Check these out! This is What we are trying to fix. help and make people aware of!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIWzpYAOBqI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4pd0yqwU9A

Aid project targets African kids
Brennan teens, teacher team up to raise funds

Monica Wolfson
Windsor Star

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

CREDIT: Bev MacKenzie, Windsor Star
'MAKING A DIFFERENCE': Brennan students Megan Hall, left, Blare Whiteford and Mollie Charron work on the War Child committee with teacher adviser Jennifer Poisson.

A group of students and a teacher from Brennan high school are trying to make the world a better place for African children.

Earlier this fall, Brennan technology teacher Jennifer Poisson was making plans to head to Uganda in a year to help build a classroom. It costs $17,000 to construct a classroom in Kampala, Uganda.

Coincidentally, a trio of Brennan students was looking for a teacher to supervise them while they raised money for War Child International, an organization that helps children from war-torn countries.

"It was ironic that everything tied together," Poisson said. "I am going to Africa. We are bringing awareness (about the plight of African children)."

When the Watoto children's choir comes to Windsor in January, the teenagers will get to meet the students they will be helping.

"It's in-your-face reality," Poisson said. "Sometimes kids today get the Nike running shoes, but have no idea what is going on in the rest of the world."

Raising money for War Child was the brainchild of Blare Whiteford, who volunteered on a similar project for Sudanese children last year. The Brennan War Child group has 20 members who will spend the next year selling T-shirts, and organizing a benefit concert, a teen dance and a fashion show to generate donations.

"I love knowing I am helping people and making a difference," said Whiteford, 17. "Hey, my friends are with me too, so it makes it better."

"Over the past 10 years, two million children have been in wars," said Mollie Charron, 17. "So anything I can do to help them is what I want to do."

The first fundraiser is a community concert featuring the Watoto children's choir on Jan. 9 at St. Simon St. Jude parish hall in Lakeshore.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The teen activists want to follow it up with a benefit concert. Whiteford has written many letters to get American pop star Kelly Clarkson to perform, but so far she's had no response from the American Idol winner.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The students have a backup plan.

"A lot of our friends are in bands," Hall said.

While the students have fundraising goals, they didn't specify how much they need.

Poisson said the travelling expenses for 12 volunteers to go to Uganda to help build the classroom will be about $32,000.

Poisson and her group of retired teachers are selling bricks for $20 a piece to raise money to build the classroom.

ON THE WEB

Contact: warchildcommittee@hotmail.com or war child committee on Facebook.