Donation protected
Two years ago, I traveled to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro on the Tanzanian-Kenyan border. As I spent my two weeks in this amazing region of the world, I fell in love with the culture, the history, and the resounding spirit of everyone that I met – from guides to headmasters, from students to artists. I promised myself I would come back one summer in college, finding two years later I still could not get that place out of my mind. As a Duke freshman, the promise I made to myself two years ago kept ringing in my head.
This summer, I have the privilege of traveling to Kenya for a 3-week internship with Carolina for Amani, a branch of the greater Amani Children's Foundation. The foundation sponsors "New Life Homes" across four cities in Kenya, with children aging from infants to 18 years of age. Through infant, toddler, and family homes, New Life successfully matches children with families both in Kenya and abroad, and the adoption rate of 95% between the ages of 1-3 years old serves as a testament to their success. This internship brings together students, administrators, with orphaned and abandoned children, fostering strong relationships and creating a trans-Atlantic family.
The program focuses on many of the legal aspects of adopting a child in Kenya. Everyday, children are abandoned in the busy streets of Nairobi and beyond. Policies are kept strict in an effort to combat child trafficking across borders - for years Kenya has been closed off to international adoption, reopening its doors to prospective global families for the first time in the last month. New Life interns work with staff to organize and put together adoption files, compile psychosocial reports based on their day-to-day interactions, and photograph the lives of these children so that their future families may catch a glimpse of the true personalities they are bringing into their new families.
I am enamored with anthropologic photography, with the interaction of global populations, especially children, and with exploring the world. During my time in Kenya, I have been chosen to spearhead the photographic and journalistic aspects of the larger internship program. Taking on a different role than the rest of the interns, I will be doing both legal and familial documentation of the children, as well as updating the profiles of the children's caregivers to better encapsulate the environment for prospective families. By putting together portfolios across the four cities - Nairobi, Nyeri, Kisimu, and Nakuru - I hope that my work will fully capture the spirit of these amazing kids. I am confident my work will allow parents to cherish memories of their children in future years, and will help them fall further in love. My photography will also perform a critical function by ensuring that families are united with the children they intend to adopt. In becoming a New Life intern, I am embracing all three of my passions in a single experience. I am lucky enough to call myself the first Duke undergrad accepted to this program, and could not be more excited to spend a portion of my summer with this group.
In addition to the internship, when I return, I have committed to raise $1000 over the next year to help continue the operation of the New Life Homes so that I may help contribute to the incredible work they do saving lives and connecting children to incredible Kenyan and internationally based families. My goal is to raise $3,500 so that I can fund my trip for this summer, and jump start my campaign for the coming year. I can't stress enough how every donation is BEYOND appreciated by all!!
I cannot tell you enough how thankful I am for y'all's support, and I can't wait to update everyone from my journey this summer.
Thanks so much again!!
With love,
Katie
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To find out more about the foundation and the New Life Homes, please visit the below websites:
http://www.newlifehometrust.org
http://campus-y.unc.edu/committees/education-youth-development/carolina-amani
As well, check out my photojournalism website / blog at www.languageofserendipity.com for further updates.
This summer, I have the privilege of traveling to Kenya for a 3-week internship with Carolina for Amani, a branch of the greater Amani Children's Foundation. The foundation sponsors "New Life Homes" across four cities in Kenya, with children aging from infants to 18 years of age. Through infant, toddler, and family homes, New Life successfully matches children with families both in Kenya and abroad, and the adoption rate of 95% between the ages of 1-3 years old serves as a testament to their success. This internship brings together students, administrators, with orphaned and abandoned children, fostering strong relationships and creating a trans-Atlantic family.
The program focuses on many of the legal aspects of adopting a child in Kenya. Everyday, children are abandoned in the busy streets of Nairobi and beyond. Policies are kept strict in an effort to combat child trafficking across borders - for years Kenya has been closed off to international adoption, reopening its doors to prospective global families for the first time in the last month. New Life interns work with staff to organize and put together adoption files, compile psychosocial reports based on their day-to-day interactions, and photograph the lives of these children so that their future families may catch a glimpse of the true personalities they are bringing into their new families.
I am enamored with anthropologic photography, with the interaction of global populations, especially children, and with exploring the world. During my time in Kenya, I have been chosen to spearhead the photographic and journalistic aspects of the larger internship program. Taking on a different role than the rest of the interns, I will be doing both legal and familial documentation of the children, as well as updating the profiles of the children's caregivers to better encapsulate the environment for prospective families. By putting together portfolios across the four cities - Nairobi, Nyeri, Kisimu, and Nakuru - I hope that my work will fully capture the spirit of these amazing kids. I am confident my work will allow parents to cherish memories of their children in future years, and will help them fall further in love. My photography will also perform a critical function by ensuring that families are united with the children they intend to adopt. In becoming a New Life intern, I am embracing all three of my passions in a single experience. I am lucky enough to call myself the first Duke undergrad accepted to this program, and could not be more excited to spend a portion of my summer with this group.
In addition to the internship, when I return, I have committed to raise $1000 over the next year to help continue the operation of the New Life Homes so that I may help contribute to the incredible work they do saving lives and connecting children to incredible Kenyan and internationally based families. My goal is to raise $3,500 so that I can fund my trip for this summer, and jump start my campaign for the coming year. I can't stress enough how every donation is BEYOND appreciated by all!!
I cannot tell you enough how thankful I am for y'all's support, and I can't wait to update everyone from my journey this summer.
Thanks so much again!!
With love,
Katie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To find out more about the foundation and the New Life Homes, please visit the below websites:
http://www.newlifehometrust.org
http://campus-y.unc.edu/committees/education-youth-development/carolina-amani
As well, check out my photojournalism website / blog at www.languageofserendipity.com for further updates.
Organizer
Katie Nelson
Organizer
Atlanta, GA