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FAMU, Howard Students Aid Tsunami Relief

By Nick Birdsong and Ayesha Rascoe
Black College Wire

Credit: © UNICEF Somalia/2005 A little boy in Harfun, Somalia, clutches supplies given to him by UNICEF. His home, in the background, was destroyed by the tsunami.

Rachel Melson sat in a state of utter disbelief over the winter break as she bore witness to the devastation caused by the tsunami that wreaked havoc from Africa to Asia.

Melson, a sophomore at Florida A&M University, immediately began to formulate a university-wide service project. She hopes "Lend a Hand to Help a Land" will ultimately result in a donation in FAMU's name to the Tsunami Relief Effort through the Tallahassee Red Cross.

Likewise, at Howard University, the Office of Student Activities and the Howard University Red Cross joined to offer monetary aid to the relief efforts.

"We're asking for a donation from each one of the 150 student organizations," said Matthew Goins, assistant director for publications in the Office of Student Activities. Goins said that his office asked for a minimum of $20 from each organization, although he hoped that some organizations would give more.

Howard's Red Cross chapter is also taking donations from individuals. The goal of the student activities office and the Red Cross is to raise at least $11,000, or roughly $1 for every Howard student.

Four weeks after the Dec. 26 disaster, the tsunami death toll in 11 countries ranges from 157,000 to 221,000 -- the large discrepancy blamed on conflicting death tolls from different government agencies in Sri Lanka and Indonesia, the two nations hit hardest, according to the Associated Press.

"This is something we have to do," said FAMU's Melson, discussing the "Lend a Hand to Help a Land" project.

"This is not a government or political issue. When a child is orphaned overnight and left hungry, we should help, especially since we're such a privileged country," said Melson, who is also the 2004-05 Miss Phi Beta Sigma.

The opportunity to help is a privilege for the Howard community, Goins said, adding, "This is a chance to really prove that we're really the leader of the global community that we claim to be."

According to the Tallahassee chapter of the American Red Cross, FAMU was the first school in its area to put together a fund of this sort, Melson said.

Her project, co-sponsored by the Alpha Eta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., calls for the heads of every organization on campus to solicit $1 from each of its members.

The drive began Jan. 13 and runs through Jan. 28. Melson said a full report of donation totals would be made public.

"Everybody in our organization was basically gung ho about it," said Kori Scott, president of FAMU's National Pan-Hellenic Council.

Credit: © UNICEF Somalia/2005 A mother and child in Somalia both survived the tsunami. "That tsunami also hit Africa, but you never hear anything about that," a FAMU student said.

"Service is one of the mottoes that we strongly believe in, not just to the Tallahassee community, but to the global community as well."

Scott also said the $1 donation might not be much to the sender but could mean the world to the recipient.

"A dollar here or a dollar there is not going to hurt us," Scott said.

"We are so blessed."

At Howard, an interfaith prayer service was scheduled in Rankin Memorial Chapel for the tsunami victims, their loved ones and the ongoing relief efforts. It was co-sponsored by the Howard University Student Association, Howard University Red Cross, the Office of Student Activities and the Office of the Dean of the Chapel.

The service was intended to be a time of unity for the entire university, for believers and non-believers, said Lindell Cooks, Religious Fellowship Council chairman, symbolizing "the compassion we feel as students for the loss of life." Times like these can test people's faith, so the service should allow people to address the disaster from a faith perspective, he said.

Sydney Singleton, president of Circle K International at Howard, said his service organization would collect cash donations from members.

"I would like for all HU students to make a donation whether it be through Circle K, Red Cross, or any other organization," Singleton said. "I also want them to understand that even the smallest of donations combined together will make a large impact."

Some students were skeptical about giving to the relief efforts.

"That tsunami also hit Africa, but you never hear anything about that," said Richard Marcus Jr., a third-year computer information systems student at FAMU from Charlotte, N.C.

"The amount of money they have already received is in the billions, while the U.S. only sent $60,000 to Haiti when they were almost destroyed by hurricanes," said Marcus.

Only one other FAMU organization has responded to Melson's plea. Nonetheless, Melson said she and her organization were going to give.

"The Almighty said that when we feed and clothe strangers, we may be feeding his Son," Melson said.

"Florida A&M University is about excellence with caring, let's show the world we care."

Echoed Cooks, at Howard, "These are our brothers and sisters, so we have a moral obligation to reach out to them."

Nick Birdson, a student at Florida A&M University, writes for The Famuan. He can be reached at [email protected]. Ayesha Rascoe, a student at Howard University, writes for The Hilltop.

Posted Jan. 24, 2005