In an effort to raise money for Sudanese refugees caught in the Darfur conflict, Boston University’s Harriet E. Richards Cooperative House sponsored Eat 4 Equity on Friday night, a charity dinner featuring African food that attracted more than 100 students.
The event, also coordinated by Amnesty International and BU’s Darfur Coalition, featured Sudanese dishes made by house members. The house had a suggested $3 donation, with all proceeds going to SaveDarfur. Although the United Nations has not categorized the conflict as a genocide, the U.S. government has declared it one.
Darfur Coalition President Rheanne Wirkkala said she hoped the event would shed more light on violence in Darfur.
“We also just want [to get] the word out to as many people as possible that there is mass genocide going on in Sudan,” the CAS junior said.
The foreign food drew a larger crowd than HER House members expected. Member Otylia Babiak said they expected about 80 people to come, but she estimated more than 100 showed up. The College of Arts and Sciences senior said by 7:45 p.m., the line was out the door.
Despite the larger-than-expected turnout, HER House Activities Committee President Marianna Buono, a CAS senior, said cooking for a large group does not faze the girls in the house, because house rules require each member to cook for all 24 residents frequently during the year.
Although HER House, a cooperative living house for women receiving financial aid, only started Eat 4 Equity last semester, members said they hope to have one dinner each month, with the next one scheduled for Nov. 17. The dinner in November will benefit Lebanon and feature food from the Middle-Eastern country.
At each Eat 4 Equity, the house cooks food indigenous to the region it is raising money for.
“I thought it was clever to serve food from the region,” CAS sophomore Jonathan Judge said.
Although many attendees said they had never tried Sudanese food before the Friday dinner, they left impressed.
“This is food you wouldn’t find in a dining hall,” CAS freshman Elizabeth Prinz said.
HER House Secretary Bobbie Dougherty said she spread word about the event through word of mouth and through Facebook.com. The CAS senior said the non-profit event was funded through a bake sale in the George Sherman Union earlier in the year.
HER House member Shan Shan also raised money for Darfur by selling jewelry she accumulated during a recent three-month stay in China. The CAS junior said 10 percent of the money earned through jewelry sales would go to SaveDarfur.
While some did come for the food, the charity aspect of the event also drew many to Eat 4 Equity.
“It’s better to go here on a Friday night and give to a good cause,” College of Communication sophomore Cristina Cruz said.