In 2013, Australian social entrepreneur Elliot Costello embarked on a life-changing trip to Cambodia, where he visited an orphanage and met a young girl named Thea. At just 10 years old, Thea had already endured immense hardship. After the loss of her father, she was placed in the orphanage, where she suffered two years of abuse. Despite her traumatic past, Thea’s resilience, courage, and unwavering joy left a profound impact on Elliot,
During their time together, Thea playfully painted one of Elliot’s nails. In that moment, he made a silent promise—to keep his nail painted as a reminder of her suffering and the suffering of millions of other children affected by violence. This small but powerful gesture sparked an idea that would soon turn into a global movement.Motivated by his encounter with Thea, Elliot founded Polished Man, an awareness campaign encouraging men to paint one nail as a symbol of solidarity with the one in five children worldwide who experience sexual violence before the age of 18. The movement challenges men to take an active stand against child abuse, promoting conversations about a topic often shrouded in silence and stigma.