I met Calvin Knight in Kampala, Uganda where we were housemates in 2003 in the Visions in Actions program. Me a photojournalist contributing my skill to the Monitor and some NGO's and Calvin 
taking his experience as a High School teacher in Canada to design some new education materials for the Education Ministry in in Uganda.My housemates and I quickly learned that Calvin was a guy who not only searches for more way to make friends out of almost anyone he meets, but hungers to make a difference in which ever way he can for his friends and for the people around him.
At least once a week, (or was it more?) he began running an after-school (after his day-job) activities program for kids in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kampala, Uganda.
He took that to the next step, single-handedly organizing a Kampala Kids Day, to educate and entertain these kids with help from ALL of his friends and the Ndere TroupTheatre. I'm not sure who had more fun the Troup, the friends or the kids, but is was an unforgettable event that truly made a difference to these kids.Once he returned home to Toronto, after his year-long stay, he found a way to share this experience and make an even greater difference to those kids as well as other kids in Lira, a town in the north that is only now beginning the very long road of recovery from war.
He figured out a way to not only make Kids Day annual, but to start another project to make for a lighter work load to some folks in need in Lira.
He founded Kirabu.
This year, for the month of July, Calvin and his Kirabu crew will descend upon Uganda not only to run some fun programs for kids in Lira and Kampala, but to lend a hand to the reconstruction of the Almond Secondary School in Lira
"The school educates and boards over 400 children each year, many of whom are orphans and all of whom have been affected by war and poverty."
The crew also has the chance to develop an understanding of what the region has been through under 20 years of war which included rebel use of child soldiers.
The program not only makes a difference for the kids but aims to create an ever growing group of people committed to helping improve the lives of others.
It is a true exchange that benefits everyone involved.
Don't forget to make your contribution to visually documenting Kirabu's important work so they can move even more folks to join their effort.Click on the Paypal button at left and make a contribution today.
We can't get there without your help,
You can find even more info about what Clavin and his crew will be doing in Juy at the site, http://www.kirabocanada.ca/.
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