Don Shaw, Community Leader and member of Foodshare's Asylum Hill Hunger Action Team, recently shared this wonderful story about his friend Georges--a political refugee from Côte d'Ivoire:
"Georges Annan Kingsley is my friend. As a long persecuted political refugee from Côte d'Ivoire, Georges suffered chronic, stress-induced hypertension causing his kidneys to fail. After a long, courageous bureaucratic struggle to escape western Africa via Ghana, aided by the French consulate, Georges received medical refugee status in the United States. He arrived in near fatal condition. He was saved by immediate access to medical attention.
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| Georges Annan Kingsley with one of his art works displayed at an Asylum Hill art show |
His life is interrupted three times a week with grueling dialysis sessions necessary to keep him alive. With his disability he's barely able to muster the strength to help raise his family. Because his abilities are diminished he is limited in following career pursuits and engaging in community life. He's an accomplished artist (he has a painting on display at the White House), teacher, radio host, and Asylum Hill community leader championing the acculturation of arriving refugees and immigrants into this thriving Hartford, CT neighborhood. But for long-term survival Georges needs a kidney transplant. Despite his struggles, he keeps a positive, constantly smiling attitude. George has hope."
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