Faith has Aunties at the Travel Agency

Faith has now 8 'Aunties at the Travel Agency' who will help her to become someone who will make a difference in her homeland Kenya.

Faith in Nairobi, Kenya

While being in Las Vegas for the annual Virtuoso Travel Mart in August I introduced the initiative of Kenyan Safari Operator Micato with a nonprofit arm in its organization called America Share (www.americashare.org). This organization matches sponsors with children in Kenya to provide these children with the opportunity to attend a boarding school and receive a good educational experience and potentially a real job and a chance in life. With the story of Justus, a 15 year old Kenyan boy, we at the Agency rooted the desire to adopt a child as well.

Today I would like to introduce our newest student  Faith, who was born Aug 18, 2000.  She is the youngest of 6 children and lives with her mother and two siblings.  Her father and 3 siblings are deceased. Faith’s mother sells vegetables on the side of one of the Mukuru village foot paths.  Her earnings are barely enough to support her family’s needs. Micato’s America Share has found Faith to be a disciplined student whose academic performance is above average, but her school attendance is irregular due to lack of money for school fees.

Faith is living in Mukuru, a large slum outside of Nairobi, Kenya where poverty is a tragic reality for its residents.  It is estimated that families of five members are living on $1.30 per day.  Mukuru is estimated to have a population of 500,000+ of which sixty percent or 300,000 are under the age of 18.  There is an estimated HIV prevalence rate of 15 percent, and approximately 30-40 percent of the children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Mukuru. With the help of Micato’s America Share program the Travel Agency has “adopted” Faith as its newest student.

The travel advisers at the Travel Agency can write as often as they wish knowing that Faith will write the Agency at least 3 times a year. America Share encourages sending family pictures and letters as often as possible to encourage Faith and build a relationship with her as her supporters.  Faith has now a support group called “Aunties at The Travel Agency”.

The “aunties” will help Faith to ultimately become someone who will make a difference in her homeland!