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210. Good Humans of 2021 - Trinity Heavenz · We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

• 0:00
  Becky Endicott: We really wanted to close out the final week of the year was something truly inspiring and human. So welcome to Good humans week on the podcast. And this series has just one interviewer this time around. And it's me. So as John and Julie produce, they really let me run. So meet our 2021, good humans, Suanne, Arnauld, and Trinity heavens, we don't want you to simply know their story. We want you to know them, their heart, their lived experience, their passions, their fears, its vulnerability and humanity converging to more deeply connect us their story.
• 0:31
  Becky Endicott: And to remind us why we fight for things that matter. At their core, both Sudan and Trinity represent the best and what it means to be a good human. We hope you enjoy their stories. I want to welcome everybody to good humans, I just have to say that we are going to bring you a story today that is one that I know will move your heart. It is such an incredible story of resilience, entrepreneurship and innovation. And the individual we're talking to is coming to us live from Kampala, Uganda right now. And it's pretty late for him. But I want to introduce you to Trinity heavens, he's a son.
• 1:16
  Becky Endicott: He's a brother and an entrepreneur. He is a leader, and a very generous friend. And his story is one about overcoming. So he's an incredible pioneer who is working to release the brilliance of millions of unemployed young people in Africa. And he believes that talent is equally distributed.
• 1:34
  Becky Endicott: But opportunity is not. He's a social entrepreneur with a passion for upskilling, the next generation of digital talent and preparation for jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in Africa. And he simply has an incredible story that we are so honored to share today. So Trinity. Welcome to Good humans.
• 1:52
  Becky Endicott: How are you?
• 1:54
  Trinity Heavenz: I'm great.
• 1:54
  Trinity Heavenz: Thank you so much for having me, Julie and bakey. And, John, this is a blessing to be here from Africa, Uganda.
• 2:03
  Becky Endicott: Well, we are so honored. What you are about to share with people is one of the most inspired stories of hope and resilience. And I wonder if you could just start kind of at the beginning. What was life like for you growing up, tell us about your family and tell talk about growing up in Uganda.
• 2:19
  Trinity Heavenz: Thank you so much again, for having me. Yeah, my story's a humble one. And it's one that has really, you know, brought me to where I am today. My story started off when my mom was raped, which was at the age of 16. My dad that time who raped her, you know, denied that is the one who raped my mother. And then from my parents at home, they also denied that, okay, if you don't know the dad, for for the son, then we're not going to have you in our home.
• 2:48
  Trinity Heavenz: So Mama at the age of 16, she was pushed away from her family.
• 2:52
  Trinity Heavenz: And she was there to come to Kampala. By that time, because she had nowhere to stay. When she came to Kampala, all the people who are coming from rural to urban areas always tend to settle in slums, because that's where they can easily start to live. So my mom ended up in one of the worst slums called Kosovo, which was named after Kosovo, of Russia because of the killings that were happening in Assam. And so when this happened, my mom knew that she had to take care of this newborn baby, I was three months of age, that time. So she started doing, you know, these dirty jobs, washing roads, you know, selling charcoal. And one of the things I remember she told me, she told me that one of the things that she was working for me to get was a good education. And so when that happened, my mom one day had a radio ad on radio, and this school was advertising, really, really want cheap education. It was $10 for boarding section, and invited other women who are struggling to put their children through school to join this call. So they collected seven of us.
• 4:08
  Trinity Heavenz: Excited young, you know, children, we are ready to hit the school boarding section. And we are going seven of us from this number. Also, from the get, you know, we didn't know anything that was happening in the school, were welcomed. We entered the school. And when you enter the school, they told the parents, okay, it's nice, you brought your kids, but they have to see them at the end of the year. Our parents because of X rays. You know what, maybe our kids are in the right place, and they're going to have the right education. On that day. Our parents went, they said goodbye.
• 4:39
  Trinity Heavenz: But as we entered the dormitories, we realized that this was a school of neglected abused street children. The dormitory is had no those who have no beds. Everything you know done to the shoes on my feet was stolen on the first day. I was just seven years. So on that very first they had to really figure out how am I going to cope up in this cold. We slept on the floor from mud flow. And my life completely changed on that same day. I'd never seen this I was coming from the sun. But now this was worse because this is where they collected all the young people from the streets, and they dumped them into this. So they were all different vices, thieves, young people killing each other fighting every night.
• 5:27
  Trinity Heavenz: And now the worst part of it was that we never entered class, not even a single day for that entire one year. This was really hard, you know, and I, we really started to adopt as young people and we started becoming bitter boys, we started doing hard things for us to survive. This one year done me to ative, and they became a stepchild. But luckily enough, I had a better chance of God, I happen to make it to the end of that one year.
• 5:56
  Trinity Heavenz: And so December 4, our parents came in some of them that we were expecting their kids. And I remember, you know, those that were crying just because they couldn't see their kids again.
• 6:08
  Trinity Heavenz: And those are my friends too.
• 6:14
  Trinity Heavenz: We had to take this in. And we came back to this lands. When we came back. Definitely, I wasn't I wasn't in a normal child anymore. I was stealing to get food, I was doing anything. I decided to join the gang because that was my life now. So first, we, you know, I was now nine years old. That became our life.
• 6:36
  Trinity Heavenz: My mom tried a lot to bring me back to a normal life as a kid, it failed. But then, as any story, there had to be a moment where I had to change. And for me, this was a hard one I wanted to change. And that's my, my soul inside my heart that I want a new life. And for us, this is the turning point where everything started to change for us. And on that day, a group of missionaries had come to our community, Kosovo, and this was a very impoverished community.
• 7:06
  Trinity Heavenz: And they had come to build a school in this community. So the church leader, the pastor this time, newest, as he was moving around, identified us as yusheng, aqui, these people have problem with the water. There's no clean water, people sleeping under the ditches. And we're one of the kids under the ditch. He mentioned us and he put us out.
• 7:29
  Trinity Heavenz: They invited us to go to the church. But the person knew that these boys will go back to the streets. So he asked, unless you give them one thing that they want, they will never go back to the streets. So for me, a lady called Jennifer working asked me, Hey, Emma, what can I give you that you never go back to the streets, asks for a computer. And luckily enough, the next day, they took us to the shop, my friend asked for music. They brought us everything that we had that we had asked for. And we started engaging in church activities, we started doing things and for me, this whole computer changed the new world of possibilities for me. I loved computers, it was a MacBook, and I started training, you know myself in things that I wanted, because I was an artist. As I did drawing, I started making art, I started designing websites, learning everything, you know, where the internet, and luckily enough by the age of 17 was recognized through a talent workshop that Coca Cola had bought into our community, I was given an opportunity to go and intern with one of the Coca Cola agents that was designing their ad campaigns because they knew that I had this passion, good one year with their with them to intern. And this one year changed the entire trajectory for me, I left the sons How could rent my own house and my life and my story was different from them.
• 8:57
  Becky Endicott: I just have to pause right now. Because taking all of that in and understanding and I want people to understand the complete connection of that story, from the point where your mother has to go start a new life with you somewhere and she takes you to the slums. And I think about her at that very beginning point. And the love she must have had for you. And the fight she must have had for you to work so hard to give you the life that she felt you deserved. And then she takes you to the school and drops you off.
• 9:35
  Becky Endicott: And you're seven years old and I I have a seven year old at my house I have I have a little girl who's seven. And when I think about dropping her at a place of which I have no idea what she's about to experience for a year. And then coming back and seeing the change. You had to grow up overnight. You had to become an adult in A method of just self preservation to survive. And the things you must have seen. How do you come back from that Trinity,
• 10:09
  Trinity Heavenz: it was a, it was hard for me to change. It took me a lot of years, however much I was doing the good things. Now I was in church. It took me a long time, you know, to come back to the normal life.
• 10:18
  Trinity Heavenz: And I think part of it is, is my relationship with God, that because I never seen my dad, you know, until last year, when I met him again. So it was it's that, you know, kind of love that I've gotten from the church and the people around me. And you know, the people, we actually use those people that showed us lab that didn't know us. And so for me, the people have been blessed with a lot of people who have loved me and actually made me forget some of these tragedies that I really so when I was growing up. I just
• 11:26
  Becky Endicott: think we talked so often about how do you cultivate a gift? How do you make a gift that's meaningful?
• 11:33
  Becky Endicott: And I think about a woman named Jennifer, walking up to you and saying, What gift can I give you, that would allow you to step away from this gang, in the kindness of one person walking up to you, and also to your friend love xn? And saying, what is it going to take, and you get a computer. And that's the one thing that you identify, and it opens up your world, and it completely launches your life.
• 12:01
  Becky Endicott: And so I want you to talk about becoming an entrepreneur, and in your teen years, because when you found your computer, you also found YouTube. So talk to us about how you trained yourself, because I don't want to just gloss over this company.
• 12:23
  Becky Endicott: Because what you have started with era 92 is one of the most fascinating social impact startup companies I've heard of in my life. And I want you to talk about how did you train yourself because your mother worked so hard to get you in education? And then you took this computer? And in my mind, you educated yourself. So talk a little bit about that experience?
• 12:51
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, yeah, I really loved computers. And I was so curious to really learn things and gotten the opportunity to start predicting things that the church so the church wanted to do some media, I didn't know how to do this thing and say, Okay, can you start putting, you know, the banners, the welcome things to the church, the newsletters, and I started going to YouTube and learning these things. And I learned sorry, learning code with myself. And when this entire things happened, and I got this, you know, opportunity to intern with Coca Cola, which now leveled up my skills, I started evidencing a huge gap with my friends. So when I left the slums and started era 92, there was this strong sense of responsibility that I studied, having in my heart, that what is happening around our community, this vicious cycle of poverty is not real. It's not, it's not supposed to be like this. So I started opposing it in my heart, but I didn't have the power to do anything. But then one night, something sparked it within my heart. And then I started reflecting on my entire journey of how I can I came from the slums, go to computer, land, landed this internship. And then I clicked and say, Wow, can I get these young people in the slums and just give them the opportunities that are actually caught? Because there are so many of them that really need that one thing to unlock their potential, their dreams and realities. And so I did, I say, You know what, let me quit my internship. So it was around November, I talked to my boy says, I say, You know what, I'm going back to the sons when I went back something now again, maybe God showed me this girl, so whether the other church that you know, three weeks after quitting my job, and then a girl came to me called Megan, Megan, is that who was taking care of six you know, children had fallen up from a building and broken his backbone. And now Megan was the older person to take care of the family because his dad was bedridden by this time, and then she told me, You know what, I want to do something to earn money so that I can take care of my family. So when that happened, I thought you know what, Megan, can you please come and join me? I want to do something for young people. I want to train young people and also give them jobs.
• 15:15
  Trinity Heavenz: When you start a training these young people now the magic happened. Megan was able to design how full website within four months within within a training. She was able to get around WordPress Joomla and Drupal when this happen. I say know what, Megan you're gonna be my personal Play. So Megan became our first employee. And she started working. So this time, we realized that we had invaded a seat. Because now Megan had started working with me, and all the plans that I had, and started really being she started really bringing money to a family, feeding our family, and everything changed for when we saw this, realize, you know what, let's do this for so many young people in the slums. So we started era 92, because I was born in 1992. And I wanted to use my time here on ad to really make an impact in the lives of young people. So we did that. And right now, Megan is leading a team of four other developers, and she's training at least one class with us today. So it's just a blessing for us to, you know, come from that time to
• 16:21
  Becky Endicott: Trinity, you are a wonder you are a gift to this world. And I want to tell you why. Because most people I would think in this world would take their computer, and they would start their company, and they would take care of themselves, and they would take care of your family. And what I see that you've done is you learned and you literally taught another person how to fish, meaning that you took the skills that you learned, and you created this movement, and you created community around this company, and you gave someone a livelihood, that I just think about the ripple that one person can create in the way that they can can completely change someone's life, you didn't just give her a job you gave her livelihood, you gave her hope.
• 17:14
  Becky Endicott: You gave her family a chance.
• 17:20
  Becky Endicott: And today, era 92 has 30 employees. And these are young people within Uganda. And to your point. And I love this point so much. You believe that talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. You saw the potential in these incredible humans. And you gave them this incredible opportunity. And now the gifts that you were putting out in the world, through your graphic design through this Web and Digital Tech is not only giving them a life, but it's it's creating business. And it's helping companies thrive and grow. And I am just I am not your mother. But I just want to tell you how proud I am of you, and how much your story touches my soul and the legacy that you are leaving. We talked so much about the legacy we're going to leave behind a nonprofit and the legacy that you're building, how old are you right now?
• 18:16
  Trinity Heavenz: I'm making 29, this young kid at
• 18:20
  Becky Endicott: 28 years old, and just an incredible warrior for humanity, for love for inclusion. And I just think your story is so beautiful. And I want to thank you so much for sharing it. I'm really curious about who's a person that inspires you today. And why do they inspire you?
• 18:40
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, there's been quite a lot of people, but I think really like Scott Harrison. And for me, he resonated really well to me. And I love his storytelling. I love everything that he does, you know, giving clean water to the world and entire world. So, and his faith, everything that he does. So I like Scott Harrison, with charity: water.
• 19:07
  Becky Endicott: Oh, that was a great answer. I'm sure that your employees are a constant source of inspiration for you and the things that they're overcoming.
• 19:14
  Becky Endicott: Tell me a little bit about your work family and how life is for them. Now,
• 19:21
  Trinity Heavenz: it's really hard to describe because one of the things that happens is that when every one of these people when they start telling you their stories, you can break down because they have really overcome a lot things that I've yet sometimes done what I've come through, and the brilliance is ever in these young people, but we just love the opportunity to actually fulfill our dreams to tap into our untapped potential. And so yeah, 30 of them, I can go on and on and on and on and on. You know, we have we know young people who are drug drug addicts who are gang members. And right now they are really making products for our clients here locally, making art. And it's a great place to be because each one of us has a story and we had to keep it 100% Which is something that I had to fight because people don't owe you all of you are young. I'm the oldest, you know it's you We range from at least 18 Most of them are 2122 23 It's real young people are brilliant and everything for me. I no longer design websites. I no longer do the graphics and everything that comes out of this company. They do
• 20:34
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• 21:28
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• 21:52
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• 22:03
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• 22:19
  Becky Endicott: You know, it's not lost on me that you told me you don't have a family, you haven't started your own family yet. But in a way, you are doing an incredible job of taking care of these kids. And you are replicating your entrepreneurial skills every single time that you spend time and invest with them. And you have such a grateful heart. And I think that's one of the things that striking me the most about you in the story is that everything that you get you are so grateful for and I have to think that that's probably the same for everyone who works for era92.
• 22:53
  Becky Endicott: And I I bet they just will show up in any way they are willing wanting to everyday selves.
• 23:02
  Becky Endicott: They're wanting to prove themselves.
• 23:03
  Trinity Heavenz: Oh, they must do it.
• 23:05
  Becky Endicott: I mean, honest, it's it's 10:15pm and Uganda right now it's 215 in Edmond Oklahoma, the states. Yeah, and I just keep seeing people walk by. And it just underscores that you have not only built a company, you've built a family here. Now you have a big dream for what you're calling the new Africa. I want you to talk to me about your dreams for Africa.
• 23:33
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, this is my passion. When we talk about the new Africa. I think when we started out as era92, I thought maybe the challenges we have in Uganda. But when I had the chance to travel to Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, I realized that we have the same problems as Africa. And so as a young person who is dreaming to change my community, Kosovo, I had to change my dream, to the entire continent. Because at least my vision for the new Africa is, at least in our lifetime, as young people that is maybe 50 years for some people, others 30 or less, we believe that Africa will become the global powerhouse in will. And what we mean by this is that we believe that by this time, there will be young people who are able to dream and believe and also achieve their dreams. Africa will be seen as a pool of talent. He said, Well, place where people go to give aid, Africa be playing is tempered in this global market that we are having. But I think all of those things are not happening right now. Why? Because we are one of the fastest growing continent in the world. But the problem is, this growth is not trickling down to the population of young people that actually have to benefit from this economic growth. Why? Because we have a generation of young people who are non skilled, empowered, quality in school and who lack opportunities. Why? Because we have this high population growth and not enough jobs, not enough institutions that are giving young people the right core skills so far as as an end to, we believe that you can be at least this ripple effect that can spark a movement of people who believe that Africa is great already. But we just have to impart it to people because you have the resources. We have the energy as young people, we have the natural resources, we have the talent, we have the people, for us to be where we have to be. It's very sad for me to see that. When people right now think about maybe outsourcing, we have had this challenge that Oh, most that is going to be done in Africa. But it's easy to think, oh, I need to help some poor kids in Africa. But we're not gonna be great. Africa will not be the global powerhouse. We want it to be in world if we know that into this untapped potential, and the boat is leaving. And as we pray that all those who are listening should jump on this boat now. And they have to think differently about how we think about Africa. They should think about investing, they should think about tapping into this untapped potential, we should think about bringing their businesses changing young people's dreams and making them a reality. So for me, when I start doing about a new Africa, I won't stop. But I believe that one day, young people will be able to do what they're supposed to do to become great in Africa.
• 26:44
  Trinity Heavenz: Easy
• 26:48
  Becky Endicott: Trinity. You, my friend are the wisest, 29 year old I have ever met almost 29 year old. I mean, I want to talk just for a second, about le Vixen, and I hope I'm saying his name, right. Yeah, cuz his story, I think this is also an incredible story. Tell me what happened to Levixone after he got his guitar.
• 27:11
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, that's so amazing. So what happened, who, uh, this is my best friend. And, um, um, you know, thank you so much for just bringing the story up. I love it. Thank you. So Mike, this is my best friend.
• 27:22
  Trinity Heavenz: Even even till now, we live in the same house. We've started a nonprofit together, which is coordinated once, and we had to join hands. Because we are both born in 1992. And so we had to join hands together to start this movement of young people who actually carrying out intensive community services to change their communities, because we never want it to be the ones making the change alone, but also to empower young people across Uganda to be the change. So for me when I talk about Levixone, is that African view that he has for music, Levixone is one of the biggest gospel artists in East Africa to date. He's won the Africa in music, gospel music award. And he has someone every big concept, you know, in East Africa, South Africa, and you can google him, he's a big, I can't talk too much about him.
• 28:16
  Trinity Heavenz: But this is a frame that I've overcome everything that you've had, history is my son, thank you so much for bringing it up.
• 28:23
  Trinity Heavenz: Because it is such an important story to ask.
• 28:26
  Becky Endicott: And you know, just as you talk about Levixone, your your whole character in your whole face changes. When you talk about him. I mean, he very much feels almost like your twin brother, like you two were destined to be together. And I think about you Trinity. And I think about this company, you started, I think about living and being one of the most popular musicians in Uganda now.
• 28:50
  Becky Endicott: And what a missed opportunity that would have been if Jennifer had just walked by, I don't want people to walk by, we need to be able to see people everywhere, and we need to end suffering.
• 29:05
  Becky Endicott: And if it's simply by virtue of asking the question of what do you need, maybe it's a physical thing. Maybe it's, you know, like a, like an actual object.
• 29:16
  Becky Endicott: But maybe it's just, I need help, or I need your connections, or I need your network. And I think, you know, one of the last things I want to ask you about era 92 is, you have such a commitment to training, and you have such a love for these kids. And we talked about the 30 people that are employed with your company, but that's not even close to the number of kids that you have trained. Tell me what that number is, and what that means to you to give someone the training they need so they can go out and start their own company.
• 29:50
  Trinity Heavenz: Wow. Yeah, I think, you know, that's one of our goals and visions, when we started out you that if we able to obscure these young people with the skill they need and resources they need, they will go on and start their own companies and also work, you know, in other places. So we've done it for over 700 young people and this year's that we have over 200 young people that are going through our Elevate program. And for me, it's we have so many documented stories of these young people who are now working with our employment partners, because over the years we've partnered with companies, you know, like Stan, big, you know, big organizations here that take our young people for another six months or one year, paid internship and these I've seen them on a different level of practicing what they've learned through Elevate program.
• 30:39
  Trinity Heavenz: And we've seen most of them, actually starting their companies that usually have at least a success rate of 90% of all our young people, they come to us just giving back to the program, some just want to come and train other young people, because they know that they skew the devotee from this place, have actually, you know, transformed their lives. And so that's not the end game, you know, we have the fastest growing, you know, population across Africa. And we believe that at the rate our population is growing, 1 billion young people need jobs in Africa, by 2035 2050, will have the biggest workforce than that of the entire world. And so we have to train fast enough in the relevant skills that are going to help young people be employable, help them start their own businesses, and also be innovative in the ways they can solve solutions in their communities.
• 31:34
  Becky Endicott: So I want to pivot just a little bit, and I want to get into your dreams.
• 31:37
  Becky Endicott: What is your long term dream for Trinity and for your company?
• 31:43
  Trinity Heavenz: Oh, yeah. You know, dreams are crazy, because of dreams in all different aspects of life. And, but for me, at least one of the dreams that I really stood out is one for the young people across Africa, you know, when I close my eyes, even right now, I see 1000s of young people in our slum down here, young people that are walking in wrong directions of life. So for me, my dream is to is to see, you know, Africa where there is no extreme poverty, first of all, and I know we can do that. But second of all, I want to see Africa where every young person actually can have the skills and the opportunities for them to dream, believe and achieve. I'm sorry, this is a vision for me as a person, but also for our organization. And most of the times these don't differ because for me, my drive, you know, one of the verses that really changed my life was that over, 1 Peter 14, that as each has received the gift, usually to serve one another, as good stewards of God's Word, the grace. So for me, my vision for my life is to use every skill that I've gotten to make sure that I become this ripple effect that can drop into this ocean called Africa, but also create these ripple effects of impact to millions and millions of young people across Africa. I think that's our vision.
• 33:09
  Becky Endicott: All it takes is one person tossing the stone into someone else's hand to create that ripple. And I am here to say that I think your ripple is just going to keep going and going. And so I would like to know about your mom, today. How's she doing? But she had to?
• 33:26
  Trinity Heavenz: Oh, yes. Oh, just made her today. Actually, if I gave me I think that's it.
• 33:29
  Trinity Heavenz: That's it. Yeah. My mom, you know, inspired us to my mom and Levixone's mom inspired our selves to start a branch and knighted ones. It's a program for women. And it was because of the experiences that we had, you know, while growing up that our parents really didn't, did not have anything for themselves, but for us. And that's what is happening for millions and 1000s of women that are struggling to raise their children provide for their families, single mothers.
• 34:04
  Trinity Heavenz: And so my mom really sparked the gift of generosity in me. And every single day when a good will have she gives me something. She is my pillar, you know, she, she encourages me every single day, to keep going, even the work we're doing is not easy. But she believes in me so much. She did everything for me to survive. So I found her that sound good for her, you know, for the mother that she chose me to have. So I'm blessed to have her
• 34:35
  Becky Endicott: Trinity's mom, I hope you are listening to this.
• 34:38
  Becky Endicott: And I know you are so proud of your son. And I just want to tell you that you are an incredible human yourself. And I want to celebrate your mom just as much as we're celebrating this incredible story. Because the miracle of people like you does not happen if you are not loved and nurtured by someone.
• 34:58
  Becky Endicott: And so I love that you and Vixen are your unit and your mom and love vixens mama unit two and it's just really a beautiful story. We talked so often about storytelling as the power of connection. And I hope everyone has heard your story today feels like they have grown. We want them to take something away from the story. And I don't know what everyone else will take away from this, but I'm just inspired by your resiliency and your courage. And so I want to pivot now into our rapid fire questions. And this is just a fun way that we like to end Interview that humanizes you a little bit. We get to kind of peek behind the curtain at things that are important to you. So my first question is, what movie? Have you seen more than any other
• 35:45
  Trinity Heavenz: shouting temple?
• 35:47
  Becky Endicott: Shouting?
• 35:48
  Trinity Heavenz: No, I've never been boy. Yeah, it's in Chinese movie that was probably, you know, his Kung Fu and I watched it on. I don't know.
• 35:58
  Becky Endicott: What's your favorite snack to take on a road trip?
• 36:01
  Trinity Heavenz: I will give two answers. When when you're on the road. In the West, you can get some you know, banana chips.
• 36:08
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, it's called Banana chips in Uganda. But in Uganda, we also get chicken on the road. So you can't get on the road for five hours that you don't get chicken. So you'll have that chicken on the road. It's really nice.
• 36:20
  Becky Endicott: What's your favorite charity?
• 36:22
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, charity: water. Yes, charity: water.
• 36:26
  Becky Endicott: think I could have guessed that one. Tell me something that people often get wrong about you.
• 36:32
  Trinity Heavenz: People now just think I'm a musician. I sing with lyrics and so many people in a you a pop star? Say no. I'm an intrapreneur. So shut up, you know, a plan a plan trapeze. So don't go
• 36:47
  Becky Endicott: tell me what your favorite human quality is,
• 36:50
  Trinity Heavenz: um, generosity.
• 36:50
  Trinity Heavenz: And I think it's a human quality. I think that's it, you know, having a good need for my mom. Generosity changed my life.
• 36:58
  Trinity Heavenz: And if anyone who's out there, and they're generous, just know that, that that gift, they're sowing a seed in someone's life, whenever they are giving, they shouldn't get out of that. I think that's it's powerful, how just one gift can change someone's life. So I think generosity is my favorite.
• 37:20
  Becky Endicott: I love that you picked that one. Because in my mind, that's the one I see you living. As we talk, you are so generous with your time with your skill, you've been so generous with us to give us this time today. And, and telling story isn't always easy. And especially for you Trinity. I mean, we're we're asking you to go back to what is probably the most painful time in your life.
• 37:47
  Becky Endicott: And I want you to know that we come into that space with such reverence. Because I know that that's painful. And I know that's part of the fabric of your life. But I thank you for sharing all of that with us.
• 38:05
  Becky Endicott: Because it really does bind us together in those moments of shared empathy when we hear something like that. So thank you so much. Last question on our rapid fire questions. How would you like to be remembered?
• 38:16
  Becky Endicott: Oh,
• 38:19
  Trinity Heavenz: just crazy.
• 38:19
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, so I believe, and I'm doing it right now. So that I can build an organization that cannot leave me. And that organization is called era92.
• 38:29
  Trinity Heavenz: And I believe that the impact that we've created will also create those ripple effects for many other people with great hearts and passion to make Africa because I believe it's gonna need another 1 million, maybe Trinity Heavenz, to really make this work happen. So era92, I want it to outlive me 200 years and more. I pray it happens.
• 38:51
  Becky Endicott: We talked so much about big dreams. And I love that yours is so large. And we had a great conversation with Dan Pallotta, who says that if people are not laughing at your dream, it's not big enough. Yes.
• 39:02
  Becky Endicott: And I believe you're going to be able to do incredible things.
• 39:08
  Becky Endicott: And I just want you to know we're here for it. We end all of our interviews asking what's your one good thing? It could be hack, a piece of advice. What's your one good thing that you want to leave with all our listeners? Trinity?
• 39:22
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, that's a hard one. I have believe. I'm gonna work in progress. So into ask me for advice. It's hard for me to give any but I also have one thing that I believe in. And I keep saying this in my interviews and everything that I believe that if every person helped just one person, those two people would be hooked. So all of us, we are here because of those people who helped. So if you can help one person today, just imagine if all of us do. So this go out and help somebody.
• 39:56
  Becky Endicott: You are a wonder. And you just talked about creating a ripple. You keep creating ripples, we keep talking about that. And the beauty of your one good thing is that this doesn't cost anything.
• 40:07
  Becky Endicott: And so the challenge for everybody today is what is the one good thing look around you and find someone who's hurting.
• 40:15
  Becky Endicott: Find someone who's struggling.
• 40:20
  Becky Endicott: Find someone who is looking for a hand you know to pull them up, and it could be a phone call you could make to open a door to a job it could be maybe making a gift to a nonprofit, it could be simply watching their kids. So they can have 10 minutes worth of peace and quiet. Find something that you can do for someone around you. And there are probably people that are listening to this podcast right now saying, I want to help Trinity. How can people help?
• 40:52
  Trinity Heavenz: Yeah, thank you so much, you know, Lady for that. Yeah, we have, you know, several ways that people can be part of this, you know, one of the first thing that we always ask is people to give us work, you know, if you can give us work, you can employ other people, we can put, you know, money to these young people's pockets, and that will alleviate poverty quicker than we ever believe. So, if you can go on urinated to just know, we can do a lot for you studying from your website, logos, branding, and everything that you can do online, we can do it for you.
• 41:21
  Trinity Heavenz: But if you want to give and donate towards the, you know, the Elevate program, you can head to our website, which is www 90 to elevate.org. And you can help a young person prayer, by donating monthly. And you can do that same thing for women across Uganda, through my 92 ones.org website, which is definitely helping women and their children across East Africa. So the most important thing, you can share this story, you can be part of our journey.
• 41:53
  Trinity Heavenz: You can partner with us, you can come and visit us. You're always welcome.
• 41:57
  Becky Endicott: I am just leaving this conversation with an incredibly full heart. And I feel so joyful that you are in the world. Trinity. I am so grateful that your mom fought so hard for you. I'm so grateful that you had the fortitude to fight for yourself, and for people that are around you. And I just think about the generations of families that you are going to help. And I actually think you could be building a pretty wide community of people who can help you take on this very big goal that you have of upskilling Africa and I'm here to tell you, we're rooting for you.
• 42:35
  Trinity Heavenz: Man, thank you so much for this time. Thank you so much, John, Julie, and Becky for having me, and may God bless you.
• 42:45
  Julie Confer: Hey, friends, thanks so much for being here.
• 42:47
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• 43:06
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• 43:09
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• 43:18
  Julie Confer: Thanks friends. I'm our producer Julie confer and our theme song is sunray by Remy Boris boom