When a group of friends at John Witherspoon Middle School (JWMS) learned about the suffering of children in the Sudan, they decided to do something about it.
Eighth-graders Salima Adamou, Rebecca Beissinger, Steven Braun, Andy Grunther, Grace Klinges, Wadji Mallat, Talya Nakash, Jordan Schonberger, and Sara Wegman came up with a "Dollars for Darfur" campaign to raise money from the sale of baked goods on the nights of the school's annual Winter Concerts on Monday and Tuesday, December 11 and 12, at 7 p.m.
"Last year's 'Change for Change' program collected over a hundred dollars and this year we hope the bake sale will raise even more, between $400 and $500," said Sara.
The campaign was prompted during one of the group's regular lunch club meetings when Jordan wore a t-shirt with the words: Stop Genocide in Sudan. Jordan acquired the shirt after a presentation by Aislinn Bauer, now a freshman at Princeton High School, which made a big impression. Ms. Bauer is a leading member of RADD (Raising Awarness Destination: Darfur), a student group that meets regularly at the Princeton Public Library to develop programs and resources in response to the humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. The next meeting, in the library's second floor conference room, is Sunday, December 17, at 3 p.m.
Once the group had decided on a plan of action, they opened a dialogue with the school administration and with the PTO, which normally runs the bake for the JWMS Winter Concerts in support of PTO activities. "This year, the PTO agreed to let us run the sale and use the funds for Darfur," said Andy, "we are very grateful to them for that."
With the help of Juandamarie Gikandi, co-chair of the PTO's community service committee and the priority sub for the 8th grade at JWMS, the group also began researching non-profits working in the Darfur region. "Ms. Gikandi has really helped us out," said Grace.
After doing their homework via the Internet, the students chose to support Doctors without Borders. "We found out that Doctors without Borders is the last group to be there, helping people on the ground," said Andy. "The situation is so bad, that all the other organizations have gone," added Jordan. "We were shocked to find that out," said Sara, "Doctors without Borders are the people's only hope."
Headquartered in New York City, the United States section of the organization that received the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize for its humanitarian work was founded in 1990 as an offshoot of the French Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), founded in 1971. It delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, and natural or man-made disasters in more than 70 countries and has been operating in the Sudan since 1979.
Its doctors run hospitals and clinics, perform surgery, battle epidemics, deliver vaccines, and feed malnourished children. They have also dug wells, distributed clean water, and given out blankets and plastic sheeting.
In the Sudanese region of Darfur where increasing insecurity and decreasing international aid is adding to the misery for millions displaced since a civil war began there in 2003, emergency teams have responded to outbreaks of diarrhea and cholera, and organized measles and meningitis vaccinations.
For reasons such as these and because of the organization's reported financial independence — it relies on the general public for nearly 80 percent of its operating budget, the rest coming from international agencies and governments — Doctors without Borders was chosen by the JWMS students.
"The students and the faculty advising them deserve recognition for the work they are doing," commented parent Ira Grunther. Mr. Grunther's son, Andy, proposed the bake sale for which the kids themselves will do the baking, along with the help of PTO parents.
Posters for donations of baked goods went up around the school last week as well as a display showing the work of Doctors without Borders with pictures of Sudan and the Darfur region culled from Web sites.
One member of the group will be otherwise engaged during the bake sale, however. Also a member in the JWMS Symphonic Band, Steven Braun will be playing his trombone for the Winter Concerts.