The Plaza of the Americas turned into a mock refugee camp Thursday when about 60 students gathered at an event to learn about global poverty and disease.
The ONE campaign's event to promote awareness of problems in Africa, kicked off with a screening of "Sons of Lwala," a documentary about two Kenyan brothers who built a clinic in their hometown, Lwala, to fulfill their father's dream of having a medical facility there.
Ten students watched the documentary and stayed to hear a speech by Peter Ter, a former Sudanese refugee who was forced from his home due to civil war during the '80s.
He spoke about the fear and hunger he dealt with while in the refugee camps and the tragedy he saw when moving from place to place fleeing from the bombs.
Ter, who got his GED in Jacksonville and studies political science at UF, plans to join the Peace Corps. He said he isn't bitter about his experiences.
"There is no need to be vindictive," he said. "The best way is to forgive people."
After Ter's speech, the event continued in the Plaza of the Americas, where UF's branch of the ONE campaign offered tables from different UF organizations with information on gender equality, child health, extreme poverty and hunger, environmental sustainability, maternal health, global partnership and HIV education.
About 5 people were given free HIV blood tests.
Beaded necklaces and bracelets made by Ugandan women were sold. All profits from the jewelry will go back to the women.
Bryant Shannon, UF's ONE campaign president, who is ONE's list of top national student leaders, said the group held the event to raise awareness in students who might not know the details of Africa's problems.
"We live in an area where the worst thing that happens to us might be a bad test grade," he said. "We want to spark attention and bring these issues to the limelight."
UF management sophomore Jack Lee said he was interested to see educational outreach on a campus level.
"It's good to see that UF is actually doing something about it," he said.
