FSU to Host Visitors From Ugandan ‘Frostburg Village’

The Frostburg State University campus will host representatives from Water School Uganda, a non-profit organization that aims to provide clean drinking water to rural locations throughout the African country. The representatives, visiting the week of October 31, will be meeting with members of the campus community and participating in a variety of cultural events held throughout the week.

The visitors, John Ochieng and Jamez Muzinga, will arrive on campus roughly three months before members of Frostburg’s President’s Leadership Circle (PLC) travel to Uganda to assist in Water School Uganda initiatives, specifically in a rural location of the country known as “Frostburg Village.” The students will help the non-profit expand upon its current efforts of education concerning water disinfection and other sanitation efforts. Six members of the PLC will travel to Uganda in late January while six more will travel in March. Members of the organization have annually made the trip to Uganda since Frostburg State initiated a relationship with the Water School in 2011.

While Ochieng and Muzinga visit the FSU campus, current members of the PLC, as well as members of the Global Business Club, will be hosting events to raise funds for the Water School.

Throughout the week of October 31, FSU’s contracted catering company, Chartwells, will be providing select Ugandan dishes to showcase the country’s cuisine. The selections can be found in the Chesapeake Dining Hall throughout the week and in the Lane University Center’s Appalachian Station as space permits. Portions of these proceeds will be collected to donate to the Water School Uganda.

On November 1, however, a headline event will be held in the Gira Center for Communications and Information Technology, in room 156 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event, entitled “Sherehe,” the Swahili word for “celebration,” will be a Ugandan showcase featuring traditional African dances, a presentation of African instruments by FSU music professor Gary Phillips, an art sale, songs provided by Unified Voices Under God’s Domain, and a presentation by Ochieng and Muzinga. Opportunities to donate to Water School Uganda will be available throughout the evening. Additionally, proceeds from art sales will be used to help donate to the Water School. Members of FSU’s Pi Lambda Phi fraternity will be present throughout the evening and will host a concurrent event in the Gira Center concerning eliminating prejudice in terms of Ugandan social issues.

Following the showcase will be a “Ugandan Zumba Night,” to be held on November 5 in the Dance Center of the Cordts P.E. Center, at 6 p.m. A soccer tournament is currently in the planning process, as well. Details on these later events are forthcoming.

Donations to help support this event, and others like it, can be to the FSU Water School or account number 70231 within the FSU Foundation. Call the FSU Foundation at 301.687.4161 or online at www.frostburg.edu/makeagift. For more information on PLC, contact Doug Baer at 301-687-7013.

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