From the Field
Sep 22, 2011
Foster mom serves up food and love...
A recent story that I did about a 22-year old American girl who serves as legal guardian and foster mom to 13 kids in Uganda sparked a lot of controversy. People were somehow offended that I interviewed a child welfare officer in Uganda who said 13 foster kids in one home isn't best practises, and that the young American woman is too young to adopt under Uganda's laws. I can only shake my head at that response - those are the laws in Uganda, and just because a young woman has good intentions and a great heart doesn't mean the law isn't the law.
That said, I think that Katie Davis is a lovely young woman and that her 13 'adopted' daughters are happy and loved. So when Deutsche Welle radio wanted to feature Katie Davis in its radio program about youth who are making a difference, I had the chance to feature some of Davis' other work - including a feeding program for 15-hundred children five days a week.
Bio
Bonnie Allen is a freelance journalist living in Liberia, West Africa. Recently, she's reported from Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Uganda, Malawi and Liberia. She produces radio, print, and film.
The Canadian journalist worked for the CBC and CTV for 10 years. She holds a Masters Degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford.
Allen has lectured at the University of Liberia and trained journalists in Liberia and Ghana on human rights reporting, justice and gender issues, documentary production, and feature writing.
uganda 2010
