Diseases Affecting Education. Blog#5

Caitlin Brewer

Blog #5

2/18/11

Word Count: 282

The Orphanage called Wema is the sole provider for many children starving and diagnosed with AIDS in Bukembe Kenya. Wema is having many struggles itself just trying to provide three meals a day for its children. Wema was founded in 2007 by a couple and is branched from their private school, which is the best place in the country to get an education of either primary or secondary. Even with this great background the school and orphanage still are dealing with a lack of funds and proper equipment. Some children do not even own shoes. It was said that twenty five percent of children are put in an orphanage due to the diagnosis of AIDS.

This to me is so discouraging as a future teacher. I am such a compassionate person so to know that these children are suffering from this horrible disease, and dealing with insufficient funding for their school, and for their lifestyle, it crushes my heart. I think about the many students here in America. We have programs that give an opportunity to have “free” lunch, and government funding for new technology. While we are here walking around with computers in our hands, in Kenya they are struggling just to provide books!!!! It is very difficult to keep your students up to date on their studies when you do not even have the proper technology as other countries that have had it for decades! I feel so terrible for theses teachers but reading that they still are optimistic makes me realize I need to do the same when I become a teacher. I want to lift my head out of the fog and be an example for my students.

If you have old laptops, books, school supplies or children's clothes you would like to donate to Wema and Highway Academy, you can send them to:

Highway Academy

P.O. Box 1103-50200

Bungoma, West Kenya

AIDS orphans nearly overwhelming Kenyan orphanages