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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 16, 2007 - 11 Lewis pleads for social justice Continued from page 3 music, the principal of the school told him that 250 of the 350 students in front of him were orphans. "Try to imagine it. Two out of every 10 students in a school are orphans," Lewis said. "It's just so important that the world understands the nature of this struggle, because it's so fundamentally wrong to abandon children as we're abandoning them in such extraordinary numbers." That's the case when it comes to getting kids in school. Many can't pay the fee to attend a school, a yearning Lewis said is felt even by kids in conflict-ridden countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. "When I ask them, how can I help, they always say, I just want to go to school," he said. Lewis touched on many other points, including the need to help women and young girls, who are infected by HIV in overwhelmingly large numbers in Africa mainly because they have no power over their own sexuality. He talked about the need to raise funds and awareness, to make people understand this pandemic is crippling a continent when medication and help is available. "I do not know why people in Africa are expendable," Lewis said. "I can't help but believe, forgive me for putting it so baldly, that there's a kind of subterranean racism here, that no one will acknowledge." Getting that "wonder drug" to women in Africa, and Western countries keeping their promises to help ease the pandemic ­ that's what Lewis called for. "Children don't have to die before the age of two or the age of five. The world has failed to come to grips with it," Lewis said. "That's why what you're doing is incred- ibly important," he added, looking through the crowd. "It's up to us. There's nothing more important in this world than the struggle for social justice and equality." If the three standing ovations weren't enough to show the crowd's appreciation for Lewis' words and his work, there was also a buzz in the audience afterwards, and groups of students talking about what they'd just heard. "He's a phenomenal speaker, and absolutely inspiring," said Grade 12 Iroquois student, Zach Newburgh. "I'd heard him before but in person, it's completely different. Truly, he inspires people." "He based his experience on facts. He's been there and he's lived it, he's seen it," added Maureen Fautley, who attended the speech along with her sons, Paul and Bryan. "We appreciate that." During a question period that saw nearly everyone preface their question with how honoured they were to hear Lewis speak, he was asked to describe his most memorable moment in his travels and volunteer work. It was during a visit to a pediatric ward in a University teaching hospital in Zambia. Five or six infants were in every cot, stricken with malnutrition and HIV. "I was walking through the ward and there was suddenly a shriek of such anguish," said Lewis. "I was completely taken aback and I compulsively turned to see what was going on. And there in front of me was a young mother on her knees, beside the cot, crying inconsolably. Her babe was being covered by a white sheet. "What was so appalling about it, I was in the ward for 40 or 50 minutes, and every single 10 minutes, another mother wept an agonizing cry. Another child died." Lewis called this the most vivid and distressing moment he's ever experienced. "I carry that image of the ward with me everywhere I go." Henderson Partners, LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of Barry Doerbecker, Rosemarie Fleischer and Benoît Génier to the position of Principal in January 2007. Barry, Rosie and Ben have been a positive force in the growth of the firm. Their professional relationships with the clients they serve and the people at Henderson Partners, LLP, along with their abilities in assurance, accounting and tax were the keys to their promotions. Henderson Partners, LLP is a leading firm of Chartered Accountants and professional advisors serving entrepreneurial people and organizations. We offer a broad range of services all designed to accomplish one goal... "To help our clients to grow, prosper and succeed." Oakville ­ 224 Kerr Street ­ 905-829-3701 Hamilton ­ 1029 Main Street E. ­ 905-549-2441 Look Inside! Help Find the Cure! Mother's $5 from every plant sold (See page 8 of our flyer for details.) Living Well Pilates SPRING & SUMMER CLASSES LEVEL I - II - III II will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. Day! We are OPEN Victoria Day! 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Etobicoke/East Mississauga 2069 Burnhamthorpe Road E. Tel: 905-624-3722 SIGN UP NOW! Mississauga-Oakville 606 Southdown Rd. 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