{"id":3876,"date":"2020-09-02T11:17:08","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T15:17:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/?p=3876"},"modified":"2020-09-02T18:12:07","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T22:12:07","slug":"youth-organized-fundraiser-works-to-bring-clean-water-to-yemen-refugee-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/youth-organized-fundraiser-works-to-bring-clean-water-to-yemen-refugee-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth-Organized Fundraiser Works to Bring Clean Water to Yemen Refugee Camp."},"content":{"rendered":"

By Simon Albaugh<\/p>\n

Hamtramck, Mich. \u2013 It looked like a carnival. Everyone was running around enjoying their time at the food stalls, hookah tables and even a barber. You wouldn\u2019t know that it was a fundraiser for a community in Yemen. It just looked like fun.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, various organizations combined their efforts to support an international project for Yemen. While it\u2019s often called the worst humanitarian disaster of our time, activists all the way in Metro Detroit\u2019s Yemeni Community are trying to help any way they can.<\/p>\n

A fundraiser held by organizations like the United Humanitarian Foundation and Reaching Our Children, among other organizations, combined their efforts to raise money for a water tank to be constructed in Yemen. The project was funded through businesses that donated some of their profits from the event to the effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s like a win-win situation. We provide people the opportunity to do good. But then, in return we’re also serving the people who really need to be served,\u201d said Najwa Ali, Vice President of the United Humanitarian Foundation. \u00a0\u201cSo, you know, whatever we raise today is going towards a water tank project in Yemen. The idea is to ensure that the people who are living in the refugee camps are getting clean and safe water.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Businesses were able to sell some of their products while donating to the effort in Yemen.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Yemen Fundraiser was organized by young members of a few organizations. They\u2019re the ones who brought the people to enjoy the activities, organized with the businesses and even brought some of their friends to volunteer their expertise.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy barber, who\u2019s actually a close friend of mine, we’re both Yemeni,\u201d said Azmi Alzandani of United Humanitarian Foundation. \u201cWe always talk about what’s going on, and he knew that I like to do active work in the community, so he was the first person we reached out to.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe pitched the idea of just giving a few haircuts, you know, and donating the proceeds. But then, when we saw how big this area was, we’re like, well, \u2018we could do more than just haircuts.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the awning of the Golden Gates Hall on Holbrook Street, the barber stood over his black chair. A Crowd had already been forming around him, all from people waiting to get a haircut after such services were closed down for a number of months earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The whole event was organized by youth members of the Southeast Michigan Yemeni Community \u2013 people who are trying to make the change they need for the world they\u2019re about to inherit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe message we’re trying to get out there to the youth is just to be more aware of what is going on in other countries,\u201d said Aya Opaueh of the United Humanitarian Foundation. \u201cAnd to get your voice out there and show them that you can contribute, rather than just donating and volunteering and coming out to show your support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reaching Our Children, or ROC, is a nonprofit that focuses on mentoring opportunities for young people in Southeast Michigan. In their partnership with the other organizers of the Yemen Fundraiser, they saw the potential for more events like this one.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo these vendors are young entrepreneurs that are willing to give back even during a time like this, when most businesses are at a loss,\u201d said Hassan Ayob, Founder and President of ROC. \u201cSo not only do the people who are helping fund this project benefiting from a financial standpoint, but the young people get to see what they could potentially do in regard to empowering themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

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