NUS in association with ActionAid to support a day of fundraising activities

On Thursday, 27th October students across the UK will be combining their efforts in an Earthquake Day of Action to fundraise for victims of the South East Asian earthquake, supported by NUS in association with ActionAid, the international charity.

Up to 50,000 people are thought to have died in the earthquake hit-regions of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, and as many as half of this number is comprised of children and students. Some 4 million people are currently without homes or adequate shelter. Many of the victims have family ties to the UK.

Students nationwide will be stepping up to the plate to help ActionAid’s work addressing the urgent humanitarian needs. In addition to the critical requirements for medicine, shelter and warm weather gear, the quake hit region will experience a continuing massive need for disability and psychosocial care, as well as help rebuilding its institutions and restoring livelihoods.

NUS Earthquake Day of Action will see thousands upon thousands of students taking part in fundraising activities including street collections and nightclub events, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to support ActionAid’s humanitarian relief activities.

NUS Black Students’ Officer Pav Akhtar said:
“When natural disasters on the magnitude of the South East Asian Earthquake strike, I suspect many of us have, at times, experienced a sense of powerlessness. Certainly the requirements reported by the aid organisations responding to the crisis are on a massive scale. But compassion fatigue is an absolute oxymoron, and the student movement has a proud tradition of taking collective action to effect massive results, time and time again.

“On Thursday 27th October we will combine our consciences and energies once again in a massive nationwide fundraising effort.

“The huge sum raised by students who took part in January’s events and activities for the NUS Tsunami Day of Action gave proof, if proof were needed, that university and college students are among the most globally-engaged, socially-committed members of the UK community.

“Let there be ten thousand further demonstrations of this collective sense of global responsibility and common humanity on Thursday 27th October. By organising events for the NUS Earthquake Day of Action - and supporting events organised by others - students collectively can make a tremendous contribution to the earthquake relief efforts of ActionAid, the charity working in the quake affected region to which 100% proceeds from Day of Action events will be donated”.

For a full listing of Earthquake Day of Action events, please visit a specially section of the NUS website, www.nusonline.co.uk

The Blogs on this site represent the individual views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or practices of the National Union of Students.

All links in blogs will open in a new browser window.

The permanent URL for this specific blog entry is: http://www.officeronline.co.uk/blogs/pavakhtar/271493.aspx