Art for Africa
What do yogurt and Africa have
in common? More than you'd
think.
Western Heads East (WHE) is a community development program partnering Western University and institutions in East Africa.
Bob Gough, program director for WHE, explained how the program evolved from a response to the AIDS crisis, which now helps locals promote health and economic empowerment.
“Dr. Gregor Reid and Sharreh Hekmat developed a probiotic yogurt, which was developed here at Western, [that] builds immune response and stops diarrhea, which people and children living with AIDS are dying of,” he said. “A simple technology like this can save lives, so we're very excited to be able to partner with them to get this going on in Africa.”
The charitable organization hopes to use the probiotic yogurt to promote “economic development locally, for the empowerment of women and to bring health to the communities.”
Gough explained that causes like this are important to Western for a number of reasons.
“Universities and colleges have a social responsibility and we have the knowledge and resources to share,” he said. “There's knowledge and resources with our partners and together when we put those together, we come up with innovative ideas and innovative responses.”
Students have gotten involved as well, and Gough counted more than 60 representatives from Western and Fanshawe to do internships.
“Students work on whatever the local goals are,” he said. “They work on the community goal, and they get academic credit.”
Gough said he would like to see Fanshawe and the rest of London get involved, and one way of doing that is by attending WHE's Art in the Market event on March 19.
“The Great Hall becomes an East African market,” said Gough. “We'll have speakers from Tanzania there, entertainment, art and jewelry ... What we're really excited about this year is local London artists are contributing artwork.”
The event costs $20 for students, and it includes food and beverages.
“It's a wonderful collaboration between Western and Fanshawe and one of our goals with doing the Art in the Market thing is to get more of the London community involved,” Gough said.
Fanshawe students are more than welcome to get involved, said Gough. This year, Ovo Best and Laura Newton from the Corporate Communications and Public Relations program are involved with organizing and implementing Art in the Market.
Students who are interested in volunteering for the fundraising and education committee can email western.heads.east@uwo.ca.
Western Heads East (WHE) is a community development program partnering Western University and institutions in East Africa.
Bob Gough, program director for WHE, explained how the program evolved from a response to the AIDS crisis, which now helps locals promote health and economic empowerment.
“Dr. Gregor Reid and Sharreh Hekmat developed a probiotic yogurt, which was developed here at Western, [that] builds immune response and stops diarrhea, which people and children living with AIDS are dying of,” he said. “A simple technology like this can save lives, so we're very excited to be able to partner with them to get this going on in Africa.”
The charitable organization hopes to use the probiotic yogurt to promote “economic development locally, for the empowerment of women and to bring health to the communities.”
Gough explained that causes like this are important to Western for a number of reasons.
“Universities and colleges have a social responsibility and we have the knowledge and resources to share,” he said. “There's knowledge and resources with our partners and together when we put those together, we come up with innovative ideas and innovative responses.”
Students have gotten involved as well, and Gough counted more than 60 representatives from Western and Fanshawe to do internships.
“Students work on whatever the local goals are,” he said. “They work on the community goal, and they get academic credit.”
Gough said he would like to see Fanshawe and the rest of London get involved, and one way of doing that is by attending WHE's Art in the Market event on March 19.
“The Great Hall becomes an East African market,” said Gough. “We'll have speakers from Tanzania there, entertainment, art and jewelry ... What we're really excited about this year is local London artists are contributing artwork.”
The event costs $20 for students, and it includes food and beverages.
“It's a wonderful collaboration between Western and Fanshawe and one of our goals with doing the Art in the Market thing is to get more of the London community involved,” Gough said.
Fanshawe students are more than welcome to get involved, said Gough. This year, Ovo Best and Laura Newton from the Corporate Communications and Public Relations program are involved with organizing and implementing Art in the Market.
Students who are interested in volunteering for the fundraising and education committee can email western.heads.east@uwo.ca.
