Author Note

From Jenna Bush

Dear Reader,

I hope you are inspired by Ana as much as I am. To me, her words and her life are like a song-a song of hope and resilience. I met with Ana for more than six months and listened to the melody and lyrics of her life. We sat on her porch watching the day go by or in her small living room or in a café as she recounted these lyrics. This is her story—her song—not mine.

As the months passed, I was intrigued by Ana's complexity. She is only seventeen, but she is wise beyond her years. Once, when we discussed her first party and her first boyfriend, her eyes filled with the light and energy of a young girl. She giggled as she described walking from school to the party, and dancing freely. Then Beatríz began to cry. She held and rocked her baby and suddenly she wasn't a girl anymore... she was a caring mother.

One Sunday in the meeting room of the church, she flirted with Berto like a teenager. Yet when they doted over their baby, she was a woman, loving and protecting her child. As she told me joyfully about swimming in the waves of the Pacific Ocean, she was a girl again. But as I walked out of the church and turned to watch her support Berto, who was now showing increased signs of AIDS-related frailty, she suddenly became an adult.

Ana is not alone in this dichotomy of children who grow up too soon. Many kids across the world are forced to take on the responsibilities of adults before they are ready. Often their childhood ends prematurely because they are orphans, or live with illness or disability or in extreme poverty, or are forced to work at an early age instead of going to school. These children are excluded from living with the basic necessities. They do not have adequate food, clothing, shelter, or access to decent medical care and education. With the assistance of UNICEF and other organizations that help children, there is hope for kids like Ana. She has broken the cycle of illness, silence, and abuse by educating herself. She is determined to survive both for herself and for her daughter.

You may be asking, "What does this have to do with me? How can I help these kids? What could I possibly do to make a difference?"

There are so many ways that you can make a difference in your families, schools, communities, and around the world. These don't need to be grand gestures that require travel or a lot of money. Simple signs of friendship and acceptance can often change the lives of those who live on the outskirts of society. There are also many ways you can volunteer for programs that help those in need. In the following pages, you will find some ways you can become more aware of the themes of the book: HIV/AIDS, abuse, exclusion, and exploitation. You will also find ways you can get involved in helping to solve these crises both globally and in your community. Every child deserves a chance for a better life—a safe and healthy life. Your help can make a difference. You have the power to help kids find strength and hope—just as Ana has.

And if you need help yourself, don't keep it inside of you. Don't keep it a secret. Look at the resources provided here. Talk to someone you trust at home or in your school, religious group, or community. Ana didn't have many choices in her situation, but as more and more people become aware of children in need of protection and safety, there are more programs and safe havens available to them. So don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't keep silent, don't feel ashamed. Remember Ana. Live like Ana and take the steps you need to have a safe, optimistic life.

Jenna Bush