Student initiatives during the current refugee crisis keep on forming. Now, five students from Lund have started organising a fundraiser week to aid the refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos.
Thousands of people are escaping the war in Syria, fleeing towards safety in Europe. During these last weeks, thousands of refugees have arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos, and the situation is unmanageable. Many people are left without anything – neither money and nor necessities. Previously, Lundagård has reported that some nations have chosen to donate money to the afflicted. Now, the number of initiatives keeps increasing and five students join together in a weeklong fundraiser.
Money to the afflicted people on Lesbos
Clara Leanderson, Kajsa Fernström Nåtby, Martina Berglund, Klara Nilsson Berge, and Fredrik Välme first got to know each other a year ago when they were studying the Bachelor programme in Political Science at Lund University. Together, they have now started a new initiative, collecting money to help the people stranded on Lesbos.
“All of us are members of different organisations and we thought we could to something through them. However, we soon discovered that there were so many people wanting to help that a fundraiser would be a better option”, Kajsa Fernström Nåtby says.
“We also wanted to know where the donations went, and if you donate money through a big organisation, like the Red Cross, it is often difficult to know exactly where the help ends up”, Fredrik Välme continues.
Companies, organisations, and cafés will donate
The students contacted the private aid organisation “Vi gör vad vi kan” (we do what we can), which has been busy sending necessities and clothes down to Lesbos these past few weeks. The organisation welcomed the students’ idea to organise a fundraiser week. The project is called the “We Can”-week, and the idea is that companies, organisations, and cafés will donate part of their profit made between the 5th and the 9th of October. This money will then be sent down to Lesbos through “Vi gör vad vi kan”.
The search for sponsors has already started, and many are positive about the initiative.
“Almost every company that we have talked to have jumped aboard. There is much good intention in Lund and many people are incredibly energetic. We made a long list of companies and cafés and then we went around asking them if they wanted to help with the project. There were only two companies that turned us down, and that says much about people’s commitment”, says Klara Nilsson Berge.
Lecture with the Association of Foreign Affairs and Spex
In the upcoming week, the Association of Foreign Affairs will give a lecture at Café Athen. Additionally, several Spex in Lund will organise a joint performance on the 8th October, donating the entire profit to the fundraiser.
“The idea is to have a fun night. People can go there and enjoy themselves while the money spent is for a good cause”, Fredrik Välme says.
The “We Can”-week is promoting their fundraiser through their Facebook page. They will also be putting up posters and distribute flyers with information at the companies and cafés that choose to participate. If you want to contribute, you can swish money to 123 033 33 93 or transfer to bank giro 5038-8115.
Article: Eskil Blohmé
Translation: Sofia Nordstrand
