A Lifelong Passion for Working with Children

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for helping children. Even as a teenager, I knew I wanted to do something meaningful to support, nurture, and empower young people. That passion has stayed with me into adulthood, shaping my involvement with nonprofit organizations serving children and communities, guiding my professional journey in policy and advocacy, and inspiring me to mentor students in their educational endeavors.

Discovering a Different Way to Make a Difference

For years, I dreamed of starting a nonprofit focused on childhood empowerment and advocacy. As I explored that possibility more seriously, I discovered that so many incredible organizations were already doing the work I hoped to do. As a result, it made me wonder whether there was another meaningful way I could contribute to the empowerment and development of children.

Around the same time, as my children (Saira and Ajay), were growing up, we found ourselves having more conversations about friendships, difficult social situations, and the challenges that come with navigating childhood. Those conversations naturally evolved into discussions about our core values - who we are, what we believe in, and the kind of people we want to become. As I searched for children’s books to help guide these conversations, I noticed a gap. While many wonderful books introduced values, few explored their deeper meaning and how to apply them in everyday life.

Teaching Children the Complete Meaning of a Value & Applying to Every Day Life

Children are often taught that kindness means helping others, considering others’ feelings, and including everyone. Those lessons are vital. But it is equally important for children to understand kindness doesn’t mean accepting poor treatment or sacrificing your own well-being. Confidence doesn’t mean treating others as inferior, just as bravery doesn’t mean you never feel afraid, and honesty doesn’t mean speaking without considering how our words affect others.

I realized an important opportunity was being missed to help children understand a value’s complete meaning and how to apply it in real life. With that realization, The True Meaning Of… children’s book value series was born.

Raising Children with a Strong Sense of Self

I believe teaching children about values is about so much more than teaching them how to behave. It’s about helping them discover who they are, what they believe in, and the kind of people they want to become. Starting these conversations early helps children develop a strong sense of self, the confidence to stand up for themselves, the compassion to stand up for others, and the courage to resist peer pressure.

My hope is to help raise not only kind and compassionate children, but also strong, confident, resilient individuals who are comfortable being themselves.

Giving Back

My original dream of supporting children and communities through nonprofit work has never left me. In fact, it has strengthened and become an important part of this journey. As The True Meaning Of… series grows, my goal is to give back a portion of book proceeds to nonprofit organizations doing meaningful work to nurture, support, and empower children and communities.  My greatest measure of success will be the number of children, families, classrooms, and communities we reach and the positive impact we create together.

A Journey We’re On Together

My hope is that The True Meaning Of… becomes more than a collection of children’s books. I hope these stories spark meaningful conversations and help raise a generation of children who lead with both compassion and confidence.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, educator, caregiver, or simply someone who believes in raising kind, strong, and resilient children, I hope these stories resonate with you and the children in your life.

Thank you for being here, for believing in this mission, and for helping me share it with children and communities far and wide.

With Love & Gratitude,
Nisha Jain Koria