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Pen pal program helps children

February 5, 2008

Theater freshman Mariette Strauss writes a letter to her pen pal from Africa following Monday night’s Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience, or MRULE, meeting in Brody Hall. This was Strauss —

Photo by Karen Cassidy | The State News

After meeting three South African orphans whose mother died from AIDS more than a year ago, Kevin Kuehn started writing letters to the siblings.

“(When I was in South Africa) I met and fell in love with three children,” the interdisciplinary studies in social science, history and education senior said. “It was the most emotionally overwhelming experience of my life.”

One of Kuehn’s pen pals, 5-year-old Qapho Zulu, keeps a photo of him beside her bed. The relationship they have fostered after writing for about five months is life changing, he said.

Kuehn and about 20 Multi-Racial Unity Living Experience, or MRULE, students have been writing letters to orphans and children in South Africa.

Kuehn, an MRULE student leader, was one of the original students who helped launch the pen pal program in November 2006.

He traveled to South Africa in May 2007 on a study abroad trip with 25 other students to visit the children.

MRULE co-founder Jeanne Gazel, who also is the co-founder of a nonprofit orphan care support network in South Africa, helps pair MRULE students with children.

Gazel said her inspiration for the pen-pal program came from her work with MRULE and the significance of building relationships with others.

“The most important thing used to solve a problem is a genuine relationship,” she said.

The majority of children who participate in the pen-pal program have family members who died from AIDS, Kuehn said.

“It’s difficult to get hit with the news you’re getting to know kids who potentially have a disease,” he said.

Studio art freshman Danielle Dobbs said she became involved with the pen-pal program after watching a video featuring MRULE students on study abroad and South African orphans.

“They really looked like they needed our help,” she said.

Dobbs has sent one letter to each of her pen pals — three sisters, ages 16, 10 and 6.

The pen-pal program strives to send letters every two months and Gazel personally delivers and receives students’ letters.

Journalism senior Jahshua Smith, who has been involved with MRULE for more than two years, also participated in the pen-pal program.

Smith said he wanted to help children through a program that would allow him to see a positive change firsthand.

“You never know where the money for the kids in those commercials is going,” he said. “With (the pen-pal program), you know your time and work is going to a good cause.”

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