Christopher Ategeka: How adoption worked for me | TED

How many of you are tired

of seeing celebrities adopting kids from the African continent?

(Laughter)

Well, it's not all that bad.

I was adopted.

I grew up in rural Uganda,

lost both my parents when I was very, very young.

And when my parents passed,

I experienced all the negative effects of poverty,

from homelessness,

eating out of trash piles,

you name it.

But my life changed

when I got accepted into an orphanage.

Through one of those sponsor-an-orphan programs,

I was sponsored and given an opportunity to acquire an education.

I started off in Uganda.

I went through school, and the way this particular program worked,

you finished high school and after high school,

you go learn a trade -- to become a carpenter, a mechanic

or something along those lines.

My case was a little different.

The sponsor family that was sending these 25 dollars a month

to this orphanage to sponsor me,

which -- I had never met them --

said, "Well ...

we would like to send you to college instead."

Oh -- it gets better.

(Laughter)

And they said, "If you get the paperwork,

we'll send you to school in America instead."

So with their help,

I went to the embassy and applied for the visa.

I got the visa.

I remember this day like it was yesterday.

I walked out of the embassy with this piece of paper in my hand,

a hop in my step,

smile on my face,

knowing that my life is about to change.

I went home that night,

and I slept with my passport,

because I was afraid that someone might steal it.

(Laughter)

I couldn't fall asleep.

I kept feeling it.

I had a good idea for security.

I was like, "OK, I'm going to put it in a plastic bag,

and take it outside and dig a hole, and put it in there."

I did that, went back in the house.

I could not fall asleep. I was like, "Maybe someone saw me."

I went back --

(Laughter)

I pulled it out, and I put it with me the entire night --

all to say that it was an anxiety-filled night.

(Laughter)

Going to the US was, just like another speaker said,

was my first time to see a plane,

be on one, let alone sit on it to fly to another country.

December 15, 2006.

7:08pm.

I sat in seat 7A.

Fly Emirates.

One of the most gorgeous, beautiful women I've ever seen walked up,

red little hat with a white veil.

I'm looking terrified, I have no idea what I'm doing.

She hands me this warm towel --

warm, steamy, snow white.

I'm looking at this warm towel;

I don't know what to do with my life, let alone with this damn towel --

(Laughter)

(Applause)

I did one of the --

you know, anything anyone could do in that situation:

look around, see what everyone else is doing.

I did the same.

Mind you, I drove about seven hours from my village to the airport that day.

So I grab this warm towel,

wipe my face just like everyone else is doing,

I look at it --

damn.

(Laughter)

It was all dirt brown.

(Laughter)

I remember being so embarrassed that when she came by to pick it up,

I didn't give mine.

(Laughter)

I still have it.

(Laughter)

(Applause)

Going to America opened doors for me

to live up to my full God-given potential.

I remember when I arrived,

the sponsor family embraced me,

and they literally had to teach me everything from scratch:

this is a microwave, that's a refrigerator --

things I'd never seen before.

And it was also the first time

I got immersed into a new and different culture.

These strangers showed me

true love.

These strangers showed me that I mattered,

that my dreams mattered.

(Applause)

Thank you.

These individuals had two of their own biological children.

And when I came in, I had needs.

They had to teach me English,

teach me literally everything,

which resulted in them spending a lot of time with me.

And that created a little bit of jealousy with their children.

So, if you're a parent in this room,

and you have those teenager children

who don't want anything to do with your love and affection --

in fact, they find it repulsive --

I got a solution:

adopt a child.

(Laughter)

It will solve the problem.

(Applause)

I went on to acquire two engineering degrees

from one of the best institutions in the world.

I've got to tell you:

talent is universal,

but opportunities are not.

And I credit this

to the individuals who embrace multiculturalism,

love, empathy

and compassion for others.

We live in a world filled with hate:

building walls,

Brexit,

xenophobia here on the African continent.

Multiculturalism can be an answer

to many of these worst human qualities.

Today, I challenge you

to help a young child experience multiculturalism.

I guarantee you that will enrich their life,

and in turn,

it will enrich yours.

And as a bonus,

one of them may even give a TED Talk.

(Laughter)

(Applause)

We may not be able to solve the bigotry and the racism of this world today,

but certainly we can raise children

to create a positive, inclusive, connected world

full of empathy,

love

and compassion.

Love wins.

Thank you.

(Applause)