By Jessica Walsh
Staff Writer
On March 11, 2011 Japan was hit with a 9.0 earthquake, followed by a devastating tsunami. Around ten thousand have lost their lives so far, and hundreds of thousands more have been left homeless and in need of resources. This where Westford Academy students hope to help.
The Amnesty International Club is currently selling t-shirts that will benefit those who are suffering from the earthquake.
“We’re just tying to do everything we can,” said Sarah Varghese, an Amnesty International Club member.
The t-shirts are $15, and all proceeds will go to disaster victims. Varghese said that WA students should help Japan victims by buying t-shirts and starting collections of food and clothing. She also stated the importance of students being educated about the earthquake.
“Everybody should know what is going on in their world,” said Varghese.
Amnesty International is hoping to raise a couple of hundred of dollars through the sale of t-shirts. Amnesty has continuously been involved with raising money for those in need. Over the past years, the club has been asking students and faculty to give part of their lunch money to help those suffering in Darfur.
Amnesty works to inform students about what is going on in the world, especially human rights and how students can help out.
The idea of selling t-shirts was originally pitched on Facebook, to gauge how much interest the student body had in purchasing shirts. There was a strong response, so the club went ahead with starting to sell t-shirts during lunch.
The Japan t-shirts will be on sale during all four lunches during the weeks of 3/21 and 3/28.
Amnesty is not the only club at WA working to help Japan victims. WA Disaster Relief, a club started by Mustafa Buxamusa, is currently collecting clothes to send to Japan victims.
Buxamusa started the club with hopes that WA students could help victims of not only the Japan earthquake/tsunami, but also all those around the world who have been affected by disaster.
The club has received a strong response from students. To encourage her students to donate, math teacher Kristen Stamp is running a competition between all of her classes; whoever donates the most gets a free breakfast.
Both Amnesty International and WA Disaster Relief are helping WA students help those in need, not only in Japan, but around the world.
