Projects
The Beginning
The genesis of Milele the musical group was undoubtedly
egotistical. Milele was making music for its sake without any viable direction or outcome.The band had forgotten about the Parable of the Talents which speaks
on the reality that it is not just
what you have in your hand that is important but rather, what
you do with what you are holding. Milele had been given the means. What
then could be a just, transformational end? It is with these
thoughts in mind that Milele transformed into an organization
whose function was to be a vehicle for greater good.
Africa in general, Kenya in particular has
been crippled by HIV and AIDS. The statistics are staggering
and the situation seems to be getting worse. The ones that
suffer the most are the children whose parents have died
of this deadly disease. James 1:27 says that "Religion
that is pure and faultless in the sight of God is this: to
take care of orphans and widows in their suffering, and to
keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
When the desire to do something tangible
for humanity was placed in Milele, it was evident that
it had to be something relating to the global AIDS crisis
that is decimating our people. And where better to start
than Milele's country of origin, Kenya.
Milele Family
Homes
Milele as a musical group and humanitarian organization
has embarked upon the Milele Family Homes Project in light
of the vast number of children who have been and continue
to become deserted by the loss of their parents. This exciting
project has given us an avenue to resource all the active,
resourceful, influential and informed people we have interacted
with over the years through or music and our travel. The
way we have chosen to channel our energies and utilize our
contacts, has been to rally people together around the cause
and bring awareness, prayer and support around our project
in order to ensure its success.
What is the Milele Family Homes Project?
The philosophy behind the Milele Family Homes Project is
to bring together people to create families during a time
when the family unit is under threat. There are a large proportion
of children who have no love, parental guidance or support
and therefore face a future filled with obstacles. It is
our aim to dispel the stigmatization of institutionalized
care of orphaned children by promoting this holistic approach.
The Milele Family Homes Project aims to unite orphaned children
with adoptive parents. These newly formed families will be
given residential homes to live in which will be located in
average, safe and pleasant neighborhoods where children who
would have normally been living and struggling in the depths
of poverty and isolation will be able to lead regular lives,
interact with other children, be valued and invested in as
integral assets for the future.
The Milele Family Homes Project is a new movement in the
realm of foster care in Kenya which we aim will grow to benefit
other African nations who are facing the same challenges.
Our goal is to produce a generation of families that would
have otherwise not existed and a generation of leaders who
have not been stolen by AIDS. By beginning with a small number
of families, we will create models to demonstrate how simple
it can be to bridge the gap between stable families and orphans
through bringing these communities together under one roof.
As this movement grows, it is our prayer that it would generate
more high-quality foster care programs.
Facts and Figures – what is the need?
AIDS has continued to escalate the level of poverty by ensuring
the demise of the productive generation, leaving behind young
children or elderly people who cannot provide for even their
most basic needs. The statistics are staggering:
- Nairobi has 3 million inhabitants
- 55% of Nairobi inhabitants are below the poverty level
- 65% of Nairobi lives in slums
- 70% of Kenyans are under 30 years old
- 2.7 Million people are HIV positive, from a population
of 30 Million
- 700 Kenyans die every day from AIDS-related causes
- Over 3 million children in Kenya have been orphaned by
AIDS
AIDS has killed more than the equivalent of the entire city
of Nairobi in only a decade.
The Parents
We recognize that foster care is a new and radical concept
for most families. We recognize that families will be unlikely
to make immediate lifetime commitments to a child. Therefore,
we have partnered with Homeless Children International – Kenya who
have a short-term foster care program for their youth. Through
HCI-Kenya’s leadership program, we will be able to
place children in foster homes for a period of a month over
the school holidays. Families will have the opportunity to
seek this trial period of foster care to evaluate their level
of commitment.
We have partnered with Oasis Counseling Center in
Nairobi, the local branch of Oasis Africa who will assist
us in screening candidates who are nominating themselves
to be prospective adoptive parents. A rigorous and extensive
screening process will be conducted to ensure that we give
responsibility to those who are able and dedicated. Oasis
Africa will also provide training seminars regarding parenting
and child development to chosen candidates.
The Houses
In collaboration with Infeneon Holdings,
we are excited to be able to use a new technology that enables
the building of an average family home within 15 days. This
panel technology involves paneling with pre-set plumbing
and electricity being filled with a quick drying building
material known as Moladi Chem. The panels are then removed
within 10 hours to reveal the structure of a home. This will
enable us to provide homes with the requirement of less time
and less money.
The Children
We have partnered with Shepherd Homes in
Nairobi. They currently house approximately 42 children and
have a backlog of 300 children on their waiting list. They
will assist us in finding and placing children according
to their level of need. As we expand our outreach we will
be able to assist increasing numbers of children.
The Cost
To fully finance a Milele Family Home, a sum of approximately
$ 25,000.00 is required. This involves the building of a
new three-bedroom home, the basic furnishings and supplies
of the home and the parental screening process. We aim to
open the first Milele Family Home in December. With progress
made, we aim to provide a way in which these families can
exist and be self-sustaining.
Partnerships and self-sustainability
Each family that comes together under one roof to exist
and thrive as a unit will need a means of longevity and renewed
strength. We will be ensuring that an individual home will
be partnered with an organization, church or individual who
after assessing the skills and capabilities of the families
will provide means of support to ensure the well being and
financial security of the family.
It is our intention to be linked with any single Milele Family
home for a period of four years in which time we would have
established an income generating venture that allows the family
to stand independently. This will allow us to focus on increasing
our outreach to new homes and new families.
How can I help?
There are several different ways of getting involved with the Milele Family Homes
Project
- The first and most important is prayer.
We recognize that prayer is the single most important thing
you can do to help us and that your support and warmth in
this way will assist us in gathering strength to achieve
our goals.
- Secondly, you can partner with us financially.
The assistance you offer has helped us achieve great things
in the past and has gone a long way in ensuring life-long
hope in the lives of those who would have otherwise been
in need and despair.
Milele is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.
All donations are tax deductible. You may give through
either a one
time gift or by becoming a monthly donor (contact
us).
We
appeal to you for support and assistance. It is empowering
that we find ourselves immersed in blessings and we are
able to lend a hand. There is no better time to take action
than now.
- Thirdly, you may help us by promoting the Milele
Family Homes Project by spreading the word to
other ministries, churches, companies and organizations.
We can make visits and possibly create mutually beneficial
partnerships.
- Lastly, you may support us by coming with us
on a mission
trip to Kenya. We are in the process of planning
our next trip. For more information about this contact info@milele.com or
call us at: 626.488.6406
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Just how bad is the international AIDS Crisis?
AIDS is the biggest public health problem the world
has ever faced. It has already surpassed the bubonic plague,
which wiped out twenty-five million people - one quarter
of Europe's population at the time. An estimated three million
peole die each year from AIDS, a death toll that has been
compared to twenty fully loaded 747s crashing every single
day for a year.
AIDS has now spread to every country in the world. In most cases, the rate of infection and death is increasing rapidly. Although the highest number of infected people live in Africa, countries in Asia are showing a rapid rate of growth. Reported AIDS cases are rising so swiftly in China and India that they could eventually eclipse the numbers in Africa.
AIDS typically infects people in the prime of life, depriving children of their parents, and communities of their most productive workers. In some countries more than one-third of the population is infected, effectively wiping out an entire generation.
Since many people are HIV positive for years without showing symptoms, no one really knows the magnitude of the problem. Most people in poorer countries are never tested, and many that die of AIDS-related infections are officially listed as succumbing to tuberculosis or malaria in order to keep their families from being stigmatized.
Most estimates show the rate of infections and death growing at a high rate at least until 2010, even with aggressive worldwide interventions. Experts from various disciplines agree that the problems associated with AIDS will dominate the entire twenty-first century.
Excerpt from "The skeptics guide to the Global AIDS Crisis" by Dale Hanson Bourke
Websites with more information on AIDS:
AVERT DATA UNAIDS
UNICEF WHO World
Bank
World Vision NIH CDC
Why don't you partner with other organizations that are doing something with AIDS awareness or prevention or even orphanages?
We are actually doing that at the moment working with
over nine different organizations most of whom have something
to do with AIDS. The other thing is AIDS is such a major
crisis that there isn't one organization that can do it all.
All of us have to do something no matter how small or little.
Why don't you get a big house and put more than five kids, isn't your end result to help as many kids as possible?
One of the biggest problems of AIDS orphanages is the
fact that they are institutionalized. We would like to try
and give these kids a normal way of growing up and that is
why we want to buy homes in normal and regular communities
where these kids will have other friends and just hang out
with other kids.
Will the kids go to school?
We are in partnership with Dayspring Junior Academy
which is a Christian, private school where the kids will
attend.
How do you determine what kids to take and where do you find them?
In partnering with Dayspring Junior Academy, Oasis Africa and The Shepherd's Home,
we will be able to identify the kids that have the greatest
needs and those are the ones we will start out with. Of course
the more homes that we have the more kids we can take in.
How can I partner with Milele?
Here are ways to help.
For more questions on AIDS in Africa or the Milele
Children's Homes please email your questions to info@milele.com
or call us at 626.488.6406.
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