Fame and Notoriety have its perks

In 2013 a shy music teacher from Brisbane blew away seasoned professionals and Australian television audiences when she competed on the reality television talent program X Factor. Dami Im went on to win the competition and in doing so gained a record deal with Sony Music and instant celebrity status.

12 year old Sakthivel - Noah's sponsor child of 6 years

Along with her husband Noah; Dami has been sponsoring children through Compassion Australia for the last 7 years and so approached the organisation to offer some help. “We’ve always been passionate about doing something for God and maybe something to help the people in poorer areas. Since we’re sponsoring through Compassion anyway lets contact them and see if we can help.” Dami said “They were really surprised as they had wanted me to be their ambassador and had sent me an email which I hadn’t checked because of all the craziness.”

14 year old Somoli with Dami

As an Ambassador for the Compassion Child Sponsorship program, Dami visited India in March 2014 to see first hand how Compassion 'release Children from Poverty in Jesus name'. “I was really surprised at how short they are, especially considering despite being female and Asian I’m actually pretty tall” laughed Dami, “but because of their malnourishment when they were younger, these children were shorter than me. Its like a whole different world and really conflicting seeing the people and the slums…I really felt like we need to do more about this and I’m really proud that I’m an Ambassador for Compassion because the work they are doing is really really making a difference, breaking the cycle of poverty for these kids.” Dami also got to meet Somoli, her sponsor child of seven years face to face.

Dami’s husband Noah said to her that they should do a trip like this every year and despite her fatigue agrees that it helps put everything into perspective and gives more meaning to what she does.

Dami Im is performing on Mainstage at the annual Easterfest in Toowoomba on Sunday night, "before winning X-factor I sang in different churches and haven't had the opportunity to do much of that since. It sort of feels like going back to that community and still embracing whats happenied to me recently. I want to be the bridge between the Christian community and what I do in the mainstream world and still use the mainstream music to bring glory God". 

Sakthivel and family with Dami & Noah Im

Dami will also be at the Compassion tent on Saturday afternoon to talk more about her visit to India and the work of Compassion.



Special thanks to Compassion Australia for the photographs contained in this article.