Year Joined MKLM: 2008 Country: Kenya City: Mombasa Focus: Economic Development, Education, Environmental Development, Healthcare Project(s): Project Manager for Taita Hills children village  People Served: approximately 900 orphans, 150 adult/elderly caregivers, 65 staff members Project Goal(s): Establish a cost effective self-sustaining village community that promotes moral integrity, educational development and economic empowerment of HIV infected and affected children while preparing them for re-integration into outside communities after completion of their academic studies.

Personal Data
Ilona Helmholtz and her husband Patrick came to MKLM in 2008 from Saint Dominic’s Parish in the Diocese of Sacramento, CA. Prior to joining MKLM, he was a professional in Commercial & Investment Banking.

Current Ministry
Since her arrival in Kenya, Ilona has been working to assist in the design of the Taita Hills Children’s Village. She is currently acting as the village's Assistant Project Manager. As envisioned by the Archbishop of Mombasa, Taita Village project will be located in Mwanda Parish at the base of Taita Hills. It will provide all of the essential educational, health, and economic support capabilities required for a self-sustaining community of AIDS orphans and grandmother/caretakers. One thousand acres of land has been allocated by the government.

The village will serve orphans and elders who have been left behind by the “lost generation” of the AIDS pandemic. The current village design plan includes provision for up to 900 orphans ranging from birth to 22 years of age with 150 adult/elderly caregivers in separate single family homes.  Staff, including teachers through secondary school, will approach 65. Through group homes and community institutions, the village will harness the energy of youth and the maturity of elders to create new blended families that foster healing, hope and opportunity.  The goal is to provide compassion and service to all affected by AIDS, so they will rise up to lead productive, safe and comfortable lives.

As assistant project manager, Ilona brings her years of experience as a Special Education Teacher’s Aide and, more specifically, her experience in banking as an administrative assistant. The project site is located four hours from Mombasa and, until land title documentation has been finalized, much of her time is spent in Mombasa working on project administration with her husband at the Archdiocese Secretariat. Making use of time available, she has become involved with the Preschool at the Diocese and is assisting teachers in the classroom. So far, this has been once a week. Also, once a week, Ilona goes to Mahali Pa Usalama (Safe Place), a rescue center for sexually abused children, to assist with special projects.