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ANNUAL GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR AFRICA FUNDRAISER AT LOYOLA

By David Thomas

The Global Alliance for Africa is a non-profit organization that supports community-based healthcare in Africa through self-sustaining, grassroots programs. Programs include HIV+ /AIDS Orphans Foster Care, Nurses Scholarships, Rural Women’s Agricultural Cooperatives, Malnutrition Prevention, and Safe Water projects. Back on December 8^th, they hosted a Holiday Benefit Party to celebrate their accomplishments for the year 2000.

The gala event was held at Loyola University’s splendid Kasheer Hall. The room was decked out in seasonal colors and featured tables loaded with gorgeous African artworks that were being used in a silent auction. Among the items that were heavily bid on was a beautiful, 40-year-old circumcision mask that came from the Gouru tribe in the Ivory Coast. A festive crowd mingled about the room while Debra Lewis provided musical accompaniment by playing “Prayers for Africa” on an acoustic piano. A sumptuous buffet was provided by Bon Appetit and featured both American and African delicacies including lamb balls.

As the evening’s program commenced, Master of Ceremonies and Executive Director for GAA, Thomas Derdak, Ph.D., welcomed the crowd of more than 100 people, including African Spectrum’s own The Journalist and his wife Pauline Owusu. Over the next half hour members of GAA took turns informing the audience of the many wonderful achievements they had made throughout the year.

One particularly important program is the Nurses Scholarship Program. This program provides women with the opportunity to become professional medical nurses. A contribution of only $200 is enough to pay tuition, room and board, and a uniform and school supplies. To further accentuate this program and some of the GAA’s other programs, a videotape of a trip to Africa by members of GAA was shown. The video showed GAA members passing out medical books and supplies to Nurses Program participants.

After a few more words of thanks from members of GAA Derdak introduced the night’s guest speaker John Calloway, host of WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. Calloway began his speech by declaring to the audience “You are all fools!” He then proceeded to name other “fools” among them, Dr. King and Nelson Mandela. Needless to say there was a nervous

silence in the room while the audience wondered what Mr. Calloway was trying to say. Then much to everyone’s relief he continued: “If you people think that you can change the world just like Dr. King and Nelson Mandela thought they could, then you are fools and I am proud to be one of you.” It turns out that Mr. Calloway was simply making a parallel between the GAA and its supporters and other heroes who were thought to be foolish for trying to change the world.

The evening concluded with Afro pop music by Dan Boadi and Ghanatta Internationale. They played while the highest bidders in the silent auction were announced and the bidders were given their art. It was a fabulous evening and the Global Alliance for Africa can be very proud of its many achievements.

If you like to know more about this magnificent organization, they can be contacted at (312) 382-0607 or simply visit their website (www.globalallianceafrica.org).

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