In 2013, Australian social entrepreneur Elliot Costello met a young girl named Thea during a visit to a Cambodian orphanage. Just 10 years old, Thea had already endured immense trauma—losing her father and suffering abuse in a place meant to offer safety.
Despite her painful past, Thea displayed incredible kindness and strength. One night, during a quiet moment between them, she painted one of Elliot’s fingernails. It was a small, playful gesture—but for Elliot, it carried profound emotional weight.
He silently promised to keep that nail painted in her honor, using it as a reminder of Thea’s story and of the countless other children who suffer in silence.
That experience became the catalyst for what would become the Polished Man movement. Elliot founded the campaign to raise awareness about childhood sexual violence, inviting men to paint one fingernail as a symbol of solidarity and action.
Each painted nail represents the 1 in 5 children who experience sexual violence before the age of 18. The campaign aimed not only to raise awareness but to challenge stigma, break the silence, and start essential conversations around abuse and prevention.
Polished Man soon evolved beyond a symbolic act—it became a powerful global fundraising initiative. Since its inception, the campaign has raised over $8.7 million, helping fund prevention and recovery programs for vulnerable children.
These programs provide trauma recovery, legal support, education, and safe spaces for children at risk. The funds are channeled into organizations working on the front lines of protection and healing.
The campaign quickly gained international recognition, with celebrities like Chris Hemsworth, Zac Efron, and Kelly Slater participating. These public figures helped amplify the message, encouraging millions of others to engage.
What began as a quiet moment between two people in Cambodia has grown into a worldwide movement. The painted fingernail remains a simple but powerful symbol—one that continues to inspire action, empathy, and change.
