Holy Cross students plan charity work

They say that travel is very broadening, but the students at Holy Cross High School in Flushing got the big picture recently, without leaving the campus.
On Wednesday, September 24, Susanna Grannis, Executive Director of CHABHA (Children Affected by HIV/AIDS) visited the school, to share her experiences dealing with children affected by the HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Grannis’ group is a nonprofit that seeks to raise awareness as well as supports projects to help orphaned and vulnerable children in Rwanda, South Africa and Namibia.
They seek to assist grassroots organizations in those countries. This sometimes requires that they tread a fine line of being “culturally respectful,” according to their website, in areas where their efforts are sometimes interrupted by battles between government and rebel forces.
The students at the school, located at 26-20 Francis Lewis Boulevard in Flushing, met with Grannis to discuss how they could help. They discussed possible fundraising initiatives for the stricken children in Africa.They were especially interested in Project Independence, a program which gives out-of-school youth the opportunity to learn a trade, such as carpentry or culinary arts, and go on to an independent future.
For more information on CHABA, which has its U.S. headquarters in Brattleboro, VT, visit their web site, www.chabha.org.