By Maryann Klucevsek
ROME, Nov. 13, 2008 - “Men Anpil Chay pa Loul.” This Hatian phrase meaning "many hands make the weight lighter," has become a theme on the campus of John Cabot University this school year as students raise money and awareness for the Haiti Mission.
The spirit was evident at the recent JCU event, International Night, to help the “Don Bosco” mission in the Haitian province of Hinche.
The connection for JCU with Haiti began years ago. Sister Mariangela, a Salesian nun based at one time in an order housed where the JCU campus stands today, set out to help the poorest of the poor and was sent by her order to Haiti. Helping the children of Haiti was always the highest priority because they represent the future of the country. One of the poorest countries in the world, Haiti currently has a very high child morality rate. In Haiti, there is always a constant struggle to find water and shelter; secondary is the need to provide public education. Knowing this in a period of five years she has proceeded to open up a series of several schools in the country.
The project officially started a year ago at JCU after Student Government and various departments at the university began raising money.
This semester a series of events have been dedicated to raise not only donations but awareness for Haiti. So far, Student Government has raised money through International Night, selling Halloween candy and again at '50s Night. They also plan to have other events including Battle of the Bands, which is also sponsored by the Business Club, that will raise donations for the Haiti Project.
After a series of recent hurricanes in Haiti, which devastated the country, the need for aid is even higher.
Through these donations, the Don Bosco school of the Salesian Order will receive aid for the building project as well as aid to provide the school and community water through building a cistern. The project also hopes to have “long-distance adoptions" where for about 300 euros a year any individual can support a child and his/her family.
“I believe that being an education institution we should be most involved in choosing the furthering of education as one of our community service projects...it has opened up a window for us into the desperate need and beauty of the children of Haiti,” said Francesca Gleason, coordinator of Academic Programs at JCU.
With involvement from multiple JCU clubs including Business Club, STAND, and Student Government there are many hands helping this cause. Participating in these clubs has become a way of also helping children in Haiti.
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