Moses Kazibwe Memorial Fund For Africa Children
Newsletter
May / June 2004 (Revised February 2007)
Making a Difference
by Judy Knight
How have three people in Orange County made a difference in the lives of African children? They started an organization that paid $2000 for repairs on a school in Gisenyi, Rwanda, bought milk for newborns of mothers with HIV in Bujumbura, Burundi, begun a campaign for AIDS awareness in both cities as well as other small projects that benefit children. In the US, it does more than raise money…it tells stories of Africa. It also conveys how much people in Africa appreciate that they are not forgotten.
One of these three people is Kiro, an African refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a businessman in Costa Mesa. He loves people. It shows in his smile and in his voice. He is the perfect person to connect people here to Africa. In April 2002, Kiro visited his family and was saddened to see how things had deteriorated since the 1994 genocide. He felt especially bad for the children.
The second person in this group is Gretchen McKay, Orange County teacher for over 25 years. She apprenticed to Petros Hezekial Mntshali, a Zulu Sangoma and traditional healer in Swaziland. Initiated in 2001, she is now a Sangoma and practices the ancient art of throwing bones to communicate with ancestors, her own and those of the person she is counseling.
And the third person in this trio is Judy Knight, who has worked closely with Kiro at African Corner, their African art store. Eight years of close contact has been preparation for their new adventure together. The only one who works full-time for the organization, she digests the ideas, hopes, dreams and pieces of information into a workable organization.
While Kiro was in Africa, Judy was in a session with Gretchen and the ancestors asked if she would help the children. She said, “Yes.” When Kiro came back the three of them decided to start%
