Heather M. Burke
Basic Information 
- Status: Found, last updated October 6, 2006
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Prior School: Groveton
- Senior Photo: See full size
- Email: Yes (see form below)
- 1986 Yearbook entry:
Heather Mary Burke: Heath, Heathie, Teddy, Wendy, Heathery, HBO, Soccer (9), Cheerleader (9), Band (9), French Club (9-11), Keyettes (10-12), Tiger Rag (11), The Wire (12), Ski Club, SADD, float committee, Lipstix, Plster Club, OC Crunch Bunch, SOHO, Waiting for Mary Club, My Dad's the Best Club, Sharing Organization (Pres.), Salem Crew. Quote: "There's a shadow hanging over me, oh yesterday came so suddenly." -- Beatles -- "Life I love you, all is groovy." -- Simon and Garfunkel --
Bio 
October 6, 2006
I hope this finds you all doing well. It has been interesting to follow the lives and careers of so many of you through the fantastic website that Ray has developed for our reunion. I had hoped to be able to return for the reunion, but I recently adopted a baby girl here who cannot yet leave the country.
I would like your help in contributing school fees for children living in the slums of Kibera (Kenya). I am based in Kenya where I work for the CDC as an epidemiologist. I do infectious disease work, much of which takes place in Kibera, so I know it quite well and am in a position to make sure any funds we raise are appropriately targeted to reach children in need. This is an opportunity for the Class of ’86 to make a real difference in the lives of high school students who would not otherwise be able to afford to go to school at all.
Here’s a little background on Kibera, outside the capital city of Nairobi. Kibera is the largest contiguous slum in Africa. Up to 800,000 people live in an area of about two square kilometers (approximately half the size of Manhattan’s Central Park). Most families share a single room where food is cooked on a hotplate outside. There is no safe drinking water for Kibera residents. I have yet to find a family who has not at one point or another lost a child due to the simplest of illnesses to treat (diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria).
While there are good schools near Kibera, the average Kenyan cannot afford to send their child to school, as fees are prohibitively high beyond primary school. However, Kibera is a community filled with parents who, like the rest of us, want their children to go to school and have good lives. I have worked all over the world and in many poverty- stricken places, but I find Kibera the most fulfilling place to work. The community is really extraordinary.
I’ve identified an NGO called Kenya Education Fund, http://www.kenyaeducationfund.org. The founder of the NGO is Bradley Broder, a former Kenya Peace Corps volunteer now working in NYC. His NGO allows Americans to donate money to support school fees for children in Kenya. All donations are tax deductible. In my opinion, there is no better legacy we as the class of ’86 could leave after twenty years than to help other children gain access to an education.
We were all fortunate to go to good high schools, which helped prepare us for whatever paths we have taken in our lives. In Kibera, education is even more of a lifeline to a brighter future. When one person has a good education, his or her whole family benefits. To give young students such a powerful life-changing gift is a legacy I believe would make us feel so proud. With the funds that we raise, I will identify one or more bright students to sponsor. I will provide information about the recipients of our scholarship gift and their progress to any of you who are interested.
Becky Scoville Timothy has volunteered to facilitate this at our reunion. Coincidentally she also has spent quite a bit of time in Kenya and has a strong affinity for the people of Kenya and this project. We will be providing more information about the Kenya Education Fund at the reunion. If you are interested in contributing Becky will be accepting donations at the Saturday evening event as well as the Sunday family picnic.
You may also donate through the Kenya Education fund website (designate WPHS). Or please write your check to Kenya Education Fund and write WPHS on the memo line. Mail it to: Kenya Education Fund, 360 E. 72nd Street #3405, New York, NY 10021.
And of course there is a standing invitation for anyone interested in visiting Kenya to come stay at my place and visit Kibera! Thanks so very much for your interest and participation in this project. Have a great time at the reunion.
Sincerely yours,
Heather Burke
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