Taking Away the Distance

In this emotional story of hope and inspiration, a young African boy made an orphan by AIDS becomes a catalyst for AIDS orphans around the world. Living in a squalid shantytown in Kenya, Kevin Sumba's life was one of loneliness and hardship--a constant struggle to feed and clothe himself--yet he still courageously worked to get himself an education. Miles Roston, a documentary filmmaker, first met Kevin while making a film on AIDS orphans, but he found that this particular boy entered his heart in a way he hadn't anticipated. So together, he and Kevin set about answering "Kevin's Questions": What can Kevin do to protect himself against the disease? What are his rights as an orphan? What is the global community doing in the face of this epidemic? How are local leaders responding? From New York to Nairobi, Taking Away the Distance takes us on a singular journey, as both powerful policymakers and those working at a grassroots level deal with the direct, and at times confronting, questions of one boy. Along the way, we also meet people directly impacted by the epidemic yet who face their lives heroically: from children surviving homelessness on Nairobi's streets to a mother on her deathbed whose only thought is how to care for the children she will leave behind. As Kevin and Roston form a bond of love and respect, each learning from the other, we discover just how much our own lives can change if we dare to help.Roston, Miles is the author of 'Taking Away the Distance', published 2007 under ISBN 9780786720828 and ISBN 0786720824.