MySpace Brings Humanitarian Organization into View

Open a newspaper or magazine, turn on a television, or connect to the Internet, and chances are very good that you will find a news article about MySpace. The three-year-old social networking site has risen meteorically to become the fastest-growing website of its kind, attracting hundreds of thousands of new members every day. And with that growth comes a field of detractors and those who see the website as a potential monster, an online haven where people congregate for less than savory reasons. However, what many fail to realize is that MySpace is having a positive impact in many areas, not least of which is the humanitarian arena.

Meet Ms. Kishmir Burke and her organization, Hands Across Africa Relief International (HAARI). HAARI is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing aid to underdeveloped, war-torn, and poverty-stricken areas of the world. As the name would imply, the organization focuses its energies and resources on the continent of Africa, but Burke, the founder of HAARI, sees a future that brings HAARI's efforts to bear on any locale where such is needed. Working with churches, private corporations, and individual donors, the operation currently maintains a food bank and gathers clothing to send to overseas, church-run distribution centers. According to the organization's website, their mission is to 'provide health care, pure water supply, emergency food and clothing, emergency shelter and permanent housing, education and employment opportunities, transportation and secular and spiritual counseling' for thousands of displaced families living in places that have seen catastrophe and loss.

During the summer of 2005, a friend visited Kishmir Burke, a single mother of three from New York. The visit that brought Ms. Burke's friend all the way from Monrovia, Liberia, should have been a pleasant occasion; yet, something happened during that time that left an indelible mark on Burke. The visiting friend spent a great deal of time expressing his concerns over the political climate in western Africa. He went on to display a film that showed the deplorable living conditions for hundreds of thousands of people in the region. The film brought Burke to tears. "I was so horrified at what I saw, that I had no choice but to cry," recalls Ms. Burke. "It was overwhelming to see those people- children, especially- barely living."

Burke's youngest child, Sydne, then fifteen, was disquieted by his mother's emotional reaction. When she explained to him that she was distressed by what she had seen in the film, his response was stark and honest. He told her that she should use her education in Human Services Administration to bring aid to the impoverished people of Africa. That simple message from her son was the catalyst for Burke to start a non-profit organization geared toward helping poor, starving, and sick Africans.

In November 2005, Burke and a small group of people founded Hands Across Africa Relief International. The grass roots organization, working out of the Burke family home, began gathering support from friends and neighbors. The group took in donations of food and clothing, sending these items to one of several churches in Ghana. These churches were grateful for the effort and the donations, but with over twelve thousand people streaming into the churches daily, the need was greater than HAARI could provide. Such staples as shelter, food, and medical aid are in short supply throughout Africa, and HAARI's fledgling status was not conducive to gaining the resources to fill the sheer need of thousands of people. Too, the United States' involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts had caused the world to shift its focus from Africa, placing the poorest continent into the periphery of social conscience. Burke knew that her organization needed help, but she had no idea where to turn.

She continued her work, but her energies were divided between continuing to funnel resources to her affiliate churches in Ghana and trying to gain greater support for HAARI. Burke's search for additional aid and a stronger field of representation was exhausting, and she feared that her vision of bringing Africans out of suffering would fade.

Providence seemed to smile on HAARI when Burke's daughter, Saybil, eighteen, told her that she should take her mission to MySpace. Burke knew very little about the website, but she was willing to listen, watch, and learn. Over the next few weeks, Burke, with the aid of her children, built her network on MySpace. She promoted the mission of HAARI, and quickly attracted attention from people around the world. Creating an account with MySpace showed Burke relative success for a cause that seemed all but lost. That success increased, almost overnight, when she posted a comment on the page belonging to the site's founder, Mr. Tom Anderson. As the creative force behind MySpace, Anderson receives a tremendous number of comments and messages each day. As a result, those posting comments often read the messages that others have posted. In Burke's case, the messages brought a high volume of traffic and attention to HAARI. Ms. Burke's network doubled in a matter of a few hours, and support is swelling.

The outpouring of people wishing to help is astonishing. A number of musicians, including a rap performer from Switzerland, have expressed interest in HAARI. Healthcare professionals and international personalities have joined Burke in her cause, including Peter Jansen, creator of a radio network, called Ghetto Radio, which seeks to give a voice to the youth living in depressed regions of the world. People are coming together, crossing economic and ethnic lines, pledging aid for her cause.
When asked how valuable she considers MySpace, Burke said, "Establishing contacts and growing a network is key to Hands Across Africa Relief International, and the response we have received as a result of getting out the word through MySpace has been miraculous. Emails and messages have been pouring in, and I feel that this organization is on the verge of becoming really big. Tom [Anderson] and his website have altered the course of things for HAARI. In the blink of an eye, it all just changed. MySpace is powerful. It's an engine, and it's unbelievable to me."

The future of Hands Across Africa Relief International may not be entirely secured, as Burke is still trying to gain a more secure footing with national and international funding sources; yet, thanks to MySpace and its members, there is hope. That hope, along with faith, is the thing that propels Burke in her efforts. "Faith and family represent the foundation of my work. God's word moves me, and guides me in my mission. And now that mission is stronger because of MySpace. For so long, my family and I have lived on hope, and we have prayed for something to come along that would help us help others. MySpace is the answer to those prayers."

As the membership on MySpace grows and the power of its networking strengthens, there is no end to the possibilities for organizations like HAARI. Donations of time and resources, as well as pledges of personal involvement, are increasing for this cause, with MySpace as the conduit. And there is little doubt in the minds of the Burke family that things will only get better for them. This philosophy has spurred Kishmir to adopt a credo about MySpace. "If anyone out in the world needs help, all they have to do is look to MySpace. You just have to get up on the wall at MySpace, and represent. Good things will happen."
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If you are interested in contributing to Hands Across Africa Relief International, please contact Kishmir Burke at: www.myspace.com/kishmirburke. The website for the organization is:
www.freewebs.com/haarimission.