FOUNDING FAF

“You will be hearing from Laura,” started FAF on its way.  These words were spoken to Dorothy Onyango by the  director of the Ford Foundation in East Africa in August, 1998.  I had just met Dorothy who had founded an organization of professional women with HIV/AIDS, Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya, known as WOFAK.

Dorothy was dashing off to a meeting, and my safari van was loading,  but the words rang in my ears.  I was ripe for a challenge.  Only days before I had spend a day and night at a teacher’s home a few miles outside Kisumu, Kenya.  Her husband Patrick had an undiagnosed disease that was making him waste away—perhaps TB.  In the home were two sets of orphan girls—daughter’s of Patrick’s sister and his twins with his first wife.

A row of bright, charming children from the Good Samaritan Home in Nairobi bounced in the seats behind me in the days following the overnight.  They were very excited to be a part of the International Drama Education Association performances that had brought me to Kisusu.  Along with their enthusiasm and joy, their eyes held sorrow.  Margaret, an eleven year old in a frilly pink dress, haunted me with her listless  posture and sad expression.  She sat close to me, touching me whenever she could.

I was in Kenya as a delegate to the congress from the United States where I also presented  a workshop in Performance Art.  As a theatre professor, I went to Africa to learn more about the drama education there.  I was encouraged to see many young troupes using theatre as an educational tool to fight HIV/AIDS.  Since I like to include local elements in my performance art pieces, I purchased scrap textiles from a seamstress at the local market.  I fell in love with the colors and patterns.  These I took back to Michigan along with memories of delightful new friends and a beautiful and troubled land.  Two weeks later I returned to my university, contemplating my coming retirement. 

In Michigan I decided to use the textiles to make linens for Christmas presents.  Friends and family were as charmed as I.  I wondered if others would find items of African fabrics valuable.  A country in need, a population fighting for survival, and a way to raise money for the struggle became a formula for relieving the yawning retirement days I saw before me in 1999. The month after I retired, I founded FAF.

That was eight years ago.  Since that time FAF has grown to eighty members.  Thirty five artists have made items for sale.  We have donated more than $20,000 to our Kenyan agencies.    Progress is being made in fighting AIDS in Kenya.  WOFAK works in all types of prevention and support.  The Good Samaritan Home is now feeding, educating and supporting hundreds of children.  We can’t take the credit for this, but we are doing one small thing.

 Laura Gardner Salazar, Founder