John Cabot University STAND Chapter Wraps Up Academic Year
The John Cabot University chapter of STAND, the student-led movement against genocide, has had quite an extraordinary academic year, capped off by a $5,000 donation to Caravan Aid.
Born out of the fight to stop the mass atrocities in Darfur, Sudan, STAND is devoted to creating a sustainable student network that actively fights genocide wherever it may occur.
For the past 6 years JCU STAND has been working at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center in the heart of Rome distributing clothing, blankets, food and other necessities every Friday. Student also volunteer as teachers of English and Italian.
“The courageous people we meet in the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center have inspired us tremendously to educate ourselves about the plight of refugees, and to contact organizations that can directly aid refugees or internally displaced people in zones of conflict,” says JCU STAND President M. Baylen Campbell.
STAND’s $5,000 donation will serve to buy a caravan – a temporary winter proof home – for a Syrian family living in the Zaatari camp in Jordan (shown in photo).
“During the past year, STAND has followed the Syrian conflict very closely and has looked for a student organization that could help the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees that have been fleeing into neighboring countries,” continues Vanessa Vaca Landeta, STAND Vice President.
This year STAND also made a $3,000 donation to the New Hope Children’s Center in Uplands, Kenya.
How did STAND manage to raise such a considerable amount of money on campus? “Our main fundraising activity is used book sales,” explains Vanessa. At the end of each term, we ask students to donate their textbooks, which STAND volunteers then catalog, price, and sell during the first week of the new term. Students really appreciate this opportunity to save money on books while donating to a good cause.
STAND also sponsors fund raising concerts such as the very successful Sorreasy for Madagascar and Sorreasy for Honduras events.
While the core of STAND is made up of JCU degree students, each semester STAND welcomes study abroad students who wish to participate in community service activities. This allows them to see a completely different side of Rome and have a much richer experience of the city at the same time.
To volunteer your time or make a donation, visit STAND.
Explore Student Life at John Cabot University in Rome.
