MorristownMemos

Many people have contacted me, asking to see pictures of “MY” trip, and asking for more details based on my previous story.

BUT I have never visited Zimbabwe, or any other country in Africa. I did not write the article, either. The author is my brother, Jerry Warshaw, the V.P. of SHARE, Board of Trustees member. He works with Usha Wright, president of SHARE; they have visited Kenya many times.

All children in the schools are orphans because both parents died of AIDS.

The following is text from the latest newsletter from SHARE:

SHAREAfrica .org:
Making a positive difference in the lives of African communities.
Home News Orphans Projects Donate Friends About Contact
SHARE Orphan Sponsorship
Through the SHARE Orphan Sponsorship (SOS) program, we provide education, health care, social services, and basic necessities to AIDS orphans in western Kenya. For only $500 a year, you can make a difference in the life of a child through the SHARE Orphan Sponsorship (SOS) program. That’s just $1.37/day.
Sponsor A Child Now »
How much it costs and what it covers
For $500 per year (just $1.37 per day), a sponsor is able to pay for education, boarding, school fees, books, school supplies, school uniforms, mosquito nets to prevent malaria, basic social services, and an annual physical evaluation. Emergency food bags of maize are provided where necessary.

Why sponsorship is needed
The AIDS epidemic has produced several 100,000 of orphans in Kenya, and the numbers are rising rapidly. It is estimated that nearly 30% of the population in Kenya’s Nyanza province is infected with HIV. SOS is a SHARE Program established in order to provide hope and future to Kenyan children who are orphaned because their parents have died of AIDS.

SOS Facts
Sponsor now!
$500 a year ($1.37 per day) sustains sponsorship of a child.
40+ children are in immediate need of sponsors.
250 children are currently being sponsored by SHARE donors.
In an orphan’s words:
“… I must thank you for your kind assistance. You have brought back my hope in life since both my parents died some years ago. I know you as my parent. Because of my going to school I will one day be making many things in future. I am happy with my school, because I get everything there, e.g. food, books, education, and other things I get from you….”

Moses, age 15, writing to his sponsor
Can groups sponsor a child?
Yes. Our sponsors include:

Individuals who support one or more children.
Groups of friends, clubs, churches, businesses, and organizations who together sponsor one or more orphans. We only ask that one person is designated as the primary contact.
With your donation, you will sponsor a specific child
A commitment for a minimum of one year of sponsorship is required. We hope that each sponsor will re-new their commitment at the end of the year, or even better, commit to more than one year at a time.
Sponsors are able to monitor the progress of their orphan(s) through annual school and health reports that are prepared by our SHARE social workers in Kenya. Our social workers are highly trained professionals who personally oversee the well-being of every SOS orphan.
Interested sponsors can exchange letters and photos with their child. English language is a part of the children’s curriculum and this allows for ease of communication between orphans and sponsors. Some sponsors also send gifts (such as books or clothing) to their child.

Sending gifts
Our sponsored children highly appreciate receiving books, clothes, shoes, and toys. A small gift means so much to a child that has so little.
Who raises the sponsored children?
The children are raised by guardians. In most cases, a guardian is the child’s relative, such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle. In cases where there are no family members, the guardian will be a member from the community.

Most of the orphans are placed in boarding schools, where they live during the school year.

The children get an annual medical examination and receive health care they may need.

SHARE sponsored orphans at M.A. Mbita Academy, Kenya.

Donations are 100% tax-deductible
All donations toward orphan sponsorship are 100% tax-deductible. Further details of SHARE’s non-profit registration are available.

I am ready to sponsor a child
Thank you so much! We will assign you a child as soon as we receive your sponsorship donation.

Sponsor A Child Now »

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at SHAREafrica.org.
Dec. 24, 2007 letter from Dr. MacGuffie to sponsors and friends of SHARE.
Background
In the early 1990s, SHARE began its first efforts at helping by building an orphanage. This worked out well; Double Joy Farm is functioning and has about one hundred orphans. But as the numbers of orphans grew astronomically, it became evident that maintaining them in their home villages would enable us to support many more orphans and at the same time ensure that their ties with relatives and friends would be preserved. To this end, we started the SHARE Orphan Sponsorship (SOS), an adopt-an-orphan program, in 1993.

An article with more details on the SOS program is available.

I again apologize for the misunderstanding about the writing of the article, “And Then There Was Light.”

Perhaps you would consider soon sponsoring an orphan in Kenya.