When Elliot Costello visited an orphanage in Cambodia in 2013, his life changed in a way he never thought possible.

What he didn’t know, however, was that a meeting would take place which would also change the lives of thousands of others…

It all started in 2013 when Elliot Costello, a social entrepreneur from Australia, met a little girl named Thea.

Thea was a 10-year-old girl who sadly had ended up in an orphanage after being rescued from a terrible situation. She had suffered two years of physical and sexual abuse, and the violence against her had left a deep mark. Unfortunately, we would never have heard of this brave little girl without Elliot.

But let’s take it from the beginning…

After Thea was born, her life was good. The Cambodian girl grew up like any other child, loved and cared for by her mom and dad. But sadly, fate had other plans. One day, her father suddenly passed away, and his death was devastating in many ways. Besides the emotional trauma, Thea’s father had been the family’s only provider. After he died, they faced a financial crisis.

Things got so bad that Thea’s mom couldn’t take care of her anymore, and she had to make the tough decision to send Thea to an orphanage. Sadly, life there turned into a nightmare for the little girl.

According to Polished Man, Thea was physically and sexually assaulted daily for two years by the orphanage’s director.

Ultimately, Thea was transferred to another orphanage in Phnom Penh, ran by Hagar International. During a visit there, Australian social entrepreneur Elliot Costello bonded with the child over games of naughts and crosses. The 10-year-old girl spread joy and positivity despite everything she had been through.

Thea always had nail polish on her little nails, and one day, she asked if she could paint Elliot’s. They sat and talked and had a lovely time together.

”As she painted one of my nails, I assured her I would always keep it that way to remember her, and by extension, her suffering,” Elliot said.

The meeting with Thea motivated Elliot to try and make positive changes among men so that fewer children fall victim to sexual abuse. He also had the idea to start a movement where men paint their nails to show their support.