Keep A Child Alive hosts annual Red Ball

The University's Keep A Child Alive (KCA) chapter hosted their annual Red Ball in the Multipurpose Room April 14 in an effort to raise awareness of AIDS in Africa. According to their Web site, KCA is an organization dedicated to finding treatment and support services for children and their families with HIV/AIDS. "Keep a Child Alive provides life-saving medication and services for children and families affected with HIV/AIDS throughout Africa and India," former KCA Chapter President Amanda Ferrandino said. As of the night of the ball, freshman Frances Taormina and junior Rikki Korkowicz are the new presidents of KCA. The ball was co-sponsored by the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. At the event, a few segments from the documentary "Alicia in Africa" were played along with performances by the Pace Choir and the ETC Step-Team. "Step dancing can be traced back to ancient African dances and the song the choir will be singing is an African a ccapella song," Ferrandino said. Ferrandino started the night by showing the documentary and telling a personal story about her time spent in Sub-Saharan Africa, and it's effect on her. "The event is a night for awareness of AIDS in Africa. An entire continent is being torn apart by the disease-its culture, its music, its life. And with it goes a part of our culture as well, for not only are we all of African descent, a lot of pop culture is traced back to African roots," Ferrandino said. This year, the KCA chapter started the Paper Doll campaign where people can buy a sheet of paper with an outline of a child on it. At the event, the illustrated sheets were on display. "We started a campaign to sell 6,000 paper dolls for $1 to represent the amount of lives lost a day to HIV/AIDS. The campaign took a slow start but we are hoping it will grow as the summer comes. Students should pledge to sell dolls to their hometowns and bring [them] back to the Pace community," Ferrandino said. Sophomore and Pace Choir member Michelle Ferreira explains that she, along with the two other representatives of the choir, Miriam Lacroix and Jassmine Pierce, learned the African a ccapella song "Siahamba" while attending different high schools. She also explained that the music from the culture should be preserved. "I think it's very important because we can all learn from it, and it shouldn't be forgotten," Ferreira said. According to the KCA Web site, the organization started in 2006 in New York City. Starting with four, they have grown to 230 chapters in the last three years. "These are students who have observed the work of Keep a Child Alive, and want to join in the provision of lifesaving medicines and surrounding care. Joining the KCA college community means serious commitment to ending to this senseless AIDS pandemic," the Web site said. Ferrandino explained that 63 percent of all the people infected with HIV/AIDS are in sub-Saharan Africa, which is why KCA predominantly works with Africa. At the moment, KCA is developing a partnership with Living India to support the increase in the orphan population. "Current estimates state that over one million children under age 15 have lost a parent to AIDS. 53 percent of these children are abused either by family members or people in the community," according to Keepachildalive.org. KCA is always looking for the University community to help. "We are always open to donations and are always trying to articulate to the Pace community the devastating affect HIV/AIDS has on its victims, their families, communities, all the way up to the global sphere," Ferrandino said. To join the University chapter contact Lacroix, KCA's secretary or visit Kcacollege.com.