Jovel Queirolo
Managing Editor
The International Aid Club focused yesterday’s fourth annual Global Aid forum on sharing stories and the work organizations supporting women around the globe.
“March is Women’s History Month,” said club head Katherine Armstrong. “International Aid supports women and children in need, and this assembly is meant to bring awareness to students about the community service we do on a global scale.”
Club moderator Theresa Padden introduced Armstrong after an Espacio slideshow featuring photographs of women around the world. Armstrong directed club members to introduce two speakers who shared the work of their aid organizations.
Junior Elena Dudum introduced Outreach Coordinator Talia Nissimyan from Lend for Peace, an organization specializing in micro-financing to increase financial stability for those living in West Bank, Palestine.
“The organization’s primary lenders are women,” said Nissimyan. “And studies have shown that they most directly affect financial progress for families and communities.”
Sophomores Kirsten Kennedy and Colleen Scullion then introduced Kim Baltzell, Ph.D, who talked about NetGain, an organization founded in 2006 that provides mosquito nets in sub-Saharan Africa with the goal of malaria prevention.
“From these organizations we learn that helping women and these communities, each and every one of you can make a difference,” said Padden. “Ten dollars could save a family. Twenty-five dollars could save an entire community.”
International Aid Club will be selling baked goods in the Center today at lunch, and will fundraise throughout the week for the two organizations presented at this year’s Global Aid Forum.