By DANI ROTHWELL
ALANA Cohen felt compelled to act at once after hearing what is happening in Syria.
The Hillcrest Christian College Year 12 student set out to raise money and awareness throughout her school.
“After reading about the crisis in Syria and the awful living conditions of displaced refugees, the Senate (student leadership) team and I felt compelled to do something to help,” Alana said.
Their goal was to go beyond what Australia currently offers in foreign aid and change the perspective of students in the college.
“The whole process has made us realise how blessed and fortunate we are to have the things that we have,” she said.
Over three weeks, the Hillcrest Senate members spoke at school assemblies to raise awareness of the Syrian Refugee Crisis, which continued with baked goods being sold through ‘honesty donations’.
The fund-raising finished with a burger barbecue at lunchtime, where 200 burgers were sold.
Students who also donated funds could have their handprint taken on the day along with their names in their library as a visual support of the cause.
“We were overwhelmed by the support from teachers and students, and we hope that the small actions of ordinary people at Hillcrest Christian College can have an extraordinary impact in the lives of the Syrian people,” Alana said.
“That’s the call we’ve chosen to respond as global citizens.”
Alana’s actions came as she learnt that Syria has been a war zone for the past four years and as a result, 7.6 million people are now displaced inside Syria with another four million who have fled to neighbouring countries now living in severely overcrowded refugee camps.
She was particularly touched when she learned that people have had everything taken away from them, with people losing their belongings, homes, livelihoods, families and even their lives.
