[kca_main] Re: Abandoned babies find love away from home

[Guest guest]

Chifu,

I hear you.I don't know of ''weathy overseas''( Kenyans, thats BS) unless you mean people like Bill Gates, Bono, Clintons who are pumping their money into worthy projects like the one below in Kenya/Africa .

I do know you dont have to have alot of money.Thats why my heart goes to people like Hezekiah, Tom, Asuntas of this world. See you in Boston.

May God help us.

Wams

In a message dated 6/11/2005 11:00:25 PM Central Standard Time, chifu2222@... writes:

My dear wams,While some of us are blessed with the wealth overseas I read the kind of articles that bothers my mind. My beloved sister I read stories like this and it pains me. What is life my dear? just nothing but a heartbeart!! I would rather spend everything to save a next life then to see the next life goes away before my own. I am sadden my dear. Best,ChifuNew York City> > > > Chifu,> > Thats what we need in every major town in Kenya............> > Wams> > > In a message dated 6/10/2005 11:28:33 PM Central Standard Time, > chifu2222@m... writes:> > Members,> > Here is another Kenyan community based group that is doing a > commendable work!! kudos!!> > Kenyan community based forum has a networking of over 60 members and > organisations in Kenya and abroad. To join simply go to > http://www./group/kenyainternationalgroup or simply > email me at chifu2222@m... to subscribe directly to this great > group.> > Chifu> > > The website is http://www.newlifehometrust.org/babystats.asp> > > > Abandoned babies find love away from home> By Rashida Nakabuga> > A toddler attempts to walk towards us but falls almost immediately.> > Sandy Harper, one of the volunteer nurses feeds baby Zawadi at New > Life Home in Kisumu.> > He looks up hopefully for someone to pick him up but before we reach > him, he is up on his feet again.> > Jerome Mauno, who is turning one in August, has escaped from the > hostels to the office block.> > Our host, Lucy Okutoyi, leads us to her office. Mauno staggers after > us into the office.> > He goes straight to the computer table and starts playing with the > mouse. The phone rings and he goes for it smiling but Lucy picks it > first.> > Mauno is one of the 50 abandoned babies who have found a new home > and love at the New Life Home Trust in Kisumu.> > Several babies crawl on the veranda. They seem to prefer the veranda > to a shed built for them outside the hostel.> > In the hostel, small babies lie in wooden cribs. As we approach the > beds they smile sweetly looking in anticipation. But some cry as > they see so many strangers.> > Most of the babies are healthy but others are emaciated.> > The home has hired several nannies to look after the babies. The > women soothe the babies to stop crying.> > Millicent Akello, one of the nannies, says she loves her job but it > is challenging.> > "For a baby to grow well, it needs the care and love of its mother. > These abandoned babies look for love from sympathisers, " she says.> > "Most of them are brought here malnourished and feel unwanted. It > takes time for them to adjust," she says.> > Akello says when a baby is first brought to the home, they cry a > lot. They take up to one week to get used to the workers.> > Western Stars Development Women Group donated things worth more than > Sh10,000 to the home.> > The organising secretary of the group, Khavayi, said they do > this every year to support children.> > "It is the responsibility of we mothers to take care of children, it > is absurd for some mothers to abandon their own children," she said.> > She appealed to other women to assist the children because some of > them were orphans. She urged mothers to support young girls who > conceive. Khavayi said the number of abandoned babies had increased > because young girls have nobody to support them.> > The administrator, Ondech, said some of the babies were > abandoned in hospital, district child office, police stations or by > the road side.> > "Sometimes we are alerted by the crying of a baby outside the gate. > The number is rising everyday. We sometimes receive one-day-old > babies," he said.> > Ondech said the home, which was started in 2000, has had 253 babies. > Some have been adopted or transferred to other homes.> > He said the gates of the home are open to those who want to adopt > babies. Khavayi said some of the babies have HIV/Aids.> > "Most of the babies are infected with the HIV virus. Their parents > probably neglected them because they did not know how to handle > them," said Ondech.> > Ondech said they have put the infected babies on ARVs and feed them > on a special diet, which has improved their lives.> > "Babies test positive but after this treatment they turn negative," > he said.> > He advised mothers to treat the babies the same way instead of > abandoning them.> > Ondech said the home was a charitable organisation and appealed to > well wishers to assist them. A Christian couple, Clive and > Beckenham of New Life Home Trust opened the first home in Nairobi in > 1994.> > http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=22554> --- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

What a wonderful story about people caring for abandoned children.

As others have said, we must be praying for more people and

organizations to follow this model.

As an HIV/AIDS educator though, there is one sentence in the story I

must comment on because it gives people wrong information.

Near the end of the story, it says, " Babies test positive but after

this treatment they turn negative. "

This will suggest to many who do not know the facts that these

babies are being cured. Clearly this is not the case as there is no

cure for infection with HIV. What apparently is happening is that

babies are coming to this facility at very young ages while they

still have their mother's antibodies to HIV in their blood. When

they arrive, they test positive. However, this does not mean they

are infected. It means that their mothers were infected.

When they are old enough that their immune systems are developing

their own antibodies, they throw off those of their mothers. At

that point, those who were never infected will test negative not

because they were cured. They were not! It is because the virus

was never in their blood.

I know that this is information that many of you in this forum

understand. Please do not be insulted by the review. I am writing

for those who read these stories who do not understand these often

confusing facts about children born to HIV-infected mothers.

Still, this is a wonderful story and one that must be repeated as

much as possible!

Duane Crumb

Executive Director

Institute for HIV/AIDS Hope International

HIV/AIDS Education Specialist

AfricaHope

[Guest guest]

Duane,

Thanks.Thats what I thought too after reading the article.

Wams........................

..They were not! It is because the virus was never in their blood.I know that this is information that many of you in this forum understand. Please do not be insulted by the review. I am writing for those who read these stories who do not understand these often confusing facts about children born to HIV-infected mothers.

In a message dated 6/13/2005 12:57:47 PM Central Standard Time, dcrumb@... writes:

What a wonderful story about people caring for abandoned children. As others have said, we must be praying for more people and organizations to follow this model.As an HIV/AIDS educator though, there is one sentence in the story I must comment on because it gives people wrong information.Near the end of the story, it says, "Babies test positive but after this treatment they turn negative."This will suggest to many who do not know the facts that these babies are being cured. Clearly this is not the case as there is no cure for infection with HIV. What apparently is happening is that babies are coming to this facility at very young ages while they still have their mother's antibodies to HIV in their blood. When they arrive, they test positive. However, this does not mean they are infected. It means that their mothers were infected. When they are old enough that their immune systems are developing their own antibodies, they throw off those of their mothers. At that point, those who were never infected will test negative not because they were cured. They were not! It is because the virus was never in their blood.I know that this is information that many of you in this forum understand. Please do not be insulted by the review. I am writing for those who read these stories who do not understand these often confusing facts about children born to HIV-infected mothers.Still, this is a wonderful story and one that must be repeated as much as possible!Duane CrumbExecutive DirectorInstitute for HIV/AIDS Hope InternationalHIV/AIDS Education SpecialistAfricaHope)

[Guest guest]

Wams and ,

Done. Possible to attend the health forum that I will be moderating? I will

be in Boston for only 2 days and hope to meet with you before I drive back

to NYC?

Best,

Chifu

Manhattan

>From: " " <xhayes@...>

>chifu2222@..., Mgichuki@...

>Subject: RE: Re: [kca_main] Re: Abandoned babies find love

>away from home

>Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 13:17:48 -0400

>

>Hello:

>

>Are you folks coming to Boston? I live in Boston and have been very

>interested as a member of the list in all of your postings. Through this

>list I was introduced to the Lake Fellowship Centre in Kisumu, Kenya, and

>have been able to pay the high school tuition for one of the boys who lives

>there (not a big commitment -- but I have limited means).

>

>So -- if you have a moment in Boston to share a cup of coffee and meet --

>I'd be interested in saying hello.

>

>Sincerely,

>

>

>617-482-1510 = work

>617-364-3331 = home

>xhayes@...

>

>*******************************************************************************

>

>>From: Mgichuki@...

>>Reply-AIDS treatments

>>kca_main

>>CC: , kenyaonline

>>Subject: Re: [kca_main] Re: Abandoned babies find love away

>>from home

>>Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 12:25:54 EDT

>>

>>

>>Chifu,

>>

>>I hear you.I don't know of ''weathy overseas''( Kenyans, thats BS)

>>unless

>>you mean people like Bill Gates, Bono, Clintons who are pumping their

>>money

>>into worthy projects like the one below in Kenya/Africa .

>>I do know you dont have to have alot of money.Thats why my heart goes to

>>people like Hezekiah, Tom, Asuntas of this world. See you in Boston.

>>

>>May God help us.

>>

>>Wams

>>

>>

>>In a message dated 6/11/2005 11:00:25 PM Central Standard Time,

>>chifu2222@... writes:

>>

>>My dear wams,

>>

>>While some of us are blessed with the wealth overseas I read the

>>kind of articles that bothers my mind. My beloved sister I read

>>stories like this and it pains me. What is life my dear? just

>>nothing but a heartbeart!! I would rather spend everything to save a

>>next life then to see the next life goes away before my own. I am

>>sadden my dear.

>>

>>Best,

>>Chifu

>>New York City

>>

>>

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> > Chifu,

>> >

>> > Thats what we need in every major town in Kenya............

>> >

>> > Wams

>> >

>> >

>> > In a message dated 6/10/2005 11:28:33 PM Central Standard Time,

>> > chifu2222@m... writes:

>> >

>> > Members,

>> >

>> > Here is another Kenyan community based group that is doing a

>> > commendable work!! kudos!!

>> >

>> > Kenyan community based forum has a networking of over 60 members

>>and

>> > organisations in Kenya and abroad. To join simply go to

>> > http://www./group/kenyainternationalgroup or

>>simply

>> > email me at chifu2222@m... to subscribe directly to this great

>> > group.

>> >

>> > Chifu

>> >

>> >

>> > The website is http://www.newlifehometrust.org/babystats.asp

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> > Abandoned babies find love away from home

>> > By Rashida Nakabuga

>> >

>> > A toddler attempts to walk towards us but falls almost

>>immediately.

>> >

>> > Sandy Harper, one of the volunteer nurses feeds baby Zawadi at

>>New

>> > Life Home in Kisumu.

>> >

>> > He looks up hopefully for someone to pick him up but before we

>>reach

>> > him, he is up on his feet again.

>> >

>> > Jerome Mauno, who is turning one in August, has escaped from the

>> > hostels to the office block.

>> >

>> > Our host, Lucy Okutoyi, leads us to her office. Mauno staggers

>>after

>> > us into the office.

>> >

>> > He goes straight to the computer table and starts playing with

>>the

>> > mouse. The phone rings and he goes for it smiling but Lucy picks

>>it

>> > first.

>> >

>> > Mauno is one of the 50 abandoned babies who have found a new home

>> > and love at the New Life Home Trust in Kisumu.

>> >

>> > Several babies crawl on the veranda. They seem to prefer the

>>veranda

>> > to a shed built for them outside the hostel.

>> >

>> > In the hostel, small babies lie in wooden cribs. As we approach

>>the

>> > beds they smile sweetly looking in anticipation. But some cry as

>> > they see so many strangers.

>> >

>> > Most of the babies are healthy but others are emaciated.

>> >

>> > The home has hired several nannies to look after the babies. The

>> > women soothe the babies to stop crying.

>> >

>> > Millicent Akello, one of the nannies, says she loves her job but

>>it

>> > is challenging.

>> >

>> > " For a baby to grow well, it needs the care and love of its

>>mother.

>> > These abandoned babies look for love from sympathisers, " she

>>says.

>> >

>> > " Most of them are brought here malnourished and feel unwanted. It

>> > takes time for them to adjust, " she says.

>> >

>> > Akello says when a baby is first brought to the home, they cry a

>> > lot. They take up to one week to get used to the workers.

>> >

>> > Western Stars Development Women Group donated things worth more

>>than

>> > Sh10,000 to the home.

>> >

>> > The organising secretary of the group, Khavayi, said they

>>do

>> > this every year to support children.

>> >

>> > " It is the responsibility of we mothers to take care of children,

>>it

>> > is absurd for some mothers to abandon their own children, " she

>>said.

>> >

>> > She appealed to other women to assist the children because some

>>of

>> > them were orphans. She urged mothers to support young girls who

>> > conceive. Khavayi said the number of abandoned babies had

>>increased

>> > because young girls have nobody to support them.

>> >

>> > The administrator, Ondech, said some of the babies were

>> > abandoned in hospital, district child office, police stations or

>>by

>> > the road side.

>> >

>> > " Sometimes we are alerted by the crying of a baby outside the

>>gate.

>> > The number is rising everyday. We sometimes receive one-day-old

>> > babies, " he said.

>> >

>> > Ondech said the home, which was started in 2000, has had 253

>>babies.

>> > Some have been adopted or transferred to other homes.

>> >

>> > He said the gates of the home are open to those who want to adopt

>> > babies. Khavayi said some of the babies have HIV/Aids.

>> >

>> > " Most of the babies are infected with the HIV virus. Their

>>parents

>> > probably neglected them because they did not know how to handle

>> > them, " said Ondech.

>> >

>> > Ondech said they have put the infected babies on ARVs and feed

>>them

>> > on a special diet, which has improved their lives.

>> >

>> > " Babies test positive but after this treatment they turn

>>negative, "

>> > he said.

>> >

>> > He advised mothers to treat the babies the same way instead of

>> > abandoning them.

>> >

>> > Ondech said the home was a charitable organisation and appealed

>>to

>> > well wishers to assist them. A Christian couple, Clive and

>> > Beckenham of New Life Home Trust opened the first home in Nairobi

>>in

>> > 1994.

>> >

>> > http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=22554

>> > --- End forwarded message ---

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>

>