Mr. Speaker, this summer, I travelled to Kenya, Africa with a group from Grande Prairie to witness the devastating effects that a worsening drought was having on the population.
It was clear that the most vulnerable people in these dry conditions were the children, especially those children who have been orphaned as a result of HIV-AIDS. The only hope for many of these children is to find a place of refuge and a place like the Mully's Children's Home.
There is no water anywhere and, as we all know, without water things die, the crops die, animals die, trees die and eventually the people die.
In response to the need for water, a group of 12 volunteers from my community have set out to raise $300,000. The city of Grande Prairie and area have been tremendously supportive. We have over 26 schools, 8 churches and 3 restaurants involved in the “Milk it for Mully” fundraising campaign. We also have countless other people involved in three other fundraising events.
I want to thank all of the volunteers of the schools, the churches, the businesses, the kids, the local media and the donors for their ongoing support. Together we can restore hope for the orphans of Kenya.