by Jennifer Kowalewski

Once again, faculty, staff and students are asked to open their hearts and wallets to the Kenyan Children’s Fund to help children in need. A dinner scheduled Thursday, April 20, will benefit orphaned children in the Africa nation ravaged by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

In western Kenya, 30 to 40 percent of adults are affected by the HIV virus. The littlest sufferers are the children left behind.

“The money raised will provide school uniforms for these children,” says Gillian Ice, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of social medicine and a principal organizer of the benefit. “This year, we have a list of 600 children who have lost both parents. In Kenya, children’s schooling is free, but the child has to buy the uniform. Sometimes, that is out of reach. For many children, this may be the only piece of clothing they have. I would like to provide uniforms for all 600 children.”

At a cost of $5 per uniform, the benefit, hopefully, will raise at least $3,000. The event will take place at 6 p.m. on the Irvine Hall Bricks. The public is invited.

Dinner is $5 for students and $10 for non-students. Raffle tickets are $5 each; with the chance to win prizes such as weekend getaways, gift certificate to area restaurants and Ping Center memberships.

Dinner will include pasta with a dill sauce, roasted vegetables, salad and dessert.

OU-COM students will have the Kenyan Children’s Fund cookbook for sale as well, which has many wonderful recipes donated by faculty and staff.

Event organizers have planned a presentation to coincide with dinner.

The Kenyan Children’s Fund began four years ago, after Ice traveled to the nation to conduct research on grandparents as caregivers of AIDS orphans. While there, she saw the need and wanted to give back to the community that was basis of her research. One of the most fundamental ways she could help these children, and Kenya, was to see that they were properly clothed, sheltered and educated. Thus the fund began.

Since its inception, the benefit dinner has raised money used to build a dormitory at the Jaber Orphanage and School and purchased text books and school bags. This will be the second time purchasing uniforms.

Ice has returned to Kenya each year since the fund began to continue her research. She also brings with her several OU-COM medical students, not only to research but to help educate Kenyans in their critical fight against HIV/AIDS.