Nikole Lim humanitarian filmmaker + photographerinfo@nikolelim.com
Blog
Bad Habits
I have a bad habit. On lazy mornings after my alarm clock goes off, I get back into bed and check up on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I usually fall asleep again and don’t get out of bed until an hour later. I’ve tried to kick this habit in the behind many times but [...]
Uncle Richard
Since I heard him speak at Urbana a few years ago, I admired him from a distance. I listened closely to his stories and looked up to his bravery. Being one of the few advocates for Native American peoples, his bold statements were often harsh, but truthful lessons on justice, reconciliation and race. I really [...]
Achieve Dreams With Us
During this season of gratitude, I’m always reflecting on the blessings we’ve received, the challenges we’ve overcome and the people who have journeyed alongside of us every step of the way. This past year, your support has pushed our work forward immensely as we have been able to see true transformation, restoration and success [...]
Chubby Little Baby
At four years old, I would always watch my favorite Christian music videos of the 80′s on VHS. I loved the music: catchy and with happy people. One of the song’s that I visited quite frequently on that VHS tape was a song about children and the Kingdom of Heaven. My mother was pregnant around [...]
You inspire me
“Education is meant to be a basic need, but for many girls in Kenya, it is an expensive and thus unattainable dream. While the government provides free primary education, there is not much one can do with just a primary education. The challenges I faced, and I believe other girls face, is a basic lack [...]
HOPE in Rwanda
My team just finished up two short films for HOPE International focusing on their work in Rwanda. Producer + Director : Nikole Lim | Editor : Jason Leighton | Color : Tyler Fagerstrom | Sound : Jim Schaefer | Score : Kevin George Carey In January, I had the pleasure of working with HOPE International [...]
Threads of Hope
for Reject Apathy on International Women’s Day. LUSAKA She reminded me so much of myself when I was 14 years old: the attitude, rolling of the eyes and smart remarks. When we met in Zambia last year, I saw something in her—that behind the attitude was a quiet insecurity. There was something about her that [...]
Exploring Kigali
I’m in Rwanda for the first time and have been searching for a view of the city, Kigali. Driving up a mountain, we reached Kigali’s city dump. The workers said that past the stench-filled mounds of rubbish piled high, was a clear view of the city. I couldn’t see past the high mountains of trash, [...]
Freely in Hope + Sevenly
This past week, Freely in Hope was the featured cause on Sevenly! Through their support, we are aiming to raise $4,900 in t-shirt sales. For every $22 purchase, $7 goes directly to our programs which helps to protect women from sexual abuse in Kenya. With your support, we can uplift women out of poverty and decrease [...]
You will be secure
Rape attacks her heart, mind and soul. Leaving her alone with feelings of neglect, vulnerability and insecurity. Her fears are haunting–following her at all times. Afraid to sleep at night because household shapes transform into human faces at night. She prefers to sleep with the light on to never remember what happened that dark night. [...]
An Innocent Man – Facing Death
I am always so amazed at IJM’s advocacy work and was so inspired to work along side of their team. I had the privilege of meeting Gabriel* and his daughter, Benedicta* while in Kenya last month. This is their story: Nairobi, Kenya – Gabriel’s* nightmare began when his 13-year-old daughter, Benedicta,* was raped by a [...]
The Way Forward
As I’m preparing to leave Nairobi tomorrow morning, I’m reminded of these words: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Every time I leave, our girls are always asking why I’m leaving. I wish I could stay longer and live in community with them to come closer to understanding the insecurities and hardships they [...]
Simple Progress
In a village in the Rift Valley province, lives an elderly couple with a unique business: peanut butter. “By accident,” Mr. and Mrs. Momanyi have created a peanut butter making business and have employed dozens of idle young women within the village. Mrs. Momanyi has provided the skill to prostitutes in the rural area and [...]
Hope
I love how children are always looking forward in hope and anticipation. I’m learning from them. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 Chiyanga, Zambia
Friendship
“Friendships are revelatory of truth. Within friendship we learn truths about the other person we couldn’t know any other way except through a context of trust and fidelity. Within friendship we learn about ourselves as we see our love and action through the eyes of another who trusts us. And relationships forged among friends can [...]
A Vision for Kenya
Today I had the opportunity to sit in on a Statistics class at Kenya Polytechnic University. The instructor, a local pastor with a Doctorate’s in Counseling Psychology, allowed me to facilitate a class discussion. He had a class of ten students, all who come from various walks of life. The majority of the students were [...]
Encouraging Courage
The Global Health Council reports that the Kibera Slum has more than one million inhabitants, half under age 15, squeezed like sardines into one square mile. Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya and one of the largest in Africa. About a fourth of Nairobi’s population lives in this slum without access to clean water, [...]
Young Entrepreneurs for Change
Freely in Hope is working to educate, empower, and encourage the next generation of young, female entrepreneurs who want to transform their communities! Angelah, 19, hasn’t been to school in two years because her mother is singlehandedly raising 8 children. She’s trying to change that by earning a living as a tailor by sewing school [...]
Mourning
“My father died from HIV/AIDS.” Though we hear this quote so many times, we should never forget the multitudes of people who have suffered a loss from AIDS. Never stop caring. Never stop fighting. Because as much as we may try to forget the reality of AIDS, the pain still lingers. Harare, Zimbabwe
Beauty in the Broken
Seeing Beauty in the Broken feature article in Priority! Magazine We are often bombarded with stories of war, famine, disease, and poverty that we become desensitized. We walk past these issues of brokenness, favoring ignorance over compassion. We often think, “If I stop, what will happen to me?” But if we do not stop, we [...]
Pepperdine University
Speaking at Pepperdine University Here’s a quote posted by Pepperdine University about my visit to speak to over 200 undergraduates about the power of film and social change. Amazing faculty hosted me and I had a beautiful time learning about their media programs. “Activist/Filmmaker Nikole Lim brought her new documentary, While Women Weep, to Elkins [...]
Freely in Hope
Freely in Hope Restoring justice, dignity and hope by liberating woman and their families from the bondages of poverty.