People from around the University of Maryland came to Stamp Student Union Friday to experience the UNICEF at UMD International Night Market.
Guests were invited to enjoy food, music and cultural performances while on-campus cultural organizations fundraised for their UNICEF office of choice, some of which included Pakistan, Ukraine, Syria and Turkey.
Urvi Chowdhury, the president of UNICEF at this university, started working with the organization around three years ago at the start of the pandemic.
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“That entire time period was very awakening and there was so much momentum and with student activism and social activism that I just kind of wanted to do my part,” the neurobiology physiology major said.
For many in attendance, including Chowdhury, the evening was deeper than performances and new food. Friday was also about advocating for their home countries and the challenging experiences that come with civil unrest or natural disasters.
Fiza Sukhera, a freshman information systems and international business major, was moved after seeing the impact that last year’s flooding in Pakistan had on children and was upset that the government wasn’t doing anything about it.
“[The flood] washed away everything these children had,” Sukhera said. “And two months ago, I was in Pakistan, and I saw firsthand there were children on the streets begging for money.”
Seeing the devastation and the calamity was a part of why the 19-year-old started her nonprofit organization, “The Yellow Foundation.” One of her main goals was to fundraise for the affected children and provide them with an education.
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Sukhera partnered with three local schools in Pakistan and communicated with a team of eight people in the country to ensure that funds were going to the children, she said.
Seeing the devastation and the calamity was a part of why the 19-year-old started her nonprofit organization, “The Yellow Foundation.” One of her main goals was to fundraise for the affected children and provide them with an education.
Sukhera partnered with three local schools in Pakistan and communicated with a team of eight people in the country to ensure that funds were going to the children, she said.
Aside from the fundraising and raising awareness about humanitarian crises, the night was filled with great music and performances.
“I’m really enjoying the music, and I was here earlier watching the performances practice so I’m really looking forward to that,” said Rona Okojie, a sophomore psychology major who attended the event.
The beauty of the evening was the juxtaposition of pain and joy. There was an acknowledgement of pain for people struggling around the world, but there was immense joy in efforts to combat the devastating impact of the disasters. Going to the international market was a reminder that there are always ways to get involved and become a more empathetic global citizen.
