Food, gifts, good deeds, and sharing each other's cultures are all part of the holiday spirit. This year the University of Hawaii at Manoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work Heath Concentration Students invite all members of UH to help the outbreak of Cholera in Haiti by donating bars of soap from Dec. 2nd to the 8th.
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jessie bristow / KA LAMAKUA A few days into the donation drive and already a collection box in Henke Hall is starting to fill up. |
Suresh Tamang, 39, a Doctoral Student, is the head coordinator of the soap drive. Tamang, his classmates, and their teacher Dr. Ka'opua all shared the idea of helping with the situation in Haiti. "Rather than collecting money, okay let's do the soap drive." Tamang feels that it is better to give what is needed in order to help solve the problem, rather than donate money hoping that it ends up contributing to the right people.
Haiti was hit by a major earthquake on January 12, 2010. Almost a year later the country is still in devastation. Amongst the chaos, the threat of the Cholera Disease has surfaced. According to the International Medical Corps, Cholera is a lethal disease caused by an infection of the intestines. Only about 20 percent of infected people show symptoms. The disease causes severe dehydration and diarrhea. Cholera is spread by contamination of food or water with fecal matter. The best way to prevent the disease from spreading is by having clean water sources and soap to kill bacteria and help with sanitization. According to the Haiti Soap drive flyer, more than 1,100 people have died from the disease, and over 20,000 have become sick.
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jessie bristow / KA LAMAKUA One nicely decorated donation box in Hale Manoa is filling up with soap from hotels. |
The Soap Drive for Haiti will continue through this week, and if necessary will be extended for a few more days after December 8th. The donation drive is working with the organization "Clean the World" to help get the supplies sent to the proper locations in Haiti. The organized drive is also being represented on the West Oahu campus, allowing more people to be aware of the situation in Haiti and what they can do to help. "We are accepting liquid and other soaps as well, as long as it is any form of soap," says Tamang. Boxes are filling up with new soap, liquid soap, and even soap leftover from hotels.
Boxes for the soap drive can be found all over campus. The Campus Center, Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services, Medical Department, Henke Hall, Hale Manoa, Hale Haiawai, and in the Public Heath and Bio Med building.
The Soap Drive for Haiti encourages everyone to spread the word about how anyone can help. All donations are greatly appreciated. Spreading the holiday spirit and the gift of soap will help stop the spreading of Cholera in Haiti.
For more information or to donate, contact Suresh Tamang at tamang@hawaii.edu or at 675-8019.
Excellent work, hope these soaps arrives Haiti soon and people will use them. Thanks to Suresh Tamang and his friends and Faculty at the School of Social Work at UHM, to come with the idea; also to the Ka Lamakua to help this event to become a success. Mahalo!
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