“Meet the Kids”

By: Paige Hogan
Posted In: News

Take the chance to see the faces and hear the voices of children guided by grace. Strong faith keeps each child hopeful and generosity makes each day full. The By Grace Disabled and Orphans Center in Nairobi, Kenya is home to a growing 130 children and an additional 100 students who have been affected by impoverished living conditions in Africa.

Take the chance to raise awareness and “Meet the Kids” Wednesday, February 15 as Salve students Justine Axelsson, Leila de Bruyne and Bridget Sheerin share their experiences and host a documentary. The “Meet the Kids” event will take place in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall from 6:30-7:15 p.m. and all are welcome.

The documentary, shot by Axelsson and de Bruyne, will follow their July 2005 trip to By Grace where they volunteered their time and donations. The trip was organized and financed by the two after de Bruyne became inspired to get involved after taking “Children: A Global Perspective”, an anthropology class offered at Salve. Their purpose in traveling was to better understand the living conditions of such orphans.

Axelsson and de Bruyne enjoyed meeting the children and watching their health improve. Their biggest reward was learning their involvement made a difference. The By Grace Disabled and Orphans Center was founded in 2002 by a villager who noticed too many children living in the streets. Finding it her mission, she took on the responsibility to care for the children. School lessons are taught by Kenyan volunteers and free meals are supplied with schooling. Life is taken day by day, hence “by the grace of God”.

Last spring, Sheerin raised a substantial amount of money that was directly donated to By Grace. Sheerin, de Bruyne and Axelsson have planned a return trip for this coming summer.”Meet the Kids” will introduce the documentary, which includes individual profiles that share the children’s personalities and the living conditions in Nairobi. The documentary was taken from actual footage the girls shot and includes scenes of every day life. Also included will be personal experiences and information on how to get involved.

This event will raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in Africa and provide an understanding of the children’s environment. The documentary will show that the children are simply a product of their environment and not unlike any other child. Sheerin, de Bruyne and Axelsson are in the process of establishing, Restoring Grace, a club for any Salve students that are interested in involvement, further information will be available. Also available will be items for sale that benefit the World Youth Foundation.