This article came out all over the nation to each employee of Washington Mutual. Over 100 people asked how they could donate to CMIA!!!!
WaMulian Takes Kindness to Kenya By:
Leslie KaulSource: WMFS Communications
Every 14 seconds, a child in sub-Saharan Africa loses a parent to AIDS. This means, in the two minutes it takes you to read this article, another eight children will lose a mother or father.
Licensed Personal Financial Representative Robyn Oldenburg knows these staggering statistics all too well. Every summer for the past few years, she has spent two weeks in Kenya volunteering with an organization that runs three different homes for children affected by the AIDS epidemic.
“Many people picture sick kids, rundown buildings, and a sense of hopelessness in these homes,” Oldenburg explains. “This is true in some areas but not the homes I work in. These kids are happy, well-fed, clothed and schooled. But in order to create this type of environment, it takes money. That’s where we come in.”
Raising the Quality of Life Throughout the yearOldenburg raises the funds needed to keep the children’s homes functioning and the kids healthy. Her grassroots effort includes everything from soliciting businesses and organizations for donations to having a large garage sale each May. Just in the last year alone, she raised enough money to put in a new roof, floor and bathroom at the girls’ home.
“We had enough money remaining to purchase table and chairs so the girls would have a place to eat together and do their homework,” says Oldenburg.
Kisingo, a small school that educates children who can’t afford to purchase the $28 uniform needed to attend public school, also benefited from her generosity. The Feed the Children organization promised to provide daily meals to the students if a kitchen was added to the school.
“I reached out to several organizations and individuals, and within a week we had the $700 needed to build the kitchen.” These students are now guaranteed at least one meal each day.
In addition to raising money for special projects, Oldenburg collects items during the year to bring to the children. This includes schools supplies, clothing, games, and medication.
WaMu Shares the Same ValuesOldenburg says WaMu is a natural fit for her. “The company carries the same values as anyone who reaches out to these children. In fact, many of my WaMu coworkers and customers have given me supplies to take over. One customer got her young sons and their school involved. They bought 150 flip flops for me to take over!”
And her work continues. Oldenburg and her colleagues are now raising money to build a new main home, which will have a special area for the HIV positive children, so they can get the special care, diets and anti-retroviral drugs they need to help manage the disease. Only $33,000 more is needed to break ground on the $150,000 project.
Oldenburg is driven by the love she has for the children and says her work will never be complete. “On a clear night, if you look up at the sky, you will see about 12 million stars. Now picture a child’s face for each one of those stars. That’s how many children have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa alone.
We may not be able to help each child, but we’ll continue doing all we can for 153 of them.”
