Students walking through the Quad are often appealed to by student organizations promoting their cause by offering food. However, Interfaith in Action, along with the Muslim Student Organization and the Indian Student Organization, took to the Quad differently by encouraging students to fast for a day to raise awareness of famine in Somalia.

These groups hosted the Go Hungry for Hunger Fast-a-thon 2011 on Thursday in support of Gandhi Week.

“We are trying to emulate and commemorate civil rights leaders like Gandhi especially since it is his birthday this weekend,” said Laxmi Shastry, a co-organizer of the event and junior in LAS.
The group plans to donate the money that would have been spent on food to help solve the problem of hunger locally and in Somalia.

Gautam Srikishan, senior in FAA, referred to a quote by Mahatma Gandhi that inspired the event and other service projects happening this week: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

In spite of the smell of barbecue, a bake sale and a farmer’s market next to its booth on the Quad, Interfaith in Action sold almost 200 shirts Thursday. $5 from each T-shirt sale will be donated to the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, and will be matched by the George Harrison Fund.

The group broke fast Thursday night at the Wesley United Methodist Church, where many restaurants donated food to support the cause. The Indian Student Organization also hosted speakers at the dinner. Gandhi’s grandson, Rajmohan Gandhi, a professor at the University, was scheduled to speak briefly, as well as was Shikhank Sharma, a senior in LAS who works with UNICEF, scheduled to educate the group on what is happening in the Horn of Africa and what UNICEF is doing to help.

Aditi Singh, a member of the Muslim Student Association and Interfaith in Action, said the fast-a-thon brought together several diverse groups.

“We have people from different faiths, races, genders to work together to make an impact,” said Singh, senior in LAS.

The idea of a fast-a-thon began with the Muslim Student Association, where fasting had been used to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, so Mariam Kudaimi, junior in LAS and an executive board member of the group, wanted to work with other registered student organizations to promote this.

“I am hoping that our idea will gain momentum and become as large scale as breast cancer walks and marathons on a national level so that all college campuses across America can combat hunger locally or internationally,” Kudaimi said.