Faith Heart Magazine: How are
contributions used to support the
desperate needs of children who seek
rescue, education, and hope from I
Can Fly in Machakos, Kenya?
Sha’ Givens: As we grow, the need
continues to expand. We’re currently
raising funds for our GIVE GIRLS A
CHOICE CAMPAIGN. The campaign
seeks to raise funds to cover
scholarships for the girls as well as
build classrooms and toilets. The
contributions are also used to
transport girls during rescues,
purchase uniforms, and other
personal items since some children
come to us with only the clothes on
their backs. Food for over 150
children in our Pre-Schools and High
School education program is an
ongoing need since the children eat
three meals per day. We also use
funds to cover education expenses,
upkeep, and housing expenses in the
Butterfly Houses on our two-acre
campus. For more information or to
volunteer for the campaign, email us
sgivens@icanflyinternational.org or
call us at 323 210 8438.
Faith Heart Magazine: How has God
equipped you to be the voice for
children of East Africa where you
tackle harsh issues such as: child
marriage, female genital mutilation,
sex trafficking and limited education?
Sha’ Givens: I am so passionate about
these issues, and it has become a
part of who I am. When I open my
mouth nowadays and speak to others
about the girls’ stories,
the audiences can feel the
souls of those girls through me.
This is my gift to them and the
world. I can’t say I’ve been
equipped to be the voice
because it was always there.
Finding that voice was simply
a part of my journey. When I
first met two girls, a ten-yearold and a six-year old, in the
deep desert of Kenya who were
being married off, I asked them
what they wanted from me,
from God, from the world. They
simply answered, “Tell our
stories.” They uttered these
words in 2010. My life hasn’t
been the same since. I haven’t
stopped telling their stories
everywhere I go whether I’m in
line at the grocery store or in
front of a big audience at a
church. Being their voice and
the voice of others who are
affected by child labor,
mutilation, and homelessness
gives me the greatest joy.
Faith Heart Magazine l 14