Ameena & Kenyan friend Aurellio in our Kenyan home
Ameena Project was born out of the heart-wrenching, true-life experience of seeing how 2 children, born just days or months apart, both in Kenya, can have such a different outlook for life.
The stark reality is that Aurellio will struggle to make it past his 5th birthday living as he does in poverty–constantly exposed to rampant, life-threatening illnesses such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, malaria and meningitis. While Ameena will grow and thrive up to and past the age of 5, certainly exposed to illness, but almost certain to overcome it easily with convenient and inexpensive medication.
Is Aurellio of less value than Ameena? Does he have less potential than Ameena?
Am I of more value and worth than his mother? Does my origin of birth, upbringing and opportunity REALLY justify that I should have more than 99% of the world population (that’s if you made at least $52,000/year in 2009)? And lest we feel sorry for ourselves, if you make $25,000/year you’re still doing better than 90% of the world’s population.
No.
The answer is that we truly feel that each child should have the opportunity for health, development and dignity regardless of the parents origin or residence.
We know we can do something about this,
and we’re going to.
“To whom much is given, much is required.”