Help us as we support the ‘Better World Books’ book drive

As the members of WUSC at Trent University prepare to say farewell to another awesome academic year for WUSC, we thought that we would have one last activity. Here is your chance to help save the environment and fund literacy programs worldwide.

Do you have textbooks that you no longer have use for? Why not donate them to someone who will use them? WUSC at Trent University will be running a ‘Better World Books’ book drive for textbooks from Monday, April 19th, to Friday, April 30th!

By donating your textbooks, you will be supporting WUSC at Trent University and the ‘Better World Books’ non-profit organization, which promotes international literacy initiatives. If you have any books that you would like to donate, please drop them off at the T.I.P. Office on weekdays from 9am–12pm and 1pm–4pm. Invite your friends to join the Facebook group – “A Book Drive for a Better World!” and show your support for a great cause.

Executive positions for 2010/2011 now open

WUSC at Trent University refreshes its Executive body every year because we feel that persons who have the skills need to be given a chance to lead. The injection of new ideas and energy keeps WUSC alive and allows for greater strides towards changing the world through education.

This year, quite a few of our existing members will be graduating from Trent University and leaving to pursue life elsewhere. We hope that other members will be able to step up and continue the great work that our organization has been engaged in for such a long time.

So if you are interested in being on the Local Committee Executive, please contact us and inform us of your intentions. All we require is that you give 3 reasons as to why you will be the ideal person for the position. This does not have to be formal or a lengthy essay. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, April 6th.

Interested persons are asked to read the committee descriptions so as to become familiar with the responsibilities of the respective positions. The positions that are available include:

• Chair
• Secretary
• SRP Committee Coordinator
• SRP Finance Committee Coordinator
• Events Committee Coordinator
• Publicity Committee Coordinator
• Finance Committee Coordinator
• Ottawa Liaison Committee Coordinator
• Community Liaison Committee Coordinator
• Communications/IT Committee Coordinator

Thanks to all Trent students!

On behalf of the WUSC at Trent University Local Committee a very big thank you is extended to all of those who voted in this week’s referendum.

The WUSC levy increase has passed, meaning we are so much closer to our goal of sponsoring two SRP students annually!

We could not have done it without you, and together we are on the way to expanding Trent’s commitment to a very worthwhile program that provides a great deal of hope to refugee students all over the world. It is a great way to begin celebrating 30 years of sponsoring students at Trent University!

Latest WUSC videos from around the internet

WUSC is not restricted to the Local Committee that you see at Trent University. It is actually a national organization within Canada. There are dozens of other active Local Committees at educational institutions around the nation which are involved in projects geared towards making the world a more equitable place to live in. WUSC, at the national level, works with many other humanitarian organizations to foster human development through education and training.

Although WUSC at Trent University is currently promoting ‘VOTE YES!’ for the levy increase during this week’s elections, we thought that you should at least be aware of what WUSC is capable of doing and is doing elsewhere. Check out the following video compilation to see for yourself. Become inspired to take action and contribute to changing the world through education.

Shine A Light Campaign – an on-going program that raises funds in order to supply girls in refugee camps with the tools they need to learn, strive and succeed.

WUSC at the Afghanistan Challenge – a joint program with other Canadian organizations aimed at delivering basic services to the Afghan people through small donations. The VTAWP targets the training of widows and their families so they can acquire the skills needed to improve their income.

WUSC at Women Against Rape – Uniterra (a joint program of WUSC and CECI) assists W.A.R. in Botswana to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence.

Sponsored student sharing his story through song – Emmanuel, an SRP beneficiary, shares his story through music.

Canada’s World – this is not a WUSC video, but the message is strong and should apply to us all.

In their own words – Interview with Jean-Claude Dufisumukiza

Here is another interview with a sponsored student at Trent University. Remember, voting on the levy increase takes place all day today and tomorrow at Wenjack Theatre, and all day Wednesday and Thursday in front of Bata Library.

After moving through six different refugee camps since 1993, Jean-Claude was selected for the Student Refugee Program last year. He left the camp in Malawi where he had been living with his younger brother and cousins and arrived in Peterborough last August. He sat down to chat about his first year at Trent and his thoughts about the chance of WUSC sponsoring two students in the future.

Q: What do you think about your experience here at Trent so far?
J-C: Well, I haven’t been to too many places… I visited Ottawa, saw Ottawa U and you know, I like Trent very much. I like the educational system and then also the location. The landscape is very beautiful and it is far from town, so although you have to travel, it’s a quiet place.

Q: What has the WUSC Local Committee done since you arrived that has made the biggest impact on your life?
J-C: The local committee has helped in a lot of things. I don’t even know how to explain it… they’ve showed me places, I didn’t know how to bank, so they showed me. They helped me choose courses, showed me some shops to buy things for cheap… and Tim (Shah) gave me a fridge for my room. That has been so nice!

Q: What would it mean to you to have two students sponsored in the future?
J-C: I think that’s awesome. It’s a good idea, because if the two students were to come from the same location, they would already be friends, and then it would save two families at the same time. Because, it isn’t just me that was helped, it is my entire family.

Q: What are your goals for the future, after you finish at Trent?
J-C: I haven’t decided yet… I think I would like to work in entrepreneurship, maybe with some committees. I would also like to sponsor my young brother to come to Canada, but for now I am just going to enjoy my beautiful life at Trent.