FAMU continues to have a very active role in helping the victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.Following the catastrophe, FAMU raised approximately $25,000 through a mobile giving campaign, a Haiti Relief Benefit Concert and other means of fundraising, as well as collecting necessities and medical supplies for the victims.
“It is important for FAMU to continue to help Haiti because it will still take many years before Haiti and its most important asset--its people-- fully recover from the devastation caused by the earthquake,” said Henry Kirby, chair of the FAMU Haiti Relief Committee. “Haiti has a rich and proud history. We have a number of students from Haiti that are attending FAMU and are eager to return to their homeland and use their education and experiences at FAMU to help rebuild the country and assist their family members and fellow citizens.”
According to Kirby, $10,000 will be donated to a United Nations sponsored orphanage in Haiti. The remaining $15,000 will go toward the Historically Black College/University (HBCU) Consortium that will help to fund scholarships for students to attend the State University of Haiti. The goal of the consortium is to raise $12 million to construct a classroom building equipped to receive telecourses taught by the faculty from the HBCUs. The group also plans to raise money so the State University of Haiti can hire replacements for professors who died in the earthquake.