Linda Gentile Quotations

One woman from the Congo talked about children running wild in the bush, outcast because their parents died of AIDS. She tries to persuade them to take food from her hands...and then, as she goes walking into the bush, she sees these shallow graves where children bury children. She takes them back to her home to give them a proper burial...These are AIDS orphans, children raising children with no values, no direction. What will become of them?

Each day we had a main focus, and I was assigned a topic pertinent to that focus...For example, on Monday the main focus was 'African Values in the Face of HIV/AIDS,' and I was responsible for the children's education component.

They were educated women...In my group, there were some prominent business women, a couple of them were young - 19 to 20 years old - and one was a doctor. Some were from cities, some were tribal.

They value education, they are kind, giving people who would do anything for anybody.

In Africa, education is not free; everybody must pay to go to school. Children alone in the villages cannot do that. You hear of older sisters selling their bodies, not for money but for food for their brothers and sisters...A couple women at the conference were planning to go back and travel from tribe to tribe, offering free education one day a week to the children. Each week it will be a different subject. That is a great idea!

I came home more educated myself with many of my misconceptions corrected. These (African) women are educated, they care and they are trying very hard.