Saunsuray and Alexandra are two of UNICEF’s young humanitarian activists. Their mission is to make young people of the world aware of the devastation AIDS has inflicted on the African continent

 

Sixteen-year-old Saunsuray and nineteen-year-old Alexandra Muis d'Entremont Govere grew up in an impoverished Zimbabwean village. The AIDS scourge had reached their little community and the disease had orphaned many of their playmates.

The girls, who considered themselves blessed to have healthy parents, were deeply affected by what was happening. So in 2001 – aged nine and twelve - they started the Kijana Project to help children orphaned by AIDS.

This brought them to the attention of UNESCO and Alexandra was invited to attend the UNESCO-Disney Millennium Dreamer Ambassador Awards ceremony. There she came into contact with other young people who, like herself, were working to improve their communities around the world. They got on so well some decided to join her on the Kijana project.

The Kijana Project collects and ships clothing, toys and school supplies to various African countries. An arts supply drive was another of Saunsuray and Alexandra’s initiatives. They wrote grant proposals, not only on behalf of their Kijana Project, but also for other projects needing financial assistance. They also collaborated with organizations such as Taking It Global and Youth Venture.

When Saunsuray and Alexandra heard of a ten-year old boy in a North Carolina hospital dying of AIDS, they started a campaign to get young people around the world e-mailing and sending him cards. Knowing that before he died he was inundated with messages of love has made them very happy.

Sending thirty-five HIV/AIDS education videos to medical personnel throughout Africa was another source of pride and satisfaction, as was having a song composed and recorded by members of the Kijana Project played at the 2006 International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada.

Inspiring other youth to follow in their footsteps is central to their mission. It’s slow work, but so far they’ve acted as advisers to twenty young people setting up projects of their own.

Although the Kijana Project has over one hundred members, many are not active. As an incentive, Saunsuray and Alexandra give out Active-Member Awards and arrange for the winners to make media appearances.

Another problem they have is with adults failing to take them seriously. To combat this the sisters regularly post news about their activities, as well as speaking at as many adult events as they can.

But their hard work and dedication is paying off. The Kijana Project has now received the support of the Stanford-Harvard Quest Scholars program and Youth Venture.

And Saunsuray and Alexandra’s message to all those young people who want to make a difference is: 'You can do it!'