An array of Somali cuisine greeted students on Sunday morning at the “Givin’ Back at Gorecki” event. The event was designed financially to help Somali aid relief efforts.
Recent droughts in Somalia have wrought havoc on the impoverished area, resulting in 3 million Somalis suffering from inadequate nutrition and 250,000 from starvation. Violence stemming from competition over the scarce necessitates has resulted in the displacement of 320,000 Somalis some of the people have settled in the St. Cloud area, a region with a growing Somali population.
Working in junction with the Somali Café in St. Cloud, CSB Campus Ministry and The Cultural Affairs Board decided to do what they could to solve the drought issue, raising awareness for and assisting a largely unrecognized community.
“This is our way of making a small dent in a larger issue,” said event leader, sophomore Alyssa Brown.
She believes that acknowledging the financial need is only half the battle.
“We need to show the Somali community that we care for them,” said Brown.
War is exiling many Somalis to foreign lands, leaving them in need of resources and healing.
SJU senior Abdullahi Kulane, a native Somali native, reiterated the significance of the event.
“Poverty and war are serious issues, but they aren’t necessarily immediate to us,” said Kulane. “When we are proactive, we can make a difference, especially by bridging communities.”
Even though Givin’ Back at Gorecki will not solve the drought problem, it is another step towards reaching a solution.
Efforts began in Brother Willie’s Pub Friday night, with a concert seeking to raise money for the relief fund. The concert, set up by SJU Campus Ministry, featured freshman Michael Huber, sophomore Joe Lampe and bands Hard Ticket and Low-Key and the Thortones. Both Friday’s concert and Sunday’s brunch donated the money raised to Catholic Relief Services, a consistent conduit for relief fundraisers.
Many Somali families were present on Sunday at “Givin’ Back at Gorecki,” including some Elders from St. Cloud’s Somali Elder Council (SEC). Their attendance illuminated issues in Somalia and provided a crucial link to two unique cultures connected by a shared desire for stewardship and compassion. After talking with Elder Jama Alimad, it seems that bridging CSB/SJU together with the SEC is exactly what they have in mind.
“A connected youth generation gives hope for future unity,” said Alimad.