By: Anas Alkatib Davenport University
On Saturday March 3rd, the Syrian Expatriates Organization, a nonprofit organization, hosted a fundraising event that took place at West Bloomfield High School. The event was sponsored by The North American Coordinating Committee which is a committee that was formed to oversee the humanitarian efforts in North America and Canada.
Since the North American Coordinating Committee (TNACC) has so much experience in organizing events and fundraising, local communities that want to hold events contact the North American Coordinating Committee to seek assistance. The main organizations that are supporting TNACC are Life for Relief and Development and Zakat Foundation.
Mr. Khalid Saleh gave a talk on the structure and flow of money to Syria. He discussed the transparency of the process and also informed the audience on how the money is distributed.
After that, Dr. Noor Akhras shed light on how to become more active via Twitter. This can be done by publicizing horrific events to the rest of the world through a Twitter project that she and two other doctors have started. She said that “Reportings from Syria tell that there are rapes that are happening in Syria. The fact that there are reports on it shows that the probability of it happening is true and unfortunately it is not being publicized, and that’s a tragedy.” She continued saying that “the rape issue resonates with American women, and if we publicize the rape issue that is happening in Syria, maybe this issue will get the attention of the international community.”
Though it is a sensitive issue, she said “if you know that people are getting raped, please publicize it on Twitter via #rape in Syria.” But this issue needs more voices to spread the word and reveal the atrocities that are happening in Syria.
To start the fundraising part, Dr. Mujahid Al-Fayadh took the stage. He was honored to be a part of this fundraising event as he considered it a duty, not a job, to help the Syrian people. Dr. Al-Fayadh said that the people that were killed are in Allah’s hands, and they were fighting for a cause. However, the people that are alive need food, water and sustenance to keep them alive. He opened up with a short story on how Life raised 5 million dollars for Gaza, which was less than the goal they were going for. Gaza is very small compared to Syria and that amount is not even enough for a small village in Syria.
He said, “We want to show the people that are in Syria that we are here in America and can pitch in and help out for the humanitarian cause. The one who’s willing to be part of those struggling out there has to pitch in tonight, has to give. He/she should show her consciousness that they are caring.” He continued on saying that “the situation over there is horrible that makes me cry, but crying is not enough. Showing that we care is not enough. We have to do something and to take action as good citizens, and citizens of the United States.”
Shortly after, to give a glimpse on what’s going on in Homs, Syria, the organizers introduced Danyal Abdul-Qadir, a Syrian from Britain, who went to Syria. He was at this event to tell his story. Without mentioning the ordeals that he went through, from being shot with a bullet and the injuries he sustained, to the heroic actions of the Syrian people getting him in and out of Syria, he wanted to show that people, young, old, and everyone in between, are happy that they can now taste freedom.
They can walk and demand freedom. They are smiling against the merciless regime because they know the only way to go is forward, to get rid of Bashar and his regime. He recounts that he used to watch the videos on YouTube and cry and wanted to do something, and this is the time to help out, and every dollar that comes out of this event will go to Homs and all the other places in Syria. After a good session of fundraising, the audience was treated with classical music of Syrian songs.
Since the North American Coordinating Committee (TNACC) has so much experience in organizing events and fundraising, local communities that want to hold events contact the North American Coordinating Committee to seek assistance. The main organizations that are supporting TNACC are Life for Relief and Development and Zakat Foundation.
Mr. Khalid Saleh gave a talk on the structure and flow of money to Syria. He discussed the transparency of the process and also informed the audience on how the money is distributed.
After that, Dr. Noor Akhras shed light on how to become more active via Twitter. This can be done by publicizing horrific events to the rest of the world through a Twitter project that she and two other doctors have started. She said that “Reportings from Syria tell that there are rapes that are happening in Syria. The fact that there are reports on it shows that the probability of it happening is true and unfortunately it is not being publicized, and that’s a tragedy.” She continued saying that “the rape issue resonates with American women, and if we publicize the rape issue that is happening in Syria, maybe this issue will get the attention of the international community.”
Though it is a sensitive issue, she said “if you know that people are getting raped, please publicize it on Twitter via #rape in Syria.” But this issue needs more voices to spread the word and reveal the atrocities that are happening in Syria.
To start the fundraising part, Dr. Mujahid Al-Fayadh took the stage. He was honored to be a part of this fundraising event as he considered it a duty, not a job, to help the Syrian people. Dr. Al-Fayadh said that the people that were killed are in Allah’s hands, and they were fighting for a cause. However, the people that are alive need food, water and sustenance to keep them alive. He opened up with a short story on how Life raised 5 million dollars for Gaza, which was less than the goal they were going for. Gaza is very small compared to Syria and that amount is not even enough for a small village in Syria.
He said, “We want to show the people that are in Syria that we are here in America and can pitch in and help out for the humanitarian cause. The one who’s willing to be part of those struggling out there has to pitch in tonight, has to give. He/she should show her consciousness that they are caring.” He continued on saying that “the situation over there is horrible that makes me cry, but crying is not enough. Showing that we care is not enough. We have to do something and to take action as good citizens, and citizens of the United States.”
Shortly after, to give a glimpse on what’s going on in Homs, Syria, the organizers introduced Danyal Abdul-Qadir, a Syrian from Britain, who went to Syria. He was at this event to tell his story. Without mentioning the ordeals that he went through, from being shot with a bullet and the injuries he sustained, to the heroic actions of the Syrian people getting him in and out of Syria, he wanted to show that people, young, old, and everyone in between, are happy that they can now taste freedom.
They can walk and demand freedom. They are smiling against the merciless regime because they know the only way to go is forward, to get rid of Bashar and his regime. He recounts that he used to watch the videos on YouTube and cry and wanted to do something, and this is the time to help out, and every dollar that comes out of this event will go to Homs and all the other places in Syria. After a good session of fundraising, the audience was treated with classical music of Syrian songs.
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