Oxfam Gets Noticed!

Every year, 30 million people die of starvation. On Monday, the Oxfam club at Western, along with other people on campus, engaged in a 24-hour fast to raise awareness about hunger and poverty.

"The aim was to show solidarity with those who go hungry in the world," said Heather Perquin, president of Oxfam Western. "It was also to create awareness of the event--to get people to notice and to get them to donate food items or money which would go to the University Students' Council food bank."

Participants wore coloured tags around their necks reading "World Food Day 2006" and "I am fasting to raise awareness of world hunger and food-related poverty." The tags included a statistic reading, "Every day, more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--ONE child every 5 seconds."

Western student and fast particiant Sarah McCullock said she noticed people looking at her in class, but thought the club's booth in the University Community Centre was more effective at getting attention.

She said the even was a good experience and helped her better appreciate her lifestyle.

"It helps us understand what these people are going through," she said. "At the university, we're all fortunate enough to be here through loans or parents, but hunger is global. It's here in Canada. It's good we're taking these food donations because people in our community need food too."

Malnutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year.

Article taken from today's Gazette.