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Seven o‘clock on a freezing Monday morning isn‘t a productive time of day for everyone, but for locals who do development work in Africa, an early-morning breakfast was the start to a new organization dedicated to promoting their charitable efforts. It was at the World AIDS Day breakfast on Dec. 1 that people involved in the overseas work started to realize just how many allies they have in the Lakehead. “There were groups in town I had no idea were even here, and they‘ve been doing all kinds of things here for years and years,” Bob Manson said, education and communication co-ordinator for AIDS Thunder Bay and a breakfast organizer. He got involved about a half-decade ago with Friends of Africa, a group that raises money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and which brought Lewis to speak at the Community Auditorium in September 2006. At least 12 organizations here tackle education in Rwanda, drill water wells in Uganda and support grandmothers caring for children orphaned by AIDS. Today, at least 20 leaders from the various groups are meeting to further plans to form an umbrella group, tentatively called Passion for Africa. It‘s being organized by Dr. Steve Klassen, the pedaling force behind the local chapter of Bicycles for Humanity, a group that collects old bikes, fixes them up and sends them to African nations, where vehicles are simply too expensive for most. For Manson, an “ah-ha” moment was at that Dec. 1 breakfast when he learned about another group‘s fundraiser being poorly attended – and hearing others say they would have gone if only they‘d known it was happening. Elaine Foster-Seargeant and her husband Brian are involved with both Friends of Africa and Habitat for Humanity Global Village. “We started to think, well what can we do to promote each other‘s work,” she said of the meeting of minds that happened late last year. While the new organization will be a network each group can use to pass along details of its needs and plans, Foster-Seargeant also sees it as an internal thinktank of sorts – a place for in-depth discussion among those who already understand some of the complexity that is Africa and its ills. “It‘s a pretty interesting group, very dynamic,” she said. “We‘re very like-minded people – to get together is very exciting.” It‘s discussion that‘s beyond public education, she said, and is a chance to mull over ethical dilemmas and challenge motivations for doing work in Africa. “It‘s taking it to the next level,” said Foster-Seargeant. Since starting work at AIDS Thunder Bay, the urgency to help has only grown for Manson. “There is not a place in the world more afflicted by AIDS than Africa,” he said. “I can‘t think of a place that needs more help,” said Manson about why Africa seems to be such a draw for development-minded Lakehead residents. Top of Page |
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September 2, 2010, 8:22 am |