Harambee From Kenya
by Sherry Wota
Hah-rahm-beh: In Swahili, this
means all pull together. Around
thirty members of VIU’s World
University Service of Canada
(WUSC) will be pulling together on
Sat. Apr. 24 to raise enough money
to support an African refugee who
wishes to relocate to Canada, and
attend VIU, where he or she can
live in peace and receive a proper
education.
The final fundraiser for the
2009/2010 academic year will be
the second annual Harambee, a
dinner and dance featuring a four
course meal, live entertainment, a
cash bar, and live auction.
Last year the organization raised
$4,500 from Harambee alone,
which helped to provide enough
funds for a young female from a
refugee camp in Kenya to come
to Canada and attend VIU, where
she is now studying sciences and
focusing on a pre-med education.
VIU WUSC co-chair Laura Albion
says that “[the student] came from
the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya,
originally from Sudan. She’s
doing really, really well and loves
being here.”
Around $20k needs to be raised
for each student refugee. Albion
says that “we financially support
the student for the first twelve
months and after that they can get
student loans and get a job. [Last
year’s student] will probably get
a job this summer in anticipation
that she will be on her own financially.
We have a contingency fund
for any student that is sponsored,
we just don’t consistently fund after
the first twelve months.”
The idea is that the committee
supports the sponsored student for
one year while he or she adjusts to
life in Canada, meaning that if anything
unexpected happens, WUSC
will be able to provide financial and
emotional support for the student.
Harambee will be held at the
Costin Hall in Lantzville on Sat.
Apr. 24. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $55 or $40 for students,
and are tax deductible.
To order tickets, call Albion
at 250-585-3310. Tickets can be
picked up at the door on the night
of the event or at a pre-arranged
location on the VIU campus. For
those who cannot attend but still
wish to support WUSC, the organization
accepts donations of groceries
to be used for the Harambee
meals, or any household goods that
you would like to donate.