44. Thomas Nyawir - Africa's Biggest Slum Was His Home. Now it is His CALLING!

Kibera is now Africa's biggest slum with over 1,000,000 residents who earn less than US$2 per day. A family of 7, might live in 9-12 sq metres floorspace that is encased by corrugated iron walls and a leaking roof. Such families, all know Thomas Nyawir. If they knew of Mother Teresa, then surely, they would see Thomas as her brother.

He, with his wife Judy, are the Founders of The Mirror of Hope, an outstanding charitable organization that sponsors Kiberian children through quality Primary, Secondary and Tertiary education. At time of writing, nearly 130 children are active beneficiaries. In addition, the Mirror of Hope's SILC PROJECT supports women living in Kibera, most of whom as the primary or sole breadwinners are also HIV diagnosed. Through Thomas inspired projects, these women are equipped with micro finances and business skills to create a visionary exit for a new beginning.

When Thomas walks through the slum, the community rises. He has a Nelson Mandela status amongst his people, and they are his people for Thomas himself was once part of the community. He, however, was a fortunate one, whose innate talents were recognised by a wealthy visitor who sponsored Thomas out of the slum and into a new existence. For Thomas, this is a Pay-it Forward vocation. For the residents he is their way forward.

A JOURNEY WITH BERNIE has been blessed with Thomas and Judy's friendship for 12 years now, perhaps longer. Annually, Thomas welcomed 40 to 90 Australian school children to East Africa and gave them an education about the Kiberian world that only few of them realised existed. Some of the experiences had by our Aussie students is now legendary. The visit to the resident's homes was enough to ignite the quality of gratefulness permanently, while the teaming with their Kiberian peers to form a choir and then three days later lay down their own version of WE ARE THE WORLD has become a life memory. (Watch this!)

Rarely, has A JOURNEY WITH BERNIE been so privileged to welcome a man whose career and life has been so defined by love in action. It is not possible to put into words what you will learn from this episode, except to say that it comes from a source that very few people on this planet will ever know.

Thomas Nyawir +254 722 813 063    www.facebook.com/mirrorofhopecbo/
Bernie Kelly +61 412 982 444    [email protected]