Domino Effect
Every Wednesday, I will share a resident of the South Bay contributing to making our community a better place.
Today’s #WCW title belongs to resident of the South Bay for over 45 years, Irene Chalakee, who opened her home to 26 children and nine adults from Uganda after hearing they needed a place to stay.
Chalakee’s family resided in Torrance for over 45 years but began moving to Oregon two years ago. While at church in Ashland, Chalakee learned about a group of children from Uganda who were traveling across the country to bring awareness of their nonprofit organization, Imani Milele Children Inc.
The choir group consisting of 15 girls and 11 boys began their cross-country tour earlier this year in May, beginning in Florida. The group of children travel across the states in a large bus in hopes of bringing awareness of their country and the orphans back home who are in need of education, consistent meals and health care.
Since moving to Oregon, Irene’s home in Torrance was vacant while completing final repairs. She was planning a trip to visit family in Los Angeles when she learned about the Ugandan children and decided to give the Pastor her phone number and the address of the empty home in Torrance.
Within just a few days and short notice, Irene was preparing to host a group of children and their chaperons. By word of mouth, friends, neighbors, strangers and family, the children were provided with daily meals, toys, games, activities, and clothes. In addition, friends and family helped by bringing over snacks, hosting an ice-cream party, pretend weddings, and bonfires. The local community came together and in result, the children were immensely grateful and happy.
The children experienced going into the ocean for the first time, trying new foods, and celebrating Halloween.
The Imani Milele Children Inc. is a nonprofit organization created in 1989, which rescues children of rape, neglect and abuse and educates the children. The group was created to assist children who were orphaned during the civil war of the 1980’s that affected their country of Uganda in East Africa.
The children were scheduled to perform at St. Lawrence and planned to stay in the city for only two days. However, because Irene and her family and friends were able to arrange several concerts and performances at nearby churches, campuses, and arenas including El Camino College and the Hills Academy in Torrance, they stayed for over a week. In addition, they performed for West Angeles Church who televised the show to 20,000. During the events, there are photos and stories of the children on display in hopes of finding people who’d like to help the children.
“Everything kind of just fell into place. I called my aunt as soon as I found out and wanted to help her so I made some calls and put it on facebook and everyone just kind of helped,” Jessica Hua explains. Hua is Irene’s niece who lives across the street from the house where the children stayed. Hua helped with many of the activities including painting the girl’s nails, taking them to Krispy Kreme, and rallying locals to help.
While in San Francisco, when their bus broke down and they had no place to shower, the children met two elder ladies (above) who funded their entire trip to Disneyland and even drove in to experience the trip with them. In addition, Skechers donated a brand new pair of sneakers to each member of the choir. The children were ecstatic and to thank Skechers for their generosity, the children sung for the crew.
On Saturday, Irene’s brother Herman took four of the children with him to downtown Los Angeles to feed the homeless . The children also sung for those they gave meals to. In addition, after playing at a beach for their first time in Redondo Beach, the children performed for locals on the pier. Two men were so moved that they bought all the children churros.
Some of the activities the children took part in included dance parties at home, playing dress-up, playing soccer at Colombia park, and acting out a pretend wedding. Gloria Hua, sister of Irene’s donated an old wedding dress to one of the chaperons who had plans on marrying upon returning to Uganda and donated Tux and shoes to another chaperon who was also getting married. The joy of receiving the items resulted in a fake wedding and the kids gathered around, sung, and laughed in honor of the make belief wedding.
The Milele group hosts annual tours in the United States with their children’s choir to bring awareness of Uganda and the children. The organization began with only three orphans and is now at 3,000 members. Uganda has the youngest population in the world with over 50% of their population being children. By donating $35 a month, a child will have their education, medical and nutrition needs met. One can sponsor the child with the choice of a year minimum or ongoing payments that can be paid by cash, check, or credit card.
On the last night prior to the children’s departure, the Pastor entered the backyard around 11 p.m. when the kids were dancing, writing goodbye letters, and spending the last moments with the family. Irene asked the Pastor if there is anything else the kids needed. She told him, “I can’t help you unless you tell me.”
The Pastor explained that the children slept on floors in Uganda so they’d appreciate coming home to a nice bed. He made several calls and calculated an expense of $55 for the beds and sheets for the 36 members. Irene generously wrote a check for $2,500 and handed it to the Pastor. He decided he would tease the kids by telling him that the neighbors complaint of them being too loud.
The children knelt on the floor, apologizing. He quickly turned the joke around and told them, “There is good news, right here in my hand is a check for a million dollars, and when you go home each of you will have a brand new mattress, pillow and sheets.”
The kids squealed with excitement and began dancing, doing high kicks, picking Irene up, lifting chairs, hugging, crying. He then told them each to pick one of us up one of the family members, and all laughed in joy. Irene was lifted in the air by three children in excitement. Jessica Hua explains, “They were so grateful and it was beautiful to see that it took very little to make such a huge difference in their life.”
The children left last week on Thursday morning at 5:00 a.m. After nine days in the South Bay, they departed to continue their tour in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas before returning to Florida where they’ll take a flight back home to Uganda. The choir plans on returning to the states for their next tour in early 2017.
Irene’s random act of kindness began a domino effect of good deeds across the South Bay community as locals participated in giving back and brightening the day of the children. Thank you Irene for remaining a wonderful contribution to your South Bay community even miles away.
To learn more about the children and how you can donate, please refer to website here.
All photos were taken and kindly donated by Jessica Hua.