Two University of Richmond students receive $10,000 grants for peace projects
April 11, 2007
Two University of Richmond students—one from Ethiopia and one from Tanzania—will receive $10,000 grants to establish peace projects in their home countries this summer.
The Kathryn Wasserman Davis 100 Projects for Peace program named students from 65 colleges and universities to receive funding for their projects. Davis established 100 Projects for Peace with a $1 million donation to the Davis United World College Scholars Program on the occasion of her 100th birthday, to encourage and motivate youth to create and implement their ideas for building peace in the world.
Dereje Gudeta, a sophomore business major, will address the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the city of Kemissie, Ethiopia. He plans to recruit 20 high school and college students from both religions who will participate in intensive workshops and discussions to better understand the religions and create innovative solutions to resolve differences between the two groups. They also will tour sacred Christian and Islamic sites in the country and spend a week reflecting on what they have learned.
"We hope the experience will have a positive impact on the lives of the participants, as well as the life of their highly divided community," said Gudeta.
Agatha Mushi, a sophomore economics major, won for her proposal to work with Good Hope Trust to construct a facility for HIV/AIDS counseling, treatment and education in the village of Kibosho, Tanzania. Most villagers cannot afford the cost of transportation to the city of Kilimanjaro where they can obtain free services. When the facility is constructed, the government will provide those services in the village. Mushi, with the help of health personnel, also will conduct educational sessions on sexual health and HIV/AIDS for young girls.
"Construction of a counseling facility will not only target people who are HIV-positive, but also will provide HIV/AIDS education to everyone they can reach in the village," said Mushi. "Peace for Tanzania is getting rid of this human misery."
Students from institutions participating in the Davis United World College Scholars Program were eligible to submit proposals for grassroots peace projects that they would implement during summer 2007. The UWC Scholars Program provides grants to support students from around the world who have completed their pre-university studies at UWC schools.
A list of the winning institutions and projects is available at www.kwd100projectsforpeace.org.