MSU’s Family of Strength Organization offers students the opportunity to make their mark on the global fight against HIV/AIDS, and members are spreading funding and awareness for orphans in Africa suffering from the virus.
“It is such a big problem, and students don’t recognize it because its so far away,” said Randi Schaefer, FOSO’s director of fundraising operations. “Statistics don’t even explain much. The numbers are so big we can’t even rationalize what they mean. Our organization brings it close to home.”
FOSO was started in April 2006 after students attended MSU’s first conference centered around HIV/AIDS. The students were required to attend the event for a class but were so touched by the conference, they decided to create an organization that could do its part to help the young children affected by the deadly virus.
“It made the students think, ‘Who am I and what am I doing about it in the world?’” said Professor Jeanne Gazel, FOSO’s faculty advisor. “Once the light goes on, it’s a connection. They decided they want to do something. They didn’t want it to end there. The conference was in March, and by April they had the organization up and running, they were on fire.”
The organization holds two monthly meetings but also organizes benefits that support the cause and are fun for students to attend. Benefit Concert 2007 will be held at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Green River Cafe, 211 M.A.C. Performers include Tyler Watson, The Jettisons, The Darts and Bird Dog. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door.
In the past, FOSO has held 5K runs/walks, African dancing, can drives and cleaned the Breslin Center to raise money. The members of FOSO hope these events will draw community members to the issue, encouraging them to ask questions and get involved.
The group networks locally but also works across countries by teaming up with the Kenya Orphans Rural Development Programme. This partnership allows FOSO to share its resources directly to those in Sub-Saharan Africa working toward the same goal.
Next summer, the group is going on a study abroad trip to Kenya and using the money it earned this year to build an Internet cafe that will generate income for a community. The cafe will be a place where children can go to gain information and knowledge. This project is only a stepping stone in what the Family of Strength Organization hopes to ultimately accomplish.
“We aren’t going to stop and end when we graduate, it’s going to continue on for years to come,” Schaefer said. “You have to start somewhere. We are not trying to solve the problem of HIV/AIDS, we just want to help make their life easier. Just because they are far away and have a disease, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have food, water, clothes and an education.”
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