The fundraiser hosted by students from the class “Images of a Continent, Old, and New: Exploring African Cultures” continues this week as there are still T-shirts and perishable items left to be sold.
The fundraiser was held to raise money for Harakati ya Kilimo-Uhifadhi, a nonprofit organization that was founded by the course’s instructor, Gatua wa Mbugwa. However, the purpose of this event was not just to raise money for the organization.
“This fundraiser wasn’t just about money,” wa Mbugwa said. “It was designed to expose students to humanitarian needs outside the U.S. It was also meant to expose students to the people of Kenya, what they do, the needs they have and how they develop themselves.”
The organization’s mission is to help with the educational and agricultural development in Kenya, wa Mbugwa’s home country.
In addition to humanitarian efforts in Kenya, wa Mbugwa also wanted to expose the students to other efforts around the globe as he says the needs vary from country to country.
“There are humanitarian needs everywhere, including in the U.S., but they are different from those in the United States,” wa Mbugwa said. “Even here the different needs vary by region and city.”
Wa Mbugwa said it was important for his students to actually get involved and to allow them to design a way to get involved in humanitarian efforts. He also believes that getting involved could form better relationships between countries.
“Getting involved is very important in learning,” he said. “This fundraiser and class could potentially develop good relationships between countries because you see what they actually do instead of reading in the press that they are killing each other. That may give the wrong impression to those who really don’t know much about those places.”
In addition to the class wa Mbugwa is currently teaching, he also offers a summer course titled “Beyond Images of a Continent, Old and New: Exploring African Cultures in Kenya,” which allows students the opportunity to visit Kenya.
“Those who have taken the class have said that it was the highlight of their lives,” wa Mbugwa said. “They are touring with someone who knows Kenya and I make sure they interact with different classes including government officials, working class, and farmers. It is a very rare experience.”
Students from the “Images of a Continent, Old and New: Exploring African Cultures” are still selling t-shirts and chocolate. To purchase a t-shirt or for more information about the summer course, contact Gatua wa Mbugwa at gwmbugwa@uwyo.edu.
