Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - More than one million people live in Kibera, the slum communities of Nairobi, among them are 30,000 orphaned children due to the HIV/AID epidemic. The Jesuit Father Terry Charlton is the co-founder of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a Catholic high school, unique in its kind, designed specifically for young HIV/AID victims in the Kibera slums. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides by the General Curia of the Jesuits, in 2001, visiting people with AIDS, Fr. Charlton felt a constant concern for the sick children, especially for their education.
"In Kenya it is possible to find free primary schools, but all high schools, including the public ones, are fee-paying - explains Fr. Charlton -. Their fee is far above the possibilities of these people who cannot improve their condition of life because of their illness, nor are they able to do any kind of work or earn their living. Therefore, in 2003, our school decided to finance 12 children with AIDS for the first year of high school". To help even more the children and young people in this situation, the Jesuit missionary in 2004 opened a school for 25 students. With the support of many people from all over the world, as well as funding from the U.S. government, the school now hosts more than 280 students. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 09/11/2011)
