Dear Friends! 

I just returned from one of the most memorable weekends in the Kids-of-Africa village this year. We celebrated our village’s third anniversary with many friends from Africa and around the world in a beautiful and emotionally touching celebration. Soon, I hope to send you an illustrated update on this day which lifted many hearts and hopes.

Above all, this weekend was memorable because the positive transformation of our children – old and recent. During the past month, we took five new children into permanent care. All of them have transformed themselves in the most unbelievably positive way. I could write about this for hours – but I will postpone that to a later day. Our many first-time visitors could hardly believe what they saw and heard in the village.

Two of our recent guests are Christopher and Joshua – brothers, aged 5 and 7, pictured above. They come from a family of eight, who was facing their darkest hour a month ago. That day our headmother was asked to join them at their father’s deathbed. He was in the final hours before passing to heaven. He had suffered from Aids for long. Their mother dearly loved her children and so did they. But with six children to look after and herself also irreversibly weakened from Aids, she asked us to become guardians of her two youngest sons. It was an excruciating and heartbreaking decision to take.  

This weekend, however, Christopher and Joshua were the shining stars of our anniversary. They have not transformed their grief into strength but also become an inspiration to the entire village. Possibly the most impressive performance of a day packed with singing, dancing and speeches came from the elder brother, Christopher. He imitated a popular Ugandan musician and earned standing ovations from a delighted audience! After his performance he was interviewed by the leading Ugandan TV Channel - who broadcasted the entire event. When questioned what he wanted to become when he grows up, he confidently explained that he wants to become a medical doctor working with Kids of Africa in order to help other children who need it. This was not a prepared answer but a spontaneous, inspiring response.

The next morning, I had the opportunity to spend a full hour with both brothers. It was a very special hour for us. In an astonishingly mature way, Christopher thanked me for the relief and the loving care, which Kids of Africa offered not only him and his brother but their family and also the many other children who live in this unusually cheerful village. He repeated that he hoped to work at Kids of Africa one day – in order to do for other orphaned children what we did for him.

I could write about similar conversations I had with our elder children. They left me deeply impressed and confident, that some of our children will grow up and become leaders in their families or societies who set positive examples, which others will follow. This will catalyze lasting, long-term change for future generations – a dream which is worth pursuing.

Thank you very much for your continued interest and support for Kids of Africa – your help remains more important than ever for us. I can assure you that 100% of it arrives directly with children like Christopher and Joshua but also helps many people and families beyond just Kids of Africa to improve the long-term prospects in one of the world’s neediest and fastest growing regions.

Sincerely yours,
Burkhard