Mi nombre es Kima Largacha.

Unless you've personally experienced the nauseating and hollow feeling of witnessing your own children pleading for food, with no idea where it will come from, you might find it hard to relate to my story. Because once you reach this point, you understand that you'd do anything necessary to ensure your children don't waste away before your eyes. I've done things I'm not proud of to put food on the table for my three children, my sister and her three children, and my mother. All of us crammed into a 200-square-foot home that contained two bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a makeshift kitchen.

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In that tiny space, we had no hot running water, no television, no computers, and certainly no shower. We bathed using a sink in the bathroom that often leaked more water onto the floor than it did on our bodies. We washed our clothes frequently because, by the end of the week, we'd have nothing left to wear. This might sound extreme, but ask anyone in my neighborhood, and they can vouch for our story because they were living a similar version of it.

I won't dwell on the sorrowful details of my life, but I want you to know that the lack of food and the sight of people starving is a grim reality in the barrios of Medellin.

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Most of the people tourists see begging on the streets have genuine concerns about when or if they'll have their next meal. I made countless attempts to find a job to support my family. However, the prevailing wages were barely enough to sustain me, let alone my family of eight, who were always tugging at my skirt for help.

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Faced with the harsh reality, I looked into the eyes of my children and mother, staving with no answer for food It was then that I crossed paths with Troy E. Wright, a visitor from the United States, sitting in a restaurant, awaiting friends to discuss tourism.  I poured my heart out, expressing my desire to help the impoverished and downtrodden people of my country by providing them with a meal that would offer life, hope, and opportunity. A few days later, he called to discuss a way we could partner to provide food. He said, No one child should ever go to bed hungry.

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Troy spontaneously suggested "Kima's Kitchen." I corrected him with "La Cocina de Kima" in his broken Spanish. He helped me secure employment, and for the next year, I diligently worked to gain knowledge and understanding of business and what it takes to start one. As soon as I had enough money to apply for a license, I  embarked on this journey of providing food to my community.

This is how the grace of God works. Although I only have alittle more then I had a year ago, I made a vow that if I were ever in the position to feed peoples body, mind and soul, I would do it.  I realize that is a giant task, but like a mustard seed, I believe that with your support, hard work, dedication and the grace of God all things are possible and we will succeed. Let’s change the world together.

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Kima Largacha

President

La Cocina de Kima