This Saturday, students, faculty and members of surrounding communities gathered for the annual Hunger Walk in an effort to raise money for the less fortunate.
The Embrace it Africa club (an on-campus 501c(3) charity) holds this event to support Bethlehem Parent’s School & Orphanage in Uganda and local hunger groups.
Participants gathered near the John J. Murphy Professional Building, dressed in their Halloween costumes. Before the event began, there was a costume competition, which club members said was difficult to judge due to all of the impressive ensembles.
“My favorite part about attending the Hunger Walk was that it was a fun and easy thing to do, and it raised money for a great cause,” Samantha Terhaar, a sophomore bioinformatics major, said. “I dressed up as a bag of Jelly Beans and won a prize for the most creative costume.”
After the best costume was chosen, the walk/run began.
According to Amanda Saeli, a junior marketing major and Embrace it Africa president, the turnout wasn’t large, but she was pleased considering the number of on-campus events during Halloween weekend.
“Despite the low turnout, we raised $322 to feed the school and orphanage,” Saeli said. “One hundred percent of the proceeds will be going to that school. What we raised translates to 1.2 million shillings (Ugandan currency equal to 100 cents), which is enough to feed the 550 children at the school for a month.”
Saeli added that it’s hard for students to understand the gravity of impoverished persons’ situations until they see it firsthand.
“Until you see how ordinary it is for a 10 year old to miss dinner, it’s hard to really get it,” said Saeli, who has been to Uganda twice with the club. “But that’s why we try really hard to raise awareness.
According to Ryan Signorino, a freshman journalism and mass communication major and event attendee, Embrace it Africa members educated participants by writing statistics about poverty-related issues along the trail.
“I was running, so I wasn’t able to read any of the statistics, but for the people who walked, the statistics on the ground were a great way to teach about the problem of hunger around the world,” Signorino said. “Also, seeing where the money raised is going and how much it helps out the school in Uganda makes me feel great about supporting Embrace it Africa— because it shows that a little donation can go a long way.”
Even though the Hunger Walk has concluded, Saeli said that Embrace it Africa has a number of ongoing projects it is focused on.
“Right now, we have two main projects going on,” Saeli said. “We’re working on empowering young girls in the area and working through feminine hygiene issues—which is surprisingly difficult with the resources in the region— and we’re also working on getting vitamins and critical vaccines to people in the region.”
Students interested in getting involved with Embrace it Africa are encouraged to contact Saeli at saeliaj13@bonaventure.edu.
“My involvement with Embrace if Africa, so far, has taught me that when people say ‘every little bit counts,’ they really mean it,” Terhaar said. “All it takes is a few people making some effort, and we can make a significant difference to an entire community in Uganda. I’m very glad to be a part of that, and I’m excited to see what we will accomplish in the future.”
mcgurllt14@bonaventure.edu
