By: Kristyn Donnelly
Posted In: News
Photo credit: www.flyingkiteskenya.org
For more information, contact www.flyingkiteskenya.org
Salve Regina University Alumnae Leila de Bruyne and Justine Axelsson spoke to a large group of Salve students and faculty about their efforts to establish an orphanage in Kenya.
The program took place in Bazarsky Lecture Hall on Feb. 20. The centerpiece of the presenation were posters these two women had set up in the middle of the hall featuring photos and future building plans for the orphanage they just opened in July. Monika Raczkowski, a sophomore at Salve, was surprised by how modern the building plans were. Sophomore Heather Abbate agreed: “I loved the building design, they really thought about it”. The building was circular, and was set up so that they would be able to collect fresh rain water, and had solar panels on the roof. De Bruyne and Axelsso were roommates at Salve and had previously volunteered together at By Grace Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. They presented a 20 minute video followed it up with a lecture and a power point. The video, mostly about their time spent at By Grace, revealed there are over 100,000 homeless children in Kenya. Since graduating in May, de Bruyne and Axelsson have opened their own orphanage in Kenya called Flying Kites and are currently the legal guardians of eight children. They hope to keep their orphanage deinstitutionalized by re-creating a sense of family and home for the children. The women discussed plans to educate the children so that they can one day have the opportunity to attend universities, or further their education in trade work. They wish to instill in the children a sense of giving so that they will go on to help and inspire others as well. This way they can make an even larger impact on the Kenyan community than they already have. The video and power point were followed by a question and answer session. Students were interested in the women’s majors while at Salve. (de Bruyne majored in anthropology and Axelsson in English Communications.) They also asked about the selection process that they use when admitting children, where they get funding, how long the children will stay with them, and how far the closest medical center was from the orphanage, which is about 2 kilometers away. When selecting children for Flying Kite they meet with the child and whoever might be caring for that child, i.e. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, etc. They review the child’s medical records, and parent’s death certificates if applicable, but there is not a set requirement for admission. Their funding for the orphanage comes mostly from grants, personal contacts, and donations. They’re also hoping to be able to recruit college students as volunteers. Abbate, an education major, expressed her love for children and her interest in volunteering. Seeing the children suffering really gave her motivation to do something to help. Raczkowski also expressed interest in getting involved, “I’d like to go over maybe next summer”.
