Catherine Kitonde grew up at KCH after she lost both parents to HIV/AIDS. She was one of the very first students to live there when the home opened in 1997. When asked about her childhood, Catherine said she learned to realize that with God, everything is possible. Larry Rupp (founder of KCH) spent many months there and became a mentor to many of the children. Catherine said that she began following Larry’s principle that God should come first, then education, and later on other things. Being the first child of KCH to graduate college, Catherine has become a role model, promoting education by mentoring children at the home, and speaking to others about the need for and benefits of education. She shared in a recent email, “With education, a person becomes more enlightened, and can get a nice job which enables them to be independent and be of service to the community.”