[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 28244]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING DEVEN AMIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of 
one of my constituents, Mr. Deven Amin of Easton, Pennsylvania. Deven, 
a senior at the Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, recently 
raised $7,500 in local contributions for the Nyumbani Village Project 
in Kenya.
  Nyumbani Village, located a short distance from Kenya's capital, 
Nairobi, is a settlement where HIV/AIDS affected orphans are placed 
under the stewardship of elderly Kenyans in mutually beneficial family 
settings. Founded in 1992, the village today provides shelter, 
nutrition and education for roughly 160 orphans, over 100 of which are 
infected with HIV/AIDS, and 63 elderly adults. From infants to 
teenagers, these orphans represent nearly every tribe and ethnicity in 
Kenya.
  In the past 2 years, Deven has twice traveled to Kenya to volunteer 
at Nyumbani, where he helped cultivate the village's farm, organize 
children's activities and assist families with various household 
duties. After witnessing firsthand the impact of this unique project on 
its many participants, Deven returned to Easton eager to share his 
experiences, enhance awareness of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and 
generate local support for the continued development of the Nyumbani 
Village.
  This year, Deven raised an astonishing $7,500 for the project through 
an ambitious letter-writing campaign that targeted local businesses and 
health care professionals. The funds gathered by Deven will be used to 
help construct a critical multipurpose hall in Nyumbani. This structure 
will provide necessary recreation space for children during times of 
inclement weather and serve as a gathering place for the entire 
Nyumbani community. Construction of the facility has been identified as 
a top priority by the program's directors, who envision the settlement 
housing between 1,200 and 1,600 individuals in the future.
  While raising money, Deven also educated residents of the Lehigh 
Valley about the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa through 
various speaking engagements at local organizations. Recently, Deven 
spoke at the Palmer Township Kiwanis Clubs, and he will address an 
audience at a local Rotary International chapter in the near future. He 
also plans to host a chapel service at his high school in late 
November. Deven's desire to enhance local awareness of global HIV/AIDS 
through firsthand accounts of his experience in Kenya is truly 
commendable.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues today join me in recognizing 
the achievements of Deven Amin, whose selfless efforts will undoubtedly 
improve the lives of hundreds of Kenyan orphans impacted by HIV/AIDS. 
We are all extraordinarily proud of Deven. On behalf of myself and the 
people of the 15th Congressional District, I congratulate him and thank 
him once again for what he has done to help make this world a better 
place.

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