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Community project a world away

Teenagers raise money to help a nation increase its literacy rate.

By ERIC SMITHERS Times Staff Writer
Published October 12, 2007

The literacy rate in Kenya continues to be one of the lowest in the world. Lack of libraries reflect the dismal numbers: 68 percent for males and 58 percent for females, according to the American Friends of Kenya organization.

But the most unlikely candidates - two 16-year-old high school juniors who live a world away - could help change that. Megan Adams and Danielle Rodriguez, who have never been to Africa, are on a mission.

It all started this summer when the Academy of the Holy Names students were working on a community service project for school. They had logged their hours but wanted to further their efforts. They searched online for an organization to work with and were impressed by the programs American Friends of Kenya sponsored.

Their families did background checks on the organization to be safe and, after talking with the executive director, allowed them to create their own fundraising initiative called Literacy Leads to Hope.

Now, the teens are trying to raise $120,000 to help build a library in Thika, Kenya. They will visit the city next summer when they travel to Kenya with a group of 60 people.

Since May, Megan and Danielle have worked tirelessly, raising $40,000 from a benefit held in Coral Gables and from a contribution of $35,000 from a Baptist group in Canada.

Their parents sent a proclamation request to Mayor Pam Iorio's office, which will proclaim Nov. 13 Literacy Leads to Hope Day.

The teens say they are nervous to meet with Iorio but are excited to talk to her about their project. They want her to know how much it means to them.

"Educating people on health and helping to break the cycle of illiteracy, I think that is a big thing," Danielle said.

American Friends of Kenyais a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping schools, hospitals, community libraries, women's shelters, orphanages and other institutions in Kenya, according to its Web site. It was established after a group of Connecticut residents visited Kenya in 2004 and wanted to help improve education and health care in the nation off Africa's east coast.

The group built the Hekima Community Library in 2004 and deemed it a success when positive feedback, such as higher test scores, started to show up.

The teens are trying to create partnerships with schools and other organizations to fund another library as an "education center" for people who are impoverished, in poor health, HIV positive or living in the rural community of Thika.

"There is a lot of attention in Africa right now with the AIDS crisis," Danielle said. "The library already built in 2004 had proven to help the people and educate them and due to that, the AIDS rate actually decreased and that was important to me."

The regional library will serve nearly 1-million people in the Thika area. Shelves, computers, desks and books have already been donated and shipped by a group in Connecticut and are in storage waiting for the structure to be built.

To raise money to build the library structure, Danielle and Megan created an information packet that includes a letter, description of American Friends of Kenya, explanation on ways to contribute and a newsletter titled The Tumaini Times, to hand out to interested donors and schools. Tumaini means hope in Swahili.

The teens also created a Web site and an informational video - all on their own.

Carolyn Adams, Megan's mother, said the families did set aside money to help, but some people have charged the teens at lower rates to keep out-of-pocket fees nominal.

"We do as little as we can because we feel strongly that this is their project," she said.

Another fundraising tool, Danielle designed a rag doll named Tumaini. Citing a lack of "skill with the needle," the teens searched online for someone who could bring the design to life. That's when they found Deb Branson and the Ragged Fence workshop in Illinois.

Each doll is homemade, ensuring there are no two alike. The students sell them for $10 or give them as gifts to anyone who donates $100 of more. They also sell T-shirts with the logo of a young child reading for $5. All proceeds go directly to American Friends of Kenya.

Saturday, Megan and Danielle will take Literacy Leads to Hope to a new level. They will have a private benefit with Grammy Award-winning pianist, singer and songwriter Will Barrow as the special guest.

For Megan, it's a night to educate people on how important this library will be for the people in Thika to survive.

"You don't really think that the gift of literacy can actually save lives but things such as health, nutrition and community conflict are subject to literacy," she said. "You don't realize how much your life is based on reading."

Eric Smithers can be reached at esmithers@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3434.

Fast facts

About Kenya

- Kenya lies across the equator on the east coast of Africa.

- It covers an area of 225,000 square miles, about the size of Texas.

- The estimated population in 2004 was 32,021,856.

Source: Embassy of Kenya, Washington, D.C.

[Last modified October 11, 2007, 07:32:47]