Berit Lolo (who prefers to be called simply Lolo—“It’s easy to remember,” she said) is a 25-year-old student from the East Kenya Territory who worked this summer as the first intern for the Central Territory’s Social Justice and City Mission Center (SJCM), which has found a new home at the Chicago Midwest, Ill., Corps.
A lifelong Salvationist, Lolo is one of four children born to officer parents, Majors Julius Omukonyi Lolo and Gaudencia Atieno Lolo, who serve in the Kenya West Territory.
She first arrived in the United States in March as a member of the Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Girls who took part in the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
“I was privileged to be part of a roundtable discussion there,” Lolo recalled. “We were talking about the importance of girls’ education—including girls with disabilities.”
Lolo’s passion is helping children who have disabilities. She is currently working on her master’s thesis at Daystar University in Nairobi, focusing on school preparedness and integrating students with disabilities into all schools. She hopes to complete her degree by the end of this year.
“My biggest wish is that all students with special needs can attend a regular school, if they choose to— and they won’t have any challenges. The building will be accessible. All resources [like books] will be accessible,” Lolo said.
Lolo’s first assignment at the SJCM was to create a pilot of a community assessment tool which is being used by the Midwest Corps, looking at the strengths of the community, programs the corps offers to residents and The Salvation Army’s impact.
“I have managed to create some of the tools, like a questionnaire, that are helping me to get a general view,” she said. “I think we are going to do community mapping, understanding some of the assets in the community that can be beneficial. Schools, resource centers and parks are assets that the department could have a partnership with someday.”
Lolo also traveled a bit, visiting different corps, sharing her testimony about being a champion for justice. She also spoke of Kenya East and its provisions for quality education.
Lolo’s skills and background have been a great match for the internship’s duties, said Major Katherine Clausell, territorial social justice and city mission secretary.
“Lolo has been of immense help as our first intern,” said Major Katherine. “Not only does she feel keenly God’s summons to make the world right, she’s doing the work of educating her mind and heart to ensure that her contributions to the varied ministry of The Salvation Army are of value.”
Lolo has seen firsthand how The Salvation Army is held in high regard by many people.
“At lunchtime, Major Clausell and I walk around the community to see what life is like there in the city. People wave at us. People greet us,” she said. “The Salvation Army has given many people hope.”
One of the missions of the SJCM is to encourage residents of cities to live and work together in harmony. This mindset has made an impression on Lolo.
“You have conversations with people who live in a city. It means a lot to them. You see it’s home to them. On Sundays, Major always preaches about staying in the city and about people being a champion of growth. She says, ‘Stay in the city and work together and see it blossom.’”
