St Charles Church .org   News & Events Faith & Sacraments Ministries Volunteer Search/Help Contact Us

AIDS Outreach: Africa

This Ministry reaches out to support some of the estimated 13 million orphans and vulnerable children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic ravaging Sub-Saharan Africa. Simultaneously, we strive to create opportunities for our fellow parishioners to learn more about HIV/AIDS while they contribute to addressing the needs of affected children and communities. See our April 2006 brochure! [Caveat: these are rather large PDF files.] Page 1 (971 KB) Page 2 (597 KB)

For information on our ministry, contact: Carol Lynn Gulino, Co-chair clgulino@hotmail.com (703) 328-1560 Karen Kasmauski, Co-chair K.Kasmauski@verizon. net (703) 241-7520 Gail Goodridge, Kenya Ministry ggoodridge@fhi.or.ke 254-20-271-3913

Purpose of the AIDS Outreach: Africa ministry

Our Ministry has the following objectives:

• Increase our community's awareness of the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on families in Africa through educational and promotional events



• Provide our parishioners with concrete opportunities to provide moral and financial support to affected families through the efforts of Catholic organizations implementing community empowerment and development strategies in Africa



• Conduct fund raising activities to support selected projects of our Catholic partner organizations in Africa



• Make personal contact through the good will of our community members who visit African countries or who work in African communities

The Problem

In 2004, Kenya alone estimated that it had 670,000 children living in the country who had been orphaned due to HIV-related deaths.

Many orphans are themselves infected with HIV. Many others are not. But they all need a lot of help.

Our Approach

Our Ministry supports small, achievable interventions that make a real impact in the lives of children and communities.

In Kenya, our partner, the Medical Missionaries of Mary (MMM), provides community based healthcare, with a strong emphasis on the development of women, care of persons living with AIDS, support for AIDS orphans and the prevention of the spread of HIV. MMM runs the Riara AIDS Project (RAP) in Nairobi. RAP caregivers address the pain and tragedy HIV/AIDS causes, especially to children in Kibera, an urban slum that is home to one third of Nairobi’s population.

While nothing can replace the love of parents who have died, a loving, supportive team of caring professionals, like those of MMM, can do a lot to help the little one face life.

Activities To Date:

St. Charles Borromeo AIDS Outreach: Africa Ministry has sponsored the following RAP activities:

• A psychological support program for RAP caregivers, designed to reduce burnout
• A program to increase the effectiveness of teachers who work with AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in the Kibera slum
• Sponsorship for primary school students -paying for their school fees, uniforms, books and pens
• Micro-credit to market women
• After-school recreation program

Our Direct Connection

Personal involvement of our parishioners is a key element of our ministry. St. Charles Parish has a direct, on-site contact with the Riara AIDS Project (RAP) in Nairobi, Kenya. Gail Goodridge, a St. Charles parishioner and ministry leader moved to Kenya for work and was able to identify RAP as the first project to receive our support.

How You Can Get Involved

The AIDS Outreach: Africa Ministry encourages all levels of involvement. In Africa, we support the Riara AIDS Project, but at home we also work to educate our own community of St. Charles. Ways to participate include:

• Join the ministry!
• Help organize and run educational or fund-raising events
• Attend educational and/or fundraising events
• Help fund AIDS Outreach: Africa Ministry activity through your donations (contributions by check can be made any Sunday through the St. Charles collection basket by indicating “AIDS Outreach: Africa” on the memo line