Before the Thanksgiving holiday we posted about a college student in Detroit who was putting together a three-day event for the students at the Henry Ford Academy.

Mara Magyarosi took the Students Rebuild challenge to raise awareness about genocide and mass atrocities happening in the DRC and Somalia to heart.  “It’s hard not to be interested, once you know.”

When we asked how things went she said,  “The kids were in shock.  It was amazing!”

Eighteen classrooms, well over 300 students and more than 50 volunteers made up of Mara’s college classmates and Henry Ford Academy faculty and staff spent three days really working to understand what’s happening around the world, and to bring that understanding full circle from sympathy to empathy; from individuality to solidarity; from knowledge to action. Here's there story:

See the Students in Action:

“The kids were asking the right questions; that’s what was so great.  That they finally know what to ask about so that we can all learn together.”  And they understand why they are making the bones. “They understand that the action is significant, that making bones is proof of the conversation about what is happening.”  And they know that the bones they created will become part of a collective goal to raise funds for CARE.

On the third day, Mara helped the kids create a mini installation of the 1,983 bones they created in the gym at HFA.  All these bones will be part of the final installation on the National Mall in 2013.  “I wanted the kids to see exactly what their contribution is.  When they see the installation on the National Mall, they’re gonna say, “that little corner, we made those.’”

Mara’s secret to success?  “I had lots of support.” And everyone was super excited to help.  “Everyone wanted to know, ‘Why don’t we do more of this?’ The community work was really inspiring to the organizers.”

Thanks Mara! Your work is really inspiring to all of us!

 

Ready to make a difference?

Take a collective stand against ongoing humanitarian crises. Get creative, raise awareness and help generate funding by crafting a handmade bone.  Your action will be matched with dollars for relief and improved livelihoods for other young people Somalia and the DRC.  Register now!