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A&--The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, JuIy 17, 2007I ýConcern for children knows no boundaries Local moins set to travel to Kenya to help build school for young orphans By Stephanie Hounseli CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF A smathers of six children between them, Judy Boivin and Mary Schroder cant imagine their kids having ta survive withaut parents. But in Africa, there are 13 million children who are arphans after lasing their parents ta AIDS and who are living with grandmothers or an their own in child-led bouseholds. bts a heartbreaking statistic, and anc Boivin and Schrader want ta help reverse. Education, they feel, is the key ta unlocking the pain and hardship thai seems ta enshraud the continent. On july 30, the pair of Miltanians will be traveling witb a team of 30 mostly high scbaal teachers ta Africa ta belp build a scbaol in rural Kenya. They're traveling wîîb an arganization called Lecaders Taday, which isa alihated wîtb Free the Children, a bumanitanian arganîzatian faunded by then I 2-year-old Craig Kielburger. The long-time friends will spend three week-s in an area so remate it takes a 1 0-hour bus ride ta get there after stepping ofthe plane. Naw is an ideal time ta build schools in the country because in 2002 the gavernment waived the schaol fees, explained Boivn, who~s a physiotherapist in tawn. lts now free for kids ta attend schoal, but theres little infrastructure in place. Schrader said education is a value thats dear ta ber heart since she~s a high scbool teacher iirMississauga. "'ve always gane by the quate, Give a man a fisb and you have fed him for today Teacb a man ta fish and you have fed him far a lifetime'," Schroder said. in the afternaans when theyre not building, the team will be teaching lessons ta the hundreds of students wholl no daubt turn out ta watch the school being built. Most children orphaned For tragic reasans, adults are a navelty in Africa, since much of that generatian bas been wiped out by AIDS, Schrader said. "They just want that adult taucb and companionship," she said, adding, "They just latch an, from what I've beard." Sebrader and Boivin will be teaching science in a fun, hands-an way Same of t.he other teachers an the team will be teaching otlier subjects. Theyre nat sure yet how much of a language barrier will exist. The peaple there speak Swahili and some speak some English. Schroder said shes attempted ta learn a bit of Swahili, but hopes she want have ta depend on h tao mucb. Alt.hough theyre gaing as teachers in addition ta builders, bath Schrader and Boivin believe tbeyll learn mare from the children than the children learn from tbem. "I hear people talk about how happy they are there despite bavng so hitle and I think thats an important lesson ta, learn here in North Amnerica," Boivin said. GRAHAM PAINEI CANADIAN CHAMPION LOADED UP FOR TRIP: Judy Roivin (ieft) and Mary Schroder show some of the soccer jerseys and school supplies thevill be brina- ng ta Kenya. They've been collecting donations of school supplies ta stock the scbool once its built, and money ta purchase sup- plies. They also came up with the idea of collecting used children's soccer uniforms ta take with them, and Sa far have 300. "We got this idea from our kids," Boivin said. "Soccers very popular in Africa, yet they'd neyer have shiny, fancy uni- forms like we have here." For the two friends, this trip bas been a long time in the making and the culmination of much dreaming and plan- ning. "We're bath very concerned about the situation in Africa. Theres SO many problems with poverty and AIDS," Boivin said. "The only hope they (the children) have is ta get an education." Boivins sister is a doctar who's traveled ta Africa and talked with the family about what shes seen. Those first- hand accounts are part of what motivated Boivin ta do some- thing berself. Of course, both Boivin and Schroder bave their share of trepidation. Fortunately, they bave eacb other ta, lean on for encouragement, and Schroder said it works out nicely because it seems wben anc is fearful, the other is excited and vice versa. Schroder said ber defining moment came when she bumped into Stephen Lewis, who was the United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, at the airport. She told hîm what an inspiration he was and how his book Race Against Time had affected her. "He was such a humble m..... so passionate about bis work with tbe orphans and be actually tbanked me for what we are about ta do. 1 knew tben that wbat we were doing was the right tbing," she said, Family support bas been extremely important .over the past few months, both women said, particularly that of tbeir busbands. And their children bave belped raise money for tbe trip, with Boivin's daugbter even holding a lemonade stand ta conrnbute. Tbey said their children serve as a constant reminder of why they're going and what they hope ta accomplisb. "If they can't go ta school, whats going ta become of these kids?" Schroder asked. Donations of money, school supplies and soccer uniforms can be dropped off at Milton Pbysiotherapy Clinic, 3006 Derry Rd, suite 203, across from Milton District Hospital. Stephatice Hounseîl can be reached at sthicssen@lmilroncana- dianchampion. com. wwwln.cogeco.ca W7YCOG EC 01NORTH HALTON STUDIO 5 Laurier Plaza Cogeco Cable ee5il00 Laurier Avenue Cha neé1 Milton, ON L9T4R