Shut Up & Do Something (SUADS) is an annual CAP AIDS campaign that mobilizes Canadian high school students to support the ongoing struggle to resist, survive and overcome HIV/AIDS in Africa.
The campaign is the brainchild of a remarkable young Canadian woman, Danielle Howe. In August 2006, Danielle was watching the TV coverage of the 16th International AIDS Conference taking place in Toronto when the impact of HIV/AIDS in Africa touched her.
Danielle was still in grade eleven at Ancaster High School in Ancaster, Ontario. She decided that she and other young Canadians needed to “shut up for a full 24 hours and do something” about HIV/AIDS in Africa. She approached CAP AIDS and, together, we launched the campaign in 2007.
In 2007, the campaign was called Break The Silence. In 2008, the Campaign was renamed Shut Up & Do Something but retained Danielle's original idea of "24 hours of silence".
During the 2007 and 2008, high school students from across Canada raised over $35 000 to support CAP AIDS’ grassroots, community-based HIV/AIDS initiatives in Africa. CAP AIDS used the funds to support project benefitting AIDS orphans, AIDS care givers and HIV/AIDS educators in Ethiopia and Uganda.
CAP AIDS will coordinate the 2009 campaign jointly with Danielle Howe, who now attends Dalhaousie. Danielle is also the campaign's Ambassador.
The campaign will be spread over three months from March 1, 2009, to May 31, 2009, with one day reserved for "24 hours of silence". Suggested dates for this day are: March 31st, April 30 and May 14th. However participating schools may also chose another date convenient to them.
Leading to this day, students will share information about HIV/AIDS in Africa, and collect pledges to support the work of grassroots, community-based African NGOs.
We are hoping to recruit a student coordinator or core group of coordinators at each participating school to mobilize other students to participate in the campaign. If you are interested in coordinating the campaign at your school, register your school here.
CAP AIDS will provide all the tools the students will need for the campaign, including: this blog, pledge forms, information packages, educational videos, an online donation system, and charitable status for tax receipting purposes. Further, we may provide a speaker if required.
Thank you in advance for being part of the effort to resist, survive and overcome the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
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