activism: Dallaire helps launch 'A Dollar a Student for Darfur' campaign
Amanda McCuaig, Peak Staff
The "A Dollar a Student for Darfur" campaign was officially launched last Wednesday by the Canadian Students for Darfur and Senator Roméo Dallaire.
The launch took place during the President's Forum on the International Intervention and Responsibility to Protect. Clement Abas Apaak, chair of the Canadian Students for Darfur, proceeded the official launching of the campaign by Senator Dallaire.
"It is always quite common for horrific things to happen. We always have a tendency to think that what is going on in other parts of the world has no impact on us," stated Apaak, who is originally from Ghana. "Today, another crisis is unfolding in the western part of Sudan. In this, thousands of innocent lives have been lost."
"This is wrong, and this has to stop. What has the world done since [the Darfur] conflict broke in 2003? Not much has been done. We as human beings have a responsibility to protect. We have to stop what is going on in Darfur from getting to what happened in Rwanda 12 years ago," he added.
Senator Dallaire, who was the guest speaker for the night's event, was given the honor of officially launching the campaign.
"I'm very glad that the notion of activism in the student body, of being in the field, getting your boots dirty in the street, and participating in bringing to the attention of the Canadian people and politicians of what you feel is just and right and what we should do," Dallaire stated, affectionately responding to the actions of the student group.
"I think that is a very good initiative. It's a good start. It's a good source of revenue. And it's a good rendering of consciousness," the Senator continued. "The activism by the students is applauded and encouraged, and I look forward very much to those types of initiatives to continue, for not only Darfur, but for other terrible scenarios, like war-affected children and the like. Today, it's Darfur, it's a great project, it's a very reasonable project, and it's not abusing the solidarity that you could find amongst the students in this country in regards to a very proper and appropriate objective. A dollar per student, for Darfur."
The fundraising strategy is to acquire one dollar from each student in Canada, until they reach their goal of one million dollars, ideally within the next year. All money will go to aid agencies working with the victims affected by the Darfur crisis. It will go to resources such as food, water, shelter, and medical treatments.
The Darfur fund has a secure account at ScotiaBank. To donate, you can deposit directly into account #0002119, Transit #50450. The board, consisting of members of CSFDarfur, STAND Canada, CFS, academics, civil society, NGOs, lawyers, and politicians, will ensure credibility and fairness in the handling and allocation of funds.
For more information on the Canadian Students for Darfur, how to get involved, or how the fundraising process works, visit www.csfdarfur.net.