Get ready to see dancing bananas.
Serving Citizens Of Uganda Today Because Africa Needs A New Ambulance, or SCOUT BANANA — a global nonprofit organization that raises money for groups working to improve conditions in Africa — will host its annual dance-a-thon from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday night at Adams Field.
Funds raised throughout the night will be donated toward Vumundzuku-bva Vana — “Our Children’s Future,” or VVOCF. The VVOCF is a children’s day care for children in Africa who have lost one or both parents to AIDS.
The evening will feature DJs, as well as glow sticks and glow paint. Although admission is free, all who attend are encouraged to donate to the cause.
“A lot of times the people who come (to the dance-a-thon) come because they want to help the cause,” said Hannah Bach, a mathematics junior and the MSU chapter coordinator. “Everyone who goes is really into it.”
Last year, the group raised about $800 from the dance-a-thon, which provided food to the children of VVOCF for two months.
Bach said group members hope to at least match last year’s donations.
SCOUT BANANA began about five years ago at MSU. Now, it includes several chapters throughout the country. The MSU chapter has 16 members.
“We raise money and awareness for lack of basic health care in Africa,” Bach said. “The emphasis is on building sustainable solutions, not just throwing money at problems and hoping they will fix themselves.”
Several years ago, SCOUT BANANA formed a relationship with VVOCF.
“All these kids come there during the day or after school,” comparative cultures and politics junior Garrett Miller said. “They give them a community and a family because they wouldn’t have one otherwise.”
VVOCF was co-founded by MRULE director Jeanne Gazel, who ran a study abroad program in the area and required her students complete community work in addition to required classes. While working with a translator, Gazel saw numerous orphans hanging around the translator’s home and wanted to give them a place to go.
“We strongly encourage students in the spirit of improving the lives of others who might not have the same privileges,” Gazel said.
When SCOUT BANANA founder and MSU alumnus Alex Hill visited VVOCF during a study abroad, he decided to connect VVOCF and SCOUT BANANA. Until that point, the organization had donated to various charities in Africa.
“(Hill) thought it would be good to have an organization (SCOUT BANANA) could have a relationship with,” Gazel said.
The money raised by the MSU chapter provides three meals a day for up to 100 children, Gazel said.
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