African victims of HIV/AIDS may seem a world away, but two Fairfield students are doing their part to battle the global epidemic from within the University.
Jen Miller ’07 and Marco Ambrosio ’07 are taking part in the student-run FACE AIDS project, which aims to educate students on the AIDS epidemic and help raise $1 million by the end of 2006 to combat the disease.
Miller and Ambrosio are selling beaded pins made by Zambians affected with the disease. All of the proceeds will be donated to Partners in Health, the first health organization to effectively provide treatment for Africans with HIV. It was founded by Dr. Paul Farmer (the keynote speaker at the University’s fall convocation) and Dr. Jim Kim.
The money raised will go directly to the residents of Zambia and Rwanda, two AIDS-stricken African countries.
Miller was moved to join FACE AIDS by the story of her old friend, Jonny Dorsey, who spent the summer of 2005 in Zambia volunteering at a refugee camp.
Inspired by the suffering of Zambians, Dorsey and a number of his fellow students banded together and FACE AIDS was born. Over the summer, Miller decided to bring the project to Fairfield with Ambrosio’s help.
“I was so impressed with [Dorsey’s] generosity and selflessness that I wanted to help fight for the cause, as well. I decided to bring a chapter of FACE AIDS to Fairfield,” Miller said.
According to Miller, there are currently 20 students and a number of faculty members who are involved with the cause, helping to fundraise, educate and plan events.
Money is primarily raised by the sale of the Zambian pins, which are $5 each. However, the sale of every pin will also result in a $15 donation by matching partners, including Liz Claiborne and Sterling Stamos.
The $20 generated by the sale of one pin will thus provide life-saving medicine for an individual affected by HIV for two months. Selling nine pins would provide enough treatment to save someone who is afflicted with the disease for one year.
Miller believes that addressing this cause is intrinsic to our role as a Jesuit university.
“We, the community of Fairfield, have the capability and power to make a difference. We have been instilled with Jesuit ideals … a tradition built on integrating mind and spirit through community service. Each individual wearing a pin can join this fight against this generation defining epidemic,” she said.
Fairfield students echoed Miller’s desire.
“I think it’s great that students are acknowledging this dilemma. It is allowing people to take a minute and be reminded of how important AIDS is and also how we can help,” said Kristen Daly ’08.
Lauren Wood ’08 agreed.
“The fact that students are being proactive in battling this epidemic is encouraging,” she said.
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