Dance benefit kicks off a series of events to raise funds for Darfur: Breaking the Silence

Darfur: Breaking the Silence started their series of events promoting awareness about the situation in Darfur with a dance party.

The organization raised more than $150 through the donations of 25 students who attended the party in the basement of the Memorial Student Center, said Kati Bailey, president of Darfur: Breaking the Silence.

The dance party was organized as a fun way to increase awareness among students before other larger events take place later in the semester, Bailey said.

War in Darfur throughout the past seven years has affected approximately 3 million people, Bailey said.

"It is estimated that between 300,000 to 400,000 have been murdered, and there are up to 2.5 million refugees," Bailey said.

The large numbers of murder and displacement in Darfur is not widely known, said Kelly Armstrong, who is in charge of public relations for Darfur: Breaking the Silence.

"Many people at Marshall don't really know what is going on in Darfur and the extent of the violence," Armstrong said. "If everyone was given that awareness, I believe we could do some great things."  

Bailey said the lack of awareness about what is happening in Darfur was the reason for the organization's name.

"No one is talking about it, and it deserves to be discussed," Bailey said. "This is an issue, an issue of genocide, that is being pushed under the rug, so we would like to bring it to light, make some noise and break the silence starting here on campus."

Armstrong said once people do know what is happening in Darfur, they should consider helping however they can.

"It we were the ones being forced out of our villages and being raped and abused, we would want help," Armstrong said. "If we have the resources to help, why shouldn't we?"

Bailey said the millions of refugees live in Internally Displaced People camps and face the possibilities of illness and hunger.

"Malaria, cholera and other diseases outbreak periodically," Bailey said. "Food and water is scarce, and these people are probably emotionally exhausted."

The money raised at the dance party will go to World Vision International and will be used, specifically, for rice and water for the refugees in Sudan, Bailey said.

Erin Shaver can be contacted at shaver29@marshall.edu.