Kevin’s Questions – 15 Million Opportunities to Shape the World Study Kit

Kevin Sumba a Spokesperson for AIDS Orphans and subject of the book Kevin’s Questions (Exisle Publishing, 2007) is working with YEAH to connect young Australians...

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Kevin’s story is that of the 15 million children orphaned from HIV/AIDS. Since the age of 10, Kevin Sumba has grown up alone in Kenya, an orphan left behind when both of his parents died from AIDS.

In July 2007 Kevin, with the support of YEAH, visited schools across Sydney and Melbourne. Students had a chance to connect to his story in a real way and personalise the concept that over 15 million young people have stories like Kevin's of growing up alone. "Getting the HIV message to the young" - The Age 01/08/07.

YEAH is launching their new educational kit distributed by Exisle Publishing :-

Kevin’s Questions – 15 Million Opportunities to Shape the World Study Kit

Study Kit Enquiries: Alischa Ross phone (03) 9667 1368 or email Alischa@yeah.org.au

Distribution Enquiries: Tahnee McCrossin phone (02) 4998 3327 or email tahnee@exislepublishing.com

"Questions I have and if I could ask world leaders and government officials and members of the US congress about AIDS are :-"

• What will they do when they realise that in a certain region three-quarters of people have been affected by AIDS?

• What will they do to save the lives of the remaining quarter?
  

• What will they do to ensure that statistics of AIDS do not rise further in such a region.
  

• How and what responsibilities will they take to ensure those affected live longer and lead a normal life full of happiness and not sorrow and suffering?
  

• What responsibility will they take to ensure that those left do not suffer much, especially orphans?
  

• How can they create AIDS awareness to areas where people are illiterate and believe that AIDS does not exist but is caused by breaking of taboos?
  

• Most people with AIDS are always neglected and feared because people believe that if you associate with them you can be affected. Orphans left behind suffer more because nobody cares for them and those taken by relatives as guardians are mistreated as some are forced into early marriages, especially girls, while boys are sent to work or to be street children.
  

• I am curious to know about other teenagers of my age in other countries because we share a lot in common in that we orphans do not have parental love, we are lonely and distressed most of the time. I suppose teenagers in England, France and America also go through similar experience, and I care very much as we are one.
  

• What I would like to be done for me to make life better is that I be provided with all basic needs, which I lack most, and especially education and learning materials. Like textbooks.
  

• Ideas I had on how to make the world a better place especially for those who suffer, departed and the needy is to help them overcome their suffering by providing them with basic need they lack.
  

• What I feel in my heart now is that I am relieved of some suffering and I am happy about it and hope it will be much better.

Kevin’s Questions, written by internationally acclaimed film director Miles Roston, is the story of the global devastation faced by the 15 million children orphaned by HIV and in particular the story of one child, Kevin Sumba and his own quest to survive alone from the age of ten, educating himself and still making the difference.

Together YEAH and Kevin hope this book & study guide kit along with Kevin’s travel to Australia will give young people here, a real way to connect to the all too common story of children orphaned by AIDS.

This project has been made possible due to the generous support of Fouress Foundation.