Page 106 - PINE CREST 2015

I
1 1 ■ ■ ■ ell me about your experiences in Global Encounters.” adversity that I’ve never even had to think of facing. It’s really humbling.”
Aly smiles, a brightness emerging in his eyes as When asked about his favorite memory, he recalls: “The kids had a
he sits down and starts to speak. He eagerly recounts whole show to put on for us, with acrobatics and dancing... It was just crazy
his summer in the Kenyan mountains at the Children’s that these kids, going through everything that they were going through,
Garden Home much like he would remember an old took the time to rehearse a show for us... The thought that they could be so
friend. Most notably in his conversation is the absence of pity; instead uplifting and so happy in spite of what they’re going through was inspiring.”
he makes it clear that he is the one who deserves to be thankful. Upon leaving the home, Aly’s experiences triggered something
After a rigorous application process, Aly in him and two of his peers, a desire and a
and 60 other teens took off for Kenya through a “WE WANT TO HUMANIZE need to give back. After long discussions and

program for Ismaili Muslim teens entitled Global careful thinking, the Global Garden Project
Encounters. “On the first day we were really, THESE KIDS...WE WANT was born. A major component of Aly’s service
really nervous; we weren’t really sure what to in particular is getting bracelets and necklaces
expect. We didn’t imagine that the kids would care THEM TO BE SEEN AS crafted and made by the orphans to earn money
much about a few teenagers because of everything that can be used for development at the home.
they were going through.” What they got was INTELLIGENT STUDENTS” Another large part of their work is spreading
the Children’s Garden Home, an orphanage awareness about the experiences of the residents
that serves as a home to about 100 orphans and a school to another 200 of the home. “We want to humanize these kids, not just have people
children who commute daily from nearby slums. Many of the residents see them as orphans in Kenya. We want them to be seen as intelligent
of Children’s Garden Home come from troubled backgrounds where they students that are making the most of the conditions that they live in.”
may not have had parents or healthy family relations. Teaching classes And the end goal for the project? “A Pine Crest-like environment
to fifth graders, Aly realized: “I think most of us are ignorant, as much at the home, and eventually a worldwide network of teens working towards
as we pretend that we’re not, of what’s going on outside our world... A similar goals on local and international scales. I know it’s going to be hard, but
lot of people, specifically these kids across the world, are going through in the end, if we can make a positive impact on people’s lives, isn’t it worth it?”

STORY I LINDSEY BORNSTEIN
Giving back, Aly Lakhan and his Global Garden
Project transform fhe lives of impoverished
Kenyan sfudenfs.
I
I