morning-long event on 22 August and learnt about the social, physical, and psychological challenges that young girls can face. The mayor of Louisville, Olivia's hometown, even opened the conference and commended Olivia for all of her wonderful work in the community. Because this is not the only event that Olivia has held in her community to help others. Anitra explained that her daughter has always had a caring spirit, wanting to raise money to buy houses for homeless people and the like. Anitra suggested trying something on a smaller scale, which led to Olivia holding a toy drive in March. Here, she managed to collect more than 100 toys for Kosair, a charity that aims to provide support for the health and well-being of children in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. But it wasn't enough for Olivia, and just a month later she organised a food drive, from which she fed underprivileged children in her community. Her mum says that the conference and others like it are important because it helps to show girls they can be anything they want to be when they grow up. "Confidence is one of those things that can dictate what you decide to do," she explained, "and that will influence who you think you are." Olivia has promised to continue her good work and plans to hold another girls' conference in the near future. Achieving all of this at only 10 years old, imagine what she will be able to do in the future...