Helping African kids soothes dad's heart

When Reed Cowan traveled to Kenya in late April, he thought he was going to lift the spirits of a deprived community by giving them two schools and a water-treatment facility.

By the time he left, however, it was Cowan who felt he was returning home with a far greater gift then what he gave them.

Cowan, a reporter for KTVX who will be leaving Utah by the end of the month to take a new job in Florida, traveled to Kenya after raising enough money to build two schoolhouses and to stock the libraries. The schools were dedicated and named in honor of Cowan's 4-year-old son, Wesley, who died in a tragic accident on a backyard swing set on April 23, 2006.

On the one-year anniversary of his death, the schools were dedicated.

When Cowan arrived in Kenya, he expected to find "tremendously sad people" living in depressed conditions. Although they were poor, Cowan's perceptions of the people were quickly changed.

"They were a group of resourceful people who are the most kind, generous, wonderful, loving people I've ever known in my life," he said. "(My attitude) changed from pity to awe and wonder at how much they had to teach me about generosity and kindness."

One of the schools was dedicated in the village of Montoni, the other in Eneleri. The school in Montoni was built next to a library recently built by Oprah Winfrey.

Without owning any of the material items that most in modern civilization deem valuable or important, such as cars and fancy clothing, the villagers find a way to be happy, Cowan said.

They were also very aware of the importance of his visit.

"We got a great sense that they know education is a way to a great life," he said.

Cowan recalled that one boy came up to him and told him he wanted to "fill his mind" and raise the level of education in his village. "Education is our way out," the boy told Cowan.

On the one-year anniversary of his son's death, or "graduation," as Cowan calls it, just a year after he was walking in a funeral procession, Cowan walked on April 23 in a procession to dedicate a school with 500 people standing outside the building singing as loudly as they could to greet him.

Many of the children yelled "Jambo rafiki," a plea for Cowan to touch or hold their hand.