The St. Kizito Foundation

March 20, 2010

Holy Spirit Church was alive with all the joy and revelry of two very spirited cultures on Saturday March 20th.  Foods with an Irish and African flair mixed with good old American treats,.  And the entertainment was excellent - we were blessed with the beautiful voice and music of Lorene Coughlin and her Irish repertoire, along with some drumming and singing by our African friends. Many friends were made! 

A big thank you to all who attended and all who helped make the evening special!

October 3, 2009

The first annual St. Kizito Celebration of Life took place on October 3, 2009.  This fundraising dinner was a celebration of all that is good in our St. Kizito community - the joys of being one big family even though we live in seemingly different worlds.  Guests toured our newly opened office, where photos and information about St. Kizito Foundation and our kids were displayed.  Handicrafts made by our students were also available,and very popular.  But most importantly, we enjoyed each other's company  - and of course some dancing, because no Ugandan celebration is complete without it.  While we were not able to bring authentic Ugandan dancers to Wickliffe for the evening, we were blessed with the talents of the Savelli Triple Threat Dancers, who were just as lively and inspiring as our friends in Africa!   The evening was very enjoyable and successful, and we will be announcing the date for next year's celebration soon. 

July 11th, 2009

On July 11, in Gulu, Uganda, the St. Kizito family from both hemispheres gathered together at the Counseling Centre for a celebration in appreciation of each other.  Nearly 500 people including students and their families, staff, and friends from near and far came together for the day.  We shared a wonderful chicken dinner, complete with a beautiful cake for dessert.  And we adhered to the commonly held philosophy that "life is too short" by eating the cake first!  Both the chicken and the cake are rare treats, made possible by some of our generous donors.  It was enjoyed to the fullest!

No Ugandan event is complete without dancing and music, and our day was no exception.  St. Kizito scholars provided traditional entertainment in the form of dancing thorughtout the day.  And a few uncoordinated Americans even joined in the fun!  Many of the students took some time to create artwork for us as well.  The talent and the appreciation is abundant in our young students.  

Another joyful moment in our celebration day was the baptism of one of our first students.  Donald became one of the first St.kizito scholars when he was in high school, but has now completed his Bachelors degre and is working on a Masters.  He was baptized at a mass held during our gathering, with manyof the members of his St. Kizito family present.  It was a happy event for all of us.