THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY KANSAN MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2007 NEWS 3A CAMPUS Students work to end poverty BY SASHA ROE sroe@kansan.com Students who live in the United States sometimes forget how good they have it in life. The University of Kansas Millennium Development Goals Organization and 13 other campus organizations arranged an entire week to raise student awareness of global problems such as AIDS, malaria and poverty with End Global Poverty Week beginning today. Jessica Bergman, Louisburg senior and president of Millennium Development Goals Organization, said the group started this past summer was inspired by the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000. Bergman said 189 nations at the summit mapped out an eight-point plan to end global challenges like poverty, inequality and diseases by 2015. Events on campus this week will allow students to actively participate and learn about their role in solving such world problems. "We get very consumed in our own lives," Bergman said. "We need to step back and think about others in the world." All proceeds from the events go to the "Nothing but Nets" campaign. Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly created the campaign to provide anti-malaria nets to Africa, where the disease kills about 3,000 children each day. Bergman said it was easy to forget that a $10 net could save a life. The official End Global Poverty Day will be marked by students participating in the global "Stand Up Campaign" on Wednesday. Students from organizations assisting with the week will take turns standing on Wescoe Beach for a 24-hour period to "stand up" against global poverty. Bergman said between Oct. 16 and 17, people worldwide would actively participate in events for the Stand Up campaign. She said students would be encouraged to sign the "Pledge Against Poverty" that was counted in the Guinness Book of World Records. She said after students signed, they would have a white dove painted on their hand to symbolize their pledge and the one minute they stood up. Pledge Against Poverty began last year and recorded 23.5 million people from 80 countries who pledged, according to the Stand Up campaign Web site. Bergman said the campaign signified the world's commitment to eliminating poverty. Thursday night, students can benefit the week's cause. Abe and Jake's Landing will host a "Party to End Poverty" starting at 9 p.m. with cover charges going to the Nothing But Nets campaign. Amelia Yowell-Mayes, McPherson senior and KU Model United Nations president, said events like the Abe and Jake's party showed students how simple it was to get involved. "The week is special because there are practical ways students can help out," Yowell-Mayes said. "Getting involved in organizations on campus, and just giving time, money, or sponsoring a child." Throughout the week, there will be demonstrations on Wescoe Beach, donation jars at all student housing buildings and a "Picturing Poverty" exhibit at the Spencer Museum of Art. The film "Silent Killer" will show on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union. Bergman said the documentary looked at the issue of world hunger in Kenya and South Africa. The week ends with the GuluWalk on Saturday, hosted by KU for Uganda. Briana Saunders, Vancouver Island junior and KU for Uganda co-president, said the walk recognized the 21-year war in northern Uganda. Saunders said children of the Gulu area walked about 12 miles into the city each night to avoid being abducted from the Lord's Resistance Army. Although students will walk only four miles around campus, Saunders says it will make students aware of the issue. The walk begins with registration in the Big 12 room in the Kansas Union at 5:30 p.m. and concludes back at the Union with a lecture by KU for Uganda founder Rebekah Heacock, a 2006 graduate. Saunders said that the week showed students that global issues affected everyone, and that there were many ways students could show their support. "We see ourselves as disconnected from these issues," Saunders said. "It's our responsibility to inform ourselves as much as possible." Edited by Kaitlyn Syring global poverty week events Tuesday -Showing of "Silent Killer," 7 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium at the Kansas Union Wednesday *"Stand up" campaign, all day on Westcoe Beach Thursday Thursday "Party to End Poverty," Abe and Jake's Landing Saturday