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Africa Project in
Irvine: Children orphaned by AIDS are local group’s mission
By Peggy Goetz
Sister Hedwig is coming to Irvine to help celebrate the Week of
the African Child, Dec. 1-8. For her, coming to America is a dream
of a lifetime. But she is coming not for herself but for the
children of her village, Nkandla, South Africa.
I did a column earlier this year on The Africa Project
spearheaded by Debbie and Eric Bianchi. After seeing a documentary
on the plight of AIDS orphans in Sister Hedwig’s village, the
Bianchi’s and other Irvine people decided to do more than just feel
bad about it.
The group launched The Africa Project, with former City Manager
Allison Hart as president of the board, hoping that they could get
people to join together and help the children who have been orphaned
or made vulnerable by AIDS. After considering how they might locate
a village to help, the group decided to work with the nun featured
in the documentary, Sister Hedwig of the Nardini order. The
Bianchi’s and three other Irvine residents went to visit the village
last summer.
What they had to report about the conditions there were sobering
in the degree of poverty and need and encouraging in what The Africa
Project could do.
I had lunch with Eric and Debbie this week. Eric had photos on
his laptop and commented on the contrast between natural beauty of
the area and the poverty and living conditions of the families who
have lost all to AIDS.
The Kwazulu Natal region of South Africa, where Nkandla is
located, has one of the highest HIV infection rates of any area in
Africa. In 2003, a thousand people a day were dying of AIDS in South
Africa and more than 750,000 children were orphaned by the disease.
The Bianchi’s came back with so many stories and pictures.
There was the visit to the homestead of Lindiwe, a mother sick
with AIDS, and her 11-year-old daughter. They visited a family of
five now headed by an 18-year-old sister in Babanago where the
children were playing dodge ball with a ball made of sand in a
plastic bag. The best toy in town was a truck made of wire with Coke
cans for wheels.
The children in the family walk 2 1/2 miles each way over hilly
countryside to carry water in buckets from a dirty stream for
drinking and other basic needs. The Bianchi’s hope to get a well
drilled that could provide water to two or three families. At the
high school they met spunky Simphiwe, who wants to go to university
but needs a sponsor so she can afford clothing, shelter and tuition.
At the orphanage they met the 27 children who have been lucky
enough to be taken in by the sisters and have three meals a day.
It is hard to tell even part of the story in this short space.
But Sister Hedwig will be in Irvine Nov. 26-Dec. 12 with the
principal of the high school, Ngogi Mahaye.
The Africa Project will fly the two here. They will make
presentations at the highs schools in Irvine and meet with as many
community groups as possible. The aim is to give people an
opportunity to get to know Sister Hedwig and Mahaye and to hear for
themselves what it is like in their village and what people here can
do.
“Even the smallest of efforts can make a difference in the
quality of life for the children,” said Debbie Bianchi.
The documentary, “The Orphans of Nkandla,” will air on HBO/Cinemax
(channel 224) Dec. 1, at 7 p.m.
More information about The Africa Project and events scheduled,
or hosting additional events in Irvine during the Week of the
African Child is available by calling (949) 502-7921 or online at www.theafricaproject.com.
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