KPU students raise $8,500 to empower those in need both locally and globally

For immediate release

September 17, 2012

KPU students raise $8,500 to empower those in need both locally and globally

(Metro Vancouver, BC) – KPU students enrolled in a social justice class brought the theory they’ve been learning to life by raising a total of $8,500 to help empower the deprived both locally and globally.

The students raised $3,000 for BC Children’s hospital, $3,500 for the Ghanaian Canadian Association of BC, and $2,000 for Under the Same Sun (UTSS), a non-profit organization that advocates for persons with albinism who are often marginalized, misunderstood and even killed.

“It is my hope that this project will ignite students to realize their place in the global scheme of things and become sensitized to appraise what role they can play in making our global village a little better than it is today,” says Charles Quist-Adade, instructor, KPU.

In addition, the funds have provided scholarships to students in rural Ghana. As part of the first Ghana Field School, scholarships of $100 were given out and an assortment of school supplies, including backpacks, exercise books, pens, pencils and math sets, were given to 30 students in rural communities from five regions. KPU students also created 15 solar-powered lanterns, which were donated to deprived students in rural Ghana this summer.

“Students must keep in mind that their actions, and indeed, inactions, affect all members of the global village in one way or another…just as the actions and inactions of fellow global citizens affect them in many ways directly and indirectly,” says Quist-Adade.

Part of the funds were used to ship donated refurbished computers and laptops, soccer balls and jerseys (totalling more than $700,000) to 35 schools in Ghana. These initiatives have been made possible in collaboration with local NGO’s: Africa Education through Technology (Afretech), Canada-Africa Foundation for Rural Education (Canafre), the KPU Students Association, the Athletics Department of KPU and the Ghanaian-Canadian Association of BC.

KPU has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,500 students annually have a choice from over 200 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations. Please visit: kpu.ca.

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For further information please contact:
Dr. Farhad Dastur
Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts
farhad.dastur@kpu.ca

For more information about KPU, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Communications and Marketing Services
Tel: 604.598.6188
joanne.saunders@kpu.ca