Thirty percent of children in Somalia and neighboring countries are acutely malnourished, and 20 percent of the population is without food entirely. When the Syracuse University chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity heard of these challenges from another fraternity chapter, they took action.

The fraternity will host a ‘Save the Horn’ benefit concert Friday to raise awareness about the famine and malnutrition plaguing eastern Africa. The concert will feature hip-hop artists Fabolous and Cassidy, along with World B. Free, a former professional basketball player. The region the country is in, known as the Horn of Africa, has suffered from political instability, drought and widespread hunger in past decades.

Tickets for the open event are available at the Schine Box Office. General admission tickets are $12. Those with an SUID can purchase tickets for $5 on the first day of sales and $8 after.

After researching numerous organizations and philanthropies, members of Phi Beta Sigma decided to align their cause with Relief International, a humanitarian nonprofit agency whose goal is to serve those vulnerable to disease, disaster and conflict. All proceeds from the benefit concert will go to the charity.

‘Every six minutes, a child dies from malnutrition in the Horn,’ said Brown Bonsu, the head of Phi Beta Sigma’s concert committee.

Fabolous, an American rapper who gained fame from his numerous billboard-topping albums such as ‘From Nothin’ to Somethin’ and ‘Real Talk,’ has already created interest in the event.

‘I would really love to see him live,’ said Lissette Nunez, a freshman broadcast and digital journalism and Spanish major.

Cassidy, famous for his hit songs ‘Hotel’ and ‘I’m a Hustla,’ is excited to come perform because he has not performed in a while, Bonsu said. Sophomore rappers Guy Harrison and Cartier Sims, who recently opened for rapper Asher Roth, will also perform.

The benefit concert will welcome a Somalian guest speaker who has firsthand experience with the famine and struggles in the Horn.

In partnership with Relief International, the Two Degrees foundation, a philanthropic organization that gives a meal to a hungry child for each nutrition bar it sells, will also be at the event. The organizations are raising funds to support a factory in Malawi that produces meals for refugee camps, health clinics and villages much faster than overseas aid can deliver.

Said Bonsu: ‘We want to represent the benefit in the eyes of the people, to raise awareness and reach everyone.’

jbundy@syr.edu 

Published on March 21, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Jen: jbundy@syr.edu