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UWinnipeg Welcomes Five Students From Haiti

Everyone welcome to attend community Creole breakfast fundraiser

WINNIPEG, MB – Five students arrived this week from Haiti to begin attending classes at The University of Winnipeg and Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor and Bob Silver, Chancellor are inviting members of the university and broader community to attend a Creole welcome breakfast in their honour. A devastating earthquake rocked Haiti in January, destroying the country’s educational infrastructure.

UWinnipeg’s newest students

 Vanessa K. Laurent and Héléna Vickaina Lafleur are both 4th yr students in International Relations, Quisqueya University. When their school collapsed, they were buried alive.They were injured but pulled to safety by rescue workers.

The other three students from the State University of Haiti are: Jaquet Duval, Jean Widny Pervil, and Samy Archille. They are in the Department of Linguistics. Most of their campus was flattened including the Department of Linguistics.They were buried in rubble and many of their classmates and professors did not survive.

UWinnipeg is covering significant costs to allow the five students, all in their twenties, to continue their studies including airfare, tuition, residence fees, meal plans and counselling.

Fundraising underway

 UWinnipeg is spearheading a public appeal to raise $50,000 to cover additional costs such as clothing, books and school supplies, medical supports, monthly allowances and return airfares to Haiti. The University is committed to supporting these five students for a minimum two year period. Any monies raised beyond the $50,000 will go to support the students in year two of their studies at UWinnipeg.

Fundraising Creole breakfast by award-winning Diversity Foods – everyone welcome

 WHEN: Friday, October 8, 2010

            7:30 am to 9:30 am

WHERE: Pangea’s Kitchen, Riddell Hall
University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue

COST: $20 pay at the door (cash, cheque, interact, visa, Matercard)

MENU: Build your own breakfast, buffet style

warm corn tortillas
smokey pinto beans
red rice
scrambled eggs
jalapeno sauce
red sauce
fresh cilantro
salsa fresca
cheddar cheese
fresh fruit slices
banana bread
individual yogurt
fresh orange juice
fair trade tea / fair trade organic coffee

Monetary donations will be gratefully accepted during the breakfast with official charitable income tax receipt provided.

Donations can be made to the Haitian Student Bursary Support anytime by contacting the University of Winnipeg Foundation at 204-786-9995, or toll free 1-866-394-6050, or donate on-line at www.uwinnipegfoundation.ca

Valued partners

The University of Winnipeg thanks the following for financial and goods-in-kind support for the Haitian students – the Uniter and the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, C: 204.293.1167, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca