FIU aB trip to South Africa

Seven students and two staff members of the Alternative Break program at Florida International University (FIU) will be going to Durban, South Africa in the summer of 2013 to volunteer at Keep a Child Alive's Blue Roof Wellness Center. In conjunction with the International Children's Outreach organization, these volunteers will be at the center for two weeks working with children diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. A trip of this magnitude needs a hefty amount of funds for traveling expenses, the supplies each student will be taking to the center and a donation we would like to leave to the organization. On behalf of those participating, any donations towards our trip will make a huge difference in reaching our goal and in turn, being able to make this trip a reality! Thank you.

Please contact me if you would like your donation to be tax deductible.

About Alternative Breaks
Alternative Breaks at FIU is ranked second in the nation among similar service learning programs across the country. This organization empowers and challenges students and faculty participants to understand our relationship within the global community through education, reflection and direct service; while on a weekend to week-long service trip over fall, winter, spring and summer break.

Alternative Breaks is made accessible to all students. Students are not required to pay the cost of their trip out of pocket. Instead aB empowers students to fundraise so that every student can have the opportunity to participate in the program regardless of their economic status.

About International Children's Outreach
International Children's Outreach Inc. (ICO) is a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to providing food, clothing, medical, and educational supplies to deserving children. They are not restricted as to where they may operate; however, they are currently concentrating their efforts on projects which serve poor children within the inner city of the United States and third world countries.

About the Blue Roof Wellness Center
Once just a dream for a community plagued by alcohol, drugs, crime and staggering rates of HIV, the Blue Roof has become a powerful symbol of hope and all that is possible for the people of Wentworth and its surrounding community. Through the support of Keep a Child Alive (KCA) Co-Founder Alicia Keys and the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF), KCA transformed the Blue Roof into a state-of-the-art continuum of care center for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Among its services, the Blue Roof provides free anti-retroviral medication, HIV counseling and testing, ART adherence classes, TB screening, cervical cancer screening, nutritional support for 200 families a month, psycho-social support, community outreach, and alcohol and drug abuse counseling. The clinic prepares free nutritious meals every day for patients and their families who visit the clinic, ensuring that every patient that walks through our clinic's doors can take their medication with a hot, nutritious meal.