The UTM Undergraduate Commerce Society set up a tent outside the Student Centre last week to spread awareness and collect donations on behalf of impoverished children in the developing world.
The “Camping for the Kid” charity drive ran the whole week; each day involved a different activity, ranging from bake sales to karaoke. A very enthusiastic Waqas Hasan, the initiative’s accountant director, explained how the amount the students raised would be matched dollar for dollar by Plan Canada with a goal of $5,000. This money will go towards supporting a little girl in Africa, providing her shelter, food, healthcare, and educational needs for about a year.
“We gave [Plan Canada] the description of who we want to sponsor based on need,” said Hasan. “We wanted to help a girl between the ages of 1 and 5. It feels pretty good. Whenever I get the chance to volunteer, to help bring in people to donate; I don’t hesitate to put up my hand.”
Hiba Abdul Wahid, UCS’s corporate social responsibility director, coordinated the details of the event to demonstrate that UCS was committed to the cause by having someone be in the tent at all times. In doing so, they emphasized the harsh conditions that many youth in other parts of the world have to live through every day.
“We’ll stay here day in, day out to meet our goal. And it’s an incentive for people when they walk by to ask us questions,” Hasan concluded. “People are impressed [that] we’re toughing it out by staying here overnight outside, and they tell us that they appreciate our efforts.”
